
I have asked the question ‘What do horses need?’ many times in many different situations in many different countries. The answers are never the same and always provide new insights into the complicated nature of the relationship between horses and humans. At first, people answer with the obvious response – food and water – but further probing prompts discussions about training, shade, shelter, grooming, veterinary care and much more. I often run this exercise as a framework for an introduction to welfare, so next, I ask the group to explore the criteria that should be met to fully meet that need. For example under the need for ‘food’, criteria might be that ad lib forage should be available, that concentrated feed is provided in a clean bowl, that food is good quality, perhaps...