The IFHA Minimum Horse Welfare Standards were published by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities on Monday. The standards are in line with the IFHA's terms of reference that include promoting best practice, harmonization and information exchange across racing nations. They also complement recent reforms that ensure traceability of horses from their foal stage through into retirement and beyond. Racing authorities should refer to this guidance to establish accepted horse welfare practices in their jurisdiction and to set minimum standards of participant behaviour, including behavioural change where necessary.
“The IFHA affirms the central role of the horse in racing, and accordingly, regards the health and welfare of racehorses, in all stages of life, to be fundamentally important to the viability and sustainability of the industry,” said IFHA Chairman Louis Romanet. “The Executive Council of the Federation endorses this IFHA Minimum Horse Welfare Standards document and I want to thank our Horse Welfare Committee Chairman Jamie Stier for leading the efforts to produce this useful and practical guide for racing authorities.”
The IFHA Horse Welfare Committee prepared the standards, in part, by basing them upon sections of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) “Thoroughbred Welfare Assessment Guidelines” (Oct. 2019) which were developed by NZTR with the assistance of Professor Emeritus David Mellor, Foundation Director of the Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre at Massey University, New Zealand. A short video and podcast featuring the aforementioned RV Executive General Manager Integrity Services Jamie Stier, Mellor, and Dr. Lynn Hillyer, Chief Veterinary Officer and Head of Anti-Doping for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board and moderated by Rishi Persad have also been produced in conjunction with the standards (click here to view). For more information, go to www.ifhaonline.org.
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