The Welfare of Horses at Markets (and Other Places of Sale) Order 1990
(for England and Wales)
Enter your postcode in the field at the bottom of this page to see if your local authority trading standards service has the full leaflet version available on its website.
Animal Health Act 1981
Welfare of Animals Act 2006
No person shall permit an unfit horse, which includes a 'horse, pony, ass, donkey, or mule', to be exposed for sale in a market, or permit a mare to be exposed for sale in a market if it is likely to give birth while it is there.
No person shall cause or permit any injury or unnecessary suffering to a horse in a market. It is the duty of any person responsible for a horse to ensure that it is accommodated handled and is treated to the extent required by good practice. No foals under four months old can be brought to market unless at the foot of their dam and can only be sold with their dam.
No person shall sell a horse without a passport. On the sale of a horse, the seller shall give the passport to the buyer or, at auction sales to the auctioneer who shall give the passport to the buyer.
