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Equine Working Group – World Horse Welfare, Belwade Farm, 15–17 April 2026

Each year, the Equine Working Group of the Eurogroup for Animals—of which we have been active members since 2017—holds its meeting in a different EU country.

Last year, it was a great honor for us to host the working group in Athens.

This year, a lifelong dream came true as we traveled to Scotland, to the facilities of World Horse Welfare. This historic organization was founded in 1927, initially to stop the export of unwanted working equines for slaughter, and it established its first sanctuary in 1949.


It is an organization that proves that when love and passion for the protection of equines are supported financially, only extraordinary things can happen.

Vast expanses of pastureland for the equines in their care, an indoor arena for training and socialization of the animals living at the sanctuary, quarantine facilities, a visitor center and restaurant, educational programs for both children and adults, books and merchandise to support their work, accessibility provisions for visitors and volunteers with disabilities, as well as seminars on equine welfare and training, all form part of their work.

World Horse Welfare is among the pioneers in research aimed at improving the lives of equines and modernizing protective legislation at the European level.


During our meetings, we had the opportunity to discuss, among many other topics, the proposal to improve the equine identification and traceability system, the position of veterinary associations on this issue, the new Finnish law on equine protection coming into force in January 2026, video evidence from investigations into unacceptable slaughter conditions in Latin American countries, and the results of a public opinion survey on equines in Europe.

From our side, we presented the latest developments regarding regulations on animal-drawn vehicles, an issue on which we have submitted proposals together with our partners from the organization A Promise to Animals.


We returned to our small farm with great hope and the certainty that, apart from financial resources, we lack nothing else.

We share the same passion, the same vision, and the same determination to achieve our goals.


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