Previously, retired Thoroughbred racehorses were listed as 'breeding unknown'. The agreement–which applies to dressage, show jumping, and eventing–follows discussions between the European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation (EMHF), the World Breeding Federation for Sports Horses (WBFSH), the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) and the International Stud Book Committee (ISBC) and will extend also to all FEI competitions. Historically, under a Memorandum of Understanding between the FEI and the WBFSH, only member stud books of the WBFSH have been credited, as that organisation's members specifically breed horses for the Olympic disciplines.

Dr. Paull Khan, Secretary-General of the EMHF and a member of the Steering Group of the International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR), said, “Much effort is made around the world to encourage the owners of retired racehorses to explore second careers for them. This recognition will both further the message that Thoroughbreds do go on to compete with distinction in other equestrian disciples and prompt more Thoroughbred owners to consider this retirement option for their racehorses.”

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Drs. Euan Bennet and Tim Parkin of Bristol Veterinary School spearheaded the study. The duo used data from every horse-and-rider team who started in International, Championship, Olympic, or World Equestrian Games competition between January 2008 and December 2018.

In total, 202,771 horses competed in this timeframe, with 187,602 beginning the cross-country phase. Of these, 1.5 percent reported a fallen horse and 3.5 percent had an unseated rider.

The scientists reported that the following may contribute to a fall:

• Horses competing at higher levels
• Horses whose previous start was more than 60 days ago
• Horses with minimal starts at their current competition level
• Horses competing over longer cross-country courses
• Horses with more competition in the cross-country phase
• Mares were at increased odds of falling compared with geldings

Research into the riders showed that:

• Male athletes showed increased odds of experiencing a fall
• Younger athletes were more likely to fall
• Horse-athlete combinations who recorded a score in the dressage phase that was higher than 50 (i.e. poor performance) showed increased odds of falling during the cross-country phase
• Less experienced athletes were more likely to fall
• Athletes whose previous start was more than 30 days ago demonstrated increased odds of a fall
• Athletes who did not finish their previous event, for any reason, showed increased odds of a fall

Modifications to reduce the risk of injury to both horse and rider have been suggested. These include adjusting minimum eligibility requirements (MERs) to ensure horses and riders are competing at appropriate ability levels.

The scientists hope the FEI will utilize this research to create evidence-based eventing rules that protect horse and rider safety as well as competitiveness.

Read more at Equine Science Update.

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The rule was passed at the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) general assembly in the veterinary regulations session. Beginning in July 2021, any horse that has had his whiskers removed will be disqualified from FEI-sanctioned events unless a vet deems the whisker removal necessary.

The exact wording of the rule reads: “if the horse's sensory hairs have been clipped and/or shaven or in any other way removed unless individual sensory hairs have been removed by a veterinarian to prevent pain or discomfort for the horse.” The measure was passed unanimously.

The FEI veterinary committee believes a horse that has had his whiskers trimmed has a reduction in sensory ability. This ruling aligns the organization's rules with legislation in multiple other national federations, including Germany, France and Switzerland.

The US Equestrian Federation is concerned about the subjectivity of the clipping of sensory hairs, which they feel may lead to irregular enforcement at competitions. One specific concern raised by the Federation is the length of the sensory hair around the eyes, which could possibly become trapped in the blinkers on the bridle of driving horses. The Federation asked that the changes be removed and addressed when a complete review of the veterinary rules are conducted.

Read more at Horse & Hound. 

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The proposals, which cover equilibrium in equine health status between the EU and Britain, digital passports to facilitate seamless international transport of guaranteed high-health status horses and zero tariffs for cross-border movement, are outlined in a comprehensive 14-page dossier produced by the International Horse Sports Confederation (IHSC) Task Force for Brexit and EU Animal Health Law, a collaboration of the key European Sport Horse and Thoroughbred horse racing and breeding industries.

The six-member task force was formed earlier this year by the IHSC, constituted jointly by the global governing bodies for equestrian sport and racing, the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) in 2013.

The IHSC, together with the International Thoroughbred Breeders' Federation, European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders Associations and the European Equestrian Federation, has proposed simple and workable solutions that will ensure horse welfare and safeguard both European and British interests.

High health horses in Britain have the same health status as those in EU Member States and the task force is requesting that a trade agreement between the EU and Britain should reflect this fact.

Zero tariffs are already in place, and the task force is requesting that they be maintained, with the scheme being extended to geldings. Currently only stallions and mares are eligible for tariff-free cross-border transport.

Digital passports would provide EU Competent Authorities with full traceability and sanitary guarantees, offering immediate, 24/7 access to secure fail-safe identification and ownership information, as well as real-time monitoring of a horse's movements.

The high health status of each horse can be instantly validated through access to up-to-date vaccination and medical records, allowing for a higher level of monitoring and prevention of potential disease outbreaks in line with the biosecurity requirements of the EU Animal Health Law, thus facilitating speedy transit for these horses. The digital equine passports can also be adopted for use between EU Member States and A-listed 3^rd countries.

If approved, the e-Passport would have no financial implications for the EU as costs around final development, implementation and running of the system will be met by the equine industry.

Using a two-pronged approach, the task force is seeking to have its proposals captured in the text of both the Trade Agreement and in the EU Animal Health Law, which comes into force on 21 April 2021.

Should a trade agreement with Britain not be reached, the task force is asking the EU to declare an equilibrium of health status for A-listed 3^rd countries. The proposals also include regional agreements on the bio-secure traceable movement of high health horses signed between neighboring EU Member States. A Tripartite Agreement previously existed between France, Britain and Ireland, and there is currently an agreement between France and the Benelux countries.

“The equine industry is of crucial importance to the economic, social, sporting and cultural fabric of both the European Union and the United Kingdom, and as representatives from all sectors of that industry, we believe that there are simple solutions that can guarantee a secure future for the European equine industry”, IHSC President Ingmar De Vos said.

“It is one of the most important animal breeding and production sectors in Europe, larger and with greater economic impact and employment than a number of other European agricultural sectors, with a net worth of over €52 billion per annum, providing 210,000 direct and more than 500,000 indirect jobs.

“Our goal is to reach an agreement that will allow for a continuation of the historical expedited movement of horses for breeding, sale and competition between EU Member States and Britain. While there are some sectors currently under discussion that seem to remain difficult in the negotiations, we believe that there are simple solutions within the equine industry that can be readily included in a Free Trade Agreement. Indeed, they are also workable even in a no deal scenario.

“We are asking the negotiators on both sides of the table to take our proposals on board and incorporate them into the texts of the Trade Agreement, if there is one, and the EU to include them in the incoming EU Animal Health Law, which comes into effect next April.

“Without agreement on this, we estimate that the industry in Europe could shrink by as much as a third, with a potential €17 billion reduction in economic contribution, and the potential loss of 250,000 jobs in a marketplace already threatened with critical unemployment levels and a significant reduction in foreign direct investment in the European Union as the economic focus shifts to North America and Asia. So failure is not an option!”

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The claim, which was brought by an unnamed source, alleges that Kocher used the spurs on Fashion V during the $36,000 Welcome Speed Stake at the 2019 National Horse Show at the Kentucky Horse Park. In photos of the event, Kocher appears to be holding a device with a button.

The button is connected to a wire that runs up the sleeve of the rider's shirt and then down his back to a box that provides a charge; the wire then runs down the pant legs and out through a hole in each boot to the spur.

The U.S. Equestrian Federation is also investigating the claims. Both entities are tasked with protecting the welfare and safety of horses competing in sanctioned events.

Read more at The Chronicle of the Horse.

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