This review addresses the question of whether Thoroughbred horse racing is sustainable in the context of current social values. A recently acknowledged framework, known as ‘Social License to Operate’ (SLO), provides us with a lens through which to view and assess racehorse welfare. In multiple surveys of the general public, the horse owning public, and university students, the primary topics of concern regarding Thoroughbred racing show considerable concordance: concern about catastrophic injuries—particularly as related to track surfaces, concern over the racing of two-year-olds, whip use by jockeys, drug/medication policies, and aftercare opportunities for retired Thoroughbred racehorses. Legitimacy of an industry, consent from industry stakeholders, and trust between the community players, are all essential to have and maintain SLO. In the current era of 24/7 global media access, and the proliferation of social media providing an interactive platform for all interested parties, a dramatic change has occurred in commentary related to racehorse welfare concerns. The situation at Santa Anita (California, USA) from late December 2018 through mid-November 2019 demonstrated just how tenuous the SLO for horse racing is. This article will provide a brief review of what ‘Social License to Operate’ is, along with a brief literature review of five of the areas of primary concern voiced by stakeholders.

Anthropomorphizing can misinform the making of inferences about animal mental experiences. This is a consideration when implementing the Five Domains Model for animal welfare assessment. An online survey run in 2021 captured horse sector participants’ perspectives about anthropomorphism and wellbeing in relation to horses. Most respondents, 82.9% (n = 431/520), believed that anthropomorphism could influence horse welfare and wellbeing. These respondents were then asked how, in their opinion, anthropomorphism might relate to horse welfare. A thematic analysis identified two themes: (1) ‘Anthropomorphism can influence how people relate to horses’ and (2) ‘Anthropomorphism can have consequences for horse welfare and wellbeing’. The results suggested that experienced respondents were aware of the complexities surrounding anthropomorphic attitudes and that anthropomorphism can have beneficial and detrimental consequences on horse welfare and wellbeing. Benefits include a sense of relatedness to a horse, while detriments include the potential to misinterpret horse behaviors. The authors propose that anthropomorphism has a place in horse welfare and wellbeing when used critically and with caution. This study recommends that there is a need to actively manage anthropomorphism when organizations update policies and practices and implement the Five Domains Model. More research is required to understand the effects of anthropomorphism on horse-related practices.

Organisations for which sentient animals are central to the business model need to demonstrate the safeguarding of animal welfare and well-being. This requires providing positive experiences for animals which is critical to maintaining the social licence to operate. A cross-sectional survey captured the attitudes of experienced horse sector participants regarding sentience, welfare and well-being. Almost all respondents (99.9%; n = 676/677), believed horses were sentient. Analysis of open-ended responses identified two themes: (1) Sentience is a pathway to understanding the mental state, welfare and well-being of horses; and (2) A moral obligation for humans to consider sentience. Respondents’ observations that horses reacted to stimuli and responded to their surroundings underpinned their belief that horses were sentient. Theme one related to respondents’ understanding of sentience and how sentience informed their interpretations of horse behaviours and the making of inferences regarding the equine mental state. Theme two related to a moral obligation believed to exist towards horses because humans manage the horses’ environment and need to consider the impact of their interactions with horses. These obligations were perceived as responsibilities to consider sentience when determining good welfare and well-being in horse activity settings, when interacting with horses and when training and competing with horses. The results suggested a sophisticated understanding of sentience existed among experienced horse sector participants, who recognised the sentient horse as worthy of care. We propose that leveraging experienced participants’ existing knowledge of sentience could support the implementation of the Five Domains model when updating organisational policies.

Participation in horse-related activities frequently involves relocating horses from the home stable to an activity venue, which might require local, regional, or international travel. In these circumstances, horses are exposed to unfamiliar surroundings and experience changes to their daily routines, which could have negative welfare impacts. An online survey was conducted in 2021 to ask experienced horse sector participants about the horse management practices that they perceived worked well and provided for positive horse welfare when undertaken at venues. Qualitative analysis identified four themes: ‘managing venues’, ‘monitoring fitness to participate’, ‘maintaining a healthy equine digestive system’, and ‘using horse behaviors to inform decision-making’. The findings indicate that activity-related individuals selected practices that assisted horses to adapt to venue surroundings, remain calm, and stay healthy. The co-authors propose that experienced participants recognize that practices include both provisions (inputs) and outcomes (the horse’s subjective experiences), resonating with the Five Freedoms and Five Domains models. For horse activity organizations proposing to implement the Five Domains model, the findings indicate that reviewing practices and implementing updates is timely and achievable. The authors propose that continuously updating practices will contribute to safeguarding horses and maintaining the sector’s social license to operate.