equine welfare

Edited Press Release The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association (PHBA) announced its endorsement of an amendment that would ban the transport of American slaughter-bound horses across both state lines and over country borders. The amendment, which was led by U.S. Representatives Troy Carter, Brian Fitzpatrick, and John Katko, will be offered to the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act, H.R.3684. Scheduled to be on the House floor in coming weeks, it would effectively ban horse slaughter in America. The organization also supports the...

Kimberly Weir has joined the Board of Directors of Horsepower, Inc., a New-York based 501c3 organization devoted to the safety and well-being of equines through education, awareness, advocacy and allies. With the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) since 2018, the resident of Saratoga Springs, New York, has served as the Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving for the organization. Prior to that, she also served as the Deputy Executive Director of Mid-Atlantic Venture Association (MAVA) in Washington, DC. Weir graduated from the University of Virginia and went on to complete...

A saliva testing trial, a screening method for cocaine and some other banned substances, is now under way at UK racecourses, the British Horseracing Authority announced on Wednesday. Utilising oral swabs, the testing method results are provided near-instantly indicating whether substances are present in a rider's system above existing thresholds. If the trial is successful, British racing will become the first major sport in Britain to utilise on-the-day screening for banned substances through oral swabs. If a jockey does not test negative during the trial, they would be stood down...

According to the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), two bills--SB 800 and AB 1974--have been passed and signed into law in the state of California. Both bills are instrumental in strengthening California's commitment to both equine and jockey welfare and safety. Senator Bill Dodd's SB 800 provides greater access to veterinary records for racehorses, requires the reporting and publication of equine fatalities that occur at facilities regulated by the CHRB, and requires the publication of positive post-race test findings within five business days of their confirmation. In anticipation of this...

After initially being deadlocked on a Thursday vote to put off implementing anti-whipping regulations that have been repeatedly delayed since first proposed in March 2019, the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) finally voted 4-2 to pass a rule that will prohibit a jockey from striking a mount more than six times during a race, and then only in an underhanded position with no more than two strikes in succession using whips that must meet new CHRB standards to soften the blows. Representatives from the Jockeys' Guild, plus California riders Mike...

Eight short films discussing some of the common questions regarding equine welfare were released by the British Horseracing Authority on Monday. The films, featuring National Hunt jockey Tom Scudamore and BHA vet Sally Taylor, cover some commonly asked questions about equine welfare like "What happens when a horse falls?" and "What is the life of a racehorse like?" The videos will be displayed on big screens and CCTV across British racecourses, beginning with Carlisle, Lingfield and Kempton Park on Monday. Previews of the eight videos can be viewed below: What...