An industry-commissioned report, The Most Important Participant - A Framework for Thoroughbred Welfare - was compiled by a four-person independent panel, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Welfare Working Group (TAWWG). It was published on Sunday, making 46 recommendations for reform to be made to improve outcomes for thoroughbred welfare.
The onus for implementing the recommendation now falls across both government and the thoroughbred industry, with the need for reforms falling into seven broad areas.
The report received significant Federal Government backing on Monday with Agriculture Minister David Littleproud expressing his desire to act on key recommendations around national standards and traceability and imploring the states to do the same.
"There is a role for governments - I encourage the states and territories to expediate work with the Federal Government in the development of national animal welfare standards for all horses," he said in a statement.
"I applaud the thoroughbred racing industry for its work in reviewing horse welfare and want to let them know of the Federal Government's commitment to taking their concerns seriously."
"I applaud the thoroughbred racing industry for its work in reviewing horse welfare and want to let them know of the Federal Government's commitment to taking their concerns seriously." - David Littleproud
The Federal Government recently put forward $1.1 million in funding to establish a national traceability register and has asked the states and territories to contribute as well.
The safety net
One of the seven areas identified in the report, which also forms recommendation 34, was the need for the establishment of a national safety net, to support horses at risk of a poor welfare outcome after leaving racing and breeding.
Such a safety net would allow the industry to help those horses that have left the industry and where intervention is needed to secure their welfare.
"TAWWG’s recommendation is the establishment of a national safety net, including a hotline, to provide all thoroughbred horses with such an opportunity," the report said.
Yearling parading at the sales
"Thoroughbreds at genuine risk could be referred to this scheme. A similar scheme has successfully transitioned hundreds of former racehorses in the UK in recent years.
"This program would enable the industry to help horses that might otherwise suffer mistreatment. It would also send a powerful message to the broader community: the thoroughbred industry is committed to welfare and to providing every vulnerable horse with an opportunity at a second career."
The solution would be implemented only for thoroughbreds classified at risk, not those who are simply at the end of their racing or breeding careers.
Strong support for reform
It's a recommendation which has been met with plenty of support, especially from breeders, who are keen to see a whole-of-life approach undertaken.
Peter O'Brien, General Manager of Segenhoe Stud, sees the improvement of equine welfare outcomes as the most pressing priority for the entire industry.
"It is the most crucial issue bar none. It has been for a while. Unless we get on top of this as an industry, everybody united as one, we are going to fall backwards," he told TDN AusNZ.
"It (welfare) is the most crucial issue bar none. It has been for a while. Unless we get on top of this as an industry, everybody united as one, we are going to fall backwards." - Peter O'Brien
"In terms of the optics to those outside the industry, we need to be seen to take control of this issue and manage it and make sure every horse has a safety net for the rest of its life."
The report said that even if a thoroughbred is mistreated long after it has exited the industry, 'the public will, rightly or wrongly, hold the industry accountable at some level'.
"This was confirmed in the public insights research conducted to support this report, in which the majority of respondents’ opinions could be summed up as, 'once a racehorse, always a racehorse'," the report said.
Peter O'Brien
O'Brien said the only way to address this issue was to ensure there was accountability for these horses right across the industry.
"I don't think there can be enough accountability. It’s always a difficult thing if you sell a yearling and the responsibility passes through to different people over its lifetime, but the word 'safety net' is a perfect word for it, because every horse should a have one," he said.
"I don't think there can be enough accountability." - Peter O'Brien
"By implementing the recommendations, it will improve the management and the welfare of these horses in Australia."
Mills hoping for progress
Leading bloodstock agent Sheamus Mills provided a submission to TAWWG for this report and has been a long-term advocate of a more co-ordinated focus on equine welfare.
Sheamus Mills
"I had a meeting with Racing Victoria many years ago, and I said to them that welfare would have the ability to end our sport within 25 years if not well dealt with and I was pretty much laughed out of the room," he said.
"I have been an advocate ever since then, and thankfully the industry now strongly realises the position it must take and maybe now that we have come to some concrete ideas, we can make some major progress."
"Thankfully the industry now strongly realises the position it must take and maybe now that we have come to some concrete ideas, we can make some major progress." - Sheamus Mills
Mills is also a major advocate of the thoroughbred industry taking an active role in managing the welfare of horses from foaling right through to death, and believes the safety net is a crucial part of that.
"It’s naïve to think we can outsource this stuff," he said. "I think the asteroid is coming and we are all kidding ourselves if we think it is someone else's job. It has to be the thoroughbred industry's job."
The report examined schemes across the world including the RESET scheme being used in Victoria and the ROR program in the United Kingdom, for a suitable model.
"I think the asteroid is coming and we are all kidding ourselves if we think it is someone else's job." - Sheamus Mills
The program in the UK saw 213 horses accepted into the ROR scheme in 2018 and 2019. Australia has a larger thoroughbred population (approx. 34,000 compared to 23,000), and the report estimated that around 150 horses a year would enter into a 'safety net program' should a similar system be set-up in Australia.
Who pays?
It is suggested a scheme in Australia can be co-ordinated through a newly established body Thoroughbred Welfare Australia (TWA), which the report proposes can be funded through a small levy of various aspects of the industry, including breeding and ownership.
"As well as being a boon for welfare, the adoption of a safety net scheme would send a powerful message to the broader community: the thoroughbred industry is committed to welfare and to giving every vulnerable horse an opportunity to be rehomed," the report said.
"Furthermore, the relative simplicity of the concept would allow for it to be communicated efficiently to thoroughbred participants, the broader equine community and the public, greatly increasing the chances of it becoming a successful measure to prevent mistreatment."
Feed time | Image courtesy of Segenhoe Stud
Mills has long campaigned for a levy on those who profit from the industry to help ensure thoroughbreds don’t end up with poor welfare outcomes.
Both Mills and O'Brien echoed the call from Godolphin Australia's Managing Director Vin Cox, that state-based rivalries must be put aside to resolve the welfare challenge and implement recommendations of this report.
"Obviously, a national approach has to happen for it to be effective. Getting all the states together on a collaborative approach is the only way it can really work," O'Brien said.
"If we don’t do that, we could have severe ramifications."
