equine welfare

Chris Heyde, an animal welfare lobbyist, joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss the state of aftercare and what the industry can do to pass the SAFE Act, which which would place a ban on the slaughter trade within the United States.

On Jan. 9, 2025, a Thoroughbred mare named Kayseri was euthanized in Puerto Rico. She had no joint space left in her fetlocks. Her body was broken down from overuse, her mind likely exhausted from pain and confinement. Her death is not only a tragedy--it is the subject of three formal complaints now filed against the Puerto Rico Racing Commission, the track veterinarians, and her final owner. Kayseri was not a forgotten horse. She was bred by the University of Kentucky. She raced under Hall of Famer Mark Casse. She...

Partnering once again with Equine MediRecord (EMR) and Business Infusions (BI), 1/ST will utilize their services to digitize equine welfare protocols for Preakness 150 and will have EMR representatives on site to ease the learning process, it was revealed in a press release from the group Monday afternoon. The added measure aims to enhance the equine health and safety protocols that will be in place for the contest May 17. The platform allows for the full veterinary history of the horse to be collected digitally and securely stored, and will...

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and Great British Racing (GBR) have today announced the launch of a new campaign to promote HorsePWR, the industry-led initiative aimed at increasing public engagement with British racing and reinforcing confidence in the sport's high welfare standards. This latest phase of the campaign represents British racing's most significant public-facing, welfare-themed promotional campaign to date. It has been made possible by funding from the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) and will run from February 24 through to April 6, featuring targeted advertising across print, online and...

The first Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) Equine Welfare Department symposium, titled 'Changing Stride - the way ahead for horse racing safety and care' will be held at the Keadeen Hotel and the Curragh on Friday, May 24. The symposium focuses on cultivating a culture of zero compromise in equine care and safety standards and is the key goal of the new HRI strategic plan 2024-2028. Tickets are €50 and include meals, refreshments on the day and entry to the Curragh for an eight-race card to kick-start Tattersalls Irish Guineas weekend....

A new HISA computer model to identify at-risk horses is being used by Churchill Downs officials to complement existing track safety nets, representatives from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) announced during Tuesday's press conference on equine safety protocols in place for this year's GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks. "It's essentially a model that looks at 44 potential risk factors that might cause a horse to be at risk for injury," said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus, who added that the...

Edited Press Release The link for an equine-related Committee on Animals and the Law of the New York State Bar Association [has gone] live. It's a webinar on the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA): Its Impact on Equine Welfare, NYS Racing and Regulation, and Federal Administrative and Constitutional Law. The webinar will be held Thursday, April 18 from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT. Attorneys who attend are eligible for up to three NYS MCLE credit hours. These credit hours are valid in almost every U.S. jurisdiction. Non-attorneys are...

As a signal of its commitment to supporting equine safety and welfare research, Keeneland will pledge a total of $100,000 over the next four years to the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. "The best interest of the horse is the beginning and end of all we do at Keeneland," said Shannon Arvin, president and CEO of Keeneland. "In furtherance of our mission, Keeneland has long championed the important work of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, which is a leader in equine safety, integrity, and research. Especially exciting is Grayson's study of advancing...

Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) Chief Executive Officer Lisa Lazarus and Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) Executive Director Ben Mosier released a statement late Tuesday to address the rights of Thoroughbred owners under HISA's Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program. The statement appears below in its entirety: "In response to recently published misinformation regarding owners' rights under the HISA Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program, HISA and HIWU are compelled to again set the facts straight and reiterate our commitment to due process under HISA regulations. "Following an...

Edited Press Release The anticipated implementation of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) on Mar. 27 will strengthen equine welfare and enhance confidence in the fairness of the sport. Here are the top 10 ways HISA's ADMC Program will change racing for the better: 1. For the first time, rules will be uniform and standardized across all states. The ADMC Program will bring all testing and results management under one central authority, ensuring greater transparency,...

I must admit that this whole business of getting wiser as you get older is giving me a little trouble. Somehow I only seem able to nail one half of the deal--albeit, so far as that goes, I'm definitely making rapid, daily progress. The only small increment of wisdom I can detect, meanwhile, is perhaps a rather unexpected one. Because while conforming to a dismal stereotype in becoming ever less flexible with age, in most of my habits and beliefs, I did at least sense some improvement in my levels...

Over £360,000 will be issued to the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association over a three-year period for activities that work towards improving the education provision, equine welfare and environmental sustainability of the UK racing industry. The money will come from the Racing Foundation, the racing industry's charitable grant issuing body. The plans include funding for further development and delivery of new initiatives within the TBA's Thoroughbred Breeding Industry Training and Qualification Pathway, which provides a formal structure to industry learning--ranging from essential skills at Level 1 through to advanced management training at...