British racing's Horse Welfare Board-an independently chaired organization comprising the British Horseracing Authority, racing's stakeholders and the Racecourse Association-has released a five-year welfare plan for horses bred for racing. The strategy focuses on the ambition that every horse bred to race should lead a life well lived, and the overarching themes of the plan are traceability, safety and well being, communication and the use of data.
The whip is a prominent topic in the strategy, which calls for racing to make changes to the way the whip is used but stresses it is not calling for the removal of the whip. The strategy asks the BHA to review penalties for the breach of whip rules by the end of October 2020, stressing to the need to increase penalties for rule breaches.
Also central in the report is the need to grow the industry's databases in regards to welfare, and the board calls for the creation of a Thoroughbred Welfare Database.
Key projects that will require the collaboration of the industry's power brokers in conjunction with all participants include an enhanced traceability strategy focusing on eliminating gaps and shortfalls in data; communication of traceability requirements, removal of barriers to traceability and streamlining processes; an analysis of racing's welfare funding model; a review of sections of the industry currently not fully subject to full BHA regulation, like breeding, pre-training and sales, to assess potential benefits of registration schemes, codes of practice, accreditation schemes, or licensing arrangements; continuing consideration of the pros and cons of different breeding practices (natural vs artificial); further development and application of the Jump Racing Risk Model; the continued gathering and analysis of data of fatalities linked to racing that occur off the racecourse; the continued gathering and analysis of medication data and clinical records linked to general welfare considerations and to racing-related fatalities; reviews of stalls designs and loading procedures and ground/going research.
The BHA Board has accepted all the recommendations of the Horse Welfare Board, and the BHA's Chief Executive Nick Rust said, “I am proud of the work already done by the sport, including our own team of vets and officials, to give our horses the best possible quality of life. Our sport's record in making racing safer for horses and jockeys is the result of many people working together for a common purpose. The BHA's role in self-regulation of racing has been endorsed by the Welfare Board as it has by government.
“When I saw the scale of the Welfare Board's ambition, I was even more proud. Racing people want the very best for our horses. We would love more people outside our sport to understand just how much we put into keeping horses safe and allowing them to enjoy the quality of life that goes with being an equine athlete.
“I know our sport has been frustrated at times because it feels not enough has been done to speak up for racing. I firmly believe that the strategy gives us a platform to talk about all the good things we do with pride and confidence. That is why it is a pivotal moment, an opportunity to show that we can be trusted to do the right thing for our horses.”
Maggie Carver, chair of the Racecourse Association, said, “I would like to congratulate the Horse Welfare Board in producing such a thorough, comprehensive, evidence-based report. That evidence shows that there are areas where we can strive to do better and that there is an urgent need to respond to changes in society in order to keep racing popular. It is now up to all of us to respond with positive plans for improvement and change, not just in the short term but sustainably over the years ahead.”
Nicholas Cooper, president of the Racehorse Owners Association, said, “The founding principle of the Horse Welfare Board was to better engage the wider bloodstock and racing industry in a structured manner, in order to allow our great sport to advance welfare standards for all Thoroughbreds as well as minimise–wherever possible–the risks associated with racing horses. The strategy proposed today is of huge importance and significance for the racing industry and the welfare board should be congratulated for delivering such a rounded and thorough document. We hope that the entire sport will get behind it and support the strategy, and play their part in its implementation.”
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