The following changes to the Rules of Racing have been approved by the BHA Board.
The changes are in relation to the amount of time horses need to remain on a racecourse following a race and clarification about which shoes are prohibited on racecourses.
Horses leaving the racecourse
All horses are required to remain on the racecourse for a minimum of 45 minutes after they have run, unless specific dispensation has been granted by a veterinary officer or equine welfare integrity officer.
This change will help reduce the risk of post-race overheating and provide ample opportunity for horses to drink or urinate. It will also allow time for horses to show any obvious signs of lameness or injury that may manifest as a horse cools off and prior to their journey home.
Rule (E)9.1 will be updated accordingly.
Prohibited shoes on the racecourse
Following consultation with relevant stakeholders regarding the shoeing rules, greater clarity has been provided regarding the specific types of shoes that are not permitted to be used on the racecourse.
The following types of shoes are prohibited:
- shoes with studs
- American type toe-grab plates
- shoes with a sharp flange
- shoes with a trailered heel
- shoes with nail heads protruding more than 2mm from the Fuller Groove on the solar surface
- shoes with exposed shoe edges that protrude beyond the hoof wall.
Section 15 of the Equipment Code will be updated accordingly.
