Equine Health and Welfare Strategy for Great Britain

Transcription

1 Equine Heath and Wefare Strategy for Great Britain www. equineheathandwefarestrategy March 2007.co.uk

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3 EQUINE HEALTH AND WELFARE STRATEGY FOR GREAT BRITAIN Contents Page FOREWORD... 1 INTRODUCTION... 3 VISION... 5 AIM 1: REVIEW HEALTH AND WELFARE STANDARDS...11 AIM 2: REVIEW HEALTH SURVEILLANCE ARRANGEMENTS...13 AIM 3: REVIEW HORSE WELFARE OBSERVATION ARRANGEMENTS...15 AIM 4: REVIEW METHODS OF HORSE IDENTIFICATION...16 AIM 5: REVIEW MEDICINES NEEDS AND AVAILABILITY...17 AIM 6: REVIEW EDUCATION, SKILLS AND TRAINING...19 AIM 7: REVIEW RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS...20 AIM 8: REVIEW DELIVERY AND FURTHER DEVELOPMENT...21 ANNEX A: EQUINE HEALTH AND WELFARE STRATEGY ACTION PLAN...23 ANNEX B: RELATED INITIATIVES...36 ANNEX C: CONSULTEES...38 Acknowedgements. Photographs: Defra, British Horseracing Board, The Donkey Sanctuary, Farriers Registration Counci, Be Equine Veterinary Cinic.

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5 FOREWORD The heath and wefare of a horses and ponies in Britain is vita, but not just because we owe them a duty of care as responsibe owners, keepers and users; it is aso fundamenta to the ong term future and viabiity of the British equine industry. For thousands of years, equines have been cosey associated with the deveopment of human society. Their domestication by eary nomadic peopes ed to a dependence on equines for farming, industry and transportation asting we into the 20th Century. In Britain today equines are used primariy for sport and recreation. The use to which they are put, and the way in which they are managed, determines the risks to which they are exposed. This directy infuences their heath and wefare. High standards of heath and wefare are essentia to the animas themseves, and are aso fundamenta to the success of a equine businesses. Investing in equine heath and wefare not ony reduces costs in the onger term, but aso improves the quaity of ife of the animas and enhances the enjoyment and safety of everyone engaged with them. Peope ooking after equines quicky become aware of the commitment, time and cost invoved. Many, but not a, are aso aware of the high eve of knowedge and expertise needed to safeguard their horses heath and wefare - even caring owners or keepers can inadvertenty cause animas to suffer. Whie the common view is that standards of heath and wefare are generay high in Britain, evidence is far from compete and a number of animas suffer cruety, abuse, negect and mismanagement every year. There has been a significant increase in equine ownership across Britain in the past two decades, and, whie this growing interest can ony be good for the equine industry and society as a whoe, it has to be acknowedged that newcomers may not have the appropriate knowedge, eading, therefore, to an increased risk of mistreatment. Aso, the internationa nature of the industry and the fact that cimate change is eading to an increased risk of the spread of exotic diseases, some representing serious threats to human as we as equine heath, means that no-one can afford to be compacent. The 10 year Vision of this Strategy is to achieve high standards of heath and wefare of equines in Britain and to ensure that everyone responsibe for equine heath and wefare understands and fufis their duty of care. This invoves defining standards; ongoing monitoring and assessment; and improving standards where necessary. But the facts are acking in some areas, and opinion is sometimes divided on how equines shoud be managed and how the risks associated with equine pursuits shoud be mitigated. It is firmy beieved that, for the Strategy to succeed, everyone invoved with equines needs to engage with the issues identified in this document and work together in a pragmatic and constructive way to achieve the aims. Without this, the Strategy wi fai and a rea opportunity wi be ost. 1

6 The pubication of the Strategy represents a andmark, but it is ony the starting point; the more demanding task is to achieve its Vision for the future. The Strategy and its supporting Action Pan are intended to be iving documents, reguary reviewed and revised to ensure the Strategy remains effective and reevant. This wi require an ongoing commitment from a concerned. However, the fact that the Strategy was proposed and deveoped by representatives from across the equine spectrum, with the fu backing of Government, bodes we for the future. A debt of gratitude goes to a those who have contributed to the deveopment of the Strategy. This incudes a those responding to the consutation on the draft Strategy. Your time, effort, depth of knowedge and respect for equines has enabed the Strategy to be a robust and we-informed document. With your continued support, we are sure that the Strategy can make a rea difference to equines across Great Britain. Signed: British Equine Veterinary Association British Horse Industry Confederation Nationa Equine Wefare Counci Defra Scottish Executive Wesh Assemby Government 2

7 INTRODUCTION Purpose of the Strategy 1. The equine industry is increasingy recognising the importance of high standards of equine heath and wefare to its success and financia viabiity. Foowing the 2004 pubication of the Anima Heath and Wefare Strategy for Great Britain, the industry decided it needed a Heath and Wefare Strategy aimed specificay at equines. A Working Group was estabished to take the initiative forward. Led by the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA), the Group incuded representatives from veterinary, wefare and industry bodies, and centra and devoved Government. The Engand Impementation Group, an independent advisory group appointed by the Government to drive forward deivery of the Anima Heath and Wefare Strategy in Engand, subsequenty encouraged the deveopment of sub-species strategies to support the aims of the wider Anima Heath and Wefare Strategy A draft Equine Heath and Wefare Strategy for Great Britain was competed in August 2005 and was sent to over 400 individuas and organisations for consutation. A respondents supported the deveopment of the Strategy, its Vision and its broad aims. The responses were used by the Working Group further to deveop and refine the Strategy. The Strategy encompasses horses, ponies, donkeys, mues and hinnies. However, for the purposes of this document, horse or equine are used as coective terms. Preparation of the Strategy The heath and wefare of horses is fundamenta to the equine industry s future heath, webeing and growth and is vita to a eight of the aims of the Strategy for the Horse Industry in Engand and Waes 2. Indeed, achieving high standards of horse heath and wefare is the first, overarching, Action Point of that document. The Equine Heath and Wefare Strategy is a significant step towards achieving that objective. The horse industry must continue to acknowedge that good heath and wefare are intrinsic to a aspects of its activities and ensure that heath and wefare considerations are core to any training or education in the industry. The Strategy is appicabe to a breeds, types and usages of horse. However, the use of horses defines many aspects of their management and many of the risks to which they are exposed, and hence infuences their heath and wefare status. The Strategy therefore recognises that usage is a fundamenta determinant and that it is important in identifying how heath and wefare issues shoud be addressed for particuar horses or groups of horses. The Strategy fuy encourages each of the sporting discipines to deveop their own method of reviewing and improving any specific wefare concerns as is aready carried out in some sectors

8 Structure The Strategy sets out a vision for equine heath and wefare in Britain, with the supporting rationae. Eight Aims support the achievement of the Vision and key heath and wefare issues are identified under the Aims. Each Aim is supported by Actions that wi deiver the Strategy. Actions are isted at Annex A. Each Aim has a named Champion body, responsibe for ensuring that the Actions underpinning that Aim are deivered. The British Horse Industry Confederation has taken responsibiity for co-ordinating deivery of the Strategy. Strategy Working Group 8. The Working Group that deveoped this Strategy and dedicated considerabe time and resources to its competion invoved: British Equine Veterinary Association: Lesey Barwise Munro Professor Josh Sater Professor Aistair Barr Dr James Wood Equine Industry: Government: British Equestrian Federation (BEF) British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) British Horseracing Board (BHB) British Horse Industry Confederation (BHIC) British Horse Society (BHS) Brooke Hospita for Animas The Donkey Sanctuary Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) Horseracing Reguatory Authority (HRA) The Horse Trust (formery The Home of Rest for Horses) Internationa League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH) Nationa Equine Wefare Counci (NEWC) Roya Society for the Prevention of Cruety to Animas (RSPCA) South Essex Insurance Brokers (SEIB) Aison Reeves, Mike Warnes and Tony Wiiamson (Defra) Fiona Leadbitter (Nationa Assemby for Waes) Mary Bradey (Scottish Executive) Lisa Jarvis (Lantra) 4

9 VISION Overview This Strategy aims to achieve high standards of heath and wefare for a horses in Britain, whatever their breed, type or usage. This is of paramount importance for the horses and in terms of the vaue our society paces on them. Good horse heath and wefare is of concern to everyone. It is vita to horse owners and riders, for without it their animas wi not give their best and safety may be compromised. It secures the many benefits to human heath and we-being that participation in equestrianism brings. It protects against outbreaks of disease, some of which may have serious pubic heath consequences, and high economic and socia costs. It is fundamenta to the horse industry s success. It underpins the industry s major contribution, not ony to sport, recreation and we-being, but aso to the economy, empoyment, community and rura deveopment, education and environmenta protection. The genera view is that most owners and keepers ook after their horses we and have the appropriate knowedge to do so. However, evidence is far from compete. A recent study commissioned by the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) indicates that horse ownership is growing. This is wecome and to be encouraged but, because new owners may have itte background in horse care, there may be an increase in unintentiona mistreatment. Aso, infectious disease outbreaks occur frequenty, other diseases and injuries continuousy affect the horse popuation, dozens of peope are convicted of cruety each year, and thousands of horses are in rescue centres and sanctuaries. For these reasons, there is no room for compacency. Risks need to be managed effectivey, traditiona methods of horse care need to be continuay reviewed and improved, and educationa opportunities need to be avaiabe to both newer and more experienced horse owners and managers. This Strategy considers how far we have progressed towards achieving the aspirations in the Vision. It sets out initia priorities for action to get coser to doing so, taking account of risks, costs and benefits. It aims within three years to: Estabish a sound baseine for assessing the achievement of components 1, 2 and 3 of the Vision; Set measurabe, timed targets for improving on the baseine; and Identify further actions, in addition to those in this document, required to achieve the targets and to get coser to achieving components 3 and 4. 5

10 Vision for Horse Heath and Wefare 1. A horses are heathy and are treated humaney. 2. Everyone responsibe for horse heath and wefare fufis their duty of care. To enabe this: 3. Owners, keepers, users and others concerned with horse heath and wefare must understand their responsibiities, know how to meet them and take steps to do so. 4. Everybody invoved with horses, incuding Government, must coectivey ensure that: a. Heath and wefare standards, and other information necessary to support each individua's duty of care, are appropriate, up to date and accessibe. b. The risks of infectious diseases, incuding those entering Britain from abroad, are addressed and managed effectivey. c. The heath and wefare status of the horse popuation is adequatey monitored. d. Significant heath and wefare probems are identified and addressed. 12. The Strategy compements other initiatives to improve horse heath and wefare (see Annex B and summary beow). Initiative Issue Anima Wefare Act 2006 and Anima Heath and Wefare (Scotand) Act 2006 Strategy for the Horse Industry in Engand and Waes EU Counci Reguation 1/2005 and Directives 90/426 and 427 Duty of Care Livery yards Riding schoos Tethering Anima sanctuaries Performing animas Improvement of skis Breeding Off road riding access Safety education for motorists and riders Land management Conservation grazing Wefare in transport Permanent identification of horses 6

11 Responsibiities 13. Owners and keepers have a mora and statutory duty of care for the horses they own and manage and are responsibe for their horses heath and wefare. The owner has an ongoing responsibiity for an anima, even when another person is in day to day charge of it. Heath and Wefare Responsibiities of Owners and Keepers To understand and provide for the specific heath and wefare needs of their animas. To maintain heathy animas. To take steps to prevent and contro disease and injury. To have and adhere to a veterinary heath care pan for each horse. To pay a part in recognising and reporting symptoms of notifiabe diseases. 3 To maintain appropriate standards of wefare through compiance with wefare egisation and codes. To ensure their skis and competence eves are appropriate to the above. To seek veterinary and other quaified advice to hep discharge these responsibiities. 14. Every other member of the horse industry aso has a responsibiity to safeguard heath and wefare. This incudes a riders, trainers and suppiers of goods and services such as veterinary surgeons, farriers, sadders, feed merchants, tack shop proprietors, ive anima transporters, insurers, educators, journaists and members of the many horse associations and societies in Britain. Heath and Wefare Responsibiities of a Members of the Horse Industry To support owners and keepers in their duty of care by providing appropriate education and information and accurate, current and impartia advice. To report concerns over negect or matreatment to the appropriate wefare organisation or Loca Authority. To report concerns reating to any of the horse competition discipines to the reevant reguatory body. 15. Veterinary surgeons are responsibe for the provision of adequate care for horses under their care. This shoud incude, where possibe, the encouragement of horse owners to pan and impement preventative heath care programmes. Veterinary surgeons in practice shoud engage in Continuing Professiona Deveopment as required by the Roya Coege of Veterinary Surgeons. 3 Serious diseases not normay found in this country ('exotic' diseases) are generay 'notifiabe'. This means they must be notified to Defra and investigated. See Defra website. Owners shoud aways seek veterinary advice if in doubt. 7

12 16. The many horse wefare charities, incuding the sixty members of the Nationa Equine Wefare Counci (NEWC), are representative both of our nation s ove of the horse and of the sad fact that ignorance, abuse and negect persist. Many work cosey with the Roya Society for the Prevention of Cruety to Animas (RSPCA), which acts as the main prosecuting organisation in Engand and Waes in cases of serious negect and abuse. In Scotand this roe is taken by the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruety to Animas (SSPCA). A ist of NEWC members can be found at ( The Work of Horse Wefare Charities Rescue & rehabiitation Sanctuary Retirement home Research Education Campaigning Taking in wefare cases, incuding cases of cruety and negect, and rehabiitating and re-homing them in seected oan homes, but remaining the property of the charity for the rest of their ives. Taking in wefare cases and giftings, rehabiitating them and keeping them safe for the rest of their ives. Taking in and keeping a imited number of animas that have reached the end of their working ife due to age or injury. Researching issues affecting horse heath and wefare. Promoting high wefare standards by improving knowedge and understanding. Campaigning to raise awareness of wefare issues and effect improvements. Grant making Funding research or educationa activities that wi hep improve wefare. Funding specific projects for smaer charities, thus improving their abiity to infuence horse heath and wefare positivey Large wefare organisations aso work with appropriatey trained Loca Authority inspectors to ensure that wefare egisation is observed and that horse owners and keepers are given the best possibe advice on the care of their animas. Loca Authority inspectors are concerned with the icensing of riding schoos and other enterprises where horses, ponies and donkeys are used for hire or reward, and, in future, ivery yards and anima sanctuaries, and aso work with the State Veterinary Service to enforce aws reating to the keeping, transport and trading of farm ivestock. They may aso become invoved where there is a case of cruety or negect, as may the RSPCA or SSPCA. Centra and devoved Government works with the horse industry to achieve common objectives. It shoud intervene in horse heath and wefare where necessary in the pubic interest, for exampe, by preventing and combating serious diseases, in order to: Protect human heath; Protect and promote the wefare of animas; Protect wider economic, environmenta and socia interests; 8

13 Ensure that we can move and trade animas and anima products internationay; and Maintain the high vaue of the horse industry. User groups and risks 19. Many of the risks to which horses may be exposed occur regardess of breed, type or the use to which the anima is put. However, the usage introduces potentia additiona risks, specific to the different activities. It aso affects how concerns shoud be addressed, as eves of knowedge and opportunities for enforcement vary widey between the different user groups. These groups and the possibe significant additiona risks are shown in the foowing tabe A much more robust base of evidence on the heath and wefare status of the horse popuation needs to be estabished. The foowing sections set out Aims and Actions to work towards this, and address the current priorities for action on the basis of the preiminary risk anaysis. Athough many of the user groups are sef-reguated by their respective governing bodies (See Aim 1) there are sti areas of the horse industry that are not reguated and heath and wefare issues need constant monitoring and reassessment. The tabe beow sets out some of the issues that this Strategy aims to address. User Group Competition Dressage Driving Endurance Eventing Horseba Poo Poocross Racing Reining Showing Showjumping Vauting Leisure Livery Yards Home Issues The internationa nature of the competition sector and extensive nationa trave of horses increase the risk of exposure to infectious disease. There is a minority of owners and trainers using questionabe practices in training animas, for exampe hypersensitisation and hyperfexion, or using drugs to mask injuries or to enhance performance. In addition, some animas are at risk of injury as a resut of overwork. In some discipines, there are specific concerns, for exampe out of season care for some poo ponies, obesity in show horses increasing the ikeihood of conditions such as aminitis, ow finishing rates and dehydration in some endurance competitions and injuries in genera. Unreguated competitions are a concern, particuary where horses are asked to perform on inappropriate surfaces. This group covers ivery and home kept animas. Whie knowedgeabe owners and proficient ivery yards maintain high standards of heath and wefare, others do not. In the atter cases, horses are at an increased risk of injury and/or disease as a resut of inadequate knowedge, care or resources. There is aso a risk in some cases of animas being overused or inappropriatey used, especiay geriatric or injured animas. There is a risk of inappropriate and unreguated treatment and foot care that can greaty increase the risk of injury or disease. A ack of isoation or quarantine faciities and basic biosecurity measures at some ivery yards, couped with the movement of horses at these faciities, increases the risk of the spread of diseases. Breeding The stud and breeding sector is broad - ranging from highy successfu, professionay run businesses, producing quaity animas at the top end of the 9

14 scae, to poory managed businesses producing poor quaity animas at the bottom. There are sti too many owners who take the view that, once an anima can no onger be ridden, it shoud be used for breeding, regardess of its suitabiity. At the bottom end, horses are at risk of injury or disease due to inadequate knowedge or care and through a ack of proper faciities. This can resut in the overbreeding of mares or inappropriate breeding from injured or oder animas. Poor hygiene and a ack of faciities can put both mare and foa at risk from infection or injury, and a ack of isoation faciities risks the spread of disease. Barren and maiden mares may be treated poory at some faciities. Riding Schoos & Coeges Many riding schoos are members of the British Horse Society and/or the Association of British Riding Schoos, and are consequenty required to achieve and maintain high standards of heath and wefare. There are aso riding schoos that are not members of either the BHS or ABRS that maintain high standards. However, there are yards where standards are poor. Some riding schoos are unicensed and trade iegay. At these yards, horses are at risk of injury or disease due to inadequate knowedge and/or care, or as the resut of a ack of faciities or resources. This can resut in injured or geriatric animas being overworked, the inappropriate matching of size, weight and abiity of rider to horse and the use of i-fitting tack. This not ony puts the horse at risk, but the rider too. Basic standards shoud be maintained by the current Riding Schoos Inspection, but this may not be adequate where horses are used against veterinary advice, or where faciities are not inspected. Entertainment Traveers & Fairs Semi-fera Animas Whie many horses in the entertainment sector are treated we, there are some concerns regarding in-season accommodation and out of season care, especiay for beach donkeys. Over-use and the inappropriate matching of size and weight of rider to horse can ead to injury. Whie many horses in the care of traveers are we ooked after, some are not and there is a genera reuctance to seek veterinary support. Animas tethered for ong periods of time are prone to injury and the traveing nature of the community increases the risk of disease spread. In some cases, inadequate knowedge, faciities and resources increases the risk of injury or disease. Looking after semi-fera animas requires speciaised knowedge and ski and without these, the animas are at an increased risk of injury and disease. In addition, the sometimes poor financia vaue can resut in injured or diseased animas not being treated. There can be a ack of breeding standards, which may resut in in-breeding, over-breeding or poor quaity animas being bred. As most of these animas are grazed on common and that may be in mutipe ownership, a strong "commoners association" or simiar organisation is essentia, as is a centra management pan for the area and its equine occupants. Sanctuaries To run a sanctuary we takes a great dea of speciaist knowedge, experience and resources as we as good wi. There are many exceent sanctuaries providing refuge and rehabiitation to hundreds of horses. However, there are aso many poory managed and under-resourced sanctuaries that risk doing more harm than good to the animas in their charge. For exampe, some do not have the appropriate knowedge and experience to dea with negected or poory treated "probem" animas, or they ack the appropriate isoation faciities and practices necessary to reduce the risk of introduction and spread of disease. 10

15 AIM 1: REVIEW HEALTH AND WELFARE STANDARDS Champion: Nationa Equine Wefare Counci Standards defining satisfactory horse heath and wefare are required in order to gauge the extent to which animas are heathy and are treated humaney, and to assist those responsibe for them to fufi their duty of care. The heath and wefare of an anima is determined by its physica and menta state, incuding fitness for the purpose for which it is kept. These aspects are inextricaby inked. The Farm Anima Wefare Counci propounds Five Freedoms which are reevant to horses and are refected in anima wefare egisation. Freedom from Hunger and Thirst - by providing ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain fu heath and vigour. Freedom from Discomfort - by providing an appropriate environment incuding sheter and a comfortabe resting area. Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease - by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment. Freedom to Express Norma Behaviour - by providing sufficient space, proper faciities and company, as appropriate. Freedom from Fear and Distress - by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid menta suffering These Freedoms define idea states. They serve as a touchstone for standards which need to be expressed in concrete terms taiored to practica appication. Wefare standards for horses are currenty set out in the over-arching Equine Industry Wefare Guideines Compendium for Horses, Ponies and Donkeys (NEWC, second edition 2005), as we as in more specific, sectora codes of practice. Horse owners and keepers are responsibe for the heath and wefare of horses and veterinary surgeons are the primary porta for guidance on equine heath standards. Owners shoud be famiiar with the appropriate preventive heath programmes that shoud be in pace for their anima(s), incuding nutrition, foot and denta care, vaccination and worm contro and foa care. Programmes shoud be devised in consutation with the veterinary surgeon. Veterinary practices shoud faciitate this process by encouraging owners and keepers to have, and adhere to, veterinary heath care pans for a horses under their care. Veterinary practices shoud provide educationa materia about horse heath standards via newsetters and consider staging cient education meetings on a reguar basis. It is aso the owner s or keeper s responsibiity to be abe to recognise i heath and seek veterinary assistance as required and to recognise when quaity of ife deteriorates, seek veterinary advice if necessary and arrange euthanasia when appropriate. Thought shoud be given to carcass disposa and reevant egisation as this may impact on the choice of euthanasia method. 11

16 This Strategy is not intended to repace existing guideines and codes. There is, however, a need for a systematic overview of the current written advice on horse heath and wefare standards so as to ensure that, taken together, they provide a sufficient, comprehensive, consistent and cear statement of standards, and to identify any significant gaps that need to be fied. The review shoud examine wefare regimes that are being deveoped or have been introduced in Europe and other parts of the word to assess their appicabiity in Britain, perhaps with further research or adaptation to our nationa circumstances. The review wi aso inform work on some other Actions. A number of governing bodies are responsibe for estabishing and enforcing standards for some user groups. Organisations such as the Horseracing Reguatory Authority and British Show Jumping Association, working aongside others such as the RSPCA, do much to set and maintain standards of heath and wefare within their areas of interest. Where it exists, this form of sef-reguation, with support from veterinary and wefare organisations, works we. For exampe, horseracing is probaby the most scrutinised and reguated of the competition discipines, with safeguards in pace to prevent the use of prohibited substances and minimise the risk of disease and injury. It must be argued that, whie sef-reguation may not necessariy address a heath and wefare issues in a way that woud satisfy everyone, it does have a significant impact on improving heath and wefare standards. However, not a user groups are reguated, and reiabe evidence on the heath and wefare status of the horse popuation overa is patchy. This is especiay the case with the eisure user group, due to its arge size and rapid growth. There is therefore a strong case for new horse heath and wefare surveiance systems (see Aims 2 and 3) and for agreeing, in the ight of surveiance data, ways in which standards can be improved or enforced more effectivey. Action 1a: Review a statements (egisation, codes of practice, best practice guideines) reating to horse heath and wefare standards within and across the user groups, incuding standards under deveopment or adopted overseas; identify and fi any potentia gaps; and identify ways in which standards can be improved, incuding enforcement arrangements and improving education and training. See aso Aims 2, 3 and 6. Action 1b: Identify areas where there are no arrangements in pace to promote and enforce heath and wefare standards and consider ways of addressing the probem. Action 1c: Review avaiabiity and costs of euthanasia, types of carcass disposa and reevant egisation. See the Action Pan at Annex A for more detais. 12

17 AIM 2: REVIEW HEALTH SURVEILLANCE ARRANGEMENTS Champion: British Equine Veterinary Association 2.1 Currenty, there are no comprehensive arrangements for assessing the heath status of the nationa horse popuation. As a core eement of improving horse wefare over time, heath surveiance arrangements shoud be introduced, based on key indicators that provide sound evidence of horse heath status, sub-divided where appropriate into the different user groups. Adequate data need to be coected and maintained in order to: Provide a vaid baseine of the extent to which horses are heathy measured against agreed standards; Pinpoint probem areas, incuding those specific to particuar user groups; Assess the impact of i heath and injury; Hep prevent and manage the risks of disease and injury, incuding endemic and exotic diseases and infectious and non-infectious disease; and Identify, drive and monitor improvements, tracking changes over time so that the outcomes of measures taken can be assessed and the need for any further action decided The growing internationa nature of the horse industry, with breeding stock and their bioogica products being shipped around the word, sports horses reguary traveing ong distances to compete in internationa events, and the movement of horses throughout the expanded European Union, increases the risk of the spread of infectious diseases aong with potentiay significant wefare, economic and socia consequences. In addition, cimate change is increasing the estabishment of vectors capabe of transmitting and spreading exotic diseases, some of which represent serious threats to human, as we as horse, heath. Athough a sma number of exotic horse diseases represent a risk to human heath, significanty more diseases represent an issue for horses and an economic threat to the horse industry as a whoe. Future heath and wefare probems and threats (incuding those which are nove and may not currenty be foreseen) need to be predicted and pans made for deaing with them. In particuar, Britain needs to be fuy equipped to prevent or minimise the impact of a arge-scae epidemic of an exotic horse disease, ideay eading, where possibe, to its eventua eradication. We need, therefore, to assess the extent to which the horse industry and Government is prepared for an outbreak of an infectious disease and the extent to which it coud cope with the economic and other consequences. Discussion has begun between the industry and Government on the question of compensation for compusory saughter in the event of certain specified diseases. This is reevant to equine heath and wefare since it is essentia that owners and keepers are not tempted to concea disease outbreaks simpy because of the economic consequences and are aware of the steps they can take to reduce the risk of introduction of disease. The debate needs to be concuded, with both industry and Government taking proportionate responsibiity. 13

18 Action 2a: Review surveiance arrangements for horse diseases, both endemic and exotic, infectious and non-infectious, and horse injuries, incuding anaysing the risks and associated costs, and consider any improvements. Action 2b: Consider ways in which Britain can prepare itsef impications of an outbreak of serious infectious disease. for the economic Action 2c: Assess Government and industry contingency panning arrangements for notifiabe diseases, taking account of European and other internationa comparators. Action 2d: Ensure a high eve of vigiance for new and emerging threats to horse heath and wefare in order to impement proactive or remedia action to reduce or negate such threats. Action 2e: Identify any other areas of horse heath and wefare that either have surveiance and contro measures in pace or require them to be put in pace. Action 2f: Review the Infectious Diseases of Horses Order 1987 to ensure that it is up-to-date, refects the contents of the STEED contingency pan* and incorporates essons earned from previous outbreaks of disease and provision for compensation for mandatory saughter. See the Action Pan at Annex A for more detais. * A new draft of the Defra Specified Type Equine Exotic Diseases contingency pan is expected to be avaiabe for fu pubic consutation in eary

19 AIM 3: REVIEW HORSE WELFARE OBSERVATION ARRANGEMENTS Champion: Nationa Equine Wefare Counci The industry needs to ascertain the true picture of i treatment, negect and cruety to horses in Britain by introducing a surveiance arrangement for horse wefare. Consideration shoud then be given as to how standards can be reviewed and improved, as necessary. Any horse wefare surveiance system shoud be based on reports from groups and organisations, incuding Government, with an interest in the wefare of horses. The industry shoud encourage wefare organisations (incuding those that are not current members of NEWC) and any other horse organisations to whom wefare cases are reported to share information about cases, whether reported, investigated, confiscated or prosecuted, with a centra body in an agreed format. This data shoud be coated, evauated by a pane of experts (incuding veterinary surgeons), and the resuts shared with those suppying the data. It can then be used to review and improve wefare standards. The industry shoud estabish basic standards of care appicabe in each user group and these shoud be given wide pubicity as Codes of Practice through the reevant groups, NEWC and Government. Various systems are currenty used in the surveiance and assessment of wefare probems (e.g. Body Condition Scoring). The systems are not widey used and are not we understood and, where deveoped for a specific breed, it is not known whether they are reiabe if appied to other breeds. The systems need to be reviewed and industry wide agreement reached in order that investigating officers, prosecuting bodies, ega representatives and Courts a use the same too of measurement. Action 3a: Review observation arrangements for horse wefare and consider any improvements, incuding standardisation of methods of wefare measurement. Action 3b: Deveop a system of horse wefare surveiance based on reports from groups and organisations with an interest in the wefare of horses. See the Action Pan at Annex A for more detais. 15

20 AIM 4: REVIEW METHODS OF HORSE IDENTIFICATION Champion: British Horse Society 4.1 Estabishing and promoting a permanent method of identifying horses in those sectors where such a system is not in pace woud have a great impact on heath and wefare. In particuar, it woud: hep owners and keepers to trace and identify ost or stoen animas and hep reduce the number of horses stoen by serving as a deterrent to thieves; aow wefare organisations to trace the owners of horses whose wefare has been compromised and to identify oose or abandoned horses making dishonesty or fraud more difficut; and simpify the tracing of animas invoved in an outbreak of a notifiabe disease, hopefuy achieving eradication Currenty, Horse Passports serve as an identity document for a horses across the European Union. However, these rey heaviy on sihouettes as the main means of physica identification but sihouettes are not sufficienty effective to achieve a of the outcomes expected of them. In some areas, the industry itsef mandates the use of more robust means of identification, e.g. microchipping for Thoroughbreds. The European Union is currenty finaising new egisation in respect of horse identification. It is expected that this wi require the microchipping of a equines, beginning with foas born from a specified date. Ceary, once this egisation is in pace, it woud be beneficia for a horse owners and keepers to consider appying the same method of permanent identification to oder horses and ponies. It is understood that there wi be an exemption for fera ponies prior to sae. It is not yet cear what sanctions wi be in pace to ensure compiance. Up to date information on the new egisation wi be avaiabe on the Defra and BHIC websites. The Nationa Equine Database wi, for the first time, provide a means of bringing together information on the majority of horses across Britain. The database has been designed to hod horse passport data as we as information on breeding, competition and performance. NED wi act as the centra og for microchip numbers and other optiona identification data. It is most important, however, that the information kept on NED is kept up to date for instance in respect of changes of horse ownership and horse deaths. Action 4a: Monitor the deveopment of new egisation on the identification of equines. Action 4b: Working with the insurance industry and others, promote the appication of the agreed permanent physica identification for a horses. Action 4c: Promote the recording of information on a horses on the Nationa Equine Database. See the Action Pan at Annex A for more detais. 16

21 AIM 5: REVIEW MEDICINES NEEDS AND AVAILABILITY Champion: British Equine Veterinary Association In order to contro disease and assist good heath and wefare across a user groups, it is essentia that an adequate range of effective medicines is avaiabe to treat the spectrum of horse diseases and conditions. Veterinary medicina products are paced on the market under a European reguatory framework. The egisation is impemented in the UK through the Veterinary Medicines Reguations under which the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), an executive agency of Defra, is responsibe for authorising new veterinary products for the UK market. In order to be granted authorisation, products must have a favourabe risk/benefit baance identified through the assessment of their quaity, safety and cinica efficacy and must be safe to the person administering the medicine and to the environment as we as to the equine consumer. Whie this reguatory system is effective, it is highy expensive and time consuming for pharmaceutica firms to deveop new products for the market that wi meet these criteria and thus gain authorisation. This, couped with the reativey sma size of the market for many equine veterinary medicines, inevitaby means that the rate of bringing new products onto the market is ow and is therefore a imiting factor in the avaiabiity of authorised equine products. In the absence of an authorised product to treat a given horse disease or condition, veterinary surgeons may prescribe other products through a prescribing cascade. This reies on the professiona abiities of individua veterinary surgeons. As we as exercising the cascade competenty, the veterinary surgeon must ensure that the active substance(s) in the product proposed for administration to the horse have been entered into Annex I, II or III of European Reguation EC/2377/90, or have been isted in the Essentia List (Positive List) of substances not entered into Annexes I-III that can be administered to horses intended for human consumption, and, if so, set a withdrawa period between the time of the administration and the moment when the anima may be saughtered for human consumption. If this is not possibe, the horse must be decared as not intended for human consumption in its passport and may then never enter the human food chain. This system is an essentia part of prescribing medicines for horses and its promotion and retention are vita. Further, the avaiabiity of products for administration to horses may be subject to imitations arising from issues reating to other species. For exampe, recent European egisation has ed to the withdrawa, for use in horses intended for human consumption, of authorisation of an equine veterinary medicina product because it contained a substance that has been banned for use in food-producing animas. These imiting factors constrain the choice and avaiabiity of an appropriate and effective range of veterinary medicina treatments for the fu spectrum of horse diseases and conditions. It is therefore proposed that a Working Group be estabished to consider and identify future needs in respect of equine veterinary medicines, to propose pans to meet those needs and to ensure the continuing avaiabiity of essentia equine veterinary medicines. The Group shoud take a wide view and 17

22 consider a European focused soution. It shoud incude representatives from a interested parties incuding Defra s Anima Heath and Wefare Directorate, the Nationa Office of Anima Heath (NOAH) to represent the pharmaceutica industry, the horse industry and the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA). The VMD shoud be represented but as an observer since, as a reguatory authority, it cannot be invoved in research and deveopment or suppy issues It is important that a owners and keepers of horses are aware of, and fufi, their responsibiities with respect to the administration of medicines to horses, incuding the safe storage, safe administration and recording of the medicina substances used. In addition, the industry, together with Defra, VMD, NOAH and BEVA, has a centra roe to pay in owner education and provision of information to owners. It is aso important that carity is maintained about the definition of veterinary medicina products (currenty defined as products caimed to be medicina by either presentation or function ) and that there is cear differentiation between these and substances without medicina effect, incuding feed suppements. It is essentia that the industry promotes the education of a those invoved with the care and keeping of horses so that the difference between medicina products and other products is understood. In reation to Aim 1.4, the industry, VMD and veterinary surgeons each have key roes to pay in maintaining awareness of these differences and the importance of appropriate use of both medicina and non-medicina products in the treatment and prevention of disease. Specificay, owners and keepers of horses need to be abe to judge when veterinary advice and the administration of medicina products is appropriate. Action 5a: Estabish a working group to determine current and ikey future medicine suppy needs and recommend how best to meet them. See the Action Pan at Annex A for more detais. 18

23 AIM 6: REVIEW EDUCATION, SKILLS AND TRAINING Champion: LANTRA In order to secure good horse heath and wefare, everyone invoved with horses needs sufficient education about the requirements of proper standards of horse care and the skis needed to meet those requirements. There is a need for mechanisms that recognise the skis and competencies of individuas invoved with the care of horses. A preiminary risk anaysis does not negate the genera view that horse owners and keepers have appropriate knowedge and skis, but it does show inadequacies in parts of some user groups. A more detaied audit of the education and skis eves existing across the horse industry shoud be undertaken, incuding an anaysis of the strengths and weaknesses of existing training provision. In the ight of this audit, it may be agreed that it is necessary to devise an education, skis and training pan, taiored to different user groups and sub-groups, which, amongst other things, wi hep to prepare horse owners and keepers better for their roe in understanding norma and abnorma horse behaviour, heath maintenance and disease prevention. The pan coud promote, for exampe, appropriate feeding and nutrition, worm contro, safe transportation, stabing and tack fitting. It shoud have particuar regard to the needs of prospective and new owners, and of owners who do not beong to any of the horse organisations. It shoud recognise the fundamenta roe that training estabishments and riding schoos pay in heath and wefare education as these venues often represent the first time that peope encounter horses. They are thus primary earning paces. The pan shoud aso recognise the roe that ivery yard managers, particuary those running "do it yoursef yards", have in advising first time owners. A major effort wi be required to communicate the pan widey. It wi need to tie in with measures in the Strategy for the Horse Industry in Engand and Waes to raise skis and training eves for peope working and vounteering in the industry. Action 6a: Audit education and ski eves and training provision, and identify significant gaps. Action 6b: Devise and introduce a resourced pan to meet any significant gaps identified in Action 6a. See the Action Pan at Annex A for more detais. 19

24 AIM 7: REVIEW RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS Champion: The Horse Trust Veterinary research is fundamenta to improving horse wefare through advancing understanding of horse heath, disease, abnorma conditions and injury, eading to improvements in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management. Advancing horse heath and wefare through veterinary research depends on the avaiabiity of funding, the rationa appication of funds, the existence of a nationa nuceus of appropriatey trained scientists and veterinarians with suitabe faciities to carry out research, and communication of resuts. Britain is we-served by an active research base in academic and scientific institutions and by the avaiabiity of funds for equine research. The use of these funds is optimised by a rigorous review process to ensure that the highest standards of science and reevance to wefare are achieved. Research workers disseminate their resuts to the equine veterinary profession and the broader scientific community through the scientific iterature and conferences. Resuts are communicated to the industry through meetings and ay pubications. There are exciting opportunities ahead for equine research, for exampe, the recent competion of equine genome sequencing has unocked opportunities for enhancing the prevention of a wider range of diseases than has been possibe before. The review of disease surveiance arrangements under Aim 2 of this Strategy may direct future actions, incuding research, to improve disease prevention and risk management. Whie current arrangements for research are satisfactory, it is timey to review the nationa situation to ensure that Britain continues to advance equine heath and wefare through science and appy those advances in the most efficient and effective way. Working in conjunction with the heath surveiance arrangements at Aim 2, the review shoud encompass at east the foowing: Current sources of funds and opportunities to maximise funds from nationa and EU sources in ine with research opportunities. Opportunities to improve the quaity and rate of progress in equine research and to improve expoitation of technoogica advances to the benefit of equine heath and wefare. Opportunities to improve the aocation, distribution and use of funds. Opportunities to enhance understanding of science in reation to equine heath and wefare. Opportunities to improve communication and uptake of research resuts. Action 7a: Review veterinary research arrangements; identify opportunities to improve funding, the quaity and rate of progress of research, the aocation, distribution and use of funds, and communication and uptake of resuts. See the Action Pan at Annex A for more detais. 20

25 AIM 8: REVIEW DELIVERY AND FURTHER DEVELOPMENT Champion: British Horse Industry Confederation The pubication of this Strategy is a andmark step towards improving the overa standards of equine heath and wefare in Britain. It is not, however, an end in itsef - it is the beginning. The desired improvements wi ony be achieved through vigorous pursuit of the Aims, impementation of the Actions, monitoring and assessment of the resuting outcomes and further actions where appropriate. The Champions who have vounteered to ead this process in respect of each of the Aims have a cear responsibiity for driving the various eements of the Strategy forwards, but they cannot do so aone. Their roe is that of faciitators and each wi need to be supported by their organisations and other individuas invoved in the reevant Actions. Co-ordination wi aso be required where strands of activity overap. Impementation wi therefore be a major effort that wi demand and rey on the commitment and enthusiasm of those individuas and organisations directy concerned with the achievement of each Aim, and, utimatey, of the wider equine industry in Britain. Effective oversight is needed to ensure that the Strategy is fuy impemented and reguary reviewed. To this end, the BHIC, which aready has responsibiity for the predominanty economic and socia Horse Industry Strategy for Engand and Waes, wi co-ordinate and monitor deivery of this work. The BHIC is we paced to fufi this roe, given the wide experience of its membership. However, not every group that has an interest in achieving the Vision as set out in these pages is directy represented on its Board. BHIC wi therefore have to ca upon the expertise of wider interest groups and to receive their fu support in taking the Actions forward. The Action Pan wi be posted on the dedicated website ( with the cear indication of where the responsibiities ie. There wi aso be a ink from the BHIC website ( Progress wi be reviewed informay after six months by a steering group under the auspices of BHIC. One year after pubication of the Pan, this group wi report on what has been fuy achieved, what has been partiay achieved and what remains to be done. The Actions set out in this Strategy wi provide a firmer evidence base for assessing horse heath and wefare and determining whether any further action is needed and, if so, what form it shoud take. Any further action shoud be proportionate and cost-effective, taking fu account of costs and benefits, and be appropriatey resourced. Action 8a: Ensure the Strategy is impemented, monitor its effectiveness, and review its content to determine whether changes are needed and if so what form they shoud take. See the Action Pan at Annex A for more detais. 21