Latest from Horse & Hound in Defra

‘A victory for the ponies, and the moor itself’: joy as your voices are heard and Dartmoor ponies’ future secured

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 13:23:06 +0000

The future of the Dartmoor hill pony has been secured – and the voices of more than 220,000 people heard – as the Government has agreed new protections for them.

Natural England announced yesterday (15 July) that the ponies will be removed from stocking rate calculations in new agreements with commoners, which means owners will no longer have to choose between ponies and sheep or cattle.

“This is wonderful news for Dartmoor’s ponies and for everyone who loves the moor,” said Dartmoor Hill Pony Association chair Charlotte Faulkner.

“For months, pony keepers, commoners and supporters have been warning that future grazing agreements could unintentionally put these precious herds at risk. Today, the Government has listened.”

H&H reported that campaigners feared the most likely outcome of the new contracts, in which cattle and ponies were both included in stocking density limits, would be culls, and that up to 90% of the remaining 1,000 ponies on the moor would be lost.

Hundreds of thousands of people backed those campaigning for the ponies’ future, and politicians from across the spectrum spoke out against the plans.

The announcement yesterday said the new measures would protect the ponies and support those who keep them on the moor.

“These heritage rare breeds and semi-wild hill ponies are a much-cherished part of Dartmoor’s landscape and cultural heritage,” a Defra and Natural England spokesperson said. “They also play an important role in conserving protected environmental sites on the moor – and the Government is committed to ensuring their numbers do not fall below current levels.

“From today, Dartmoor ponies will be removed from stocking rate calculations in new Environmental Management agreements, so that farmers do not face a choice between keeping ponies and maintaining sheep or cattle. This implements recommendation 27 of the 2023 Fursdon review, an independent review of protected site management on Dartmoor. Pony numbers will also be monitored across the moor to ensure they remain stable.

“A new dedicated pony supplement will be introduced into farming schemes to remove any financial incentive to reduce pony populations. In addition, the Government has asked the Dartmoor Land Use Management Group to develop a whole-moor grazing framework ensuring all interests are considered together.”

The Dartmoor Hill Pony Association said the announcement is a “landmark moment for Dartmoor’s ponies, its commoners, biodiversity and cultural heritage”.

Political clout

Ms Faulkner thanked Defra minister Emma Reynolds for putting her political clout behind the campaign.

“We would like to thank the secretary of state for listening to over 220,000 people who care about the future of the semi-wild Dartmoor hill pony herds,” she said.

“This will support Dartmoor’s biodiversity, culture and tourism, keeping Dartmoor as we know and love it for generations to come.

“This announcement means Dartmoor’s ponies are being recognised for what they are: rare, native, semi-wild herds that are part of Dartmoor’s history, its biodiversity and its future.

“Removing ponies from stocking rate calculations is exactly the assurance we have been asking for. It means commoners should no longer be placed in the impossible position of having to choose between keeping ponies on the moor and maintaining viable farm businesses.

“We are hugely grateful to the secretary of state, Defra, Natural England, Steve Race MP and everyone who has helped bring this issue to national attention.

“Most of all, we want to thank the more than 220,000 people who stood up for Dartmoor’s ponies. Their voices have made a real difference.

“This is a day to celebrate. Dartmoor’s hill ponies belong on Dartmoor, and today’s announcement is a major step towards securing their future where they belong: on the moor.”

Working together for the Dartmoor hill ponies’ future

The association said it looks forward to working with all the other stakeholders to ensure the new arrangement delivers on all fronts.

Secretary Joss Hibbs added: “This is a brilliant result, but it is also the beginning of the next chapter. We now want to work constructively with everyone involved to make sure these protections are delivered on the ground.

“Today has shown what can happen when commoners, campaigners, politicians and the public come together for Dartmoor. It is a victory for the ponies, but also for the moor itself.”

Natural England chief executive Marian Spain added: “Natural England has always been clear that Dartmoor’s ponies play a central role in shaping the landscape and supporting nature, and we want to see them continue to do so.

“The Government policy changes announced today will enable us to work with farmers to secure the agreements we need to recover nature on Dartmoor. We will continue to work with Dartmoor Land Use Management Group and other local groups on the new framework to ensure a healthy, sustainable future for Dartmoor.”

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Animal welfare is ‘no place for legal loopholes’: MPs debate animal abuse register and automatic lifetime bans

Becky Murray — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 06:02:54 +0000

A petition calling for a public register of animal abusers and automatic lifetime bans has been debated in parliament.

On 29 June, MPs discussed the petition started by cleaner and social media influencer Bea Elton, which almost 240,000 people have signed since its launch on 12 March. For petitions to be considered for debate, they must reach 100,000 signatures in six months.

Burton and Uttoxeter MP Jacob Collier said the number of people who had signed Ms Elton’s petition in just three months illustrated “the depth of feeling across our country” around animal abuse.

“That feeling, together with the expert opinion of organisations such as the RSPCA, indicates that the current provisions against animal abuse are not adequate,” he said.

But Mr Burton added that automatic lifetime bans for all who abuse animals “appears to be a disproportionate response” and a public register is “similarly unsuitable”. H&H reported concerns from equine welfare charities around a public register owing to the risk of “vigilante behaviour” (news, 4 June).

Cambourne and Redruth MP Perran Moon called on the Government to close the loophole whereby a banned owner can give animals to their spouse.

Doncaster East and Isle of Axholme MP Lee Pitcher agreed, adding: “there is no place for legal loopholes like that in our country”.

“The Government has referred to the police national computer and to existing arrangements for information sharing. I recognise that there are important safeguards around personal information and data protection that we must be aware of, but a record held somewhere in the system is not the same as a practical safeguarding tool that can stop a banned person acquiring another animal,” he said.

“That is the point behind the petition and it is a point that we should take very seriously.”

Newly appointed Defra minister Stephen Morgan said the Government published its animal welfare strategy for England in December, which includes “practical action to promote sensible, responsible pet ownership”. This strategy also includes plans for a consultation on licensing rescue and rehoming centres, which is still to be actioned.

“That matters, because many welfare problems begin long before prosecution is brought. They can start with poor breeding, poor socialisation, lack of knowledge or owners unable to meet an animal’s needs,” he said. “By addressing those causes earlier, we can reduce the risk of animal suffering and reduce pressure on enforcement bodies later on.”

He said courts have the power to impose lifetime bans where appropriate – and “it is right that they retain the discretion to do so”.

“Although we recognise the good intention behind the calls for a public register, the risks outweigh the benefits. Targeted disclosure remains the most effective approach. We are continuing to strengthen enforcement by supporting local authorities on how to use the tools available to them more effectively,” he said.

Blue Cross head of public affairs Becky Thwaites told H&H the debate had “some interesting and useful contributions” – and the charity supports a national register searchable by enforcement agencies and charities.

“Issues around animal welfare are not debated as often as we would like at Westminster so this was a welcome opportunity for MPs to put their views to the Defra minister,” she said. “The one disappointment was the minister provided no timeframe for the consultations promised in the Government’s animal welfare strategy – we need more clarity on that.”

Ms Thwaites added that as the 2006 Animal Welfare Act reaches its 20th anniversary, it is the “right moment for a comprehensive review”.

“This should include strengthening how disqualification orders are monitored and enforced, alongside serious consideration of introducing an animal offenders register,” she said.

RSPCA head of public affairs David Bowles told H&H the number of signatures the petition has had “demonstrates how passionate people feel about justice for animals”.

“We know many equine owners will be among those urging the UK Government to act,” he said.

“Sadly, despite the animal welfare laws the RSPCA helped to put into place, cruelty still happens too often, and our inspectors and rescuers see firsthand the reality of this on a daily basis.”

Mr Bowles said establishing an animal abuse register is an “emotive issue”.

“Details of convictions and disqualification orders under the Animal Welfare Act are stored on the Police National Computer, but this is not open to non-police personnel to see for data protection purposes, and to avoid vigilante action,” he said.

“The current framework poses a significant challenge; even though courts can disqualify individuals from ownership, there is currently no central system for rescue centres, charities or private individuals, including breeders, pet shops, or animal care companies, to check whether someone is banned from keeping animals before selling or rehoming an animal, or employing someone to care for animals.

“That’s why the RSPCA is working with governments and other stakeholders for a transparent system that enables identification by appropriate authorities of those previously convicted of an animal offence.

“Gaps also extend to local authorities who grant licenses to animal businesses. While legislation already states that people convicted of animal cruelty are ineligible to run certain animal-related businesses – knowledge to enforce these rules is key.”

Mr Bowles added that resourcing for local authorities will “need to remain a discussion point”, and said many are ”already under pressure” enforcing legislation such as the Control of Horses Act.

“We must find a system that helps everyone ensure that disqualified abusers cannot bypass the law and own, get access to or work with animals – while respecting that information is only provided appropriately to selected enforcers, to prevent vigilante and other anti-social actions,” he said.

“Individuals banned from keeping animals by courts are often publicised in the media and the current legal framework highlights why it is important that anyone suspecting an individual to be breaching or evading any imposed bans should report this to the police or other relevant authorities.”

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The fight goes on to keep horses safe from dog attacks after new law clarified

Eleanor Jones — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 13:57:13 +0000

The fight to keep horses safe from dog attacks goes on – as the Government has confirmed that tougher legislation to deal with worrying animals does not cover ridden or driven horses.

H&H reported that the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act, which came into force this year, gave police more powers to deal with – and the option of more serious punishments – for livestock worrying, and that this includes horses.

But some in the industry had concerns that it did not go far enough. And Defra has now confirmed that although the law covers horses on roads and paths to be moved between fields, this “does not extend to ridden horses”, on or off the road.

Victoria Privett, co-founder of the Leash & Release campaign that aims to educate dog owners and protect other people and animals from dog attacks, told H&H she and co-founder Katie Smart contacted Defra last autumn.

“They’ve now come back to say the protection given by the act doesn’t automatically apply to ridden horses in public spaces,” she said.

“We’re very grateful to Defra for clarifying but my fear was that horses would fall through the gaps again, and we have. The most vulnerable time for horses and riders is when they’re riding in public.”

Ms Smart and Ms Privett said that, as it has to H&H, Defra has referred to the Dangerous Dogs Act as another law under which horses may be protected. But the relevant section of this law says it is an offence if an out-of-control dog “injures any person or assistance dog”, with no mention of horses or any other animal.

Leash & Release is now targeting an update of this law as the next step.

Dog attacks: ridden horses and other animals need protection

“We need a petition to amend this section to cover horses and all pets, including other dogs,” Ms Privett said. “People have contacted us as their dogs have been attacked, and they’re not covered either. There are lots of loopholes, and places where the police aren’t even clear.”

This petition, and a call to contact MPs, will not be started until the country’s governance is clear; the campaigners will wait until the next prime minister is in place with no chance of an imminent general election, as these mean all petitions are closed.

“Then we’ll do that, because we know the community will support us,” Ms Privett said. “Not just the equestrian community, the dog community, the pet owners, and hopefully we can get more of an aligned response.”

Solicitor Hannah Bradley, of Aria Grace Law, told H&H that although the act refers to horses, “it is clear they fall awkwardly in that they are often not farmed livestock in the traditional sense, and they are used more often for leisure purposes”.

“The frequency with which horses and their owners suffer from dog attacks, and the difficult emotional and financial circumstances caused by them, warrant serious consideration to creating a clearer route to prosecution, and by virtue a deterrent,” she said. “Whilst owners may still have a prospective civil claim to pursue any financial losses, it may be difficult and expensive, and there would be no guarantee of success, or recovery of any damages awarded.”

British Horse Society (BHS) safety team manager Des Payne told H&H anyone involved in a dog-related riding incident should contact a legal expert; the BHS has a free legal support helpline accessible to some members.

“We would always seek clarity when dealing with these awful situations, as our laws aren’t simple to navigate and there can be many different circumstances to consider,” he said. “Our understanding is that the Crown Prosecution Service will assess whether to proceed with prosecution under section 3 of the 1991 act or other relevant legislation on a case-by-case basis. As ever, we will continue to lobby Government to ensure the interests of horses, horse riders and carriage drivers are at the forefront of any legislative change.”

A Defra spokesperson confirmed Mr Payne’s understanding on the 1991 act, adding that the Government takes dog attacks very seriously.

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The ‘clock is ticking’ for the Dartmoor hill pony, as 200,000 people back call to save them

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:09:11 +0000

More than 200,000 people have signed a petition hoping to save the Dartmoor hill pony, as “heartfelt pledges to protect them are yet to be translated into action”.

The Change.org petition is a “call to action” to highlight the threat to the semi-feral moorland ponies. H&H reported that politicians from across the political spectrum have spoken out condemning any cull, and that Natural England said it would not support one.

But campaigners fear that culls will be the outcome of new Government contracts.

“The future of Dartmoor’s endangered hill ponies, currently numbering just under 1,000, still hangs in the balance,” a Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony spokesperson said.

“Despite concerns being voiced by several political parties following unprecedented media coverage of the campaign last week, those heartfelt pledges to protect the ponies are yet to be translated into action.”

The campaigners are calling on Sir Keir Starmer to act before he leaves office, “warning that the opportunity to secure protection for the ponies is slipping away”.

The Friends charity said no changes have been made to Natural England’s new countryside stewardship agri-environment contracts. This means that when the higher level stewardship (HLS) schemes come to an end from this summer, Dartmoor commoners will have to reduce overall livestock grazing densities by up to 89%, to be eligible for tier 3 funding.

“With ponies now pulled into those overall quotas, competing alongside more commercially viable cattle and sheep for a right to stand on Dartmoor, their future looks bleak,” the spokesperson said.

MPs back calls to save the Dartmoor hill pony

Labour MPs Steve Race (Exeter) and Luke Pollard (Plymouth) are among those backing the campaign.

“It’s not good enough for Natural England to say ‘we’re not ordering a cull’, but on the other hand their policies would lead to that outcome,” Mr Race said. “The problem here is the lack of clarity from Natural England.”

Keir Starmer said the Government “will not support a cull”, and Natural England said it is “not recommending one”.

“Natural England asserts that it values the vital role that ponies play in biodiversity recovery on Dartmoor, and has sought to reassure with promises of native breeds supplements available to farmers to incentivise keeping ponies,” the Friends spokesperson said.

“However, what it has omitted to mention is that these supplements would only be available after the overall massive reductions in numbers have taken place.”

The new grazing contracts were to have been negotiated after the Dartmoor land use management group makes its report, on how to implement the Defra-commissioned Dartmoor review, next year. Section 27 of that review said ponies and cattle or sheep should not be linked in calculations of stocking limits, and urged Natural England to avoid actions that would be likely to result in a decline in pony numbers on the moor.

The Friends, and the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association (DHPA), are “calling for the well-intentioned words of ministers to be urgently translated into action to protect Dartmoor’s remaining semi-wild pony herds”.

Task force

They want Defra to direct Natural England to implement recommendation 27 of the review, and for a task force to be assembled to determine how this should be achieved.

DHPA secretary Joss Hibb said: “The clock is ticking for Dartmoor’s remaining hill pony herds. As some existing HLS grazing contracts come to an end in the coming weeks, farming families will soon be faced with the devastating prospect of irreversibly removing the vast majority of their pony herds that they have kept for generations.”

Dartmoor hill ponies eat molinia, an invasive, dominant grass species that decreases the moor’s biodiversity. This grass is dry and flammable; a wildfire on Dartmoor last May destroyed over 1,200 acres of moorland. The campaigners cited this as another way the ponies protect rather than harm their environment.

The Friends’ Charlotte Faulkner said: “All we want is the right animal to stand in the place it has adapted to over thousands of years. Dartmoor’s semi-wild hill ponies are already endangered and further reductions in their numbers will lead to their genetic collapse.

“They are an iconic part of a traditional farming culture but they are also a vital tool in overcoming the modern challenges that we face: biodiversity decline and climate change. The ponies, in sufficient numbers, are a crucial part of the solution to these challenges, and must be recognised and protected as such.”

H&H has contacted Natural England for comment.

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‘How will the Dartmoor hill ponies be protected?’ Prime minister insists cull will not happen after condemnation – but campaigners await confirmation

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 16:07:18 +0000

The prime minister, Defra and Natural England insist they will not support a cull of Dartmoor hill ponies – but campaigners say they are not safe until new contracts are confirmed in writing.

H&H reported that the Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony feared up to 90% of the 1,000 ponies remaining on the moors may have to be culled as a result of new Government stocking density contracts.

The story has since attracted national attention and the leaders of the Conservatives, Lib Dems and Reform have for once united to condemn any attempt at culling.

Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesperson said: “Let me be very clear on this: this Government will not allow a cull of Dartmoor ponies and we don’t manage pony populations by culling in this country.

“Dartmoor ponies are part of the cultural landscape of Dartmoor and play a vital role in the health of its moorland habitats.”

H&H contacted Defra today (17 June) for its latest position and a Defra spokesperson said: “Dartmoor ponies are an important part of Dartmoor’s heritage and also key to supporting the habitats of Dartmoor. Natural England is not recommending a cull and this Government wouldn’t support one.”

The Friends charity has explained, as reported by H&H, that as the stocking densities in the new contracts are lower, and that they refer to “ponies and/or cattle”, going against the recommendation of a Government-commissioned review, the most likely outcome is a cull.

Government: no Dartmoor pony cull

Natural England southwest area director David Slater said: “The notion that Natural England is advocating a cull is simply untrue. Dartmoor’s unique habitats are in a poor state and grazing by ponies is vital for their recovery.

“Our role is to advise farmers who wish to enter the publicly funded schemes available for grazing regimes. These schemes have been designed by Government to contribute to nature recovery – some of these require less grazing and some more dependent on local conditions but ponies are and always will be part of that mix.

“We work closely with the Dartmoor community to find a way forward that protects livelihoods and the special character of Dartmoor, including its ponies.”

But a spokesperson for the Friends told H&H today that although the charity is glad to hear of the cross-party agreement and Government assurances, it awaits more information.

“We thank Luke Pollard MP and Steve Race MP, who have championed the future of these ponies consistently, not only as the threat came to a head but throughout,” the spokesperson said. “Their commitment has been steady and persistent, and it has mattered.

“We now look to the Government for detail on the direction it will give Natural England to remedy the current situation, and for clarity on what will change in practice.

“We ask what specific changes will be made to Natural England’s approach to guarantee that the assurances given by MPs and ministers are delivered in full. How will the endangered, semi-wild Dartmoor hill pony population be protected on Dartmoor’s commons, in perpetuity?”

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More than 200,000 back petition for public animal abuse register – but concerns raised about vigilante behaviour

Becky Murray — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 06:30:34 +0000

A petition calling for a public register of animal abusers has been signed by more than 200,000 people – but concerns have been raised about the risk of vigilante behaviour.

Cleaner and social media influencer Bea Elton launched the Parliament petition on 12 March; it asks for a public register to be created for offenders convicted of animal abuse, and for anyone convicted of animal abuse or neglect to be banned from owning animals for life.

The petition runs until 12 September and to date has been signed by more than 210,344 people. As it has more than the required 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for a Parliament debate.

View the petition

Ms Elton told H&H that through her cleaning business she has seen “some highly distressing scenes where animals are left to survive in terrible conditions”. She would like any register to include all animals, including horses.

“There are instances where animals are being treated cruelly, and there are limitations to the processes that are meant to protect those animals from future abuse, even by abusers who are convicted in court,” she said.

RSPCA head of public affairs David Bowles told H&H establishing a register is “a really emotive issue”.

“Details of convictions and disqualification orders under the Animal Welfare Act are stored on the police national computer [PNC], but this is not open to non-police personnel to see for data protection purposes, and to avoid vigilante action,” he said.

“The current framework poses a significant challenge; even though courts can disqualify individuals from ownership, there is no central system for animal rescue centres, charities or private individuals, including breeders, pet shops or animal care companies, to check whether someone is banned from keeping animals before selling or rehoming an animal, or employing someone to care for animals.

“Gaps also extend to local authorities who grant licences to animal businesses. While legislation already states that people convicted of animal cruelty are ineligible to run animal businesses, knowledge to enforce these rules is key.”

Mr Bowles added that “we must find a system that helps everyone ensure that disqualified abusers cannot bypass the law and own, get access to or work with animals” – while “respecting that this information is only provided to appropriately selected enforcers”.

World Horse Welfare head of public affairs Kim Ayling told H&H although the charity understands the petition’s sentiment, it is not in favour of a public register owing to the risk of vigilante behaviour.

Instead, World Horse Welfare supports welfare charity the SSPCA’s manifesto for a register that allows enforcement agencies to monitor bans and track repeat offenders via connection to current intelligence systems but is not public (news, 5 March).

“Ideally, we would like to see this implemented not just in Scotland, but across the UK. While improving the flow of intelligence and information will make it easier to know if someone is banned from keeping animals, enforcement is key,” said Ms Ayling. “To prevent animals suffering in future, enforcement agencies need to have the capacity and resources to enforce bans.”

On 19 May a DEFRA spokesperson responded to the petition, stating that the Government has no plans to introduce a register – or automatic lifetime bans.

“The Government does not think it would be appropriate to introduce a publicly accessible animal cruelty register. The majority of the population comply with our high animal welfare laws,” said the spokesperson. “In the upsetting and unacceptable instances where these laws are violated or repeatedly violated, we already have these offences recorded.”

The spokesperson added that animal cruelty prosecutions recorded on the PNC may be shared with appropriate organisations at police discretion but it is important this information is restricted to “protect from misuse”; an approach consistent with the Government’s approach to the child sex offender and domestic violence disclosure schemes.

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‘This is our chance’: a week to have a say in hopes for return to pre-Brexit international horse travel

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 14:20:33 +0000

“This is our chance to make a difference” as there is one week for our voices to be heard on movement of horses and germinal products between the UK and EU.

Defra has opened a “call for information” in relation to work on a new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU. This covers trade, production and movement of animals, plants and their products.

“Our ultimate hope is that conditions will return to what was in place pre-Brexit,” British Equestrian (BEF) CEO Jim Eyre said.

H&H has reported at length on the difficulties, delays and huge costs faced since Brexit in travelling horses to the Continent and importing germinal products, including semen. Mr Eyre said the “current parameters for movements to and from the EU aren’t sustainable for our industry – it impacts on each and every one of us”.

“Of course, the additional cost, time and barriers are a huge factor – but for those taking horses through border control posts, the negative impact on equine welfare is unacceptable,” he said.

Complete the form

“This is our chance to make a difference – and put equestrian activities firmly in the conversations around the negotiations. Your submissions will help the British Horse Council and BEF put forward our industry’s case effectively – and convincingly. We need a seat at the table and the more we can represent our industry and activities – and the economic impact current operating conditions continue to have – the better for us all.”

The BEF is asking the industry to complete submissions and share the request, so all areas of the industry are represented. The online form is lengthy but the BEF has created a guidance document and suggested answers to help complete it by the closing date of 23 April.

“Thank you for taking the time to complete a submission on behalf of your business,” Mr Eyre said. “Two hours is a small price to pay if we can get to a revised SPS agreement with the EU which delivers pre-Brexit movements.”

For help email info@bef.co.uk

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‘We recognise the important role of equine land’: what the Government’s long-term land use plans could mean for horse owners

Becky Murray — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:27:21 +0000

The government has said it will engage with the equestrian sector and landowners as it sets out its long-term plans for managing England’s “finite land”.

Defra has published “England’s first ever land use framework” setting out plans to 2050. The framework follows a public consultation in January 2025, and states the Government’s aims of “delivering new homes, nature restoration, clean energy and food security”.

As well as plans for “helping to accelerate delivery of the Government’s promise of 1.5 million new homes”, Defra has pledged to “give more rights and greater certainty to tenant farmers” – and has set out its intentions around access and recreation, stating “we remain committed to making more of England safe and accessible to the public”.

“A large area of land in England is managed primarily for recreation. Shooting estates and other recreational land, such as golf courses and equine land, can play an important role in local economies, and we recognise that some of this land makes a strong contribution to supporting wildlife and tackling climate change,” reads the framework.

“To keep more agricultural land in production, we want to support all recreational land to deliver the social and environmental benefits that some already does. We will work with recreational management associations to support more voluntary action to reduce the use of potential pollutants, invite nature to share these spaces, and boost the natural capital value of this land even more.”

Engaging

H&H asked Defra how equestrians will be affected by the plans in terms of grazing and off-road riding. A spokesperson told H&H the department will continue to engage with the equestrian sector on how land could be best used to deliver more for nature and local communities.

“We recognise the important role that equine land can play in supporting wildlife and tackling climate change,” he said.

“We will work with recreational management associations to support voluntary action towards boosting nature’s recovery.”

The British Horse Society spokesperson told H&H the society was not consulted in the early stages – but hopes to be involved in future discussions.

“The land use framework outlines the government’s plans to increase access to green and blue spaces for everyone. As the plans develop, BHS wants to make sure that this includes access on horseback or carriage driving, as well as on foot,” BHS director of access Mark Weston told H&H.

“Defra’s plans include consultation on the feasibility and demand for making landowner liability more proportionate to encourage access. We at BHS would strongly encourage this and push to be involved in this process.”

“National vision”

Defra secretary of state MP Emma Reynolds said the framework sets out a “coherent national vision for how we use our land”.

“It demonstrates clearly that we have enough land to build the homes needed to address the housing crisis, maintain domestic food production, restore nature at scale and build clean, homegrown power to provide energy security. These are not competing demands. With the right data, the right tools and the strategic direction this framework provides, they are complementary ones,” she said.

“This is not a document that tells people what to do with their land, nor a replacement for the planning system. It is a blueprint for smarter, more informed decisions and shares cutting-edge data with those who need it most.”

A Government spokesperson said over the next year a dedicated land use unit will be established to “drive the framework and produce England’s first single map of national spatial priorities”.

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Should horse rescues be licensed? MPs debate as Government to ask the question

Becky Murray — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:10:19 +0000

Equine welfare charities have welcomed a forthcoming Government consultation on mandatory licensing for animal rescue centres – if managed and enforced appropriately.

On 26 January, MPs debated a petition calling for licensing and regulation of dog and cat rescues, which had been signed by almost 110,000 people. The petition stated that by introducing “clear legal requirements, the Government can safeguard animal welfare”.

MPs discussed animal rescues more broadly and highlighted that although many do “great work”, there are some operating “without clear legal oversight, creating opportunities for unethical practices”.

MP Richard Holden said anyone, “regardless of their experience or intention”, can say they have an animal rescue or rehoming centre and not be subject to inspection or monitoring – and this has “resulted in animals suffering, not only dogs and cats but horses and other animals”.

The Government acknowledged the “need to crack down on poor practices” of some rescues in its animal welfare strategy, published in December – and committed to a consultation on licensing rescue and rehoming organisations.

Defra minister Angela Eagle referenced this consultation during the debate and said it will be used “to come to an appropriate decision about the best way to license and regulate” – and to ensure that any new framework is “proportionate”.

Defra told H&H the consultation will take place “in due course”.

Licensing for animal rescue centres: charities have their say

Equine charities have long called for the licensing of rescues, and H&H has reported on high-profile welfare cases involving sanctuaries in recent years.

World Horse Welfare head of public affairs Kim Ayling told H&H licensing “should improve animal welfare, if implemented and enforced appropriately” and the charity would welcome working with the Government, via the National Equine Welfare Council and British Horse Council.

“However, laws are not worth the paper they are written on unless they are effectively implemented and enforced by trained inspectors,” she said.

“The Government’s promise to work with local authorities to improve enforcement of the existing regulations for licensing of riding establishments, for instance, is welcome. Currently enforcement varies significantly from area to area and this must be improved before any further types of activities are licensed, including rescue centres.”

Redwings “welcomes” a consultation – having “been involved in multiple cases where serious welfare concerns have been identified in establishments presenting as sanctuaries”.

“The commitment, knowledge and resources needed to care for neglected, often challenging rescue cases should not be underestimated,” said Redwings campaigns and policy manager Helen Whitelegg.

“This needs to be reflected in a framework that acknowledges the work of those establishments who offer a lifeline to animals, while preventing those unable to meet the needs of animals from causing further suffering, and securing public donations without appropriate accountability.”

How it works in Wales and Scotland

In 2020 the Welsh Government launched a voluntary code of practice for animal welfare establishments, and in 2021 the Scottish Government went a step further by introducing mandatory licensing.

Redwings head of welfare Nic de Brauwere, who was involved in the work in Wales through his position of chair of the Animal Welfare Network for Wales, told H&H the voluntary code was “helpful because it underwent the safe process of drafting, consulting and Government checks as if it had been a statutory code”.

“We believe this set a new standard but, as expected, without the licensing framework to back it up, in particular to ensure access to all animal welfare establishments to check standards, the voluntary code was not, by itself, enough to raise standards across the board,” he said.

“The broad-ranging consultation by the Welsh Government in 2024 led to a high volume of responses and in 2025 the Welsh Government indicated it would develop proposals to consider regulation, to include a possible licensing scheme.”

What do you think of the proposals for licensing rescues? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine.

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Your ‘once-in-a-generation chance’ to have your say on changes to ‘outdated’ vet regulations

Becky Murray — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 13:31:23 +0000

A consultation on reforms to the “outdated” Veterinary Surgeons Act (VSA) has been described as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” – as vets and the public are urged to respond.

Defra has announced an eight-week consultation on proposed changes to the 1966 Act. These include regulation of veterinary and animal healthcare businesses and allied professionals, protection of the title ’veterinary nurse’, and modernised registration and fitness to practise processes.

The proposals follow the Government’s competition and markets authority (CMA) provisional decision on its investigation into the veterinary services market (news, 30 October) – and last month’s publication of the Government’s animal welfare strategy, which stated work was under way to assess how the CMA’s recommendations, alongside planned reforms to the Act, “can help modernise and strengthen the provision of veterinary care”.

Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons president Tim Parkin said the VSA consultation is a “historic moment for UK animal health and welfare and the veterinary sector”.

“We are so glad that the Government has recognised the need to replace the current outdated legislation with something flexible, forward-facing and future-proofed,” said Professor Parkin.

“It is very important that members of the professions and the public respond to this consultation, because it’s no exaggeration to say that the next few decades of the professions will be influenced by the decisions made over the coming years with regards to the new legislation.

“This really is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help shape the future of veterinary professions and animal healthcare services, and to introduce a modern framework that’s fit for purpose in the 21st century. At nearly 60 years old, the Act is in urgent need of reform – it’s time for change.”

British Equine Veterinary Association veterinary projects officer Lucy Grieve told H&H reform of the Act is “long overdue”.

“The CMA investigation has resulted in further recommendations, but it is important to note that it was not the sole reason for the proposed reform,” she said.

“Modernising the framework and legalities under which vets operate should bring benefits to all key stakeholders, fundamentally to the animals they are designed to care for and protect.

“The rise in vet fees over inflation may be attributed to a complexity of reasons, but one factor which may need to be considered is that vets were possibly undercharging for services and professional fees for a very long time.”

Take part in the consultation

The CMA, which is due to publish its final decision in March on recommendations including requiring vet businesses to publish price lists and disclose if they are part of larger groups, has “welcomed” the VSA consultation.

“Our vets investigation is ongoing, but we have already set out our strong concern that the current rules are not fit for purpose and need reforming to keep pace with commercial practice and further build pet owner trust in veterinary businesses,” said Martin Coleman, chair of the CMA inquiry group.

A spokesperson for CVS Group, one corporate group that owns small and equine practices, told H&H the organisation “believes reform will help strengthen consumer confidence in the profession” and ensure “enhanced regulation”.

IVC Evidensia spokesperson, another corporate that horses small and large practices, told H&H the group is “pleased to see the Government taking action” – but added it is important that the consultation “reflects the significant progress in clinical standards and consumer expectations for advanced care”.

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Welcome news for horse owners as Government to enforce ragwort law again

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 13:52:58 +0000

Campaigners have welcomed the Government’s return to enforcing the law on ragwort, by reopening its complaints procedure from April.

The Countryside Alliance was among those that raised concerns about the fact Natural England had stopped accepting complaints about ragwort, in September. Natural England is the Government body responsible for enforcing the Weeds Act, under which owners of land at risk of spread of injurious weeds including ragwort can insist on its being controlled – but only after Natural England takes action.

Alliance member Christopher Jenkin, a farmer in Wiltshire, raised the alarm when he was affected by ragwort spreading from a neighbouring field.

South Cotswolds PM Roz Savage submitted a written parliamentary question asking what action was being taken and the Government responded: “Natural England (NE) is dealing with historic weeds complaints but is not currently taking new complaints. This is a temporary measure while NE reviews with Defra the approach to addressing injurious weeds, to improve access to appropriate advice and guidance and ensure enforcement resources are targeted most effectively.”

But Mr Jenkin pointed out that Natural England already had an “off season” for complaints, from October to March, and “it seems difficult to explain why any review of its approach could not have been conducted in that period”.

A Countryside Alliance spokesperson said: “Since then, the alliance has been pushing Defra and Natural England to commit to re-opening its complaints procedure and cease to abdicate its responsibilities in this area.

“While the ‘off season’ remains, the government website has now been updated, and complaints will once again be accepted between 1 April and 30 October 2026. Natural England will aim to respond to valid complaint forms within 10 working days.”

The spokesperson said the alliance will continue to monitor the situation. Director of public affairs James Legge added: “We were deeply concerned at the sudden suspension of the complaints process in September and took action to ensure it was eventually re-opened, providing much needed clarity to farmers and landowners”.

Updated information on the injurious weeds complaints process has been published on the Government website.

“Accessible guidance for complainants and land managers will be made available in advance of April,” a Defra spokesperson told H&H. “Where appropriate action cannot be agreed voluntarily and complaints have been accepted by Natural England, we consider action in line with our enforcement position.”

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‘Not worth the paper they’re written on’: tampered horse passport case highlights why digital system is needed

Becky Murray — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 12:33:51 +0000

A buyer has questioned whether equine passports “are worth the paper they are written on” after discovering his horse’s passport had been tampered with – backing up calls for the need for digital equine identification.

The man bought the mare and on inspecting the passport more closely days later, he noticed that the horse’s year of birth had been altered with a pen to make her appear younger. A supplementary identification document with the passport showed a different age, and the man was able to confirm the correct age with a former owner and the passport-issuing organisation (PIO).

The man told H&H he is happy with the mare and does not wish to return her, but having reported the passport issue to Defra, Trading Standards and the PIO, he feels there is nothing to hold people to account who tamper with equine passports.

“Passports are supposed to be legal documents. It’s not worth the paper it’s written on if it’s been amended or changed – it’s like driving a car with an MoT that you’ve changed the date on yourself,” he said.

“I’m not looking for compensation, I just think it’s wrong that people can lie and tamper with a legal document. It seems no one has any authority over it, there’s no one stopping you from doing it.”

H&H reported that equine passports were discussed at the EU Parliament (news, 26 June) ahead of a revision of EU animal health law. The European Commission is evaluating whether the law, including rules on equine ID, is still fit for purpose. At this meeting World Horse Welfare said the paper-based system is “not fit for purpose”, and the FEI said it is “actively advocating to replace outdated passports with a digital system”.

The buyer said he would be in favour of digital passports.

“A digital system would be great, because it could be like the MoT system where when you are buying a car you can look it up,” he said

Jan Rogers of the British Horse Council told H&H an equine identification document has a legal function, but said “there are a number of challenges with the process as it stands”.

“Paper documents can be tampered with – some more readily than others – and tampering can be hard to spot. PIOs have an obligation to report documents that have been tampered with, but when horses change hands, many people don’t send them in for updating so the tampering can go unnoticed,” she said.

“Local authorities have legal powers to enforce equine identification legislation, but not a duty to do so, and since many are short of funds and have little equine expertise remaining on their teams, it is comparatively rare that they carry out any enforcement. Which brings us to the question of ‘how do we fix this?’.

“If horses were identified digitally rather than using paper documents – we know paper will still be required in some cases as well – the process would be easier for people to understand, easier to comply with, improve accuracy and enable better remote enforcement using patterns that emerge within the data.”

A Defra spokesperson told H&H all horses are required to be registered with the Government to help protect animal and public health.

“It is a legal requirement that they have a valid passport, and equine identification is enforced by the local authority,” said the spokesperson.

H&H asked the Defra spokesperson if there was any update on when the implementation of digital equine ID, and improvements to the Central Equine Database, will continue after this work was paused after the Labour Government took power last year.

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Is Britain ready for an outbreak of African horse sickness? The plans in place to protect our equines

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 22 May 2025 11:05:51 +0000

Government and equestrian industry are working together to try to ensure Britain’s herd is protected should African horse sickness (AHS) arrive. But there is a great deal of work to do.

Defra’s exotic disease control team organised a session on 14 May to set out current contingency plans for an outbreak, in Britain or a neighbouring country, and to gather the thoughts of stakeholders from across the industry. One key theme was how to get the right messages to the right people, at the right time.

“While the risk to the UK remains remote, African horse sickness is one of the most impactful animal diseases and is one of four listed in the National Risk Register,” a Defra spokesperson told H&H. “Preparedness is therefore key and this stakeholder meeting was the first in the Government’s disease exercise planning for AHS. Future work will look at disease control measures, vaccination and recovery.”

The Defra control strategy’s aim is to “identify any suspect cases of AHS as quickly as possible, to identify the source of the disease, and to minimise spread of the disease and lead the country back to disease-free status”.

AHS is a midge-borne virus that affects all equids and has a 55–95% mortality rate in horses. It is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa; there have been no recorded cases in Britain, but there are concerns that increasing temperatures will benefit the insects that transmit some exotic diseases.

Bluetongue virus, which wreaks havoc in sheep, and has reestablished itself in northern Europe and was spreading in England last year, is closely related to AHS.

Helen Roberts, policy lead for non-livestock diseases, risk and science at Defra, covered the Government’s strategy. She explained that the most recent countries outside Africa to have AHS are Malaysia and Thailand, within the past five years.

“The Thai outbreak was because of the movement of zebras from South Africa, and the Malaysian one we think was down to the use of vaccine rather than live animal movements,” she said. “So it’s important to remember this can still turn up in countries you don’t expect it to, so we do continue to monitor it. AHS is on our National Risk Register because it would potentially have such a high impact if we have an outbreak in this country.”

Action will also be taken if there is an outbreak close enough in mainland Europe to put the UK at risk, as “plumes” of midges could be carried here by winds. Dr Roberts stressed that alertness and rapid action is key. Measures in the control strategy include visits to premises by official vets, testing, imposing movement restriction zones – which cover up to a 150km radius, so would apply if the disease was in some parts of Europe – and protecting horses from midges as for sweet itch.

Dr Roberts explained that AHS is closely monitored internationally so any increased risk would be reported on the Government website, but that the key is getting the right messaging out.

“We don’t just want to send out a message to everybody saying, ‘This is Government. You need to stop doing this immediately and do this instead,’” she said. “It’s got to show the benefits to people of why we’re wanting to change their behaviour, what barriers there might be to behavioural change and if we can understand that now, we can find the best way to deal with it.”

Stakeholders stressed the importance of consistent messaging and suggested text alerts, local media and devolved government websites as key for a unified message.

Concerns raised by stakeholders included the plausibility of containing semi-feral ponies, such as in the New Forest or on Dartmoor, and the challenges of communicating with their owners when many do not use email, which Dr Roberts said was “exactly the sort of thing we want to raise” in moving the strategy on.

Another key, as pointed out by British Equine Veterinary Association CEO, and British Horse Council chair, David Mountford, is the need to know exactly where horses are in the event of increased risk of disease.

“Let me get on my hobby horse again,” he said. “There is a Central Equine Database which, if enabled properly through a statutory instrument and applied, could be a way to access all registered horse owners via a mobile device or email. That statutory instrument has stalled in Government at the moment, but with it, we can do an awful lot. Without it, we’re severely restricted.

“It’s in place in Canada; you can see it giving the ability to disseminate rapid information, on disease outbreaks, to owners across the territory. Very quickly and very effectively, getting a single message, which we are not able to do. We’re missing out.”

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Breeders raise concerns about registering foals after Defra reiterates the rules

Becky Murray — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 15:55:49 +0000

Concerns have been shared in the breeding community over the registration of part-bred foals and those whose full pedigree is unknown.

Confusion arose after Defra issued a recent communication to studbooks stating that some breed societies had been registering part-bred equines in their main studbooks when they are not eligible – and those doing so must stop immediately. On 16 April Defra then issued guidance to help “address any necessary corrections to non-compliance”.

A Defra spokesperson told H&H the initial communication was issued after the department received evidence that some societies were not complying with legislation by “registering in the main section of their studbook, equines whose parents are not already registered in that studbook, or who are not otherwise eligible for entry in that section”.

The 826 Equine Studbooks Association chair Celia Clarke confirmed to H&H that the legislation has not changed, it remains what it was when the UK left the EU, but the part-bred issue had arisen following a Defra review of how the rules are being applied by studbooks.

“There are a large number of mares of unknown pedigrees who have been covered by stallions of recorded breeding, and until now many studbooks have been issuing full pedigree papers for these foals,” said Ms Clarke.

“But now Defra has said that these part-breds, by their interpretation at the moment, are not eligible under the current regulations to be given zootechnical breeding papers, and therefore can only be given identification-only passports.”

Under the 16 April guidance, a studbook may register horses who are not eligible for main studbook papers but are eligible for future upgrades into the main section, for example their offspring, in a “supplementary section” separate to the studbook’s “main section”. In the supplementary section, any known pedigree information can be recorded, but studbooks cannot issue zootechnical documents for these equines and the passport pages must be clearly marked as supplementary.

Horses who would never be eligible for upgrade into the main studbook, such as part-bred horses in pure-bred studbooks, will not be able to go in the supplementary section. They will have to have identification-only papers, also known as breeding and production papers. These are associated with a lower health status, which will make it more difficult to travel or export them.

Ms Clarke said although guidance had been issued sooner than expected and a six-month period has been given by Defra for breed societies to “return to compliance”, this is not a long-enough timeframe and does not address the fact that part-breds cannot be registered in the main section of studbooks. The 826 Equine Studbooks Association’s communications with Defra will continue.

Eva-Maria Livesey, head evaluator for the Anglo European Studbook (AES), told H&H: “For the AES these changes are less of a challenge, as we are an open studbook aimed at breeding for sport from a variety of bloodlines. The updated guidance brings us more in line with Europe, which is helpful for us, as we have a daughter society in the Netherlands.

“We do, however, advise our breeders where possible to ensure their horses are eligible for main papers through grading inspections and the right paperwork, as we can only issue zootechnical certificates for main studbook horses. We are putting additional support in place this year with further grading opportunities to ensure everyone has good access to our services.”

On the part-bred situation, Dr Livesey said in Holland several pure-bred studbooks have “found solutions by creating special breeding programmes for part-breds”.

“For example the Irish Cob Society there has a separate approved breeding programme for part-breds. Far from relegating these horses in status, this in fact elevates them and awards further recognition of the very positive contribution they make to the equestrian world,” she said.

National Pony Society office manager Sacha Shaw told H&H the guidance makes things “a little simpler” from the society’s point of view, as “we can now include the pedigree information of any foals that have to be registered in our new supplementary section, in the statutory pages in the front half of the passport”.

“However this supplementary section passport, although it will look identical to a main studbook passport, will not have the zootechnical status. But from a pedigree recording and showing point of view, we are happy that we have incorporated the Defra guidance,” she said.

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Cost of riding school licences varies by thousands of pounds, new report finds, among other inconsistencies

Becky Murray — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 11:33:28 +0000

The cost of a riding school licence can vary by more than £2,500 between local authorities – as a new report highlights inconsistencies.

At the end of December Defra published its findings from a post-implementation review of the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, which H&H reported had taken place two years ago (news, 2 February 2023).

The review considered evidence on the effectiveness of the regulations. Under the hiring out horses section, it was reported that stakeholders agree the regulations have “successfully improved animal welfare” and there is “broad support for the robust safety provisions in the guidance”.

The report stated “in terms of improvements”, there was limited knowledge among local authority inspectors of the needs of donkeys, and a “need for clarity” on whether carriage driving is a licensable activity, and calls for safeguarding provisions to be added to the regulations as a large proportion of riding schools’ customer bases are children.

Licensing fees and processes were discussed and it was stated that the licensing system – which includes pet boarding, pet sales and dog breeding – is “intended to be broadly self-financing, with local authorities charging applicants and operators fees to recover the costs of administration”.

Local authorities that responded to the review, which were not named, believed that the costs to them of implementing the regulations had increased – in part by the need to outsource to vets or appropriately qualified inspectors from other local authorities “to address the shortfall (or absence) of qualified inspectors”.

“These impacts on local authorities may have been passed on to scheme applicants,” read the report.

The report said the regulations “allow local authorities to charge fees they consider necessary” for applications and inspections. But the regulations require that “these fees do not exceed the reasonable relevant costs anticipated by a local authority”.

The report said data confirms a variation in licensing costs; an example given for hiring out horses, was a three-year licence costing £51 from one local authority, £2,775 from another.

It was also noted that local authorities have “different individual processes and approaches”.

“Some may choose to employ their own full-time licensing inspectors, others may appoint veterinarians or subcontract the work to neighbouring local authorities. Local authorities may have a higher or lower number of licence-holders within their boundaries and this, together with other local differences, suggests that some variance is to be expected,” the report stated.

“Businesses also reported facing increased costs associated with meeting the licensing conditions. These reports have centred around the costs of complying with the administrative and record-keeping requirements, and the costs associated with training staff.”

British Horse Society (BHS) chief operating officer Sarah Phillips told H&H the society agrees that the updated licensing system has “helped to provide clarity across the industry”.

“Notably, the inclusion of all relevant equestrian activities and businesses under this licensing framework has made a positive difference in delivering improved welfare practices,” she said.

“For greater success, it is important this licensing model is implemented consistently and we would like to see more uniformity across the country.

“However, we do also recognise that fees will vary, as they are determined by the size of the property and/or business. The processes have to take many factors into consideration, including demand in the area of the local authority and the resources they have available. Naturally, this is going to lead to differing approaches.”

Ms Phillips added that in collaboration with other equine organisations, the BHS continues to work with local authorities and the Government to “evaluate any discrepancies and to nurture the best processes possible”.

“These conversations are essential to guarantee the stability for equestrian businesses and critically, equine welfare,” she said.

Kim Ayling, World Horse Welfare head of public affairs, said the charity has “concerns regarding a lack of consistency in the licensing of riding establishments, particularly when it comes to assessing welfare and the cost of a licence, as identified in the review”.

“This not only has a negative impact on the welfare of the equines but can also be detrimental to the viability of these businesses,” she said.

“While the review outlines that training has improved, it has also highlighted the lack of appropriately qualified inspectors. This is a significant barrier to the effective and consistent implementation of the licensing of activities.”

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Experts call for change as animal welfare law system is lacking

Becky Murray — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 10:13:54 +0000

Calls have been made for a review of the enforcement of animal welfare legislation – as the current system is “lacking”.

On 24 February the Government’s animal sentience committee published an independent report on the “compliance and enforcement” of animal welfare regulations.

The report highlighted issues including inconsistencies in monitoring and enforcement of the legislation, discrepancies in actions taken by the different agencies responsible, and in welfare inspector training.

Among the topics, the committee addressed reporting and prosecutions, stating that it was “striking” that in the UK many potential welfare breaches are directed to an animal welfare charity such as the RSPCA rather than a Government agency – and that “if charitable donations were to diminish, capacity to deliver this public service could not be relied upon”.

The report said the “landscape of enforcement has recently changed”, as the RSPCA, previously responsible for a large proportion of animal welfare prosecutions, explored the possibility of ceding this to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). But it added that, “it was unclear whether the CPS has the necessary resource or expertise to assume this responsibility, and whether this is likely to become adopted policy”.

“The RSPCA has indicated a rise in animal welfare offences linked to organised crime, which it feels ill-equipped to take on through private prosecution; this would suggest a need for the state to take a greater role to protect animal welfare,” said the committee.

An RSPCA spokesperson told H&H the charity agrees with the report’s assessment that the state should play a bigger part in prosecutions.

Active discussions

“Although the CPS is the statutory body with responsibility for criminal prosecutions, the RSPCA currently undertakes 85% of animal welfare cases. For the last two years, we have been actively discussing the transferral of our prosecutions to the CPS with the Government,” said the spokesperson.

“We have a 200-year history of investigating and prosecuting in this crucial area and until the UK Government allows us to transfer our prosecutions to the CPS, we will continue to responsibly bring cases.

“Wherever possible, we work with owners to improve welfare for their animals, through education, support and advice, which means less than 1% of reports of cruelty and neglect result in prosecution. When we do take a prosecution, we apply the same robust tests as the CPS and have safeguards, including independent solicitors who review our cases and an independent oversight panel.”

The spokesperson added that the RSPCA’s prosecution success rate is more than 90%.

The committee’s report concluded that “although due regard to animal welfare has been given in policy decisions, the current structures are, in part, inconsistent for effective enforcement of animal welfare”.

It said that although progress has been made, including the updated sentencing guidelines and introduction of fixed penalties, the committee considers that “an effective, structured, fair and integrated system of animal welfare surveillance and enforcement is lacking”.

The committee recommended a “wholesale review” of animal welfare enforcement to provide a resource for policymakers, improve or enhance delivery of current legislation and “maintain public trust in the enforcement process”.

Suggestions include creating a central body responsible for coordinating animal welfare law surveillance and implementation, setting out minimum resource allocation for animal welfare enforcement – including budgets for training, creating a centrally recognised mechanism for reporting welfare offences, and appropriate and effective use of fixed penalty and improvement notices.

Review welcomed

Kim Ayling, World Horse Welfare’s head of public affairs, told H&H the charity supports the recommendations “overall” and “wholeheartedly welcomes” a review.

“Equine health and welfare laws are worthless if they are not backed up by robust and consistent enforcement,” she said.

“From our own experience, the lack of any prosecutions around the recent cases of horse smuggling highlights there are significant concerns with enforcement. These are due to inconsistencies in interpretation and implementation of legislation, gaps in information and intelligence sharing across enforcement agencies and a lack of adequately trained and resourced animal welfare officers.”

Ms Ayling added that World Horse Welfare was “disappointed” the report did not include the suggestion of a centralised system for people banned from keeping or caring for animals.

“We are aware of a number of recent equine welfare cases where it has been challenging for authorities to establish whether an individual was banned from keeping those animals,” she said.

“As part of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare (APGAW), we are working with local authorities and other welfare charities to implement one of the key recommendations of APGAW’s report Improving the Effectiveness of Animal Welfare Enforcement to set up a panel of representatives from local authorities engaged in enforcing animal welfare law to cover not just farm animals but companion and exotic animals, too.

“This would allow them to work collaboratively to share information, best practice and ensure better consistency in their approaches.

“While we welcome the points laid out in the report to protect equine welfare, we would like to see a ring-fenced budget to support these measures. A centralised and digitalised ID and traceability system is also essential for enforcement, as we know without it horses are vulnerable to suffering at the hands of those that see them merely as commodities.”

A Defra spokesperson told H&H the government “welcomes” the committee’s report and will be “considering all recommendations carefully”.

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‘Is there horse meat in your lasagne? Don’t know’: equestrian industry’s warning to Government

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 12:03:01 +0000

“Is there horse meat in your lasagne? Don’t know.”

This was the message to the Government and public at the National Equine Forum (6 March), as industry leaders tried to hammer home the need for a robust, effective, digital-first equine identification system.

The Defra minister of the day is always invited to the forum, to take part in a session on “the equine industry in a changing world”, which usually includes an update on equine ID.

Under the last government, Defra carried out a consultation on the ID system and its plans to improve it, the outcome of which, in late 2022, was expected to be new legislation and a digital-first system.

But since Labour took power, work on such a system has been put on hold.

Opening the NEF session, Defra minister Baroness Hayman of Ullock said: “Let me assure you that the Government recognises the importance of equine identification and traceability to equine health and welfare and to public health, biosecurity and trade.

“The Government wants to see a robust and streamlined system for digitising equine identification. But we have paused work in this critical area while we tackle the very real challenges around public finances.

“My officials continue to engage with the British Horse Council (BHC) to explore ways equine ID and traceability can be improved within resourcing constraints. A very positive meeting took place last week, at which the creation of an industry/Defra co-design project was agreed, to explore a way ahead with this.”

The next speaker was Richard Newton, director of epidemiology and disease surveillance at the University of Cambridge, on protecting our horses’ health, which he described as a “team effort”.

He said all involved have a part to play, urging vets to report disease outbreaks and owners of horses and yards to improve biosecurity. And he explained the work of the Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance group, which he established.

“We, as a small group based in Cambridge, provide important surveillance outputs to try to give the industry what they want,” he said. “We support industry bodies; in 2021 after the major equine herpes outbreak in Valencia, we had to get horses back to competing. But our surveillance disease response activities are reliant on funding from the thoroughbred industry.

“That’s the sole support we get. I think it’s time, if we’re going to improve the scope and sustainability of what we do in protecting the equine industry in terms of infectious disease, we broaden the contributions we receive from different parts of the industry, not just the thoroughbreds.”

Dr Newton moved on to the threat of exotic equine disease emerging in the UK, adding that Defra and the Animal Plant and Health Agency do a “fantastic job”.

“But have they got everything they need to do the best job possible?” he said. “I believe no, they don’t. We come back to equine ID and traceability. Accurate data is required to enhance disease surveillance and improve disease outbreak control.

“Effective disease control requires prompt identification of affected and at-risk animals, tracing animals promptly that may be at risk from disease. The UK urgently needs an update to digital equine ID and traceability regulations. Should we get these emerging diseases, vector-borne diseases, we need to deal with them.”

Red tape, money and the law

BHC chair David Mountford then covered “red tape, money and the law”.

He said he was pleased to hear the minister understands the need for a good equine ID system, as this is “the foundation stone for the industry”.

“It’s going to enable the industry to grow, to flourish,” he said. “It benefits the trade. It benefits welfare. It stops fraud. We’ve heard from Richard very eloquently about how it provides the opportunity to control infectious disease, particularly in the face of an increased risk. But an important aspect is food security.”

Mr Mountford explained that after the horse meat scandal of 2013, the BHC was “urgently” invited by the then Defra secretary, who asked how such an issue could be avoided.

“We said, ‘Digital equine ID and traceability, that’ll do it,’” he said. “He said, ‘Yes’ and then he left. Over the last 12 years, every single minister we’ve met has said it’s a no-brainer; digital ID is the answer. Let’s do it. None of them have done it.

“Last year, it looked as if we were going to hit the mark. Draft legislation had been put together. It was with the lawyers – then we had a change in government and spending reviews, which has put things on pause again. It’s great to hear we’re going again; I hope, Minister, you’ll be the one who gets us over the line.”

Mr Mountford noted that £500m has been earmarked for a similar scheme in livestock, but the equine system would need less than half a per cent of this and would be an ideal pilot as we are much further ahead.

“The final point I want to make is that there is a risk,” he said. “In 2013, the horse meat scandal didn’t appear for no reason. It appeared because beef prices were high, there was high demand and beef supply was limited. Horse meat supply was plentiful and it was cheap. That situation is recurring now.

“So the triggers that made the problem happen in 2013 are there now and is there horse meat in your lasagne? Don’t know. Nobody’s tested it but it’s a distinct possibility. When we look back, the recommendations from everyone involved in 2013 were digital ID and traceability. Let’s hope the progress we make pre-empts and stops us buying horse meat in our next batch of ready prepared food.”

In a discussion afterwards, Baroness Hayman reiterated that she appreciates the importance of ID and traceability and that resources are limited, but she welcomes suggestions on how we can “move forward with this”.

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Vigilance advised for horses returning to Britain after foot and mouth outbreak in Europe

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 17:47:47 +0000

British equestrians travelling to Germany are advised to be vigilant – and not return with locally bought hay or straw – owing to a case of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in the country.

Defra announced on 7 February that it had suspended commercial imports of hay and straw from German owing to the risks of carrying disease.

A case of FMD was identified in a herd of water buffalo near Berlin on 10 January – this was the first FMD outbreak in the EU since 2011.

Defra imposed restrictions as a result, on the import of susceptible animals. FMD can affect cows, sheep, goats, all other ruminants and pigs. Horses are not susceptible but can carry and transfer the disease, as can people and transport.

“Therefore, it is advised that anyone travelling to Germany with horses does not not come back with locally bought hay and straw,” a spokesperson for British Equestrian (BEF) said.

“Additionally, measures should be taken while in Germany to ensure that horses do not have contact with wild boar or deer, who could be infected with the disease, or have access to livestock pasture.

“Due to the safeguarding measures in place, horses travelling into the UK from Europe may be stopped on entry and any hay and bedding on board, including haynets, may be held. It’s advised that proof of purchase is made available for inspection.”

The BEF advises that on horses’ return home, strict biosecurity measures should be applied and vehicles thoroughly cleaned.

“These measures will continue to apply until they are revoked or amended by Defra,” the spokesperson said.

When Defra imposed the initial restrictions, farming minister Daniel Zeichner said: “The Government will do whatever it takes to protect our nation’s farmers from the risk posed by foot and mouth disease.

“That is why restrictions have immediately been brought in on animal products from Germany to prevent an outbreak and we will not hesitate to add additional countries to the list if the disease spreads. We will continue to keep the situation under review working closely with the German authorities.”

The last FMD outbreak in the UK was in 2007 and it was quickly contained. In 2001, a major UK outbreak affected more than 2,000 premises and led to the cancellation of events including Badminton Horse Trials and the Cheltenham Festival.

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How vulnerable horses can fall through the cracks: recent case highlights animal export issues

Lucy Elder — Sun, 26 May 2024 18:21:09 +0000

The fruitless search for more information from authorities, following a case where 26 horses and ponies were intercepted before they were exported, has highlighted the very problem of how vulnerable horses can fall through the cracks.

H&H reported on the case, made public by World Horse Welfare, where an overloaded transporter containing “frightened and vulnerable” horses – some believed to be destined for slaughter in Europe – was stopped at Dover.

Of the 26 on board when the transporter was stopped on 25 November, only 19 had the necessary paperwork for their journey. Many of the horses had health issues, some were pregnant, at least one pony was infected with equine influenza and 13 had been signed out of the food chain.

In April, World Horse Welfare announced that the first of the expectant mares had delivered a foal at the charity’s Norfolk rescue and rehoming centre. World Horse Welfare is a charity, not a prosecuting body or public authority, so H&H sought to check with authorities as to whether there had been any arrests in the case.

Kent Police and Port of Dover Police each suggested H&H try the other. Kent Police also suggested contacting the Home Office/Border Force, which in turn told H&H to direct its query to Defra. HMRC said this was not a case that involved them and also suggested H&H try Defra.

When H&H approached Folkestone & Hythe District Council and Dover District Council – whose administrative areas include Eurotunnel and the port respectively – and asked if they had been involved in the case, both said they had no involvement. Dover District Council added that live animal exports are not an area of work over which it or Dover Port Health Authority have any jurisdiction.

World Horse Welfare has long been lobbying for robust enforcement of the law.

“No prosecutions have been raised as a result of the ‘Dover 26’ being abandoned after they were discovered, almost certainly being illegally smuggled out of the UK, and despite our urging no local authority has taken enforcement action,” World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers told H&H.

“The only action that has been taken was by the APHA [Animal Plant and Health Agency] which revoked transporter authorisation for the vehicle the horses were discovered in.

“While we applaud this action, far more robust enforcement is needed to stop this murky trade where so many horses suffer. For this to happen, it is imperative the Government introduces legislation now for a fully digitalised and centralised traceability system for all equines, and import and export documentation.

“The stark reality is that we are only picking up the crumbs of a trade that covers the whole of Europe. And it’s a significant trade, with one trader alone moving nearly 1,000 equines a year.”

H&H approached Defra initially to ask if it was aware of any arrests, then to ask whether it or the APHA would like to comment on any action taken in relation to the case, and if Defra would comment on how the law will be enforced, following the new ban on live exports for slaughter, which came into effect last week (news, 23 May).

A Defra spokesperson told H&H the department does not comment on individual cases, but offered general background information.

The spokesperson quoted requirements and laws surrounding transportation of animals and added that the APHA takes potential breaches of animal welfare legislation very seriously and will take appropriate regulatory action. He also said that the local authority, which holds primary responsibility for the enforcement of the animal welfare in transport legislation, may also be notified and will consider any appropriate enforcement action.

In regard to live exports, the spokesperson said the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024 will put a permanent end to the export of horses for slaughter and that Defra will be engaging with the horse sector and enforcement bodies on approaches to implementing the ban to ensure vulnerable horses are protected.

H&H understands that Defra wants to work with the sector to ensure that the ban is effective and prevents horses being exported for slaughter, without imposing burdens on legitimate transporters of horses.

A Kent County Council (KCC) spokesperson told H&H that Kent Trading Standards were notified when the horses were intercepted in Kent, and that ensuring animal welfare is an “important part of Trading Standards’ work across the country”.

“Our officers worked with APHA to investigate and determine responsibility and location of any offences, finally passing this to the appropriate local authority for them to consider taking further action.”

A KCC spokesperson added on Friday (31 May) that the appropriate local authority is Lancashire County Council.

H&H contacted Lancashire County Council for comment, who said that it is one of several local authorities are involved in this complex investigation, which has been passed to County Durham. A spokesperson Durham County Council told H&H on Monday (3 June) that the investigation has not come to them, and that they do not believe that there is any link to Durham at all.

* Story updated on 30 & 31 May, to include comments from Kent County Council; and on 3 June to include comments from Lancashire County Council and Durham County Council *

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(Image credit: World Horse Welfare)

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Frustration for horse breeders as last-minute import solution not adopted across the board

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 17:24:05 +0000

There has been huge frustration across the industry as a last-minute solution to new border checks on imported semen was agreed – but it was not universally accepted.

H&H reported that the industry was working with the Government to tackle potential issues when border control posts (BCPs) came in at the end of April. As part of leaving the EU, Britain had to introduce BCPs for animals and germinal products. And because equine semen comes into the high-risk category of imports, all consignments were to be checked.

Major concerns were raised about how long this would take, in what is a very time-sensitive process when fresh chilled semen is involved. And “at the last minute”, the Government agreed a temporary pilot scheme by which port health authorities could reduce the check rate from 100% to 20%, with vets at destination confirming all was as it should be.

This was welcomed by the industry, not only as a temporary solution but also one that could provide feedback for a permanent scheme. But then it emerged that although East Midlands Airport will adopt the solution, by today, 29 April, Uttlesford District Council, the port health authority that covers Stansted, will not.

“It’s still up in the air with Stansted, which is extremely frustrating,” British Horse Council chairman David Mountford told H&H. “The industry has been banging on the table about this for months with Defra, there have been a number of meetings with ministers, but despite assurances, it wasn’t till the last minute that a temporary solution was agreed.

“Although East Midlands has agreed to the pilot, which will hopefully ensure semen isn’t delayed reaching mares, Stansted wasn’t told about it promptly, so isn’t going with it.”

Mr Mountford said he has been told Stansted is optimistic it can carry out the checks with no delays, but this has not yet been tested. And it is not known what the extra associated costs will be, or what impact this could have, at the height of the breeding season.

“But now we’re supposedly at more risk than we were last year so have to pay for enhanced and time-consuming checks, irrespective of the damage the process might do to the industry.”

One major issue is the classification of equine semen as high-risk, despite the fact it is all checked by an official vet before departure and certified as being from the right stallion, who has been health-tested and in quarantine for 30 days. The semen is then checked again in this country by the inseminating vet.

Lorna Wilson of Elite Stallions told H&H this is the “fundamental problem”.

“All these stallions have been tested so thoroughly, they’re clear of any disease,” she said. “So the whole purpose of the checks is null and void.”

Ms Wilson added that she welcomed the idea of the temporary scheme, adding that it will “provide real data and they can work on a long-term solution”. But if Stansted does not accept it, the issue is not only possible delays but also huge extra costs.

“Defra’s import risk management team has been carrying out checks for years, at no cost,” she said. “But now it’s going to the BCPs, we’re being hit with a massive tax, essentially, to do the work.”

Ms Wilson added that the estimated extra cost for those checked at Stansted could be significant. And from a practical perspective, she and clients will not know in advance which will be checked.

“It’s ridiculous,” she said. “BCPs aren’t allowed to make a profit so where are these costs coming from? We’re working with Stansted, but I think Defra needs to do something.”

A Defra spokesman told H&H: “We have worked closely with the equine industry to support their readiness for the introduction of border checks.

“We have agreed a temporary measure, available to port health authorities to implement and reduce the import check rate for chilled equine germinal products. This will allow this time-sensitive trade to continue while ensuring our biosecurity is protected.”

When asked about the concerns, and the possibility of reclassification, the spokesman said: “We have communicated this update to points of entry, and then it’s their decision to implement the measures if they choose to.”

He added that “they were notified as soon as possible”.

H&H has approached Uttlesford District Council for comment.

‘It’s bonkers equine semen is classified as high risk’: industry works to solve issues as border checks come in

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 18:08:57 +0000

Industry figures and the Government are working together to combat foreseen issues when new border control posts (BCPs) come in at the height of the breeding season.

As a requirement of official controls being applied following Brexit, Britain has to introduce BCPs for animals and germinal products, including equine semen and embryos. The former are due to open in the autumn but the latter in late April and all consignments must enter Britain through a BCP from the published dates.

Most germinal product consignments are semen, and come in from Europe to East Midlands Airport, where the busiest BCP will be. At the height of the breeding season, this could be 40 or more packages a day, all of which will have to be checked because they fall into the high-risk category of imported products.

Jan Rogers of The Horse Trust and British Horse Council, who is one of those who have been working with the Government on BCPs and other issues, told H&H the flights normally arrive early in the morning.

“All consignments must go through that bottleneck,” she said. “It’s first thing in the morning, outside current BCP operating hours, and there’s such a short time frame before the consignments go on connecting flights or are picked up by couriers. Without some changes, there just isn’t time to deal with such volumes.”

Ms Rogers said meetings have been arranged, with vets, key breeding businesses, Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency, including a visit to the airport.

“We’ve been to the Government, raised our concerns and got the right people together,” she said. “We’re trying to pool knowledge and expertise and work with them to find solutions, and we hope to resolve it.

“We’ve been working very closely with the teams building the infrastructure and the operating processes at Sevington, Kent, where the inland BCP will be for live animals and have been bringing about positive changes, which makes us more confident we will be able to find a way of dealing with the [germinal products] issues too. We’ve highlighted challenges and worked together to develop quite a few solutions.”

One issue is that it is unclear why equine semen is classified as high risk; all consignments are checked by an official vet before departure and certified as being from the right stallion, who has been health-tested and in quarantine for 30 days. The semen is then checked again in this country by the inseminating vet.

Tullis Matson, managing director of Stallion AI Services, will be among those at the meetings.

“We’re trying to see if we can get an exemption, or lower the risk status,” he said. “To me it’s bonkers these products are classified as high risk.”

Mr Matson raised the concern that should no changes be made, the risk is that semen could lose its viability owing to delays, and some people might then try to avoid the BCPs.

“We could go back to where we were years ago when people tried to sneak it in without health papers,” he said. “I believe certain people will do that; if they can’t get it in the proper way, they’ll send it disguised as a pair of shoes or something, and that’s a bigger risk to all of us.

“The health testing is very strict, so either there needs to be an exemption or it’s moved to medium risk, which means only a certain few have to be checked.”

A Defra spokesman told H&H border controls are “vital for keeping the UK safe by protecting our food supply chains and agricultural sector from disease outbreaks that would cause significant economic harm”.

“We are working closely with all affected sectors – including in the equine industry – and trading partners around the world to support readiness for this new model,” he said. “This includes agreeing resourcing plans with the APHA and port health authorities to effectively deliver these important new controls.”

He added that Defra is working with the equine industry to ensure border checks are implemented smoothly.

‘Historic day for animal welfare’ as Government to ban live transport for slaughter

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 13:55:34 +0000

Welfare charities have welcomed the Government’s commitment to ban live export for slaughter, as a “historic day for animal welfare”.

The King’s Speech on 7 November, which set out the Government’s agenda for the next year, introduced the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill, stating: “Now that we have left the European Union, we can end live animal exports, further strengthening our animal welfare protections and delivering on our manifesto commitment.”

H&H has reported on the Kept Animals Bill, which was introduced in June 2021, and would have clamped down on horse attacks by out-of-control dogs as well as ending live transport for slaughter. The bill had cross-party support but its progress slowed, and it was scrapped this summer. Equine charities were among those calling on the Government to make good on its promise, and when the bill was scrapped, food, farming and fisheries minister Mark Spencer added that individual measures from the bill would be taken forward and the Government “remains committed” to banning live exports for slaughter permanently.

The Government says the new bill will ensure animals are slaughtered domestically, in “high-welfare UK slaughterhouses” and prevent export to “unknown and likely lower welfare slaughterhouse conditions”.

The RSPCA was “thrilled” by the commitment.

The charity’s head of public affairs David Bowles said: “This is a historic day for animal welfare. After half a century of campaigning to see an end of live exports, we’re incredibly pleased that the UK Government has prioritised this – albeit as the only animal welfare issue taken forward in their programme.

“This King’s Speech, the last one before the [next general] election, is an acid test of the UK Government’s true commitment to animal welfare and we now urge them to make good on this promise, finally get this legislation over the line, and bring in a ban on this cruel and barbaric practice.”

A Defra spokesman told H&H: “As the highest ranked G7 nation when it comes to World Animal Protection’s animal protection index, the UK is a world leader on animal welfare and we are fully committed to maintaining and enhancing our strong track record.

“We recognise the long-standing public concern with livestock and horses being exported for slaughter and fattening. We are introducing the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill to deliver our manifesto commitment to end this trade.”

‘It’s a complete Horlicks’: watershed moment as horse ID system is set to change

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 17:15:29 +0000

REFORM of equine identification in England has reached a “watershed moment” – but the industry must support the system for it to work.

Defra has published the outcome and its response to its consultation on equine traceability and ID, the aim of which was to seek views on its plans to improve the system.

New legislation is expected to be introduced, but all the indicators are that it will be a digital-first system, which campaigners have welcomed as the way forward.

In the past, UK horses had vaccination certificates, and separate pedigree documents. To comply with EU law, these were brought together in passports, and a number of passport-issuing organisations (PIOs) were set up. The horsemeat scandal of 2013 made the UK Government “sit up and take notice” of problems in the system, British Horse Council (BHC) chairman David Mountford told H&H, but under EU laws, it was not possible to make the changes needed to address this country’s unique issues.

“We’ve been saying for years that for an equine ID system to work, it needs to be frictionless to the end user,” Mr Mountford said. “It needs to be easy to deal with, and there needs to be some carrot and some stick. We feel it’s been lacking both carrot and stick as it’s not enforced, and people feel there’s no benefit to putting in administrative and financial effort, and no penalty for not doing it.

“We’ve been banging on and the Government has always said ‘we’re in the EU so we can’t do anything’ but having come out, and acknowledged the system is a complete Horlicks, the Government had no excuse to do nothing.”

Defra’s consultation launched this spring, after an Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee report into moving animals across borders post-Brexit condemned Britain’s “not fit for purpose” equine identification system. Almost 400 people and organisations responded, and more than 3,400 to a BHC survey run at the same time, with Defra’s support, and designed to be easier to understand.

There was strong support for a digital-led system; respondents felt the process of updating passports by returning them to PIOs was costly, time-consuming and inefficient, and that a paper document-based system is open to fraud. Many were not aware they had to keep passport details updated.

Mr Mountford said the council had thought more people might want to keep the status quo.

“But respondents were very broad-minded about understanding that it is the way forward,” BHC director Jan Rogers told H&H. “There were some reservations – people are attached to paper passports and the status quo – but one statistic was that 87% of people feared paper passports’ being lost in the post.”

Benefits of a digital-first system, with horses’ and owners’ details stored on the Central Equine Database (CED) include traceability – if horses are lost or stolen, this can be flagged on the system immediately, for example – and disease control. If there was an exotic disease incursion, or a flu epidemic, and a horse was at risk, its owner could be notified. Benefits to welfare include the fact owners will be accountable for their animals. There may well also be future benefits that help smooth the passage of horses across borders, such as uploading proof of vaccinations and health checks to the CED before travel, so horses do not have to wait at borders to be checked, or returned home if the paperwork is incorrect.

“The survey respondents and the BHC see the importance of paper documents to evidence pedigree, and that they will be needed for the time being to cross borders,” Mr Mountford said. “This does not prevent a digital record being the primary form of equine ID. Digital is the way forward and if we can lead with a digital system, others will follow.

“It’s a no-brainer but someone’s got to take the first step and it would be nice if that was the UK.”

One issue long raised is that there is little effective enforcement of the current system.

“People are less likely to comply if there are no consequences,” Ms Rogers said, adding that a central system means more opportunity for checking, and issuing fines for non-compliance, which will build confidence in the system.

But also, if there is perceived extra value to a horse that is properly registered, and if it is cheap and easy to be compliant, there is more chance more horses’ details will be uploaded.

“This is a watershed moment,” Ms Rogers said. “If this happens, so many other things will happen because of it.”

Mr Mountford added that although legislative changes take time, there are actions the Government can take without changing the law, more quickly. He said the BHC and Defra have a good working relationship, and that the former will be “holding their feet to the fire to make sure they make things better”.

“But we need the industry to be supportive,” he said. “The Government can put the legislation in place but the industry needs to make sure the system works by supporting it.”

A Defra spokesman told H&H the consultation response indicates the policy direction for improvements to equine identification and traceability in England, “including increased digitisation of the system so it’s easier for owners to access and record details of equines”.

“We will continue to engage with industry on developing the policy proposals, as indicated in the report, including digital identification for equines, whilst retaining paper passports for those that will require them for zootechnical or international travel purposes,” he said.

“Some of the changes will require new legislation, which is expected to be implemented in 2023. Changes will better prioritise equine health and welfare, whilst supporting stronger traceability in the case of equine welfare concerns or disease outbreaks.”

‘An urgent need for change’: calls for new veterinary law continue

Becky Murray — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 17:03:07 +0000

Urgent changes are needed to the “outdated” Veterinary Surgeons Act say veterinary professionals – as calls for new legislation continue.

On 25 October the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) met MPs, peers and stakeholders at the House of Lords to discuss the need to replace the Act with new legislation. It is hoped any replacement would include paraprofessionals, such as physios and equine dental technicians, becoming regulated under the RCVS umbrella, and the RCVS held a publication consultation for feedback on the topic last year (news, 25 February 2021).

The meeting focused on the “importance of a vet-led team” and it was discussed how the profession had changed since the Act was brought into force in 1966.

Lord Trees, a vet and former RCVS president, said the Act is “no longer fit for purpose” and there is an “urgent need for change”.

“The regulation of the veterinary professions is of utmost importance to animal welfare and all members of the veterinary team must be able to be held accountable for their actions, both for the protection of the animals under their care, and in terms of the wider public interest,” he said.

“The UK is proud of its world-leading approach to public health and animal welfare and, if we are to continue to uphold and champion our animal health and welfare standards, it is essential that we work and evolve together to create a Veterinary Surgeons Act which is not only fit for purpose now but will continue to serve us effectively for years to come.”

British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) projects officer Lucy Grieve told H&H BEVA commends the work being done by the RCVS in continuing to lobby for a new Act.

“While it remains a slow process, new legislation could provide greater protection for owners when allied professionals carry out work on their horses. At present there is no regulation for musculoskeletal therapists, equine dental technicians, or others, which means it is difficult for anyone to know who to choose, how qualified they are and whether they are accountable should something go wrong,” she said.

“New legislation could help ensure that only appropriately trained and regulated individuals are allowed to provide healthcare services to horses. Without set standards and clarity, the welfare of horses is put at risk.”

The Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy (ACPAT) attended the RCVS meeting and a spokesman told H&H the organisation is advocating for “specific changes and considerations with welfare at the forefront”.

“It is essential that all parties work together to provide optimal care for our patients. ACPAT believes animals should be provided with the same level of care as is offered within human medicine; within human medicine physiotherapists are an integral part of the multidisciplinary team and a close working relationship usually exists between the medical team and healthcare allied professionals,” said the spokesman.

“This ensures a holistic approach to patient care that aims to optimise wellbeing and outcome. This multidisciplinary approach also offers great benefit to our veterinary patients with collaboration between professionals helping to provide a full care package.”

An RCVS spokesman told H&H the society will continue to work with Defra and other stakeholders, and has followed up with MPs and peers who attended the meeting to have “more in-depth conversations about the campaign”. But the spokesman added that the parliamentary process is “out of the RCVS’s hands”.

“For new legislation to be passed, it is very much dependent on current priorities within Defra, the Government’s overall agenda, when parliamentary time can be secured and current competing bills within the Defra and animal welfare sphere,” he said.

A Defra spokesman told H&H the department is “aware of the views of the veterinary profession and the many potential benefits associated with updating the Act”.

“The department is currently unable to provide a timescale as to when any reforms might take place. When reforms are taken forward, all of the proposals will be subject to a public consultation,” he said.

Government accused of ‘tunnel vision’ by ‘excluding’ riders and cyclists from new national trail

Lucy Elder — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 14:10:19 +0000

The British Horse Society (BHS) has criticised Government plans to exclude riders and cyclists from a new national trail.

The BHS and Cycling UK have united in their condemnation of the proposals, which would effectively make the 197-mile off-road route inaccessible for horses and bikes.

The organisations have written to Defra secretary of state Ranil Jawawardena, calling on the Government to reconsider the proposals.

“As vulnerable road users, horse riders face considerable dangers on our roads and the need for safer off-road riding opportunities has never been greater,” said BHS director of access Mark Weston.

“For very little extra investment and a small proportion of time spent consulting with us and Cycling UK, we could make a real difference to horse riders and cyclists who want to continue to be safe, as well as enjoy the countryside.

“Supporting this route to be multi-use could also make a valuable contribution to the north’s rural economy, helping to achieve the government’s stated objective of levelling up. It’s still not too late and we hope Defra will take the opportunity to discuss the benefits of this approach with us.”

In August, Defra announced that £5.6m would be allocated to improve the Wainwright Coast to Coast route, before it becomes a national trail in 2025. George Eustice was Defra secretary at the time.

The route stretches from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hoods Bay in North York Moors National Park on a combination of footpaths and bridleways.

But the proposed upgrade would not make the whole trail accessible to riders and cyclists – there would be no continuous route that either group could use. The organisations state that this goes against the 2019 Glover Report recommendations, which advise how to make national landscapes more open to everyone.

They claim that they “should have been consulted, but were not contacted by Natural England” before the proposals were launched.

Duncan Dollimore, Cycling UK’s head of campaigns, described the move as “tunnel vision”.

“The Wainwright path is a fantastic attraction for the north of England, and it’s great news the Government wants it to be a national trail,” he said.

“There’s so much to celebrate about the new trail’s aims to increase opportunities for people to experience the outdoors, but what is frustrating is the tunnel vision automatically excluding specific groups like people cycling or horse riding, that is also contrary to government policy on outdoor access.

“If you ride a bike or a horse, you can use only 22% of England’s rights of way network or ride two out of 16 of our national trails. We need to do more to increase access, not limit it. The benefits are real for rural hospitality businesses, which will see increased trade from a more diverse group of visitors.”

A statement from both organisations said that had they been consulted, they would have put forward plans that could have allowed a multi-user trail to be created.

“The British Horse Society and Cycling UK are now hoping Defra and Natural England will take the opportunity to consult and work towards the goal of creating a multi-user trail, avoiding further legal action,” the statement added.

A Defra spokesman told H&H that it and Natural England have received a letter in relation to a potential judicial review of the previous secretary of state’s decision to approve the Coast to Coast Path as a national trail, which it will respond to in due course.

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Post-Brexit clarification provided on Irish equine passports

Becky Murray — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 15:43:28 +0000

CLARIFICATION on how to update Irish-bred horses’ passports following Brexit has now been provided after months of confusion – but owners will still face difficulty obtaining a duplicate passport.

Before Brexit, owners of horses bred in Ireland but living in the UK could send their passports to Irish passport-issuing organisations (PIOs) for updates such as ownership and name changes – as well as upgrading identification documents to a studbook passport. But this came to a halt this year as the European Breeding Regulation no longer applies in the UK since it departed the EU.

Much confusion and frustration has arisen with owners who have been unable to update their horses’ passports, and in early May a Defra spokesman told H&H that Defra and Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) had been working together to provide guidance on the situation – and this would be available “shortly”.

On 10 June Defra and DAFM issued joint guidance confirming that all Republic of Ireland PIOs can still process “certain” updates for passports they had issued. These include change of ownership, microchip details, changes to name and food-chain status. Defra also confirmed to H&H that UK PIOs may also process these updates “if necessary”.

A DAFM spokesman told H&H the guidance was drafted to address “uncertainties” experienced following Britain’s exit from the EU and the purpose is to establish processes to ensure the most up-to-date identification data relating to these equines is recorded on both the Irish and UK central equine databases, so “protecting the integrity of the food chain” in both jurisdictions.

But under the new guidance, only Republic of Ireland PIOs whose studbooks have been granted an extension of breeding territory from Defra under post-Brexit requirements (news, 8 April 2021) can issue new, duplicate or reissue passports to Irish-bred horses living in the UK – even if the original passport was issued by that PIO. The only Irish programme that has a UK-approved EU extended breeding programme is the Kerry Bog Pony Cooperative Society.

A Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) spokesman said studbooks operated by HSI were “declined” extension of breeding territory from Defra on the basis that equivalent breeding programmes are in operation in Great Britain. This means HSI cannot issue passports in the UK, but can continue to provide services including changes of ownership, name changes, and insertion of vaccination pages.

“The reduction in permitted HSI passporting services to Great Britain is extremely regrettable and disappointing for the Irish sport horse industry,” said the spokesman. “These changes are a direct result of Brexit and the fact that Great Britain now operates outside the EU legislative framework and within domestic legislation.”

H&H has contacted Defra, DAFM and HSI to confirm where UK owners can obtain duplicate HSI passports going forward.

Brexit ‘disaster’ and Covid make vet-shortage situation worse

Becky Murray — Tue, 10 May 2022 17:32:29 +0000

Vet shortages in the UK remain a concern as a “disastrous” Brexit and challenges from Covid add more pressure.

The topic was recently debated in the House of Lords, during which it was asked what discussions had taken place between the Government and members of the veterinary profession about the availability of qualified vet personnel following Brexit.

In June 2019, H&H reported that the migration advisory committee, a public body that advises the Home Office on immigration issues, had recommended vets be restored to the Government’s shortage occupation list, following a joint submission from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the British Veterinary Association (BVA) (news, 6 June 2019).

During the debate, Lord Wigley reported that since Brexit the number of EU-registered vets coming to work in the UK had fallen by 68%, from more than 1,132 in 2019 to 364 in 2021.

“Is this not yet another example of the total disaster that Brexit has been for the UK?” he asked.

Defra parliamentary under-secretary of state Lord Benyon said Government officials are in “regular contact” with the veterinary profession and Defra is working with stakeholders to understand reasons for the shortage and develop “potential solutions”.

Lord Trees said reasons for the current shortage are “complex” but involve the “three Rs” – recruitment, retention and encouraging returners back to work after career breaks. He asked Lord Benyon to press the Government to raise core funding for vet students in the UK, which would “displace the need to take overseas students” and “immediately increase very substantially” the number of UK students undergoing vet training.

An RCVS spokesman told H&H workforce shortages are a “key challenge” facing the profession, which have been “exacerbated significantly” by the pandemic, Brexit and an increase in demand for veterinary services.

The number of vets joining the RCVS register declined from 2,782 in 2019 to 2,061 in 2021 and there has been an increase in vets leaving the register’s UK-practising category since 2018, either by leaving the register or moving to another category. As a result, the net number of vets joining the UK-practising category – the total number joining minus the number who have left – has fallen from 1,180 in 2019 to 269 in 2021.

“There has been a decrease in new UK-practising registrants from overseas, particularly from the EU, over the past four years. In 2018, 53% of new registrants were EU-qualified, but in 2021 this was 19%. This reduction in new registrants from the EU explains much of the fall in overall numbers of new registrants,” said the RCVS spokesman.

“There is no silver bullet for solving the workforce crisis and the ongoing impacts of Covid and Brexit. There have been recent developments that will increase the number of UK veterinary graduates, with four new vet schools on the horizon.

“However, we agree with Lord Trees that there will need to be significant investment by the Government in UK veterinary education if we are to ensure domestic capacity and resilience.”

British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) president Huw Griffiths told H&H the organisation is aligned with the RCVS and the BVA in identifying potential shortfalls of veterinary provision, and is leading on the sector-specific challenges involving equine vets and “therefore equine welfare”.

“Manpower can be relocated in the short-term but globally a long-term strategy is required to ensure adequate provision of care for our equine patients,” he said, adding that BEVA acknowledges the “three Rs” as key areas for focus and strategic improvement.

BEVA will launch a recruitment and retention survey next month for its membership, to build on the work of Renate Weller, who has researched factors affecting this area. Mr Griffiths added that BEVA will also be working with Amy Grice, a “world leader” in the understanding of the generations of equine vets, who has undertaken studies on the topic and will attend the BEVA congress in September.

“We are wholeheartedly committed to supporting our membership, enabling them to continue to provide world-class care for equines. The future will inevitably be different, it is our role to be malleable, and provide support and resources that reflect the needs of the professionals of the future,” added Mr Griffiths.

H&H vet expert Karen Coumbe, who works for Bell Equine, told H&H that although the horse world may have been “a little protected” from vet shortages compared to small-animal vet practice, this is changing.

“There are alarming statistics showing vets are not staying in the profession as long as they used to. There are many reasons for that, plus there aren’t the same number of vets coming over from overseas. And there are now more female vets, so more vets take time out of the workplace with parental leave,” she said.

“I’ve been very lucky, but generally the view is the public have higher expectations than previously, so if there aren’t enough vets to go round, then those who are available become less effective and burnt out. This results in a perfect storm of job dissatisfaction from vets and their clients.”

Your chance for your voice to be heard — in one chance to get it right on equine ID

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 13:43:01 +0000

A GOVERNMENT consultation on the equine ID system is a “fantastic opportunity to get it right”, and a rare chance to change legislation for the better.

Defra’s public consultation on its proposals to improve equine identification and traceability has been welcomed by World Horse Welfare as “of pivotal importance”.

H&H reported last year that Defra planned to consult, after an Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee report into moving animals across borders post-Brexit condemned Britain’s “not fit for purpose” equine identification system.

The report stated that the scale and causes of the illegal movement of horses across borders should urgently be investigated by Defra, and that the current equine identification system is “not fit for purpose”, adding that its “outdated and fragmented paper systems enable fraud” (news, 21 October).

Jan Rogers of the British Horse Council (BHC), who is also head of research and policy at the Horse Trust, told H&H the consultation is welcome.

She added that the Government questionnaire is long and very technical, so the BHC has created a more accessible version, responses to which it will collate and feed into the main consultation.

Have your say online now

“The survey invites people who may not have great understanding of law, or great engagement with passport-issuing organisations for their views, on what would make it easier for them to keep their records up to date,” she said.

Defra acknowledges in the consultation that the data on the Central Equine Database, which should contain up-to-date details of all equines who live in the UK, is inaccurate and incomplete, for reasons including the fact equine passports are paper-based.

Among its proposals is to allow horse keepers to update their horses’ passport details online or via an app, free.

Ms Rogers said current equine ID regulations were brought in in 2015, after the horsemeat scandal, and based on food-chain safety. Since Brexit, Defra is now looking at prioritising welfare and traceability, and disease prevention.

“But we can only do that if we know where horses are,” she said. “They’re trying to find out what the system needs to do to meet these requirements.

“This is so important. We don’t have many opportunities to change legislation for the better and if we don’t get this right, it will be a long time before we get another chance.”

World Horse Welfare CEO Roly Owers said the horsemeat scandal highlighted the need for major change to the ID system.

“The current system is simply not working and having a simple, effective digital system is vital to underpin many aspects of the enforcement of animal health and welfare regulations, not least being able to trace a horse suffering from poor welfare back to the person responsible for it,” he said.

“Defra now has a fantastic window of opportunity to get it right and we encourage anyone connected to horses to take part in the consultation. By so doing, you will have your voice heard and be contributing to a change for the better for horse welfare.”

The consultation also seeks broader views on all aspects of equine ID and traceability.

A Defra spokesman told H&H: “We are proposing changes to equine identification and traceability in England with the aim of improving the health and welfare of horses.”

‘I sat on the ramp and cried’: top riders’ welfare fears after horses delayed for hours in transit

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 10:01:30 +0000

TOP riders say the “nightmare” of crossing the Channel with horses since Brexit has to change, as they report hours of “pointless” delays.

H&H has spoken to world eventing gold medallist Gemma Tattersall and showjumper Elizabeth Baker, both of whom were held up for hours on recent trips to Europe. Gemma had to arrange for one of her horses to be collected owing to a mistake on the paperwork, which left her hundreds of pounds more out of pocket.

“This really needs to be sorted out; it’s a total nightmare,” Gemma told H&H. “I don’t understand why it has to take so long and it’s ridiculous, as it’s supposed to all be about horse welfare but they don’t even check the horses.”

Gemma said she allowed five hours extra when she left her base in Sussex at 1am for her ferry on 16 March, en route to a showjumping show in Belgium. She arrived at the pre-crossing office in Hythe, Kent, and took her carnets to be checked. Gemma had three documents; one that had about 10 horses named on it, one for the kit — “You have to list everything in the truck, from hoofpicks to the makes of your numnahs,” she explained — and a new one she had bought to list her home-bred, five-year-old Just A Jolly, who was on her first trip abroad.

“I asked the official to please watch me to make sure I’m filling it in correctly, and he said fine,” she said. “He checked, took them away and brought them back in 10 minutes. That can take an hour so I said, ‘Thank you very much’ and off I toddled, not knowing only two of them had been stamped.”

Gemma had to wait in a queue for two and a half hours for the next ferry, arriving in Calais at 9am local time. She took the carnets to be stamped, waited another hour and a half, then went in convoy to the yard where the vet checks are carried out, where she was told Jolly’s carnet had not been stamped. She was told she had to return to the UK, get it stamped and come back, with another £175 vet appointment on the way back.

By this time, the horses had been on the lorry for nine hours.

“At one point, I sat on the ramp and cried,” Gemma said. “I didn’t know what to do; the horses were in my care and I was terrified they’d get poorly, standing there so long.”

Turning down the offer of stables at €300 (£252) each and after many phone calls, Gemma spoke to her mother, who collected a lorry from Gemma’s and got a ferry to pick up Jolly, arriving home at about 4am.

Gemma, who left Calais at about 4.30pm, said the horses were fine and she had a good show, including Isabel Fox’s MGH Candy Girl being placed in her first ranking grand prix, but she wants to take the travel issues further. Not only is it far more expensive to travel horses abroad since Brexit, she said, the delays are putting horse welfare at risk.

“It’s not just us this happens to, it’s everyone,” she said. “Everyone I’ve spoken to has the same issue and no one seems to care. If it was legit and people cared about the stamp, or horse welfare, it would be different but it’s just bureaucracy and paperwork.

“It makes me incredibly sad that we cannot just go to these shows any more without a massive amount of cost and hassle; there are hardly any Brits at the shows now.

“I would like to think there could be a better system in place to cut down the hours added on, it is a genuine problem.”

On 29 March, it took Elizabeth Baker, who lives only 15 miles from Dover, over 10 hours to get clear of Calais on her way to a show.

She was delayed by queues at Dover and closed booking desks, which led to her missing her ferry and having to wait two hours for the next. She then had to wait for three hours for the vet at Calais.

“They have a board showing who’s coming in so they could be ready, but they choose to do it while you’re there, which takes as long as they want it to,” she told H&H. “We were waiting for them to check the paperwork and about an hour for the vet to check the horses, but he only opened the groom’s door, didn’t even put his head in the lorry but peered through and said, ‘Are there four?’ and that was it. He didn’t check anything and couldn’t even have seen what colour horses they were. In total, the horses were on board for 16 or 17 hours.”

Elizabeth questioned why all the checks are needed, as horses have to be seen 24 hours before departure by a vet, to check their health and papers.

“The whole purpose of a vet check is to check the health of the horses before their onward journey, not to keep them waiting for such long periods and actually degrade their welfare,” she said. “It’s beyond a joke. No paperwork should come before the welfare of our horses.”

A Defra spokesman told H&H: “We sympathise with owners who are understandably concerned for the welfare of their horses when travelling to the EU and continue to meet regularly with key industry stakeholders, and authorities in France and Ireland, on this issue.

“We have engaged extensively with the equine sector to make sure they’re ready for the changes which our exit from the EU brings and have always been clear there would be new processes for businesses and individuals to follow.

“A range of initiatives to aid smooth movement to EU countries has been introduced, including an increase in the number of certifiers to meet demand for export health certification.”

Have your say on vehicle use of off-road tracks: riders urged to take part in consultation

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 18:04:55 +0000

Equestrians have been urged to have a say in a Government consultation on whether off-road vehicles should be allowed to continue using unsurfaced countryside tracks.

Defra’s online consultation asks whether recreational vehicles should still be allowed to access off-tarmac routes used for riding and carriage driving.

H&H reported in 2017 that a survey carried out by British Horse Society-affiliated bridleways group Peak Horsepower suggested that 4×4 vehicles and motorbikes were causing problems for riders across the country.

Three-quarters of respondents said their off-road routes are also used by motor vehicles, and 90% of these said these create problems, such as ground damage and frightening horses.

Peak Horsepower has since been calling for a change in the law, to ensure the 3,000 miles of routes that are currently unclassified, and so can be used by anyone, become restricted byways, which would ban motor vehicles.

Have your say online

Peak Horsepower chair Charlotte Gilbert added: “We and other organisations have been pressing for a long time for a review of the legislation governing the use of unsealed countryside tracks by 4x4s and motor bikes where such use causes damage and prevents access to other classes of legitimate user. We are very pleased indeed that the Government has at last decided to ask the public whether there should be new legislation on off-roading.

“We urge all equestrians to take part in the consultation and to answer questions 14 to 17 in the online questionnaire’.

Your views sought on equine ID law — and attempts to combat post-Brexit travel issues

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 17:50:59 +0000

A public consultation on equine ID laws is due to be launched in the near future — as the Government makes attempts to streamline international movement of horses.

Defra parliamentary under-secretary of state Lord Benyon gave an update from the Government on equestrian matters at the National Equine Forum yesterday (3 March).

He cited the effect the coronavirus pandemic and Brexit have had on the industry, and said he has discussed equine ID and traceability, and moving animals across borders, with the British Horse Council.

“In relation to this, I’m very pleased to confirm that I have agreed my stage of the formal process to prepare for a 12-week public consultation on equine identification and traceability to shape the future in this area,” he said. “There are a few more approval steps but I expect these to be completed very shortly.”

Proposals include those designed to make it easier to update records on the Central Equine Database (CED), which he believes will “greatly improve the accuracy of the data we hold on equines to support traceability for welfare and biosecurity purposes”.

Lord Benyon added: “Other proposals include the recording of a horse’s habitual location and possibly temporary locations to assist with handling and containing disease outbreaks.

“There is also the possibility of introducing temporary identification for certain situations, such as emergency care for abandoned horses.”

The Government will also seek the public’s views on links to other databases, and digitisation to “speed up processes”, but Lord Benyon added that although this consultation will focus on England, and “we are keen to significantly increase the digitisation of identification”, there are “constraints on our scope to do this”.

“Any changes we make must take account of the position of those countries where we move our horses most often; the EU, Northern Ireland and our devolved administrations of Wales and Scotland,” he said. “Alongside the issue of increase digitisation of equine ID, we are exploring with the EU the scope for the digital transfer of export health certificates, to streamline the movement of equines across borders.”

Lord Benyon said the CED and its digital stable are being developed to support an e-certification system for international horse movements, and that the Government is working with groups including the FEI, Weatherbys and World Horse Welfare to ensure once the ban on live exports for slaughter comes into force, there is a “robust mechanism for only bona fide movements, ie for racing, competition, sales and breeding with high standards of health and welfare”.

“From a Government perspective, ID and traceability, the movement of equines and the enhancements to regulation of our import and export trade are all key elements of this important initiative to support equine welfare, the equine landscape and the circa 27m people in Britain with an interest in the equestrian industry,” he said.

“With all the important work the Government is doing, in collaboration with the industry, to enhance equine trade, improve equine welfare and protect equine health and our national herd, we can all be proud to be part of that.”

Riding schools in ‘national crisis’ over ‘unfit for purpose’ licensing system

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 27 Feb 2022 21:15:13 +0000

RIDING schools have called for changes to the licensing system, warning that the industry is facing a “national crisis”.

Owners have told H&H that they are required to carry out vast amounts of paperwork and wade through endless red tape, which means a huge workload, and less time to spend on the nature of their business. The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 are due to be reviewed in 2023, five years after they were introduced, and it is thought this could be an opportunity for change.

Sue Nevill-Parker, of Arrow Equestrian riding school, told H&H: “We need to act or it will all be swept under the carpet and in 20 years’ time, there will be no riding schools. We need to take licensing out of the hands of local authorities and put it with people who know what they’re doing.”

Ms Nevill-Parker looked into the subject as she encountered issues with her licensing. Hers has now been renewed, but she feels strongly that the system needs to change.

“The existing regulations for riding school licences are not fit for purpose and need a complete overhaul,” she said. “We should not be lumped together with kennels and catteries and while I agree that riding schools should be inspected so that they meet minimum standards, piles of paperwork do not prove that things are being done properly.

“Furthermore, [some] licensing officers don’t know one end of a horse from the other, and the licensing inspection makes no reference to teaching which is, after all, our sole reason for existence.”

Ms Nevill-Parker said vets visit to check all the horses, which she supports, but she does not understand the need for the “extra layer of bureaucracy, from people who know nothing about horses”.

She said she now has to spend more time on paperwork than she does teaching, adding: “We’re all terrified the licensing officer will come on the yard, find one little thing they say is non-compliant and we’re out of a job. If it was in the hands of the [British Horse Society] BHS or [Association of British Riding Schools] ABRS instead, I don’t think anyone would complain, as they know the industry, know horses and would have good standards.”

Paula Leverton, of Four Winds Equestrian Centre, is also an ABRS trustee. She told H&H that although Defra has recently updated the guidelines to make some of the language easier to understand, “a big issue is inconsistency”.

“It’s how the guidelines are interpreted,” she said. “There seems to be no consistency in the documents people are asked to produce, and there’s so much documentation.”

Ms Leverton said some requirements, such as documenting each horse’s workload, are simple as she uses an online booking system that records each animal’s hours. She also has to log the horses’ weight, saddle checks, worm programmes and field maintenance.

“The idea is good, but I’d like it to be less onerous,” she said. “I nearly didn’t get a five-star rating last time because they wanted to see how we proved we mucked out. Anyone could look over a stable door and see if it’s clean or not, but it’s all the paper-shuffling.

“I understand they need to see if horses are looked after, but there has to be a limit in what they ask for. Riding schools are a dying industry, which has had a wretched two years.”

ABRS trustee George Baber told H&H many council licensing officers are very good.

“In England, at least, I think the guidance is pretty clear,” he said. “Is all of it totally necessary? That’s a separate question, but licensing is essentially about the welfare of the horses, and I find most licensing officers pretty sympathetic. It does vary with individuals, but that’s on the whole.”

Mr Baber said for the ABRS or BHS to take on licensing inspections, they would need a system of accreditation and quality control and a robust system to ensure consistency, which would cost a significant amount. It would also need relevant legislation to be amended, which he said is unlikely.

“There’s no easy way round it,” he said. “We know it’s difficult for riding schools and that this system is burdensome, but that doesn’t necessarily make it wrong. What the ABRS can do for members is help them navigate the regulations and achieve [licensing] in the best way they can.”

Defra provided H&H with “background” on the issue, explaining that the licensing regulations brought in three years ago were “developed to help improve welfare standards across a range of activities involving animals that are licensed by local authorities and are accompanied by statutory guidance notes for each activity”.

The review of the regulations next year will involve “key sector representatives” including the BHS.

Post-Brexit opportunity for British studbooks

Becky Murray — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 11:04:30 +0000

British studbooks have the opportunity to “step up to the plate” as more breeders will register foals with UK organisations this year.

H&H reported last year that breeders would only be able to register British-bred horses with foreign studbooks that had been granted an extension of breeding territory from Defra under a new requirement following Brexit (news, 8 April 2021). Defra said studbooks would only be approved if there was not a UK equivalent. Of 106 that applied, seven were approved including the Holsteiner Verband, Cheval Comtois, and Menorca Horse.

Oldenburg Pferde and the Selle Français studbooks told H&H they were rejected. An Oldenburg spokesman added that breeders may still present Oldenburg and non-Oldenburg horses for licensing and mare performance tests, if they travel to Germany.

A Defra spokesman said Oldenburg did not formally appeal the rejection, and applications are still welcome from EU studbooks.

“The rationale not to allow the Oldenburger studbook to extend was to ensure the UK breeding programme was not compromised by a lack of genetic diversity. The population size of a breeding programme is key to its success,” he said.

“Not allowing a breeding programme to extend into the UK does not prohibit anyone from continuing to breed and freely trade that animal with EU breeders. The only change is those animals must be registered and passported by the equivalent UK studbook.”

World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses vice-president Eva-Maria Broomer, who is also a head evaluator for the UK Anglo European Studbook (AES) told H&H there are a number of possible solutions including foreign studbooks opening daughter studbooks in the UK. Defra could also apply to the EU Commission for Article 35 of the Animal Health Law, which would grant the UK equivalent measures to animal breeding in third countries – so extension of breeding territories could continue – but this application can take two years. Defra told H&H it is “still considering” whether an Article 35 application would benefit breeders.

The Oldenburg spokesman said the organisation had considered a daughter studbook, but does not have plans to do so at the moment, adding that a daughter studbook could be seen as inferior, which is not Oldenburg’s “aspiration”.

Dr Broomer said with more breeders using British studbooks, this is an opportunity for these studbooks to “step up to the plate”.

“Within AES UK we are working with KWPN – who can no longer register foals in the UK – and are able to offer the KWPN genetic analysis and screening, which is a positive thing to come out of this,” she said.

“The winners in the long term will be those who look for solutions. In AES we have looked at what foreign studbooks offer and are implementing everything we can, with the same standard of service. There are choices for breeders in terms of UK studbooks and it’s down to breeders to explore what’s on offer and what matches their requirements.”

Caroline Ironside of MFS Studfarm usually registers a number of foals with Oldenburg and told H&H she will now have to have all her mares graded with the British Hanoverian Horse Society.

“We have supported British studbooks before and I’m not taking anything away from them, but I like our stock assessed by the judges of the foreign studbooks and getting that seal of approval we’re breeding the same quality as in Germany – that feedback is invaluable,” she said.

The British Hanoverian Horse Society’s studbook manager Kate Eaton told H&H the organisation – a daughter society of the Hannoveraner Verband that also manages the British Rhineland Studbook – believes having more British-registered horses is positive.

“For us, this is a great thing because it means we’re getting more mares into the studbook. We use the same database as Oldenburg so we have access to the same pedigrees, DNA profiles and performance data – the only major difference between the passports is the logo on the front,” she said, adding that the studbook’s judges are trained in Germany by the Hannoveraner Verband, and regularly go there to refresh their training.

Ms Eaton added she believes 2022 is going to be an “exciting” year for the studbook.

“In addition to our regional shows, because of demand we are planning a UK-wide tour. Also when we do performance testing we will take horses from other studbooks, for example Oldenburg, so they can gain premium status in the UK – which is opening more doors for people.”

Defra light on promises after equine ID system found to be ‘not fit for purpose’

Lucy Elder — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 19:26:41 +0000

Defra has stressed it takes animal welfare “very seriously” and indicated plans to “consult” in response to a punchy report condemning Britain’s “not fit for purpose” equine identification system.

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) select committee report into moving animals across borders post-Brexit (news, 7 October) made detailed, direct and time-specific recommendations to Defra.

The report stated that the scale and causes of the illegal movement of horses across borders (“horse smuggling”) should be investigated by Defra “as a matter of urgency”. It also stated that once the scale has been identified, Defra “should set out a plan to address it within a year, and no later”.

The report also stated the current equine identification system is “not fit for purpose”, adding that its “outdated and fragmented paper systems enable fraud”.

In his evidence to the committee, World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers said many horses do not have passports, that the current system is “as leaky as a sieve” and that there is “significant fraud”.

The report called on the Government to embrace, or guarantee interoperability with, digital systems already in place in certain parts of the industry and develop a funded action plan to enforce identification rules. It calls for a consultation to be published within the next three months and that the action plan should be published within three months of the consultation’s conclusion. The need for a replacement to the Tripartite agreement, to enable ease of movement of high health status horses between Britain, Ireland and France, was also highlighted.

The report was welcomed by the industry, with Mr Owers stating that the recommendations would make a “huge positive difference to equine welfare” if implemented.

Defra’s response acknowledged the report, while remaining light on promises relating to the recommendations.

“We take animal welfare issues and issues such as horse smuggling very seriously,” a Defra spokesman told H&H.

“We have a range of initiatives set out in the action plan for animal welfare to raise standards, including in the equine sector, but we will consider EFRA’s report carefully.

“We intend to consult on equine identification and traceability in England shortly and will be keen to hear views from equine organisations, owners, vets and racing industry representatives on digital solutions.”

The action plan referred to by the spokesman was published in May and sets out the Government’s aims regarding welfare for all kinds of animals.

Its scope includes the upcoming Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, which will ban the live exports of livestock and equines for fattening and slaughter from Britain.

Consideration of changes to equine identification and traceability to improve biosecurity and animal welfare with key stakeholders are outlined in the report, as are plans to “consult on proposals later in the year”.

Calls to include equines in new pet abduction law

Becky Murray — Sun, 19 Sep 2021 20:03:54 +0000

Pet abduction will be made a specific criminal offence to distinguish it clearly from other types of theft, the Government has announced, as calls are made to include equines in the new legislation.

In May the Government launched a pet theft taskforce, made up of officials from departments including Defra, the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice, and the Crown Prosecution Service. The taskforce considered evidence from groups including academics, animal welfare organisations and enforcement agencies and this month released recommendations. One of these is the creation of a new pet abduction law. The Home Office also committed to ensuring pet abduction is recorded in a “consistent manner” across police forces, and officials from each department will be able to review the way data is collected.

“The new offence will prioritise the welfare of our pets as sentient beings and recognise the emotional Sdistress to the animal in addition to its owner,” said a spokesman for the taskforce.

The new law, which will be brought in in “due course”, is part of the Government’s action plan for animal welfare announced this year, and follows a parliament debate in October 2020 calling for an amendment to the Theft Act 1968 or for a new offence to be created under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (news, 29 October)

H&H asked Defra whether horses will be included under the new law and Defra said the details are “subject to further consideration”.

“The scope of the offence should include dogs, and the applicability to other types of animal will be explored during the development of the policy,” said a Defra spokesman.

A spokesman for welfare charity Horses and Ponies Protection Association (HAPPA) said the topic of pet theft was close to the charity’s heart following the suspected theft of Welsh mare HAPPA Lottie from her permanent loan home last year. Despite appeals, Lottie has not been found.

“We have been left wondering what has happened to Lottie for more than 12 months,” the spokesman said. “We grow concerned she has entered the welfare system once more, and could be anywhere not receiving the care, attention and love she got from her home. Her family have gone through all the motions many of us would feel at the loss of a pet, but with added angst that they don’t know what has happened to her.

“The impact of dog thefts is heavily documented in the report, but HAPPA would urge the Government to consider the theft of any companion animal. We would be pleased to see this report result in supportive legislation, but to include horses, ponies, donkeys and their hybrids.”

A Blue Cross spokesman told H&H the charity has been campaigning for years to encourage the Government and police forces to take pet theft more seriously and make it a crime in its own right. While the Blue Cross is “delighted” Defra has recognised changes to the law must be made, the charity hopes horses will be included too.

Time and temperature limits in new UK horse transport laws

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 24 Aug 2021 20:01:39 +0000

THE equestrian industry has welcomed changes on journey times and conditions for horses in new animal welfare legislation – but also the fact tweaks may still be made to proposals.

Measures announced by the Government on 18 August, which will be making their way through parliament, include a ban on live export for slaughter, a maximum 12-hour journey time, eight hours if the external temperature is plus-25℃ or below freezing, and a minimum of 20cm headroom. The legislation would also ban travelling horses when the external temperature is 30℃ or more, unless the vehicle has a thermoregulation system, although how this will work will be part of ongoing discussions. Such systems would also allow journeys longer than eight hours outside the 0–25℃ range.

“Animal welfare organisations and livestock industry representatives acknowledged the risks of heat stress when transporting animals in excessively high temperatures,” a government spokesman said. “It is for this reason we are minded to implement these upper external temperature limits to protect animal welfare.”

But respondents told the Government its proposed 5℃ lower temperature limit would “result in significant disruption and economic loss”, stating that livestock and horses are outdoors year-round and used to lower temperatures.

“We have carefully considered these arguments and as a result, we will not take forward the proposed lower temperature limit for short journeys and we will decrease the proposed lower temperature for long journeys to 0℃,” a government spokesman said.

The Government said it understands that thermo-regulated vehicles are not “universally” used to transport animals, so external temperature is “the most appropriate measure currently available”. The spokesman added: “We propose to explore this further in our discussions with the relevant sectors.”

The Government will consider exemptions to the maximum journey time for competition, racing and breeding horses, if additional criteria are met. The criteria will be “determined through the further work we will be doing with stakeholders”.

British Horseracing Authority director of equine health and welfare James Given said: “The British thoroughbred industry shares the Government’s ambition to protect animal welfare in transport through practical solutions based on clear evidence. We welcome the Government’s commitment to work together to co-design solutions that will enhance the high standards of welfare in the industry.”

Horses must also have a minimum of 20cm headroom, measured from the highest point of the head of the tallest standing animal.

World Horse Welfare CEO Roly Owers said the proposals are a “very significant and positive step toward improving the welfare of equines when being transported”, and that the charity looks forward to working with governments and the sector to ensure the legislation protects horses and is practical.

But he added: “Unlike other large animals, horses travel frequently and widely for many reasons such as breeding, leisure, racing and other sports. We are concerned that many of these proposals seem to have been driven by improving the welfare of animals travelling for fattening and to slaughter, which in many cases are not realistic and could have serious implications for sport and the leisure sector without any clear welfare benefits.

“We are pleased that the consultation response commits to further discussion and recognises the need for a holistic approach to transport, ensuring the welfare of the horse is protected before, during and after transport… We hope whatever regime comes in will be applied consistently across Great Britain. An integrated approach is vital for driving behaviour change and encouraging compliance, as we have seen time and time again that complex and differing legislation can be confusing and challenging.

“To make any of these proposals workable and enforceable, we will again emphasise the fundamental need for a straightforward, reliable and robust fully digital method of identification and traceability for all horses.”

The charity would also like short mandatory rest stops included in any new law to ensure horses are fed, watered and checked during the 12-hour journey.

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

EU semen and horse trade concerns eased — but export issues continue

Becky Murray — Sun, 08 Aug 2021 19:33:31 +0000

Concerns around the trade of horses and germinal products under new EU animal health law have been eased – but export issues rumble on.

After Brexit, under EU legislation, the UK and EU countries had to apply to each other for third-country status to continue to trade breeding animals and products such as semen and embryos. This status means horses bred in the EU can be sold to the UK as registered. Unregistered horses have higher import taxes and are granted lower health status, which can affect the ability for horses to travel abroad for competitions.

The UK, and all UK studbooks, were granted this status by the European Commission in December, but EU countries had to apply to Defra by 30 June (news, 22 Apr 2021).

Defra has now published the list of recognised EU breeding societies in countries granted the status – so may continue to trade products and registered horses with the UK. The list of 23 countries includes Germany, France, and the Netherlands.

A Defra spokesman told H&H the Government and delegated authorities approved all applications that were received.

World Breeding Federation vice-president Eva-Maria Broomer told H&H Defra has been keeping UK studbooks in the loop on third-country status recognition, and the list of approvals looks “pretty complete”.

“There are no reasons in the legislation why the trade in horses and germinal products should not continue smoothly, apart from the need to raise the relevant paperwork, which is the thing that seems to be giving everyone headaches,” said Dr Broomer.

“Any difficulties in import and export of germinal products are not due to the fact that we are no longer able to trade in them, but that there is a lot of paperwork and new legislation to digest, and everyone – not just the breeders and semen agents but also the border officials and couriers, are getting used to the new environment.”

A spokesman for Stallion AI Services told H&H exporting to the EU has become a “minefield” since Brexit, and the company has stopped exporting chilled semen to the EU as a result.

“The issue we’re having with exporting is there is a hard border, the customs control is very strict in Germany and France for example. They are checking absolutely everything and there is a lot of additional paperwork, and it’s not always clear what’s needed by each individual country as they all seem to have different requirements. It can vary, you’ll send one shipment and it will be fine, they’ll ask for paperwork which you provide, and the next time they’ll ask you for something different so it’s very tricky,” said the spokesman.

“We were able to ship last year and have always been able to before. We get the health papers sorted so we’re able to fulfil that side of things, but it’s the couriers and the backlogs in the warehouses. It doesn’t seem fair, we’re importing quite happily but we can’t export our own goods and that’s a real shame to the European market.”

Welcome step for welfare as new UK law to formally recognise animal sentience

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 13 May 2021 16:54:10 +0000

Animals will be formally recognised as sentient beings for the first time in UK law, thanks to a new Bill.

The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill was introduced in parliament today (13 May).

The Government says the legislation will “ensure that animal sentience is taken into account when developing policy across Government through the creation of an animal sentience committee, which will be made up of animal experts from within the field”.

By formally recognising vertebrate animals as sentient beings, new laws will have to take into account that animals can “experience feelings such as pain or joy”.

A spokesman for Defra said: “The Bill will underpin the Government’s action plan for animal welfare, which launched yesterday and sets out the Government’s plans to improve standards and eradicate cruel practices for animals both domestically and internationally.

“The Bill’s introduction, fulfilling a key manifesto commitment, will further the UK’s position as a world leader on animal welfare. Now we have left the EU, we have the opportunity to remake laws and go further to promote animal welfare by making sure that all Government departments properly consider animal sentience when designing policy, covering all vertebrate animals from farm to forest.”

The Bill will also ensure ministers update parliament on recommendations made by the animal sentience committee.

Launching it, animal welfare minister Lord Goldsmith said: “The UK has always led the way on animal welfare and now that we’ve left the EU we are free to drive for the highest standards of animal welfare anywhere in the world.

“Formally recognising in law that animals are sentient and experience feelings in the same way humans do is just the first step in our flagship action plan for animal welfare, which will further transform the lives of animals in this country and strengthen our position as a global leader.”

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Humane Society International UK executive director claire Bass said 45 leading UK animal protection organisations have been calling for the Bill.

“The formation of an animal sentience committee is a very welcome step; it must though be designed with the right expertise, independence, resourcing and access to information to enable it to provide robust and constructive scrutiny. We hope that it will support Government’s delivery of a progressive welfare strategy built on respect for the needs of sentient animals, who enrich and improve our lives in so many ways.”

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Campaign for indoor arena law change to protect riding schools

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 10:06:12 +0000

Campaigners have contacted the Government asking for changes to the current law on indoor schools. H&H finds out why this is thought to be so important, and what action is being taken

CAMPAIGNERS for riding schools are warning the Government to amend the law in relation to indoor schools, or risk mass closures should restrictions tighten again.

Pammy Hutton, of the Talland School of Equitation, Gloucestershire, and Tim Downes of Ingestre Stables, Staffordshire, have written to MPs to “highlight the extreme plight of riding schools in England, which are currently being victimised by legislation that is not in line with other industries and commercial ventures”.

H&H has reported on the perceieved inconsistency of government coronavirus legislation, under which initially last year, indoor arena use was banned in line with that of other indoor sports facilities.

The Government then agreed that owing to their agricultural and airy nature, indoor arenas counted as outdoors for the purposes of the law, but in the legislation announced days before the 29 March sport restart date, this had changed. It is hoped indoor arenas will be allowed to fully open on 17 May, but Pammy and Tim, who have been campaigning for full use to be allowed on behalf of riding schools, are concerned about possible future restrictions.

“If legislation does not alter and the allocation of funding is not re-evaluated, if further restrictions become necessary, there will be no facilities left in England for the general public to participate in recreational riding,” the letter states.

Pammy told H&H that although she is hopeful of a 17 May reopening, she is taking nothing for granted, especially given the new India Covid-19 variation.

“I won’t rest until the law is changed,” she said.

“Let’s say 17 May comes and everything goes back to normal, but what if what happened last year happens again?” she asked. “We’re still in the place we were last year and I’m not waiting till September to find that law’s still there.”

Pammy is hopeful the letter will get to high places as Tim Warren, a former council leader who now runs Shelford Warren, helping clients “navigate national and local government”, has flagged it to MP Jacob Rees-Mogg and chancellor Rishi Sunak.

Mr Warren, who was alerted to the issue by his friend and Badminton course-builder Eric Winter’s wife Lizzel, told H&H he has had dealings with Mr Sunak, and Mr Rees-Mogg is his MP.

“He’s always been very helpful and diligent, and will always do what he can for constituents,” said Mr Warren, who also runs an equestrian business importing and selling young horses. “MPs get thousands of emails every day but I can ring Jacob and have a chat, and hopefully he’ll pass it on to [sports minister] Oliver Dowden.

“It seems ridiculous that you can go into shops but not indoor arenas, and if I can help, I will.”

Defra and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport refused to comment.

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Breeding and competition horses affected by new EU animal health law

Becky Murray — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 10:02:26 +0000

Should the correct status not be granted by the June deadline, this will mean the end of semen importation to Britain. H&H speaks to authorities and experts to find out what work is being done, and how else the industry is affected

COMPETITION and breeding horses could be affected by new requirements under EU animal health law as an important deadline looms.

As a result of Brexit, under EU legislation, the UK and EU countries are required to apply to each other for third country status to continue to trade breeding animals and germinal products such as semen and embryos.

The UK, and all UK studbooks, were granted this status by the European Commission in December, so trade can continue to Europe, but the deadline for EU countries to apply to Defra for the status is 30 June.

This requirement is in addition to the extension of breeding territory for studbooks, and World Breeding Federation vice president Eva-Maria Broomer told H&H this could have repercussions for the UK equestrian community if third-country status, and third-country studbook status, is not obtained by EU countries.

“If EU competent authorities have not applied this means they can’t sell the UK germinal products, and that would be the end of the semen trade into this country,” she said. “That is a big risk because British breeders rely on having stallions available to them from Europe.”

A Defra spokesman told H&H zootech approval within the EU and UK includes an application for recognition as a breed society, and approval of a breeding programme.

“A breeding programme is a document that sets out the details of what the breed societies’ aims and ambitions are for that breed. It is a set of actions that would include how the animals are recorded, selected, details on breeding and exchange of breeding animals and their germinal products. It’s designed and implemented to preserve or enhance desired phenotypic and/or genotypic characteristics in the target breeding population,” said the spokesman.

The requirement also has implications for competition horses bred in the EU who are sold to the UK.

“This requirement is important for the breeding community, but equally important for the riding and competition horses. The original studbooks need to continue to have zootechnic recognition in our country, so that the horses can be sold as registered animals. If a horse is sold from the EU without UK zootechnic recognition the horse is classed as unregistered.” said Dr Broomer.

“Buying or selling an unregistered horse across the EU border will mean significantly higher import taxes and the horse will be granted a lower health status, which will affect the ability for horses to travel for competitions.”

The Defra spokesman said unregistered horses have to meet “more onerous” import and export requirements than registered horses, including different blood testing, residency and isolation requirements.

Trakehner breeder Sacha Shaw told H&H she usually imports semen directly from German studs as there is a limited number of stallions in the UK. This means she will rely on Germany and the Trakehner Verband studbook applying for third country status.

“The chairman of Trakehners UK is making sure the Verband is aware so they can apply and we can continue to get semen over here. Daughter studbooks in the UK will be making sure the mother studbooks in Europe are aware of the requirement – but for those that don’t have daughter studbooks would they necessarily know that to keep providing for the British market that they need to file the right papers with Defra? I would say before most breeders wouldn’t have been aware of the new requirements, and therefore you don’t really know if studbooks in countries such as the Netherlands and Germany have applied. That’s probably what breeders are most worried about.”

Sacha has also seen the UK side of proceedings, having been involved in applying for third country status for the British Riding Ponies studbook in her role as office manager for the National Pony Society.

“We were lucky that we had 826 Equine Studbooks Association to hold our hand but it was fairly simple to apply. It’s not something studbooks should find difficult, it’s just making sure that they know they have to do it in the first place,” she said.

The Defra spokesman added the body had been “active” in supporting EU competent authorities (ministries of agriculture) to facilitate applications.

“Applications for third country listing will be accepted past the deadline of 30 June 2021, however after 1 July and until listed, the breeding body will not be able to continue to trade with the UK on equivalent terms.”

Delight as sport restarts — but frustration over indoor arena omission

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 17:17:24 +0000

By Eleanor Jones and Lucy Elder

RIDERS are delighting as the easing of England’s lockdown restrictions spell the restart of organised equestrian sport, but frustration remains over the Government’s late change to rules on indoor arenas.

Competition and training, as well as lessons at riding schools, were allowed to resume across England today (29 March), following months of lockdown and restrictions. But the legislation governing current rules, under which indoor arenas are in the main not allowed to be used, was only released on Friday (26 March).

There was confusion last year as indoor arenas were initially not allowed to open despite the fact they are far more ventilated and larger than shops and other permitted businesses.

Defra and the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) finally agreed such facilities could be used from 4 July. At the time, British Equestrian (BEF) CEO Iain Graham said the BEF and others had “gone to great lengths to explain the nature of equestrian indoor schools and today we finally made the breakthrough”.

Guidance that then applied for the rest of the year stated that indoor schools counted as outdoor for the purposes of the rules, and so could be used.

A BEF spokesman said on 26 March: “This wording was introduced into the legislation, and equestrian activity and sport was able to resume under strict Covid protocols to ensure the safety of all participants without issue. The wording has been removed from the legislation published today.

“British Equestrian has raised this as a matter of urgency with Sport England, DCMS and Defra for clarification because this change in situation is not justified or reasonable, particularly at such short notice. We know there will be a degree of frustration throughout the industry at this development, but we will continue to represent collective interests of the equine sector in England for a solution.”

Association of British Riding Schools chairman George Baber told H&H the situation is not as dire for riding schools as it might first appear.

He said that of course all schools with outdoor arenas can carry on; the “rule of six” does not apply to lessons, nor to the number of helpers, leaders or coaches, so these schools will be able to run as normal. The rule of six does come into play once riders have dismounted, so schools will have to be mindful of this guidance at that point.

He added: “The legislation does allow under-18s to have supervised indoor sports. There’s a discrepancy between that and the Sport England guidance but the letter of the law is that under-18s can do indoor sports, so I can see no reason riding schools can’t give children indoor lessons, if Covid restrictions are in place, and that’s been my advice to them.”

Mr Baber said although this means schools with only indoor arenas may not teach adults until 12 April, he hopes that being able to teach children will mean businesses are not too badly affected.

“It’s not ideal but I think if schools operate sensibly, they can get back about 80% of their normal operation,” he said, adding that the fact the legislation was only released three days before the restart was an issue.

“I can understand businesses were trying to plan ahead, and how can you plan when it’s Friday and you’re opening on Monday?” he said. “The frustration and anger is understandable.”

Mr Baber added that the legislation specifically allows people to ride their own horses in indoor schools, which covers arena hire, and warned that parents may not watch their children’s lessons from the indoor arenas.

Neither Defra nor the DCMS was available for comment.

Elite riders have been able to continue their training and compete at specific events under strict “elite athlete” conditions and Covid-safe protocols, but for many – and venues not affected by the Government-caused “indoor” arena confusion – Monday marked the first resumption of organised sport for all levels.

Little Downham was holding a British Eventing “train for eventing” fixture, and organiser Tina Ure told H&H it was “really enjoyable” to welcome people back.

“We’ve been bowled over by the level of thanks and positivity of the riders,” she said. “We’ve kept everything relaxed and so far it’s been extremely well received and enjoyable all round.”

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Rider Caroline Powell added she “cannot commend the train for eventing format enough”.

There is no dressage, so competitors go straight from showjumping to cross-country course.

“What a great thing [these events] are for fresh horses coming out on to the grass for the first time,” she said. “There’s loads of space, loads of time, nobody hassling you – it’s the best thing, and Tina’s done a really good course.”

Owners and amateur riders have been welcomed back on racecourses, while point-to-pointing has also restarted. There were considerable entries across the three fixtures on Monday, at Charing, Revesby and Hurworth, followed by a full card scheduled for the Maisemore on Tuesday.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Horse world must unite to put Brexit issues on political agenda H&H Plus

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 07 Mar 2021 11:09:03 +0000

Industry experts at the National Equine Forum discussed how Brexit has been affecting business and everyday life, and look at what is being done to mitigate the impact

THE equestrian sector needs to unite to take a cohesive, coherent campaign on the effects Brexit is having on our industry, to UK and EU ministers.

Representatives from across the sector gave presentations on the impact on the sector since the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December.

British Equestrian Trade Association executive director Claire Williams said leaving the single market has had a huge impact on businesses.

“Europe has become a market, or markets, to which we formally export, and import from, which demands skill sets totally new to many people,” she said.

“We didn’t know what was coming. The promise of a deal meant many companies largely put off preparation; without detail, they didn’t know what precisely to prepare for. The deal, we were told, would mean we would be able to carry on frictionless trade. It wasn’t the Christmas present most people thought it was, or would have wished for.”

Ms Williams said exports from the UK equestrian trade, excluding horses and vehicles, amount to over half a billion pounds a year, over half of which is thought to be sold in Europe. There are also huge sales from UK businesses into Europe.

Ms Williams said companies have to deal with a “vast” and complicated array of documentation to export, which appear to exceed that needed to export to other countries. The markets in Europe have differences, such as in VAT rates and documents demanded, and Ms Williams said there has been confusion when paperwork is demanded, but not required or available.

She warned that extra duty is an unforeseen cost, as the tax is levied on the value of a shipment when products enter the EU, then when sold on to the UK, duty is levied again as if it were entering from a third country. If it is sold to Ireland, duty is levied for a third time.

“The trade is meeting the challenges as best they can, and slowly overcoming them, but it’s taking longer than we imagined,” she said. “Some solutions are being worked on, and for the future of our trade, it’s important we persist.”

She said it is hoped the process will become easier. There are also “glimmers of light on the horizon”, as new trade deals’ will mean access to other markets such as Japan.

Henry Bullen, director of Peden Bloodstock, spoke about the changes to moving horses.

“My two least favourite words currently are ‘Covid’ and ‘Brexit’,” he said. “That’s probably the same across the board.”

Mr Bullen said moving horses to the EU is now a “bureaucratic headache”.

“It’s now certainly more complicated to take a horse from the UK to the EU than it is to go to the US, and it’s more time-consuming,” he said. “It’s definitely more stressful.”

Mr Bullen described the new processes for moving horses; the vet checks, extra paperwork and delays at border control posts, as reported in H&H. Horses have been sent back to the UK owing to slight mistakes in the paperwork.

“The biggest problem now though is not only horse welfare but the massive increase in costs,” he said. “It’s about a 600% increase on some crossings.”

“But we are where we are,” he said. “The UK and Europe. It doesn’t meant we’re against them; we’re friends and colleagues, who work together and all have a passion for the welfare of the horse, and we need to make sure movement can continue. There’s a lot of work going on to try to reduce the burden on us all. Defra is working very hard with their counterparts in Europe, and we’re working with friends and colleagues, federations and the FEI to make sure the border process is improved, and reduce the amount of documentation.

“With the support and dedication of all of us, we’ll be able to return to happy, fast, efficient and cost-effective movement.”

Simon Brooks-Ward, CEO of HPower group that runs Royal Windsor and Olympia horse shows, questioned whether EU-based riders will come here to shows, with the extra costs, delays and paperwork, adding: “If the situation continues, do we have an international event industry? Long term, it’s unsustainable, so we have to do something about it if we’re to sustain our industry.”

Mr Brooks-Ward said it is important international shows survive, as a “shop window” to the £8bn equestrian industry, which has a 270,000-strong workforce.

He added that he recently chaired a group of top riders and coaches who met Defra, and that while civil servants are sympathetic, they are dealing with “an EU machine not minded to be helpful to the UK at the moment”.

“We need a plan,” he said. “Together, we’re a force to be reckoned with; racing, vets, sport horses and breeding, are strong. Individually, we’re just a distraction.

“The real solution will come from the EU and our friends in it.”

Mr Brooks-Ward said it is felt there are three stages to go through: to understand the situation, so one equine community needs to “force the issues” on to UK government and EU agendas. We need to understand what other industries are doing, and what the issues are. He said step two needs to be a conference of all the interested bodies, to “sell the vision”, and that financial backing is needed, to get lobbying specialists on board.

“Step three: we need to act,” he said. “One campaign, coordinated, cohered, collective responsibility and a really good lobbying firm, to hit hard where it matters. To get it to ministerial priorities in this country so it’s political. And we need to effect change among our EU friends and allies.

“As event organisers, we’re trying our best to be that shop window; we need to create that so we can have a livelihood, fun and a sustainable industry going forward.”

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Work ongoing as Brexit delays spark horse welfare concerns

Lucy Elder — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 17:49:47 +0000

Those travelling horses abroad since Britain left the EU have reported delays, on top of the extra costs and paperwork. H&H finds out from government and industry bodies what is being done about the issues

DELAYS at borders are causing welfare concerns as the equine industry negotiates post-Brexit realities.

Mixed experiences with waiting times at EU border control posts (BCP), an approximate 300% increase in costs and new paperwork are having a real impact.

Last year, the racing and wider equestrian industries advised against moving horses “for at least the first two weeks of 2021 unless absolutely necessary”. Two months on and with international horse sport and the thoroughbred breeding season ongoing, people are managing, but improvements to the system are needed.

British Equestrian (BEF) has flagged urgent issues “for immediate review”. These include trimming the 33-page export health certificate (EHC), which ties up vets’ time, and addressing the fact these need to be manually sent to BCPs to book a slot.

“Some have passed through [BCPs] within an hour of arrival, others have had to wait for several hours with horses already tired from travelling, which is not in the best interests of equine welfare. The processes can be improved and we’ll be driving this forward,” said a BEF spokesman, adding that it is also working on establishing a telephone “hotline” with Defra’s help, so anyone transporting horses can seek instant help.

The BEF is also calling on people to share their experiences so it can collate that evidence and data, which the British Horse Council (BHC) can take to policymakers in the hope of improving the situation. The Government’s environment, food and rural affairs committee (EFRA) is also asking for input from the equestrian world for an inquiry scrutinising the Brexit impact on live animal exports.

The Calais BCP was set up to cope with around three trucks an hour, or six horses every half-hour, and a timeslot is allocated to trucks before they board a ferry. But in practice, the situation is not always as streamlined. For example, if there are many lorries on a ferry, or ferries arriving at a similar time, that need to go through the same post, that means some may have a longer wait than others for their allocated slot.

Five more BCPs are being built in France, and one in Rotterdam is expected to open soon.

A World Horse Welfare spokesman told H&H it has “grave concern”.

“Although the stabling [at Calais] is of reasonable quality, it is insufficient to deal with the numbers of horses – at a time when numbers moving are much lower than normal due to the pandemic,” he said.

“Concerns have also been raised that there are insufficient vets to man some of the BCPs. Other options, such as flying horses or travelling via Eurotunnel, are still available [where horses go through different BCPs] but both are very much more expensive and prices have risen still further since 1 January.”

A spokesman for the French ministry of agriculture, agrifood, and forestry told H&H its BCPs were designed to deal with three trucks of horses an hour, so it is possible for many more than three horses to be inspected in this time.

“Significant work was carried out during the preparation phase for Brexit to enable animal controls to be carried out, while respecting the need for traffic flow,” he added. “Proposals for the appropriate control of horses with a high health status [racehorses, horses for international competition and breeding] have been made by France to the European Commission.”

These proposals feed into British hopes that new EU animal health laws, which come into force in April, may help smooth out some issues.

Jan Rogers, of the BHC, explained there is scope for more paperwork to be digitalised, as well as the chance possibly to work out new agreements for the movement of high health status horses.

“What we are experiencing now is the immediate aftermath of becoming a third country,” said Ms Rogers, adding that work is happening to improve the situation, but that it will likely take time, and echoed the BEF and EFRA inquiry’s calls for people to send in evidence.

“Send us what you have in whatever the best way is for you,” she said, adding that this can include photos or videos from mobile phones.

“If we get that [evidence] all in one place, that is then a really powerful resource for us.”

Ms Rogers said this is also important as Britain’s BCPs will open in July and it is vital lessons are learnt from issues at the EU versions.

H&H contacted Lord Gardiner of Kimble, minister for rural affairs and biosecurity, to ask if he would like to comment on the Brexit-related transport issues and associated welfare concerns, or any of the other Brexit-related issues H&H has covered.

A Defra press officer responded: “We have extensively engaged with the equine sector and are continuing to work closely. To ensure movements to EU countries can continue as smoothly as possible, we have implemented a range of initiatives to increase the number of certifiers to meet demand for export health certification.”

The spokesman said the number of official vets able to sign EHCs has increased from around 600 in February 2019, to approximately 1,700, and protecting animal welfare in transport, including contingency plans, is transporters’ legal duty.

“We are working closely with the sector to identify if short-term support is needed and required,” he said.

H&H asked if Defra wished to comment specifically regarding delays and issues at BCPs.

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Lucy Elder — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 07:09:26 +0000

New rules came into force affecting anyone transporting horses from the UK to EU on 1 January. H&H speaks to those affected, and those working hard to clarify what these mean in real terms

WORK to untangle the new rules that have come to light now Britain has left the EU is ongoing, as those moving horses abroad seek clarity on requirements.

The Brexit transition period ended on 31 December, but certain essential documents could not be obtained before the end of 2020, as Britain was still a member of the EU. On 1 January, certain UK documentation was no longer recognised by EU states.

The full extent of who the new rules will apply to is to be clarified, in terms of private boxes and transporting for business, but they do apply to transport companies.

Fred Parker, of John Parker International Horse Transport, spoke to H&H on Monday (11 January) as he prepared to send six empty boxes to Belgium to obtain the approval certificates UK trucks need to transport horses for business in the EU.

“We couldn’t do that before 1 January as Britain was still an EU country. If we could have done it before, we are there every week and could easily have arranged for checks to be done then,” said Mr Parker, adding that a “conservative estimate” puts the cost around £1,500 per box.

The company’s first post-Brexit export was on 8 January – using a Dutch vehicle with horses heading to jump in Spain – to test border control procedures, which went smoothly. The company, which has been operating since 1977, has huge experience in dealing with import and export requirements for different countries, which Mr Parker said are not a problem.

An issue is the lack of clarity and consistency, which he hopes will be resolved quickly.

“We just want somebody to say, ‘Right, this is what you need to do,’ then everyone can just get on and do it,” he added.

The company is fielding enquiries for horses heading to the Spanish showjumping tours, whose riders are planning to drive out separately in their own, empty lorries, to get the vehicle approval so they can move horses abroad themselves in future.

Negotiations are continuing, with involvement from Defra, British Equestrian, the British Horseracing Authority, the Thoroughbred Breeders Association and the British Horse Council, and the situation is changing rapidly.

Horse Trust director of research and policy Jan Rogers, who is among those working to unpick the situation as quickly as possible, told H&H on 8 January that they have more answers and are in a better position to speak to their EU counterparts since the EU (Future Relationship) Bill was signed on 30 December.

“The biggest outstanding matter is mutual recognition of vehicle and transporter authorisation and certificates of professional competence [CPC], although some providers in Ireland and Belgium now offer online CPC training,” she said.

She stressed that negotiations mean the situation is constantly changing, and the bodies above are working with the FEI and International Horse Sports Confederation to seek to secure short and longer-term solutions for vehicle and transporter authorisation in the equine sector as soon as possible.

Ms Rogers added on 11 January that Defra has advised there is no dispensation planned for the rules on transporter authorisation, and those involved are focusing on how this can be achieved, for UK transporters of different sizes. This means British transporters need to apply for EU authorisations, and vice versa.

News of Eurotunnel price hikes have been circulating on social media. H&H put the claims of an increase in fares for horseboxes travelling via Eurotunnel and a new £325/horse surcharge to the company.

A spokesman confirmed the Folkestone to Calais increase, stating that new vet controls are now required on equines entering the EU from the UK.

“Consequently, to provide an equivalent service to that offered in the past, Eurotunnel has had to build new infrastructure to accommodate veterinary controls,” he said. “We are convinced the process and facilities will provide the best possible conditions for equine transport under the new arrangements.”

Insurance concerns

ANYONE travelling abroad with horses, for business or otherwise, is strongly advised to check with their insurers well in advance.

This must be done anyway for drivers to obtain a green card, proof they have the minimum insurance cover required by the country they are driving in.

There is positive news that the European health insurance card (EHIC) has been replaced with the global health insurance card (GHIC), which means holders will still be treated in the EU in a medical emergency, but this is not a substitute for valid insurance.

The pandemic, Foreign Office advice and rules of the country you are in may also impact on insurance validity. Anyone travelling for essential reasons should check Foreign Office advice and with insurers beforehand.

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UK Government proposes ban on live transport for slaughter

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 10:26:49 +0000

The Government has announced plans to ban the export of live animals for slaughter, as part of a push to improve general animal welfare in transport.

An eight-week public consultation on the proposals opens today (3 December) in England and Wales.

Environment secretary George Eustice said the UK has a “historic opportunity” to boost its high welfare standards owing to its exit from the EU.

A Defra spokesman said: “Live animals commonly have to endure excessively long journeys during exports, causing distress and injury. Previously, EU rules prevented any changes to these journeys, but leaving the EU has enabled the UK Government to pursue these plans, which would prevent unnecessary suffering of animals during transport and mean we become the first country in Europe to end this practice.”

Also covered in the consultation are proposals to boost welfare in transport, such as reducing maximum journey times and giving animals more space, and introducing stricter rules on transport of animals by sea, and in extreme temperatures.

Take part in the consultation online

Mr Eustice said: “We are committed to improving the welfare of animals at all stages of life. Today marks a major step forward in delivering on our manifesto commitment to end live exports for slaughter.

“Now that we have left the EU, we have an opportunity to end this unnecessary practice. We want to ensure that animals are spared stress prior to slaughter.”

The consultation takes into account responses to the 2018 Call for Evidence and a report published by the Farm Animal Welfare Committee (now the Animal Welfare Committee), which is made up of farming and veterinary experts.

RSPCA chief executive Chris Sherwood said: “We welcome plans to end live exports and look forward to seeing this happen as the RSPCA has campaigned on this issue for more than 50 years.

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“There is absolutely no reasonable justification to subject an animal to an unnecessarily stressful journey abroad simply for them to be fattened for slaughter.

“Ending live exports for slaughter and further fattening would be a landmark achievement for animal welfare.”

Some 6,400 animals were transported from the UK directly to slaughter in continental Europe in 2018.

The Defra spokesman said: “This announcement marks the start of renewed efforts from government to raise standards on animal welfare even further now we are outside the EU.”

What do you think of these proposals? Email hhletters@futurenet.com for your chance to be featured on our letters page. The letter of the week wins a bottle of Champagne Taittinger.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Urgent questions over post-Brexit international horse transport H&H Plus

Lucy Elder — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 14:21:34 +0000

URGENT questions have been raised over the reality of post-Brexit international horse transport as the 1 January deadline looms.

Crucial ends are still to be tied up as horse owners, riders, businesses and transporters seek to understand which hoops they are required to jump through to move horses from Britain to the EU or Republic of Ireland in seven weeks’ time.

The National Audit Office’s report on the UK border’s preparedness for the 31 December end of the Brexit transition period, published 6 November, warned there is “likely to be significant disruption at the border from 1 January”.

The watchdog adds that although Government departments have made progress and a significant amount of money is being spent, time is running out. It states that even if Government makes further progress with its preparations, there is still likely to be significant disruption at the border.

A Defra webinar on 4 November explained in detail the steps anyone taking horses from Britain to EU member states will need to follow after the end of the transition period. While it answered many queries, questions remain over some logistical points, and UK studbooks – including Weatherbys – are still awaiting EU recognition that would mean horses on their books are considered “registered”.

This is crucial as there are additional steps and documentation required for “unregistered” horses travelling from the UK to the EU.

Defra is advising anyone involved in transporting horses from the UK to the EU to “plan any exports on the basis that the UK’s studbooks will not be recognised from 1 January”.

Only international sport horses that have an FEI wrap on their passport and those registered with the Hurlingham Polo Association are considered “registered”. As the British Horseracing Authority does not manage international competitions, this particular route is not an option for British racehorses.

Concerns were raised during the Q&A session over additional requirements UK transporters will be required to have when operating in the EU, whether it would be possible for these to be in place by 1 January and if not, whether this would give EU companies a business advantage.

“Going forward, in order to transport horses into the EU [on a commercial basis], you will be required to hold EU certificates of competence and EU vehicle approval certificates,” said Rachael Brunskill, Defra’s animal welfare during transport policy lead.

“EU certificates of competence can be applied for in more than one member state, so you should be eligible to do that from now,” she said, adding that vehicle approval certificates cannot be issued until the UK has left, on 1 January.

She added “there will be no commercial disadvantage to British transporters”.

“EU transporters will be required to apply to the UK authorities for vehicle approval certificates, certificates of competence and transporter authorisations, including the journey logs, in the same way our transporters will have to apply to the EU, so we are creating a level playing field and not creating an advantage for EU transporters,” she said.

The webinar was assured that the first border control post (BCP) for registered and unregistered equines entering the EU at Calais “would be ready” in time. Appointments will be required at the Calais BCP, which led to further queries over how much notice is needed, whether appointments are per vehicle or per horse, and whether the border will be open 24 hours a day.

Owners/transporters were advised to check with Calais in advance.

The logistics of having an appropriate vet’s signature “on the day of departure” on the necessary paperwork for unregistered horses (for registered horses this can be done the previous working day) was also questioned, with one person querying how that would work for a 3am departure time, for example. Other questions awaiting clarity include queries over export health certificates (EHCs) for horses’ return journeys as well as what will happen if a horse is rejected at a BCP.

“The immediate answer is it depends on which basis the consignment is rejected,” said Defra equine policy lead Simon Waterfield, adding there are animal welfare considerations involved and he “wouldn’t want people to assume the first intention is to turn them round”.

“If it is just that the horse doesn’t have the appropriate documentation, we expect the BCP to liaise with importer/exporter to make sure the documentation is obtained and therefore the animals will be allowed to be released and can continue. Turning the animals round is not something that the BCPs will do automatically. If there were a disease risk or something serious, then the chances are they would have to return.”

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Owners who fail to microchip horses face £200 fine

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 11:30:43 +0000

Owners who do not microchip horses, ponies and donkeys in England by October 2020 could be fined £200, Defra has announced.

A law requiring owners to ensure equines are chipped has been introduced today (25 June), to “prevent abuse and improve welfare”.

Previously, only those equines born since July 2009 had to be chipped, but the new law comes into force in October 2020, allowing owners of older horses time to comply.

“The government shares the British public’s high regard for animal welfare and it is completely unacceptable that hundreds of horses and ponies are left abandoned every year by irresponsible owners,” said animal welfare minister Lord Gardiner.

“That is why we have today laid new regulations in parliament requiring horses to be microchipped. This will bolster the ability of local authorities and police to identify abandoned animals, ensuring these beautiful creatures receive the care they deserve and that those who mistreat them will face the consequences.”

Once the law is in force, the Central Equine Database will enable local authorities and police to track down the owners of dumped horses and “make sure they are punished and the animals given the care they deserve”.

Owners of non-microchipped equines could face local authority sanctions including compliance notices or, as a “last resort”, fines of up to £200.

Defra believes the move will also mean lost and stolen horses can be reunited with owners more easily.

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“We are working closely with vets and the British Horse Council to highlight the change in regulations, explaining that horse owners have until October 2020 to make sure that all horses are microchipped,” said a Defra spokesman.

“This extra time will allow horse owners to combine microchipping with a routine visit to, or from, their vet with the procedure costing around £25-30.”

H&H reported in April that the law was to be introduced.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

CCTV to be compulsory for slaughterhouses

Lucy Elder — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 12:00:19 +0000

CCTV will be compulsory in all English slaughterhouses under plans revealed by environment secretary Michael Gove today (11 August).

Mr Gove said the measures he is setting out “will reinforce our status as a global leader” in animal welfare.

Under the new plans, footage would be available to the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) official vets, who monitor and enforce animal welfare standards in slaughterhouses.

A six-week consultation on the proposals has started and the plans are likely to go before parliament early next year.

British Veterinary Association president Gudrun Ravetz welcomed the plans, in particular the commitment to official FSA vets having unrestricted access to footage.

The government has also confirmed it is updating the welfare codes for chickens, pigs, dogs, cats and horses.

These codes are underpinned by law and set out what is needed for animals to have good quality of life. They are being updated over the next year to incorporate developments in medicines, technology and the latest research and advice from vets.

“We have some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world and the actions I am setting out today will reinforce our status as a global leader,” said Mr Gove.

“As we prepare to leave the EU, these measures provide a further demonstration to consumers around the world that our food is produced to the very highest standards.”

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If breaches of the FSA’s strict processes to ensure animal welfare is protected, a slaughterhouse can be given a welfare enforcement notice; have staff licences suspended or revoked and can be referred for a criminal investigation.

FSA chairman Heather Hancock added the association has a “zero tolerance approach” to any breaches of animal welfare standards in slaughterhouses.

“Last year, we concluded that it was time to make CCTV compulsory in slaughterhouses, progress on voluntary adoption [of cameras] having plateaued,” she said.

“I and the board of the FSA warmly welcome Defra’s consultation about making CCTV mandatory.

“We look forward to the introduction of a comprehensive requirement for using, accessing and retaining footage from CCTV in abattoirs.

“We see CCTV as an invaluable management tool for business owners to help with compliance with official controls and to improve animal welfare standards across the industry.”

World Horse Welfare has long been been pushing for mandatory CCTV in all equine UK slaughterhouses and in October last year the charity ramped up its campaigning, securing parliamentary debates on the issue.

For more on this story, don’t miss next week’s Horse & Hound — out Thursday, 17 August

Evidence heard as Animal Welfare Act review begins

Lucy Elder — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 15:10:52 +0000

Evidence is being heard in parliament today as the government begins its inquiry into the Animal Welfare Act.

A total of 240 submissions have been made by organisations — including the RSPCA, World Horse Welfare, British Veterinary Association and the British Horseracing Authority.

The environment, food and rural affairs sub-committee is holding an oral evidence session, which started at 2.15pm this afternoon (Tuesday, 12 April).

This first inquiry looks at whether the Act is fit for purpose and focuses on domestic pets, including cats, dogs and horses.

Topics for discussion include the effectiveness of the Act, regulation surrounding the sale and advertising of pets as well as enforcement of current animal welfare legislation.

“The UK can have the best animal welfare laws in the world but they are useless if they are not enforced. The Animal Welfare Act is a good piece of legislation but horses are being failed by lack of resources and political will to enforce it,” states the opening of World Horse Welfare’s submission.

Among its recommendations is that enforcement is made a statutory responsibility for local authorities and that Trading Standards should train or recruit specialists in animal law to take on more prosecutions more effectively.

The British Horse Society (BHS) makes the point that horses cannot be considered domestic pets in the same way as a dog or a cat.

“Horses are more expensive to care for than other domestic pets and if a case involves multiple horses the costs involved will easily run into tens of thousands and beyond,” reads the BHS statement.

“Whilst it would be inappropriate to compromise confidentiality, we have certainly been made aware of cases where action has not been taken by local authorities simply due to the costs involved.

“The burden is thus passed to the charitable sector, who have no legal powers and limited funds.”

Its statement concludes by saying the BHS is “largely satisfied” with the existing welfare legislation, but would encourage research into licensing and inspection options as well as education.

Meanwhile, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has put forward the idea that a single agency, preferably a government-funded statutory body, should be set up as the primary enforcer.

“Under the Act there is no one agency that is held responsible or accountable for enforcement of animal welfare,” said deputy chief constable Gareth Pritchard, NPCC lead for dangerous dogs and companion animals.

“This means there are inconsistencies, however, the police, local authorities and animal welfare charities do seek to work together to deal with serious cruelty to animals.

He added that the NPCC welcomes the inquiry.

The RSPCA has responded to the NPCC’s suggestion, saying it brings private prosecutions as a means of carrying out its charitable purposes of preventing and suppressing cruelty to animals, for the public benefit.

A spokesman told H&H that its successful investigative and prosecution work saves the taxpayer an estimated £43million each year, with 796 defendants being convicted of 1,781 animal cruelty offences in 2015 — a success rate of 92.4%.

He added the RSPCA is responsible for more than 80% of proceedings under the Act.

“It has largely fallen to the RSPCA to ensure that the Animal Welfare Act is adequately enforced in relation to domestic animals,” he said.

“Local authority enforcement has, if anything, reduced further in the past few years. Whilst the RSPCA is not against statutory enforcement we wonder which public body has the expertise, experience and money needed to take this forward at a time when public spending is being cut.”

The charity revealed last July that it would no longer pursue those accused of illegal foxhunting through the courts.

Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, told H&H the organisation welcomed the RSPCA’s decision to stop prosecuting hunting cases, but feels this does not go far enough.

He added he believes the RSPCA should pass all its cases to the CPS and police, rather than bringing private prosecutions.

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“The RSPCA’s multiple roles as investigator, prosecutor, lobbyist and fundraiser have been a great cause for concern for many years and we agree wholehearted with the NPCC, that the RSPCA should not be the prosecutor of first resort for the cases it brings,” said Mr Bonner.

“We do not believe that a new body needs to be set up to deal with animal welfare cases – the CPS was set up to asses and if necessary to prosecute crimes in England and Wales.

“There is no precedent for a distinct body to pursue a specific type of law-breaking.”

Changes to equine laws discussed H&H VIP

Lucy Elder — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 16:02:24 +0000

A provider for the new equine database will hopefully be in place “by the spring”, the National Equine Forum heard on 3 March.

Defra minister George Eustice spoke about recent and possible changes to legislation affecting the equine industry.

He added that Defra has been consulting with the Equine Sector Council (ESC) about having extra functions on the government-funded database to make it fit for purpose.

New EU laws regarding equine identification came into force at the start of the year.

However EU member states that do not already have a database in place — such as Britain — have until 1 July to implement one.

Industry figures recently raised concerns that horse identification laws, due to be updated on 1 January, have not yet been formally introduced (news, 18 February).

Jan Rogers, of the British Equestrian Federation, spoke about the timescale.

By 1 July, the system will be ready for uploads and will have a link to the Scottish database, and by 2017 it will have a fully-operational complete set of passport data records, accessible for enforcers.

There are plans for mobile access, so enforcers can log in at the roadside.

“This is going to make a huge difference to the way it is used and the way [the law] is enforced,” Ms Rogers said.

The sector is also considering fixed-penalty notices for non-compliance.

There have been two previous equine databases in Britain. The British Horse Database ceased trading in 2001 after hitting financial difficulties.

It was replaced in 2008 by the National Equine Database, which shut in 2012 when the government stopped funding it.

Welfare codes to change

Animal welfare codes are losing their statutory status.

The codes give a detailed, practical guide for caring for types of animals.

“The codes are going to be non-statutory — I know that there is some concern [about that],” said Mr Eustice.

This means codes will have to be formally introduced to court hearings in the UK, by the defence or prosecution.

Mr Eustice said that if in two or three years it is found this does not work, Defra will “absolutely” return to providing these codes on a statutory basis.

The ESC worked with Defra to update the existing code.

Roly Owers, of ESC member World Horse Welfare, said the council is concerned this change could diminish the status of the code in prosecution cases, but are encouraged that the minister “clearly stated” the government will review this.

“The ESC was clear in our view that the code should remain statutory,” he added.

A consultation on whether all horses, not just those foaled from July 2009, should be microchipped is in the pipeline for 2016.

“It is a fundamental element to having an effective equine identification system, which is what we so desperately need,” said Mr Owers. “We would urge everyone to support this vital measure.”

Will riding schools be affected?

Mr Eustice revealed Defra is considering abolishing licences for riding schools issued under the Riding Establishment Acts, to be replaced with a new animal establishment licence or industry accreditation scheme.

Currently, riding schools must be granted a licence annually by their local authority.

“World Horse Welfare supports the principle so long as the implementation does not water down current welfare standards, and that standards in the industry accredited schemes have an equivalent verifiable standard,” said Mr Owers.

“Any changes also need to tie in with proposed changes in EU legislation regarding animal health, which will require the registration of all equine premises.”

In-out debate

Mr Eustice voiced his support for Britain to leave the EU.

“My own personal view is that we would be better off leaving,” he said. “We would be able to change things and do things far more simply.”

He added the government wants to stay in the EU.

The referendum on whether or not Britain should stay in the EU will take place on 23 June. However, Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP, Secretary of State for the environment, food and rural affairs, is backing the “in” campaign.

Ref: H&H 10 March, 2016

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Of the 26 on board when the transporter was stopped on 25 November, only 19 had the necessary paperwork for their journey. Many of the horses had health issues, some were pregnant, at least one pony was infected with equine influenza and 13 had been signed out of the food chain.

Kent Police and Port of Dover Police each suggested H&H try the other. Kent Police also suggested contacting the Home Office/Border Force, which in turn told H&H to direct its query to Defra. HMRC said this was not a case that involved them and also suggested H&H try Defra.

World Horse Welfare has long been lobbying for robust enforcement of the law.

“The only action that has been taken was by the APHA [Animal Plant and Health Agency] which revoked transporter authorisation for the vehicle the horses were discovered in.

“The stark reality is that we are only picking up the crumbs of a trade that covers the whole of Europe. And it’s a significant trade, with one trader alone moving nearly 1,000 equines a year.”

A Defra spokesperson told H&H the department does not comment on individual cases, but offered general background information.

H&H understands that Defra wants to work with the sector to ensure that the ban is effective and prevents horses being exported for slaughter, without imposing burdens on legitimate transporters of horses.

A Kent County Council (KCC) spokesperson told H&H that Kent Trading Standards were notified when the horses were intercepted in Kent, and that ensuring animal welfare is an “important part of Trading Standards’ work across the country”.

“Our officers worked with APHA to investigate and determine responsibility and location of any offences, finally passing this to the appropriate local authority for them to consider taking further action.”

A KCC spokesperson added on Friday (31 May) that the appropriate local authority is Lancashire County Council.

* Story updated on 30 & 31 May, to include comments from Kent County Council; and on 3 June to include comments from Lancashire County Council and Durham County Council *

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Frustration for horse breeders as last-minute import solution not adopted across the board

“Although East Midlands has agreed to the pilot, which will hopefully ensure semen isn’t delayed reaching mares, Stansted wasn’t told about it promptly, so isn’t going with it.”

“But now we’re supposedly at more risk than we were last year so have to pay for enhanced and time-consuming checks, irrespective of the damage the process might do to the industry.”

Lorna Wilson of Elite Stallions told H&H this is the “fundamental problem”.

“All these stallions have been tested so thoroughly, they’re clear of any disease,” she said. “So the whole purpose of the checks is null and void.”

Ms Wilson added that she welcomed the idea of the temporary scheme, adding that it will “provide real data and they can work on a long-term solution”. But if Stansted does not accept it, the issue is not only possible delays but also huge extra costs.