Determined to enhance the often-poor post-aggressive popularity of the “Sport of Kings”, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has issued its very last name for proprietors to finish Britain’s first-ever Thoroughbred Census.
To date, say the BHA, a few 6,000 ex-racing thoroughbred horses had been registered withinside the census, which become released on June 28.
Owners handiest have till the stop of this year, December 31, to sign up their steeds.
“This is a once-in-a-decade piece of studies,” affirmed Helena Flynn, Programme Director of the BHA’s Horse Welfare Board.
“[To date] we’ve had a extremely superb reception to the census. The individuals who very own former racehorses are obsessed with them and need to play their element in [assuring their welfare].
“We name on all proprietors who’ve now no longer but taken element to get involved. This is a completely unique possibility to acquire strong and insightful information which can assist form the post-racing lives of thoroughbreds withinside the future.”
The Thoroughbred Census has been given a guarded welcome through Britain’s pinnacle Animal Aid charity, who uncovered a devastating photograph of animal cruelty and slaughter of heaps of retired racehorses in a 2021 BBC documentary called “The Dark Side of Horse Racing”.
“It’s truely a flow withinside the proper direction,” Dene Stansall, Horseracing Consultant for Animal Aid, advised iGamingFuture.
“But the hassle is that they may be looking to categorise the welfare of the pony on the stop in their racing lives and now no longer at the start and at some stage in their racing career.
“Around 13,000 horses, bred at the mainland UK and the island of Ireland, input racing every year.
“Until you deal with the breeding issue, you’ll by no means be capable of verify the authentic destiny of the horses.”
Knacker’s Yard
It’s predicted that a few 7,500 thoroughbreds are retired from British Flat and National Hunt “Jump” racing each year.
Of these–in step with the only and handiest survey on the problem ever conducted, through the BHA in 2008–a few 1,000 visit the Knackerman or slaughterhouse.
The the rest discover desirable homes, visit hunts, are exported, positioned to stud – or simply “disappear” with out a trace.
It is that this thriller that the BHA is hoping to remedy with its Thoroughbred Census.
Launched in collaboration with studies professionals at Hartpury University, Gloucester–specialising withinside the agriculture, animal, equine, game and veterinary nursing sectors–, the census will offer a photograph of the country’s post-racing thoroughbred population, which the Horse Welfare Board and British Racing’s aftercare charity, Retraining of Racehorses, can use to enhance animal welfare.
Flynn concluded: “Whether your horse is retired to a discipline or is an RoR champion, we need to listen your testimonies and examine greater approximately the remarkable lives former racehorses cross directly to experience when they retire from the game.”
Following the 2021 Animal Aid/BBC Panorama documentary, the BHA answered through making sure that no former racehorse despatched to slaughter ought to then be bought for human consumption.
This present day initiative seeks to in addition shorten the animal rights prevailing post.