All the excellent care is great for elite horses, but what about horses racing at lower levels?

14 Jun 18

Certain factors remain constant for all horses – a high level of veterinary care, outstanding welfare and excellent training regimes. Among a population estimated to be around 1 million, all racehorses in Britain are among the healthiest and best looked after 2% of horses in the country. And the huge sums of money invested into veterinary research and science benefits all horses, no matter the level to which they compete.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is the independent, government recognised body responsible for the regulation of horseracing. We demand the highest standards of welfare from all our licensed jockeys, trainers and racecourses. No fixtures can take place unless the BHA’s equine welfare criteria have been satisfied. These criteria by far exceed the requirements of animal welfare legislation, and are enforced by independent vets and officials at every fixture, alongside a team of racecourse inspectors, stable inspectors and investigating officers.

No trainer can hold a licence unless they are deemed suitable to care for horses, and the standards expected of licensed participants are upheld by a team of stable inspectors and investigative officers.