Campaign «Horses Out!»

Editorial Team Wild beim Wild — 13 April 2018

If horses were given a choice, they would opt for group housing with free exercise and pasture access. In Switzerland, however, the majority of horses often spend 23 hours a day in cramped individual stalls. This is particularly true of valuable sport horses and so-called «school horses» in riding schools. With the nationwide campaign «Horses Out!», the Swiss Animal Protection STS aims to ensure that every horse in Switzerland has regular exercise and access to pasture. Over the past few months, Swiss Animal Protection STS has been researching the keeping conditions at Swiss horse establishments. The conclusion: it is often valuable sport horses and many riding school horses that have drawn the short straw — they frequently spend between 20 and 23 hours a day alone in the stable in a cramped stall.

Promoting Horse Welfare

Pasture access for horses — Pasture Access for Horses – A Must!

Horses are herd animals that need to move. Swiss Animal Protection STS has therefore been advocating for and promoting regular exercise, pasture access, and social contact for all horses for many years. The STS horse label, which has been in existence since 2011 and is monitored by the STS inspection service, recognises establishments that keep their horses in groups day and night and grant them free exercise and pasture access — with professional management and an understanding of horses.

Nationwide Campaign for Exercise and Pasture Access

However, not every facility can or wants to implement group housing in the stable for all horses. In order to give all horses in Switzerland as much free movement as possible with outdoor access and pasture time — regardless of the stable system (group or individual housing) — the STS is now launching the nationwide campaign «Pferde raus!» ("Horses Out!"). Farms that keep their horses in individual stalls can also participate. The prerequisite, however, is daily outdoor access in a group, wherever possible on a pasture, otherwise on an all-weather exercise area. Anyone who makes this commitment to their horses becomes an "ambassador" for species-appropriate horse keeping, receives a certificate from the Swiss Animal Protection STS, and is recognised and listed as "horse-friendly".