Social Licence and Racing

[Gamebird]

Gemma Pearson, who is a highly respected vet and equine behaviourist based at Edinburgh University, has written an excellent paper looking at the pro and anti racing narrative in the wake of the 2023 Grand National, and what racing needs to do to continue to exist. I absolutely agree with her reaction to the response of the racing proponents, both on the day of the race, and shortly afterwards, when they banged on about the 'they're treated like kings' narrative, and completely failed to answer the points raised by the antis, who were not protesting about the depth of the horses' beds or the love the staff show them, but the risk they face on the racecourse. Racing needs to do better if it wants to be around in 20 years, and I think her points about how it needs to proceed to continue with its SOL are all very valid.

Telegraph (sorry!) interview here:

Racing can defeat animal rights complaints... by copying McDonald’s

The Grand National is to undergo several radical changes after animal rights protests in this year's race

www.telegraph.co.uk

Published paper here:

Used like Pawns or Treated like Kings? How Narratives around Racehorse Welfare in the 2023 Grand National May Affect Public Acceptance: An Informed Commentary

The 2023 Grand National steeplechase race was delayed when protesters from the animal rights group, ‘Animal Rising’, gained access to the course just prior to the race. The international media spotlight was focused on what is already a high-profile event and the social licence of both this race...

www.mdpi.com

 

[humblepie]

I don’t personally like the live like kings approach. Rather like the amazing competition yards you see which are probably excellent for working in but probably not that wonderful to live in as a horse. There is so much work being done as risk factors of all sorts and other avenues that needs to be known.

 

[Gamebird]

I don’t personally like the live like kings approach. Rather like the amazing competition yards you see which are probably excellent for working in but probably not that wonderful to live in as a horse. There is so much work being done as risk factors of all sorts and other avenues that needs to be known.

That's pretty much the gist of the paper. Plus horses don't want to be kings. They want to be horses.

 

[teapot]

Both are excellent pieces in their own right, absolutely agree that saying 'they're treated well at home' isn't enough - I've been guilty of saying better life than a rs horse etc, but for those who don't understand the industry, or joe public, that means nothing at end of the day, and again no amount of being kept well equates herd dynamics and being out on massive acreage (thinking how Venetia Williams turns her lot out here!)

Would be very pro hearing about research and stats into what's actually happening to make racing safer - why the likes of ITV racing can't do those features is beyond me come to think of it?


Interesting mention of zoos and a change in welfare though as a comparison. I was at London Zoo earlier in the year and while ZSL has invested a lot in welfare and research, after wandering around for a few hours, I left wondering how long zoos will remain open. London's perhaps not the best example as it's limited by size/location compared to say Marwell, but yeah, the photo I took of a beautiful gorilla sat down behind electric fencing et al makes me think twice every time I see it. Do I get the same feeling from seeing horses kept on yards 24/7... I guess I do having always been around people who valued turnout over everything else.

 

[humblepie]

They do little snippets on ITV racing like the orange to white fences. There are stats and info on some projects on the BHA website in the horse welfare area but you have to be looking for them. Can also find a video of my horse if you follow enough links

 

[Clodagh]

I’ve just read it. Interesting and written by someone that actually knows. The problem is that the way the horses are kept is very difficult to change, without ownership getting even more expensive.
You go to Jane William’s yard, for instance, all horses are in giant stables with front and rear outside views, many are in open ex dairy sheds and all get daily turnout, all year. How could that be done in Newmarket?
I do think gastroguard having to be withdrawn prior to racing is appalling. (Off topic!).

 

[inandout]

If you look at dog racing thats lost its social licence and likely be banned in few years.

I do think that is excellet piece. In new zealand racehorses seem to be kept out and are often retired to herds in mountains. But its the environment to provide that. If you look at europe theses lots of regulations on stable design ect that cud be applicable.

I think ultimately if racing is to continue places like newmarket will cease to exist as they cannot provide the correct environment.

 

[ycbm]

What great articles. Fatality rates need to include horses that are not still alive after getting back home due to injuries incurred on the racecourse.
.

 

[Dreamon21]

That's pretty much the gist of the paper. Plus horses don't want to be kings. They want to be horses.

Yeah I don't think to many Kings want to wallow in a big muddy puddle like the video of Envoi Allen a couple of years ago

 

[tristars]

if we can progress from boxes to open stables with yards with mats and daily turnout and the ability to socialize on a variety of surfaces plus the work, racing can

moving around 24 7 is what horses need, foraging, rolling, its only expressing natural needs

but that is only how they live, the racing is another hazard altogether

perhaps there is a link between horses deprived of ad lib movement and racecourse accidents

horse need to move around gently most of the time, not stand still most of the time

 

[Orangehorse]

I have been to racing yards where the horses are turned out daily after exercise and some even live out in paddocks 24/7 with a barn for shelter with company (one started doing that when a horse kept kicking out the back of his stable).

Turning out older NH horses is a bit different to turning out a lot of young colts together though, they would start playing at least if not fighting.

Where do colts go in the winter when not in training?

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

When the general public are turning away from racing because of the risk factors, saying the horses live like kings is meaningless. I thought they were very good articles and really got to the heart of the matter. In today's world, horses dying or getting badly injured in racing is no longer acceptable to many of the general public who tune in to watch a few big races a year. it. Who can forget when the One Show(?) followed a horse in it's build up to the Grand National then had to tell the viewers it had died after an accident in the actual race. A tragic PR disaster.
As horse owners we all know that horses are at great risk of breaking a leg or fatally injuring themselves in a field at home and this is often explained to people when they see a horse injured on the race course as some kind of justification. It also explains why a lot of racehorses don't get turn out.
I love horse racing but public opinion is turning against it and the Jockey Club is hardly the most forward thinking organisation to deal with social licence. I don't know the answers but someone more well equipped must be able to guide public opinion.