Infection Prevention in Practice: Principles for Healthy Stables

How everyday care, design and consistency protect horse health

Infection prevention in equestrian settings starts with everyday awareness, how we manage our environments, our routines and the horses in our care. Equine infection prevention depends on small, consistent actions that protect health and welfare in every stable, from private yards to major events.

Each year, International Infection Prevention Week (19 – 25 October) highlights the simple actions that help stop disease from spreading. Although the campaign began in healthcare, its principles are universal. In equestrian life, prevention, good design and consistent care all play a part in protecting horse health and welfare.

Horses are particularly vulnerable to infection when they travel, share equipment or stay in unfamiliar surroundings. Whether in a busy event stabling block, a professional yard or a single stable at home, infection prevention is about small, repeatable habits that protect horses day after day.

Principles of equine infection prevention

Turning awareness into action starts with simple, consistent routines. These are the foundations of effective infection prevention in every setting, whatever the facilities. Across the sector, equine infection prevention works best when those foundations are applied consistently, every da

As the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) explains, “Good hygiene, biosecurity and vaccination form the foundation of disease prevention in all equine populations.” This means maintaining clean environments, managing contact between horses and allowing recovery spaces to stay dry and well ventilated.

The British Horse Society (BHS) echoes this, emphasising that “Good yard hygiene and biosecurity are essential for keeping horses healthy, preventing the spread of disease and minimising welfare risks.” Together, these principles highlight that prevention depends less on specialist measures and more on doing the basics well, every day.

Recent data underline why this consistency matters. In Q4 2024, the UK recorded 13 diagnoses from 11 equine influenza outbreaks (Equine Surveillance UK). While that number fell to a single isolated case in early 2025, the pattern can change quickly – a reminder that prevention must be continuous, not reactive.

It helps to think about prevention as a combination of habits and environment. Daily hygiene, routine cleaning and well-designed spaces all work together to reduce risk and promote health.

Effective prevention brings people, process and technology together. Consistent routines, supported by the right materials and systems, keep standards high day after day.

The environment plays a crucial part in that success. Well-planned, well-maintained stables support the people who care for horses, making everyday hygiene practical and achievable.

As the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) explains, “Infection prevention is everyone’s responsibility. Small actions, when done consistently, protect entire communities.”

When design supports good routine, prevention becomes part of everyday care. The next step is putting those principles into daily practice.

Equine infection prevention in practice

The same principles that underpin infection prevention apply across every environment where horses are kept. From competition venues and professional yards to community riding schools and private stables, equine infection prevention relies on small, consistent habits that are easy to maintain.

Every stable benefits from regular cleaning, good airflow and clear routines. For older or timber buildings, small adjustments can make a real difference. Sealing exposed wood, improving drainage, adding vents or mesh panels, and allowing full drying time between cleans all help reduce risk.

Simple Daily Habits that Make a Difference

Daily hygiene: keep feed, tools and water buckets separate for each horse, disinfect high-touch areas and remove wet bedding promptly.
Routine cleaning: plan full clean downs between groups or after any illness, allowing plenty of drying time.
Environment and layout: improve airflow, avoid damp corners and make cleaning easier to do well.

With only around 40% of horses in the UK vaccinated against influenza (British Horse Society), good hygiene and separation practices are even more critical. Research across equine and livestock sectors shows that consistent cleaning and disinfection can reduce infection transmission by up to 80%. It is proof that everyday habits have a measurable impact.

When these routines become habit, infection prevention becomes second nature. It is not just a policy but part of how every yard, stable and event operates.

Design that enables good practice

Effective design turns good intentions into achievable routines. When stables are built to support hygiene, the daily habits that protect horses become easier to maintain.

The way a stable is constructed directly affects how well infection prevention can work. Smooth, solid surfaces are easier to clean, good ventilation keeps air moving, and effective drainage prevents standing water where bacteria thrive. Each of these details supports equine infection prevention in practice.

At events, horses often move between different environments in short periods of time. That movement, combined with shared facilities and tight turnaround schedules, makes prevention even more important and more complex to manage.

Temporary stables are designed to make thorough cleaning and maintenance as straightforward as possible. Each stable is cleaned and inspected before leaving the yard and again on return, with every component checked to ensure it is ready for safe reuse at the next installation.

On site, our teams follow consistent hygiene routines focused on cleanliness during build, use and takedown. Disinfection is an integral part of this wider process, carried out in partnership with specialist providers to achieve the highest standards of hygiene and horse welfare.

At its best, good design removes barriers to good practice, making hygiene easier to maintain and welfare easier to protect. This approach is part of our wider commitment to welfare-led design. You can read more in our Temporary Stables, Permanent Welfare article. As with every part of infection prevention, it depends on shared responsibility, between the people, places and systems that care for horses.

Shared responsibility and trust

Individual routines form part of a wider system of shared responsibility. From event organisers and suppliers to owners, grooms and riders, maintaining hygiene protects horses, livelihoods and the reputation of the sport.

Applying consistent standards across both permanent and temporary environments helps maintain public confidence and supports welfare at every level. It ensures that whether a horse is competing at an international event or resting at home, it benefits from the same commitment to health and cleanliness.

Maintaining these standards across the industry protects not only horses but the wider equestrian economy that depends on them. The UK equine sector contributes around £5 billion to the economy each year and supports more than 230,000 jobs (ICAEW). Protecting horse health through good hygiene is vital not only for welfare, but for the communities and livelihoods it sustains.

Prevention also ties closely to sustainability. The same systems that protect horse health also reduce waste and extend the life of stable components. Learn more in our Sustainability in Practice article.

Design, process and people all work together to make prevention achievable, maintaining welfare, trust and the social licence that keeps equestrianism strong.

Infection prevention begins long before cleaning

It starts with awareness, good design and the daily habits that protect horses every day.

Looking ahead

International Infection Prevention Week highlights how welfare starts long before cleaning begins. It begins with awareness, continues through process and depends on everyone who cares for horses to play their part.

Creating healthier stables through good habits, sound design and shared standards is how equine infection prevention becomes part of everyday life. When those principles are applied consistently, the equestrian community becomes stronger, safer and more resilient.