As a city proud of its racecourse, I want to ensure that whips used during horse racing do not infringe the welfare of the animals. I have been assured that the British Horseracing Association’s policy is that whips must be used responsibly and that this policy was drawn up in consultation with animal welfare groups including the RSPCA, as was the approved energy absorbing design of the whip itself. Full details can be found on its website at www.britishhorseracing.com
In addition to sanctions from the sport, using the whip indiscriminately on horses could lead to a prosecution under the 2006 Animal Welfare Act, which makes it a criminal offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any animal. I would encourage anyone with evidence that a racehorse has suffered unnecessarily from being whipped to report it to the local authority.
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With this said, I believe that the provisions of the 2006 Act, coupled with the BHA's rules on the use of the whip, provide adequate protection for racehorses.