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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 11th November 2021
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Ethical framework for equine sport revealed
"We hope this framework will be a pivotal step forward" - Roly Owers, World Horse Welfare.
The framework was funded by the World Horse Welfare and developed by the RVC. 

An 'Ethical Framework for the Use of Horses in Sport' was unveiled at an industry workshop, where over 90 leaders from equine sport, the veterinary profession, academia and the media contributed their ideas on the topic of ethical issues.

Developed by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), in collaboration with World Horse Welfare, the framework has been designed to deliver an agreed and transparent method of approaching ethical issues across equestrian disciplines.

Attended by representatives from across horse sport disciplines, the workshop explore ethical issues across each discipline, and considered how the framework could be most usefully applied to address them.

Ethical challenges identified in the workshop included fatalities and catastrophic injuries, care and management of equine athletes throughout their life, rider/driver weight and competence, and the use of equipment such as whips, spurs, bitted bridles and nosebands.

Roly Owers, chief executive of World Horse Welfare, said: “We hope this framework will be a pivotal step forward to help equestrian sport make decisions affecting horse welfare that are underpinned by an ethical basis.

“The next challenge is adapting this framework to become an accessible and easily applied go-to tool consistently across equine sport.

“Having a consistent, logical approach to making ethical decisions will help to make better decisions, and make it easier to communicate them to the sport and the public.”

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."