Racing's new five-year welfare strategy will have a major impact on the industry — but its effects will be felt throughout the equestrian world. Senior news writer Lucy Elder gives her thoughts on the recent recommendations.
Listening to the launch of British racing’s new welfare strategy brought two main things to mind — firstly, this is a massive positive.
Secondly, this is going to have an impact so much further than just racing, but on the other of the equestrian sporting disciplines too.
This is not a case of poor welfare in British racing — quite the opposite — it is about taking control of the discussion.
While the report is about racing and the thoroughbred, it was about so much more than that. These are issues the wider equestrian world, particularly the equestrian sporting world, is also facing. Yes on a much smaller scale, yes much less in the public or political eye. But traceability, accountability, ethics, safety, use of the whip, data collection… swap ‘racing’ for ‘eventing’ and are the conversations so very different?
No, is my opinion. It was especially interesting to see reference to a possible “sport horse charter”as an extension of the recommendation for racing to “develop and communicate an ethical case for racing”, which could potentially “be developed with other equine sports as a ‘sport horse charter’.”
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
The general horse population already benefits hugely from racing. Research into vaccinations, injury treatments, safety — so many of these things have links bedded in the racing world. There are recommendations in here that really could benefit the whole horse population and the future of equestrian sport as a whole.
Let’s hope racing getting on the front foot of the discussion does just that.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
