The British Horse Society's welfare work: tell us what you think

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The British Horse Society is changing. However, one thing that will never change is that equine welfare is at the heart of everything we do. We are looking to do more with our welfare work and would welcome your comments, ideas and suggestions. In particular, we would like to know:

  • What aspects of BHS Welfare’s work are you aware of?
  • What do you like about what we do?
  • What would you like to see more of?
  • What issues would you like BHS Welfare to campaign on? (To us, welfare is about all aspects of horse care, not just the extreme cases so this could be almost anything.)

Please do bear in mind that we have to operate within the law! We are really keen to hear your comments so fire away. If you don’t feel comfortable posting on an open forum then please send a private message to BHS_Lee on here or email on l.hackett@bhs.org.uk.

For more information on BHS membership or to join online click here
 
HHO admin said:
BHS_logo-200.jpg


The British Horse Society is changing. However, one thing that will never change is that equine welfare is at the heart of everything we do. We are looking to do more with our welfare work and would welcome your comments, ideas and suggestions. In particular, we would like to know:

  • What aspects of BHS Welfare’s work are you aware of?
  • What do you like about what we do?
  • What would you like to see more of?
  • What issues would you like BHS Welfare to campaign on? (To us, welfare is about all aspects of horse care, not just the extreme cases so this could be almost anything.)

Please do bear in mind that we have to operate within the law! We are really keen to hear your comments so fire away. If you don’t feel comfortable posting on an open forum then please send a private message to BHS_Lee on here or email on l.hackett@bhs.org.uk.
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I'd like to see the BHS putting on open days around the country, raising awareness etc... Perhaps with vet talks on emergency first aid, general welfare, police there to give advice on keeping property safe, perhaps even the option of bringing a horse along to get it freeze branded or your tack to get it id stamped.
 
HHO admin said:
BHS_logo-200.jpg


  • What aspects of BHS Welfare’s work are you aware of?
  • What do you like about what we do?
  • What would you like to see more of?
  • What issues would you like BHS Welfare to campaign on? (To us, welfare is about all aspects of horse care, not just the extreme cases so this could be almost anything.)

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I'm aware the BHS has a welfare hotline, for people to raise concerns about neglect. I would probably call WHW first, simply because Im not really sure what the BHS welfare dept can do, or even who my local welfare rep is, (I'm aware I could find this on the website) but I do hand the number out if people mention they are concerned about a horse.

I think the campaigns you do (such as think before you breed) are an excellent idea - I'd love to see more of them, and as a member / reg instructor, could the leaflets for this not be sent out, and use us to help spread that message?
Your friend at the end campaign is also excellent, though it amazes me how many people haven't heard of it. That's a brilliant idea.

I think it would be good if the welfare reps in this area were more "vocal" (eg I find it strange that I don't actually come across them at all? maybe if they organised talks on welfare issues, or would it be possible to run days with a selection of GOOD professionals.

I always think people have an image of cruelty. It normally involves a skinny horses, long feet, in a field.

I feel I see cruelty on a daily basis. Horses with sore backs, Ill fitting tack, sharp teeth, riders to big, horses not fit for the work asked, riders with too much temper, horses not given a good enough grounding (most shows make me cringe - unaffiliated and affiliated) horses pulled in to short tight outlines by riders with busy hands, horses jumping flat, bitted up to keep hold of em because the rider lumps on their backs and kicks them with a pair of spurs.

I'd like to see the BHS run equitation shows. Get GOOD judges who give honest(polite) feedback. maybe combine it with professionals who riders could be referred to on the day, eg to show them that their saddle is causing them to sit badly, which is causing their horse to be uncomfortable, and ultimately will go lame.

I'd like their welfare officers (maybe this should be a paid post, to make it practical?) to be out there in the equine community, at shows, pony clubs, hosting conferences with pro's.
I think you need to be aware of the "cruelty" in my opinion of some of your registered instructors (both directly, and by not being honest with clients because it will affect their income) - I have contacted your office with my concerns, on one a occasion an instructor riding lame / very sore in the back horses, and one with such a vice grip on their horses head I'm amazed the poor thing still has a neck :( there are others (inc a BHS qual leaving horses without water) but I won't go on.

The BHS has a great platform to promote and improve the welfare of horses, and I'm really enthusiastic that you are obviously looking to move forward.
 
Hi Norfolk Pie and QueenBee

Thank you for taking the time to reply to this thread. Some great constructive ideas and definitely things to look at doing. It seems that both of you are keen on a greater local presence and I think it is fair to say that that is very much on the cards in every aspect of the BHS including welfare.

Just to clear up what our welfare officers can do, it is exactly the same as any other charity. The fact that they are volunteers makes no difference. Where there are differences are that the RSPCA bring prosecutions and we don't have a rescue centre. That said, we can arrange for horses to be lifted if necessary (going through the correct legal channels obviously, nobody can just take them!).

Because we have so many volunteers (around 200 nationwide) they cover relatively small areas. This means they are in a really strong position to monitor cases over time and to help to prevent relatively low grade cases becoming more serious. The burdens on the officers of other organisations are so huge that they can't always find the time to keep on visiting the same case again and again. They simply have to deal with the most serious cases as the workload on all of us at the moment is something we have never experienced before. Our welfare concerns have gone up by more than 50% in the last year or so and other organisations are exactly the same.

All of this said, don't think our guys can't deal with serious issues. They can and do regularly. Plus we work exceptionally closely with many other organisations iuncluding (but not limited to!) the RSPCA, WHW, Blue Cross, Redwings etc etc

We would be really keen to hear from more people too so please give us your ideas. I have lots of my own but we are open to every suggestion. The BHS is changing and we are not doing things by halves; we are determined to get this right. So any idea is welcome - we can't promise we will do everything people suggest but I can promise that we will listen to your ideas and do what we can. And please remember, welfare is not just about welfare officers - we are looking for thoughts and ideas about all aspects of keeping horses.

Thanks in advance!
 
Just wanted to add, I didn't really know the BHS had a welfare line. I think it is great but not very well advertised as I am not a BHS member (no offence, just haven't the spare funds) so would always turn to WHW as a bit disillusioned with RSPCA. Will look for BHS in future but no idea if there is a 24hr emergency line or what it is. I know I am being a clueless person here, but I hope this shows that the publicising and phone number need to be more readily available to the average Jane such as me. Hope this helps!
 
I have been a BHS Gold member for many years (sorry didn't post on previous thread) but mainly for insurance. I therefore receive the magazine which I think is excellent. I absolutely agree with earlier posts about publicity for welfare concerns and more should be made of this, particularly as some areas of the RSPCA appear to have little equine knowledge (this is not to bash RSPCA). I thought the "Friend at the End" idea was excellent as I strongly believe pts should be considered as an option. Too many end up as welfare cases - people seem to have the best intentions but don't consider the horses.
 
When I lived in Scotland, my first call was always to WHW.

I do know that even local BHS volunteers and officers became frustrated with BHS. I don't know if this is still the case, but then they had to direct requests through HO in Stoneleigh and this slowed up the process.
 
Rollin still the case.. our local BHS "welfare" officer is responsible for turning a uncut "rescue" (was really just a result of over breeding and not a welfare issue, but would have probably gone for meat if it hadn't been "rescued") out with mares....... some example!:mad:

BHS need to make sure their own camp is in order. As far as I am concerned I would never report a local welfare concern to my local BHS welfare officer.

To be honest I wont support any "rescue" charities until the bullet is bitten and there is a humane cull and implementation of Stallion licensing.
 
Thanks again for all your feedback, especially around publicising how people can report welfare issues to us and how we deal with them. This is really constructive in showing us how we can improve the visibility of our work and what we're already doing for horses, members and supporters.

For immediate reference, take a look at the 'Reporting Horses in Distress' page of our site, which explains what issues we can deal with, how to tell us about them at any time, and what action we can take.

As with every welfare charity, in this age of litigation it's crucial that all welfare officers complete a report once they have attended a case to confirm what they witnessed, the actions undertaken and proposed actions for the future. This is to protect all parties involved should any issues or complaints arise in the future. Like the rest of our departments, the Welfare team are working with IT to ensure we're using the most efficient processes possible in our report handling, and we're hopeful that this work will make things quicker and easier for everyone involved.

Zurzan, we agree that our camp should be in order - it goes without saying that this applies to any organisation and we're sorry you don't feel able to come to us with a welfare concern. It would be useful if you'd discuss further the particular example you reference - please do drop us a PM here or to BHS Lee, or send us an email. The time taken would be appreciated.

This is where feedback comes in overall - if we get to know about things, we can look at improving them, and we're ready and listening.

So ExmoorHunter has mentioned more visibility and discussion of PTS as an option (where appropriate) s/he'd like to see more of - what else would you like to see more of or what bugbears do you have?
 
I agree with Norfolk Pie regarding more input into every-day use of the horses. I would love to see more education for riding schools' proprietors on how to use horses for riders at all levels as there seem to be huge need for this (judging by how recreational horses are used in many BHS approved establishments); also PROPER checks of the approved establishments, by that I mean checks that are truly "drop in" not those that allow riding schools to especially prepare the place.

I am passionate about grassroots sport and recreation and would love to see riding schools in general changing the way the learning of riding is organised. I would love to see bullying, pulling and kicking to disappear from riding "aids" and only horses and ponies that are well schooled and older to be used for learning to ride. I don't think this is utopian or impossible to execute.

When taking my BHS exams I was told on numerous occasions "it's a norm to have to ride unsound or ill prepared horses, that's how it is" - I passed my exams to date but because I am unwilling to ride such horses to meet standards of the system which sees such practice as a norm I decided not to pursue the BHSI qualification until this situation has changed. I hope it will.
 
Interesting reading and I agree on quite a few points, having been a welfare officer myself some time ago, but having said that, the amount of success is only as good as said the volunteer officer cares to put into the job, I was on call 24/7 the local police, RSPCA and everyone else knew that they could call me anytime and I would help them in any way I possible could, I must say I make alot of friends through it, and really enjoyed it, but how may of your volunteer people are willing to do that no, not many !
People Skills are also very much important when dealing with these cases to which in most cases seem to be somewhat over looked, I think giving up the welfare centre was a massive mistake to be honest, another thought wouldn't it be a nice idea if the BHS invited the RSPCA to have all their equine personal to hold the bacis stage 3 horse management and care certificate, this would not only help them to understand horses better but also give jo public far more respect for them !:)
 
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What about those poor 'Gloucester Flood' animals, re the Address Fly Grazing in the UK', what if anything is the BHS doing to help these poor souls, these animals really do need help, or the is BHS going to turn a blind eye just like everyone else seems to have done ?:eek:
 
Thank you both for your thoughts and there are some really interesting suggestions in there that we’re making sure are passed on.

NeelieOAP, we are hugely grateful for the dedication our volunteers show. The levels of commitment each one provides in even undertaking the role and its training is admirable, especially when excellent working relationships are actively developed with relevant other parties.

In terms of the standards of riding schools, our Approvals criteria is designed to ensure the welfare and safety of horses and ponies used is paramount and that centres also place an emphasis on the quality and standard of equitation they teach. In an ideal world, this would apply to every establishment and every one would carry the BHS Approved logo – but if you ever feel it’s not the case for a BHS Approved Centre, the Approvals team need to hear about it (email approvals@bhs.org.uk or call 02476 840509). It’s particularly worth noting at this point that all of our Approved centres are subjected to completely ‘drop in’ and unannounced inspections. These take place a minimum of once a year, sometimes more often, and at different times of the year.

Viola, we’d be especially concerned if it was accepted as the ‘norm’ to ride unsound or ‘ill-prepared’ horses and if you can supply any further details about when and where this was said, we’d be grateful to hear from you via PM, email or phone.

We apologise for the general reply regarding the situation in South Wales but as we're sure you can appreciate, the BHS has received a large number of reports regarding these horses.

In respect of BHS involvement, the main role of our network of Welfare Officers is to act in an advisory capacity to help horse owners/keepers resolve any welfare issues. There are cases that are beyond the point of advice, as per this case, in which circumstances our Officers liaise with other organisations and authorities for assistance.

We have spoken with numerous organisations and most recently the National Equine Welfare Council for a co-ordinated response. The BHS will assist with this case in any capacity we are able to provide.

At this stage, RSPCA Inspectors have fed back to NEWC that there are a lot of complexities surrounding this case and we would like to sincerely reassure you that the BHS is doing everything possible within our capacity.
 
BHS_official said:
Thank you both for your thoughts and there are some really interesting suggestions in there that we’re making sure are passed on.

NeelieOAP, we are hugely grateful for the dedication our volunteers show. The levels of commitment each one provides in even undertaking the role and its training is admirable, especially when excellent working relationships are actively developed with relevant other parties.

In terms of the standards of riding schools, our Approvals criteria is designed to ensure the welfare and safety of horses and ponies used is paramount and that centres also place an emphasis on the quality and standard of equitation they teach. In an ideal world, this would apply to every establishment and every one would carry the BHS Approved logo – but if you ever feel it’s not the case for a BHS Approved Centre, the Approvals team need to hear about it (email approvals@bhs.org.uk or call 02476 840509). It’s particularly worth noting at this point that all of our Approved centres are subjected to completely ‘drop in’ and unannounced inspections. These take place a minimum of once a year, sometimes more often, and at different times of the year.

Viola, we’d be especially concerned if it was accepted as the ‘norm’ to ride unsound or ‘ill-prepared’ horses and if you can supply any further details about when and where this was said, we’d be grateful to hear from you via PM, email or phone.

We apologise for the general reply regarding the situation in South Wales but as we're sure you can appreciate, the BHS has received a large number of reports regarding these horses.

In respect of BHS involvement, the main role of our network of Welfare Officers is to act in an advisory capacity to help horse owners/keepers resolve any welfare issues. There are cases that are beyond the point of advice, as per this case, in which circumstances our Officers liaise with other organisations and authorities for assistance.

We have spoken with numerous organisations and most recently the National Equine Welfare Council for a co-ordinated response. The BHS will assist with this case in any capacity we are able to provide.

At this stage, RSPCA Inspectors have fed back to NEWC that there are a lot of complexities surrounding this case and we would like to sincerely reassure you that the BHS is doing everything possible within our capacity.
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This is heading to another 'Spindles Farm' case issue, thats for sure, these things do not just happen over night, but it will be very interesting to see just how much the BHS Welfare can actually do, besides talk !
 
Fimbacob said:
Just wanted to add, I didn't really know the BHS had a welfare line. I think it is great but not very well advertised as I am not a BHS member (no offence, just haven't the spare funds) so would always turn to WHW as a bit disillusioned with RSPCA. Will look for BHS in future but no idea if there is a 24hr emergency line or what it is. I know I am being a clueless person here, but I hope this shows that the publicising and phone number need to be more readily available to the average Jane such as me. Hope this helps!
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I was unaware of the welfare role...and would like more pubicity to make everyone know it is another organisation they can appeal to for help. I follow with sadness and despair the various welfare situations that are highlighted on this forum. Two things come to mind - the law is not robust enough to protect equines until a crisis and genuine suffering occurs, and only then does intervention take place. Secondly are the authorities constrained because there aren't enough places for all the needy animals so 'take their time', hoping for improvement by owners/keepers? Not a good situation at all.
 
neelie OAP said:
This is heading to another 'Spindles Farm' case issue, thats for sure, these things do not just happen over night, but it will be very interesting to see just how much the BHS Welfare can actually do, besides talk !
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I have in fact asked 'Address fly grazing in the UK' what if any help/advice they have recieved from BHS, there reply was NONE !
 
ruth83 said:
My next question to them would be 'have they approached The BHS about their work/needs?'. Personally, I have not heard of 'Address fly grazing in the UK'.
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Google 'Address Fly Grazing in the UK,' and see for yourselves, these poor animals need help and quickly !:eek:
 
Thank you, I am aware of the issue of fly grazing and the problems faced by the horses. My question was have they approached The BHS for assistance? There are hundreds of facebook pages on horse welfare. The BHS cannot have a thorough knowledge of all of them.
 
ruth83 said:
Thank you, I am aware of the issue of fly grazing and the problems faced by the horses. My question was have they approached The BHS for assistance? There are hundreds of facebook pages on horse welfare. The BHS cannot have a thorough knowledge of all of them.
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As you can see the reply earlier, BHS has said they have received many calls regarding these poor horses, but what have they actually done to help thats the question !
 
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