Worried about a horse?

Horses naturally lie down to rest, particularly foals or young horses who may rest more frequently. If a horse is lying down but alert, this is likely normal behaviour.

If you have seen a collapsed horse, please give us a call as soon as possible on 0300 333 6000.

Lines open 8am – 5pm Monday to Friday. In case of an emergency outside these hours please telephone your local police or veterinary practice for advice.

In the event of an unexpected death, it can take some time to arrange removal of the horse’s body and in some cases it is appropriate to allow other herd members to see the body before removal. However, if you are concerned that a horse’s body hasn’t been removed in a timely manner you can contact your local council. If you have concerns about the manner of death or the condition of any remaining horses at the site, we should also be contacted via our form.

You can read our guidance on this situation. However, if there are any physical problems with the horses, we should also be contacted. Look for the relevant issue on this page and follow the guidance on how best to contact us.

This should always be reported to the police as a matter of urgency. If there are any physical problems with the horses, look for the relevant issue on this page and follow the guidance on how best to contact us.

Dangerous surroundings or inappropriate housing, such as hazards in field or fencing which is in a dangerous condition, can be reported via our form.

Horses being kept in a dirty stable for long periods/permanently or being kept in unsuitable places, such as vehicles or sheds too small for the individual animal, should also be reported via our form.

Although horses are herd animals and ideally should have the company of others, there are circumstances in which it may be acceptable for a horse to be kept alone and it is therefore not always necessary to report horses which are on their own.

However, if there are other problems we can always be contacted. Look for the relevant issue on this page and follow the guidance on how best to contact us.

It is acceptable for horses to be without food and water for short periods of time, such as when being worked or to allow for a bucket being knocked over. However, horses not getting sufficient food or water will soon start to show physical signs, in which case we would encourage people to contact us as soon as possible via our form. It is acceptable for horses to drink from a natural source of clean water, such as a stream or river. If you cannot easily see a trough or buckets in the field, consider whether these might be in an area of the field which is out of sight, or if there is another natural water source available.

If you believe a horse does not have access to water, please contact us via our form.

Many UK horses are comfortable without rugs and will usually grow a thick winter coat which is waterproof and very effective at keeping them warm. Report only if the horse shows visible distress or significant condition loss due to exposure using our form.

When there is no manmade shelter available, horses often have adequate natural shelter such as hedges or trees, and many are comfortable in this situation. Report only if horses are visibly distressed or losing condition due to exposure using our form.

If the horse appears lame but can bear weight on the affected limb, please report the situation via our form but if the horse isn’t weight-bearing please do call our welfare line as a matter of urgency. See the section on Lameness (non-weight bearing) for guidance on how to contact us.

This is where the horse is unable to put one foot to the floor or clearly unable to put any weight on one limb. It is important to note that horses will often ‘rest’ a hind leg when they’re standing and this is not something to be concerned about. Therefore, it is important wherever possible to distinguish between a lame horse and one which is resting a leg.

If you have concerns about a horse which you believe has a non-weight-bearing lameness, please call us as a matter of urgency on 0300 333 6000. 

Lines open 8am – 5pm Monday to Friday. In case of an emergency outside these hours please telephone your local police or veterinary practice for advice.

Laminitis is a serious condition which affects the hooves of the horse causing lameness or a stilted or ‘pottery’ walk. They may also be reluctant to turn and may shift their weight regularly from foot to foot when at rest. In the most seriously affected cases, may stand in a particular way, leaning back on their heels to relieve the weight on their front legs. Please report the situation via our form.

Report via our form if hooves are excessively long or cracked so that they impact the horse’s movement. Please report your concern on our form.

Problems about ragwort should be reported to the relevant government department. You can find further information on our Ragwort advice page.

There is no need to report ragwort to us if this is the only concern. However, if there are any physical problems with the horses, we should also be contacted. Look for the relevant issue on this page and follow the guidance on how best to contact us.

Anything which is obviously causing serious pain or distress to the horse should be reported as an emergency.

Please give us a call on 0300 333 6000. 

Lines open 8am – 5pm Monday to Friday. In case of an emergency outside these hours please telephone your local police or veterinary practice for advice.

If you’re concerned for the welfare of a tethered horse, please report it to us via our form. However, if you have specific concerns about the condition of the horse, look for the relevant issue on this page and follow the guidance on how best to contact us. If the horse is tangled in their tether, please see the section on Trapped or tangled for guidance on how to contact us.

This could include caught in fencing, stuck in a ditch, tangled in a tether or anything similar, and it should be reported as an emergency Please give us a call on 0300 333 6000. 

Lines open 8am – 5pm Monday to Friday. In case of an emergency outside these hours please telephone your local police or veterinary practice for advice. 

Do not attempt to rescue trapped or tangled horses without professional help as they can pose a significant danger to those trying to help them.

Key things to assess on an underweight horse are whether the ribs and spine are prominent and if the hip bones are protruding. Horses often lose weight during the winter; a time which coincides with them having long winter coats. This long hair can disguise poor body weight and areas such as ribs can be hidden. One of the more reliable areas to look at i the rear view, as horses will drop weight either side of their spine and can appear ‘triangular’ from behind.

If you are concerned that a horse is under or overweight, please report your concern on our form.

Untreated injuries, wounds or other diseases such as skin, eye or breathing issues should be reported through our form.

However, if the horse appears in severe pain or extreme distress this should be treated as an emergency – look at the section on ‘Severe pain/injury’ for guidance.

At certain times of the year, it is often very difficult for owners to provide much-needed turnout for their horses without the areas used becoming very poached. Many owners have to sacrifice one area of land throughout the winter so that they still have an area of reasonable grazing to turn the horses out onto in the spring and summer months. As long as the horses are in good health and have access to a dry area – whether that is an area of hard standing, a section of higher ground, or even a straw pad on top of the mud – there is probably no need to report the situation.

However if the field is completely flooded please do contact us via our form. If available, current photos of the situation would be really useful.

If you have other concerns about the condition of the horses, look for the relevant issue on this page and follow the guidance on how best to contact us.

All reports are dealt with in strict confidence and we would never reveal where a concern has come from. However, we appreciate some people wish to report their concerns anonymously. If you are not comfortable giving us a name and phone number, you will need to call us on 0300 333 6000 rather than using the online reporting form. This is so that we can ensure we get all the necessary information in one conversation since we won’t be able to contact you with any queries about your report.