RSPCA Policy C04 Horses in sport, entertainment and recreation
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Article ID: 175
Last updated: 09 Dec, 2009
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| 4.1 |
RSPCA Australia advocates the licensing of all competitive horse events with a compulsory code of practice that would:
- require courses to be designed and maintained such that fit and trained horses can complete them uninjured
- exclude the use of performance enhancing/reducing techniques or devices such as spurs, whips, drugs, surgical husbandry procedures, and the use of medication which would enable an injured horse to compete
- require the cancellation of an event if conditions were such that the welfare of competing horses would be compromised
- require assessment by a competent person of horses’ fitness to perform and continue to perform in the event
- require the attendance of a veterinarian for the duration of events where there is the potential for injury or stress to competing horses
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| 4.2 |
Racing |
| 4.2.1 |
RSPCA Australia supports initiatives to reduce overbreeding and rehoming problems in the horse racing industry |
| 4.2.2 |
Two-year-old horses |
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RSPCA Australia is opposed to the racing of immature horses and supports the requirement that veterinary certification verifying that the animal has matured satisfactorily be obtained before training for riding is permitted to commence. |
| 4.2.3 |
Endurance and bush races |
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Endurance races must only be held under regulated circumstances where the animals are well trained and certified fit to participate. Competing horses must be regularly checked by experienced veterinarians and withdrawn at the first sign of distress. |
| 4.2.4 |
Jumping races |
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RSPCA Australia is opposed to jumping races (steeplechasing and hurdling) because the rate of injury associated with these sports is unacceptable. |
| 4.3 |
Devices used to control behaviour or performance |
| 4.3.1 |
Whips and spurs |
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The RSPCA is opposed to the use of traditional contact whips and spurs due to their potential for inflicting pain and injury |
| 4.3.2 |
Stereotypic behaviours |
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RSPCA Australia does not support the use of devices to prevent stereotypic behaviours in horses (such as wind sucking and crib biting) that are likely to cause injury, suffering or distress. Management of stereotypies should aim to address the underlying cause of the behaviour rather than the symptoms. |
| 4.4 |
Surgical husbandry procedures |
| 4.4.1 |
RSPCA Australia is opposed to any surgical husbandry procedure carried out on horses for which there is no established need or that is performed to overcome the adverse effects of selective breeding. |
| 4.4.2 |
Caslick’s procedure |
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Caslick’s procedure (caslicking) is the surgical closing of the upper part of a mare’s vulva to avoid problems associated with vulval conformation. RSPCA Australia encourages responsible breeding practices to address conformation problems rather than repetitive use of this invasive surgical procedure. |
| 4.4.3 |
Firing |
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Firing is a procedure used to treat tendon injuries in horses where a hot iron is used to burn lines around the lower limb (bar firing) or to penetrate the tendon (pin firing). RSPCA Australia is opposed to the firing of horses as this procedure is associated with considerable pain and tissue damage. |
(adopted 01/08/08)
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