Public call for increased welfare standards in World Horse Welfare survey

Racing needs to ensure it effectively engages with people outside of its bubble after a survey by World Horse Welfare (WHW) found nearly two thirds of respondents wanted greater welfare standards in order to support the use of horses in sport.

A total of 4,195 people aged 18 or over responded to the charity's third annual survey on equine participation in sport – which covers the likes of eventing as well as racing – with 56 per cent saying they wanted "increased welfare measures" in sports using horses.

The survey also found that the biggest influence on public opinion was what riders and those "directly involved in horse sports" said about welfare, followed by coverage in the media and then regulators.

There was also an increase in the number of people who had confidence in the welfare of horse sport as a direct result of media coverage, with 17 per cent of respondents saying they did when surveyed this year compared to 15 per cent in 2023 and ten per cent in 2022.

Roly Owers, WHW chief executive, said: "Once again, two thirds are not happy with the status quo, with two in five only supporting equine sport if horse welfare improves in addition to the one in five who do not want horses to be involved in sport at all. 

"What influences trust in horse sport to protect welfare? It's not so much what regulators do, but what riders and those involved in the sport say and do. Horse people, as we have seen before, can be in a bit of a bubble. We can be more supportive of the status quo than the general public and we do get a lot of our information from the potential echo chamber of equestrian and social media. 

"We must remember that what we see is not necessarily what the public sees, so it's vitally important that we step outside of ourselves and the horse world, and when we think about horse welfare we seek and trust independent perspectives. Without doubt we have some control of the future but not complete control, so it's up to us to reach out and influence beyond our bubble."

In April, British racing launched a new welfare campaign, HorsePWR, designed at building trust and answering questions on welfare in the sport. A number of changes were also made to the Grand National, including reducing the field size to 34 from 40.

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