Staff education, role models and trustworthy research were the three key themes in a cross-industry discussion on how to ensure thoroughbreds’ wellbeing is the best it can be throughout their lives.
Researchers, trainers, educators and other leading industry figures debated ideas and discussed existing practices around horse wellbeing in the thoroughbred industry, from birth through their racing careers and life after racing.
“The mentoring, formal and informal, and then the environment that you’re in influences a lot of what you learn and what you come to think of as normal,” said Andrew Braithwaite, chief executive of the British Racing School (BRS), during the event at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile racecourse on 15 May.
He gave the example of the way wellbeing was a focus for last year’s refurbishment of the main BRS yard, which included “friendship grilles”, which allow horses contact with each other, and dual-aspect windows in stables, and also spoke about the school’s kindness ethos.
“When we speak to the trainees, we make absolutely clear that we’re not just talking about kindness to each other and to the humans at school. But that it’s absolutely paramount when they’re with us – and throughout the whole of their careers in racing – that you have to be kind to the horses,” he said.
Trainer Richard Phillips said “the best leaders are the best examples”, adding that thinking about how his own mentors would behave in situations has “never left” him.
“Those days, a long time ago, we had more time,” he said. “I’ve always used the analogy that I’m the headmaster of school. The people who ride the horses are the teachers. The owners are the parents and the horses are pupils. Being the teacher in the school is the most important role.”
He echoed others’ points about the important role being physically fit plays in good wellbeing for horses and said the industry “shouldn’t shy away” from that.
Mr Phillips also raised the question about how to support staff with continued learning from experts – in work time – through their careers.
“There are lots of courses out, but it’s often in their own time,” he said. “I think training staff within racing is within our compass, we can do it, we’ve got to think of a way of how we do it better.”
Anna Kerr, chief executive of The National Stud, shared how good foundations are “laid from day dot”.
“At the core it’s a partnership and we’re laying the foundation of trust; that [horses] can trust us,” she said.
She gave the example of how certain staff come in early during the season to make sure young horses get extra scratches on morning feed rounds and are used to being handled all the way through.
Many nodded to how lucky the industry is to have many great horse people “across the board” and the value of good staff, but noted that yards are under increasing time and financial pressures.
The point was also raised that changes – for example, to yard design – come at a time and financial cost, too, and that trainers want certainty, through solid research, that these will not lead to unintended negative consequences.
The panel also came up with many positive ideas. These include promoting how much British racing and the wider equestrian industry does know and is already doing well, plus a system whereby new owners are given “full disclosure” of a horse’s veterinary history and reason for retiring when he leaves racing.
“It would certainly give people that transparency of what they’re taking on,” said Therese Murphy, founder of education provider Equi-Ed.
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