In recent years, animal welfare has developed into a field in which the psychological and physical condition of farm and companion animals is examined. As part of the Slovenian Rural Development Program, great attention has been given in recent years to the welfare of farm animals used for sport activities, especially sport horses. Unfortunately, sport horses are often just a means to make a profit and are often subjected to inhumane training methods. Therefore, it is very important and necessary to investigate this area and analyze the condition of sport horses in Slovenia and worldwide. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the welfare of sport horses under different rearing conditions and activities and to determine through analysis which rearing or activity parameters are not optimal in terms of health, behavior and nutrition. These parameters can lead to negative feelings such as pain, fear and restlessness. Key principles for good welfare in sport horses include appropriate nutrition, housing, health and behavior. A review of the literature revealed that there is an AWIN protocol (AWIN, 2015) which can be used to assess the welfare of sport horses based on different criteria and indicators. The results of various studies using this protocol show that the main problems are related to social isolation of horses, restriction of freedom of movement and provision of insufficient amounts of forages. The relationship between humans and horses has also been highlighted, particularly with regard to inappropriate training in relation to the horses physical abilities and maturity.
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