The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) has launched a manifesto ahead of the Scottish Parliament election, calling for modernized animal welfare laws. Their key proposals include establishing a national animal offenders register to track and prevent repeat abuse, embedding animal welfare education into school curricula, reviewing the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, and creating a permitted list of exotic pets. The SSPCA emphasizes that such measures are crucial to protecting horses from neglect and abuse, advocating for laws that reflect comprehensive welfare standards including physical health and mental wellbeing.

Horsescotland supports the manifesto but highlights additional urgent issues, such as the shortage of qualified farriers due to a lack of training provision, which threatens equine health, and financial pressures on equestrian businesses that impact land management and welfare standards. They suggest using the five domains welfare model to guide tax and rate policies and support the introduction of a livery yard licensing scheme to further safeguard horse welfare across Scotland. Both organizations urge horse owners to engage with policymakers to ensure these reforms are enacted for the benefit of current and future generations of horses.