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POOR MOVERS AND LAME HORSES PROTOCOL
Trainers understand their responsibilities under the Rules of Racing and the Animal Welfare Act to ensure racehorses are fit to race. The Authority acknowledges that some horses perceived as lame may just be `poor movers` and actually be fit to race.
To assist trainers the Authority has introduced the Poor Movers and Lame Horse Protocol to identify and assess horses with poor movement or overt gait abnormalities. These are permitted to race where safety, equine welfare and public perception are not thought to be compromised.
This Protocol was implemented after discussion and agreement with the National Trainers Federation. It allows the Authority’s Veterinary Officers to grade unsoundness on an agreed scale and to brief Racecourse Veterinary Surgeons, Starters and Stipendiary Stewards about poor movers. It has also helped to reduce disputes at the start.
Under the requirements of the Protocol, the gait and performances of long term poor movers are monitored and assessed whilst allowing them to run if possible, thereby accumulating data on the performance and veterinary history of these horses to establish that they are not at increased risk of catastrophic injury.
In general, lame horses cannot run, but there will be a number of exceptions- individuals with mild gait abnormality which, after veterinary assessment, is not considered likely to affect safety, welfare or performance.
If a horse is placed on the Poor Movers List the Trainer will be informed in writing. In the majority of cases these horses can continue to run providing that safety, equine welfare and public perception are not compromised, but they will be informally monitored by the Authority’s veterinary staff.
It will not be necessary for these horses to be trotted up before running on each occasion but the Authority retains the right to perform a pre and/or post race examination at any time. A Veterinary Officer will formally re-examine the horse if there is evidence that its condition has deteriorated or that it`s form is declining.
If a horse is withdrawn from running under the terms of the Protocol, the Trainer will be advised that, should he wish to run the horse again, he/she must either obtain a veterinary certificate stating a diagnosis and an opinion that the horse is fit to run or have the horse examined at his or her yard by a Veterinary Officer, together with the trainer’s own Veterinary Surgeon if possible.
For further information contact the Equine Science & Welfare Department: 020 7 152 0090 eswadmin@britishhorseracing.com
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