BHA Issues Guidelines for Horse Welfare During Lockdown

The British Horseracing Authority has advised trainers on how to maintain the welfare of their horses during the COVID-19 pandemic with strict guidelines on the way they should be exercised. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson enacted a lockdown March 23, requiring people to stay at home unless absolutely necessary, closing non-essential shops and community spaces, and stopping all gatherings of more than two people in public. The BHA guidelines support stable staff continuing to travel to work but only where it was impossible for them to work from home.

The statement read: "We are working with DEFRA to ensure we are interpreting their guidance correctly. Our current understanding is that horses can continue to be exercised as usual, provided guidance on social distancing and hygiene is strictly adhered to.

"Staff at yards must follow government advice relating to social distancing when outside—remaining at least two meters apart and avoiding gatherings of more than two people, apart from members of their own household, at any time."

A number of flat trainers have shared updates online outlining the changes they have made to maintain high standards of hygiene and distance between work riders in the yard and on the gallops. 

Newmarket-based trainer Charlie Fellowes has taken the same precautions and explained how the latest BHA guidelines have affected the way he exercises the horses in his care. 

"I can only speak for myself but mine are just cantering," said Fellowes. "I'll probably allow some unraced 3-year-olds to do a bit more so when we get the green light to race they've learnt a bit and know their job, rather than me taking an extra two months. 

"Everything will be done within the boundaries. If by maintaining their fitness to race you are jeopardizing the distancing between humans then you shouldn't be doing it. We'll adhere to the rules and maintain thorough hygiene levels to prevent us from putting our staff's health at risk or putting them in a position where they could spread any potential virus."

It was announced that from March 18 there would be no racing in Britain until May 1 at the earliest and Fellowes admitted the timing of the announcement, just before the commencement of the flat season, meant many horses were likely to have achieved a strong base-level of fitness. 

"When racing stopped most people's horses were probably around 75% or 80% fit," said Fellowes. "As a result, the ones who have run before can just carry on doing what they're doing. They don't need to gallop. They can just canter away and they'll maintain a fitness level. If I wanted to they'd be two or three weeks off being ready to run. 

"Had the halt to racing come earlier, say in January when the majority of flat horses were pretty unfit, it would have been interesting to see how trainers went about their business. It happened just as the season started so most of the horses are fit anyway so there's not much for us to do."

On Tuesday National Association of Racing Staff chief executive George McGrath spoke of the necessity for stable staff to continue to work, if they feel comfortable to do so, to maintain the health of the racehorse population. 

McGrath said: "The sooner we get back racing the better, even if it is behind closed doors, and as such we need the horses to be ready. If we were to stop it would take weeks for them to get back to peak fitness."

The BHA extended its advice to the racecourse staff who, in a similar vein to stable staff, may still travel to work "to perform core outdoor duties, provided requirements around social distancing and gatherings of no more than two people are adhered to."

BHA Issues Guidance to Studs and Yards After Lockdown

Studs in Britain, along with training yards and racecourses, have been issued guidance by the BHA in response to the lockdown implemented by the UK government on Monday to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

Government measures require people to stay at home, except for very limited purposes; for non-essential shops and community spaces to be closed; and for all gatherings of more than two people in public to be stopped.

The restrictions, which will impede the normal running of studs, will be in place initially for three weeks from Monday.

The BHA statement says that travel to work, strictly to care for horses, may continue.

"The guidance stipulates that people can leave home to travel to and from work 'only where this absolutely cannot be done from home,'" the statement reads. "On this basis, and provided that travel is strictly limited to the express purposes outlined by government, travel directly to work to care for horses may continue.

"Staff who are essential to the care of horses in respect of the above, and who absolutely cannot work from home, should continue to travel to work during the period of these restrictions."

Care of horses should continue, it goes on to say, but government restrictions must be strictly observed.

"Horses should of course be cared for at all times—including access to food and water, clean bedding, and exercise," it states. "Many businesses will require staff to travel to work to provide this. Staff at yards MUST follow government advice relating to social distancing when outside—remaining at least two meters apart and avoiding gatherings of more than two people, apart from members of their own household, at any time."

It is understood that suppliers of feed, bedding and appropriate veterinary medicines will remain operative under similar government advice that allows pet shops to remain open for access to animal supplies.

Vets will continue to work but have been advised to reduce face-to-face consultations and to focus on emergency appointments, fulfillment of urgent prescriptions and maintaining the food supply chain. Farriers can continue to provide essential services to horses but with provisos around hygiene and social distancing with no more than one carer or owner of the horse at each case.

The British Farriers and Blacksmiths Association, in association with the executives from a number of veterinary and welfare organizations, asked that registered members considered their appointments on a traffic light basis.

Red, or appointments that should be met, involve crucial hoof care in which non-attendance would have serious detrimental effects, promote discomfort, and cause pain, including care of foals.

Farriers should regard advisory hoof care as an amber, or delay where possible, and consider whether the timescale between appointments can be extended without the horse becoming a 'red.' They should not attend non-crucial hoof care cases, which could easily be extended without any long-term concerns.

The BHA stressed that the current guidance, based on liaison with DEFRA and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, may need to be amended if the government refines or strengthens its measures to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.