Promotional feature with Great British Racing
Last month saw British racing’s Horse Welfare Board partner with Hartpury University to launch the first-ever Thoroughbred Census in Great Britain, which aims to help improve traceability of former racehorses after they retire from the sport. Complete the census here
Former racehorses are successful in so many different disciplines including dressage, showing, polo, eventing and showjumping, and many lead full and happy lives as companions and leisure horses. But more needs to be known.
There is an estimated population of around 35,000 former racehorses in Britain and racing’s official aftercare charity RoR has almost 12,000 registered with them. So, there is a data gap. And with only around 20% of equestrians completing ownership changes on equine passports, this traceability gap could be significant.
As a result, racing’s Horse Welfare Board has kicked off the Thoroughbred Census project with Hartpury University and RoR. The initiative also has the full endorsement of World Horse Welfare. And over the next five months the census will be promoted and shared into every corner of the equestrian world to try to find as many owners as possible and get them to take part. Can you help?
“I love seeing thoroughbreds develop in their successful careers after they finish racing, and all of mine have been added to the census. Please complete the census for your former racehorses” Louise Robson, Thoroughbred Dressage
The data gathered will help build a wealth of intelligence on the lives former racehorses go on to lead. With this, British Racing and RoR, can better support owners with access to educational resources and routes to compete if desired, as well as continue to build informed and helpful communities. Improved data at this stage of a thoroughbred’s life will also help British racing’s Horse Welfare Board and RoR improve and adapt welfare initiatives and will, most importantly, enable fast and effective contact in the event of an equine disease outbreak.
At the same time, the importance of updating passports with valid ownership details is going to be continuously stressed – this document is the primary source of traceability for all horses in Great Britain. Any new owner of a horse is required to update this within 30 days of purchase, but at just a 20% compliance rate, so many don’t.
And did you know that, if your horse has been in training at a licensed premises in Britain, you can join RoR for free? By becoming part of the RoR community you get access to clinics and camps and will help with ongoing traceability improvements via the charity’s annual status checks on members’ horses.
The Thoroughbred Census takes less than 10 minutes to complete, runs until 31 December and is collecting data including equine identification document (passport) numbers, microchip numbers, age, current residence, and second career choices. This wealth of information will enable British racing to build a comprehensive understanding of the retired racehorse population for the first time.
Improving traceability across the lives of all thoroughbreds bred for racing is a core part of the Horse Welfare Board’s five-year welfare strategy ‘A Life Well Lived’.
“Our call out is to the equestrian community. Please get involved, complete the census for former racehorses you have at home, promote the census and encourage any friends who have taken on a thoroughbred from the sport to participate. Together, we can make a significant shift to close the traceability gap in racing”. Helena Flynn, programme director Horse Welfare Board
Now is your chance to take part and tell your horse’s story, just head to www.ror.org.uk/registration to complete the census and also register for a FREE RoR membership.
You can also support the census by sharing the link and promoting it to anyone you know with a former racehorse to get involved #ThoroughbredCensus2023
Is your thoroughbred eligible for the census?
- Former racehorses who have been registered with a licensed British trainer
- Horses bred for racing in Britain that will never race
- Horses that have moved abroad and are no longer racing
- Horses actively point-to-pointing
- Broodmares
Excluded from the census: All horses that are intended to go into training or are currently in training.
Passport updates
All thoroughbreds are issued with a paper and digital passport (ePassport). If the paper passport is updated, so is the digital version. www.weatherbys.co.uk/epassport. Weatherbys must also be informed at point of death and the passport returned. This can of course be sent back to an owner as a keepsake, if requested via a covering letter.
Passport checks
• When a horse comes out of training and the racing ownership is terminated. Weatherbys becomes the valid ownership recognised by DEFRA and the Central Equine Database
• When a horse is retired from racing. the passport reverts back to the Weatherbys owner from the racing owner (usually the breeder) so the passport must be updated at this point.
• It is a legal requirement to register ownership with the Passport Issuing Organisation within 30 days of acquiring a horse. All Thoroughbreds are issued with paper and digital passports (Passport). If the paper passport is updated the digitai passport will also be updated www.weatherbys.co.uk/epassport
• Weatherbys must be informed at point of death and the passport returned. The passport can be sent back to an owner as a keepsake if requested in a covering letter.
• For information go to www.weatherbys.co.uk/general-stud-book/horse-
