BHA Unveils Eight Equine Welfare Videos

Eight short films discussing some of the common questions regarding equine welfare were released by the British Horseracing Authority on Monday. The films, featuring National Hunt jockey Tom Scudamore and BHA vet Sally Taylor, cover some commonly asked questions about equine welfare like “What happens when a horse falls?” and “What is the life of a racehorse like?” The videos will be displayed on big screens and CCTV across British racecourses, beginning with Carlisle, Lingfield and Kempton Park on Monday.

Previews of the eight videos can be viewed below:

• What is the life of a racehorse like?
• Is it fair to ask horses to race?
• How does racing benefit the horse and wider society?
• How much importance does racing place on horse welfare?
• What does the sport do to make racing as safe as possible?
• What happens when a horse falls?
• What is a whip and why is it used?
• What happens to horses when they finish racing? (Featuring Alice Plunkett)

“I was pleased to be able to take part in these videos,” said Scudamore. “I feel very passionately about what I do and about the close connection that I have with the horses that I ride. I want to be able to help share that message and show the public that the horses are the most important part of this sport for everyone who works in it.”

Added Dr. Taylor, “While everyone who works in British racing is aware of the remarkably high welfare standards that exist within the sport, it is not necessarily the case that everyone who visits racecourses has full knowledge or understanding of just how well cared for our horses are, and what lengths the sport goes to in order to keep them safe.

“As a vet I can say with confidence that racehorses are extremely well cared for. Over 5.6m people visited British racetracks in 2019–these videos are designed to inform and educate those racegoers about the lives that racehorses lead.”

For more information on the videos, go to www.bha.co.uk.