RHM
Well-Known Member
Just seen this on Facebook. Thought it was very interesting what the french government has proposed. Would actually make XC considerably more dangerous in my opinion. The only time I use a whip is to help control my horses shoulder. I imagine there will be considerably more run outs with only using them once!
copied and pasted below:
FRENCH GOVERNMENT ASK FOR AN OVERHAUL OF EQUINE WELFARE FOR OLYMPICS 2024
I'm a bit late with this news but wanted to share it in case you'd missed it. The French Parliament have produced a lengthy report asking the organising committee of the Olympic Games for a complete overhaul of the rules regarding equestrian sport (completely bypassing the FEI!). Their aim is to make Paris 2024 the Olympic Games of equine welfare.
The report has 46 recommendations to improve welfare across all disciplines. There is a section on the use of equipment, including banning the use of draw reins, the use of gag bits in the cross country and elevator bits being used together with martingales. They are asking for a review of nosebands (including cranks and grackles) and for noseband tightness to be checked using the ISES taper gauge. They would like a ban on riders using hyperflexion anywhere on the showground, referring to hyperflexion as 'any head and neck position where the nose is behind the vertical'.
The report also recommends a ban on use of the whip more than once per event and more than twice during the warm-up. They want to prohibit an overly constrained posture and authorise riding without spurs in dressage.
Are the recommended changes really enough to improve horse welfare in sport? Will this report change anything? If the recommendations are put in place, will the rules actually be enforced? This is a remarkable step for a country's government to take, but there were so many concerns about horse welfare at the Tokyo Olympics, I think this move was absolutely necessary if the public is to continue supporting equestrian sport.
The report has been translated by the brilliant team at Horses and People (thank you!) and is well worth reading. You can read the report here: https://horsesandpeople.com.au/french-parliament-calls-for-horse-welfare-overhaul-at-paris-2024
copied and pasted below:
FRENCH GOVERNMENT ASK FOR AN OVERHAUL OF EQUINE WELFARE FOR OLYMPICS 2024
I'm a bit late with this news but wanted to share it in case you'd missed it. The French Parliament have produced a lengthy report asking the organising committee of the Olympic Games for a complete overhaul of the rules regarding equestrian sport (completely bypassing the FEI!). Their aim is to make Paris 2024 the Olympic Games of equine welfare.
The report has 46 recommendations to improve welfare across all disciplines. There is a section on the use of equipment, including banning the use of draw reins, the use of gag bits in the cross country and elevator bits being used together with martingales. They are asking for a review of nosebands (including cranks and grackles) and for noseband tightness to be checked using the ISES taper gauge. They would like a ban on riders using hyperflexion anywhere on the showground, referring to hyperflexion as 'any head and neck position where the nose is behind the vertical'.
The report also recommends a ban on use of the whip more than once per event and more than twice during the warm-up. They want to prohibit an overly constrained posture and authorise riding without spurs in dressage.
Are the recommended changes really enough to improve horse welfare in sport? Will this report change anything? If the recommendations are put in place, will the rules actually be enforced? This is a remarkable step for a country's government to take, but there were so many concerns about horse welfare at the Tokyo Olympics, I think this move was absolutely necessary if the public is to continue supporting equestrian sport.
The report has been translated by the brilliant team at Horses and People (thank you!) and is well worth reading. You can read the report here: https://horsesandpeople.com.au/french-parliament-calls-for-horse-welfare-overhaul-at-paris-2024
