In our last post, we celebrated the resilience of Mexico’s 6.4 million horses. But a large population does not automatically mean a healthy one. While Mexico’s horse numbers are stable, the quality of life for many of these animals is under serious threat.
The horse industry in Mexico is facing a perfect storm of health problems, rising costs, and management gaps.
For the working horses, the ones still pulling plows, carriages, or patrolling ranches in wet, rural regions, the challenges are physical and painful. Poor footing in wet field conditions often leads to:
- Hoof infections (thrush, abscesses)
- Lameness from chronic strain
- Eye problems due to dust, mud, and lack of care.
Because access to farriers and vets is uneven, these minor issues often become disabling conditions.
Beyond the working class, the broader industry struggles with welfare gaps. Overbreeding and “unwanted horses” are real problems, exacerbated by owners who simply lack the training or resources to provide proper care. At the same time, the cost of feed, shoeing, and veterinary medicine is rising, making ownership harder to sustain.
Perhaps most worrying is the declining participation of young people. In many parts of Mexico, fewer young men and women are entering the horse world, threatening the future labor pool and the passing down of traditional husbandry knowledge.
The Mexico-specific angle: This isn’t just an elite sport-horse problem. It’s a challenge that affects local communities most deeply. A show jumper in Mexico City has access to top vets; a working horse in a rural village does not. Solutions must be local, practical, and tied to education, not just government regulations.
So what does a solution look like? In our final post of the series, we’ll explore how Mexico can preserve its equine heritage without sacrificing welfare.
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