The Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Equines

from animal welfare organizations. The CDC for the current equine Code was assisted by the Science Council a panel of equine veterinarians and equine research scientists tasked with ensuring that the recommendations and requirements eventually to be included in the guide were based on good peerreviewed research and practical experience. The CPCHE was a work in progress for a number of years and before it was submitted to the NFACC for publication it was subjected to a 60day public review process. All concerns and opinions raised through this process were considered in the revision of the draft version of the Code and the finalized Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Equines was submitted to NFACC in 2011 and published in 2013. The last review of the CPCHE was in 2018 and the next is planned for 2023 as all Codes of Practice for each animal species are subject to review every five years.
What is the purpose of the CPCHE? 
The CDC determined five key management areas that were thought to be the foundation for the humane treatment of all horses including pleasure horses performance horses and horses which are destined for more commercial uses such as PMU mares mares used for the production of hormones for pharmaceutical use. The five key management areas covered under the Equine Code of Practice include the following 
Facility design and housing
Health and welfare including pain management and health care protocols such as teeth vaccination and deworming
Feeding and drinking
Feedlot horse care and
Handling and training.
Each section within the CPCHE follows a specific format of recommended practices pertaining to the management area as well as required practices. The required practices are those management practices that have been established in regulations around the humane care and treatment of horses and are as a result both mandatory and enforceable. The recommended practices are management practices demonstrated through either research or practice to be the best for ensuring the optimum care and treatment of horses but are not yet mandatory. The objectives in developing the CPCHE were to provide a document that could serve as an educational guide a regulatory guide or as a guide for use in the assessment of equine care. 
Is the CPCHE being used or enforced in Canada now?
The CPCHE is now a foundation document for education equine husbandry assessment programs and regulatory agencies.  Requirements established within the Code are enforced by the