X. MAKE THE PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES THE EQUINE WELFARE GAMES

“The welfare of Olympic horses should no longer be overlooked and neglected”

This blog is an excerpt from the PARIS 2024 HORSE WELFARE CAMPAIGN MAGAZINE  which is free to download and read online.

 

In view of the long tradition and French excellence in horse riding, the Paris 2024 Games must exemplify the respect and well-being of the horse. They can also be responsible for raising public awareness.

For this, an equine well-being scoring system could be in place during training and competitions, over the entire duration and presence of the horse in the Olympic precinct, taking into account the criteria seen above and behavioural indicators of good/bad- behaviours (conflict, opening of the mouth, position of the ears, etc.) during work.

A score would be awarded at the end of each event, with a brief explanation of the bonuses and penalties obtained by each horse. The details of the mark would be accessible to everyone on the Internet. This would allow teams to pay more attention to equine well-being, raise awareness among amateur and professional riders at lower levels, and finally to offer the general public a positive message about this sport.

Recommendation #44

Create and apply an “Equine Welfare” scoring for the Olympic Games, explaining it to the media and the general public as a ranking for “benevolent sport”.

Recommendation #45

Use the evaluation frameworks validated by the equine industry to award an “Equine Welfare” score at the Olympic Games, and entrust this mission to the “Welfare Committee” composed of independent experts who will carry out their work on-site and via video surveillance.

The equine welfare charter has been drawn up by the National Horse Federation, the French Equine Veterinary Association, the French Horse Riding Federation, France Galop, the National Horse Group and Le Trot. It is based on the expertise of the Institut de l’Élevage as well as the Good Practice Guide in which the above-mentioned APCA, IFCE, FEG, SHF and SFET participated. This charter and guide cover in detail the major themes of the BEE and must be highlighted during these games to be known to as many people as possible.

Recommendation #46

Make the Paris 2024 Olympic Games the Olympic Games of equine welfare, by applying the Equine Welfare Charter and Good Practice Guide produced by the FNC (Federation Nationale du Cheval), l’AVEF (Association Vétérinaire Equine Française), FFE (Fédération Française d’Équitation), France Galop, the GHN (Groupement Hippique National) and Le Trot.

“The welfare of Olympic horses should no longer be overlooked and neglected”

This blog is an excerpt from the PARIS 2024 HORSE WELFARE CAMPAIGN MAGAZINE  which is free to download and read online.