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Minimum Standards and Guidelines of Equine Welfare

Racing NSW continues to review and monitor its Equine Welfare Program to ensure that thoroughbreds that have been domiciled in NSW for the majority of their lives are cared for having regard to appropriate horse welfare standards. As part of this review, Racing NSW has released Minimum Standards and Guidelines of Equine Welfare, which contains compulsory Minimum Standards and also ‘best practice’ Guidelines.

The Minimum Standards detail the minimum standards required for the care of thoroughbred horses in the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Industry and must be complied with by “persons in charge” of horses in the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Industry. These include minimum requirements in respect of the following:

• provision of appropriate nutrition and water
• freedom of movement and exercise
• provision of appropriate accommodation
• protection from disease
• identification and treatment of injury and disease.
• sales, auctions and re-homing
• euthanasia and death

In addition to the Minimum Standards, the Guidelines set out a number of best practices principles that are encouraged in the industry in respect of horse welfare.

The Minimum Standards and Guidelines are to be read in conjunction with NSW Local Rule 114 which outlines Equine Welfare requirements for the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Industry and can be found at - Minimum Standards & Guidelines of Equine Welfare

Excluded List – NSWLR114(5)(b)(ii)

The Excluded List has been introduced to prohibit thoroughbreds that have been domiciled in NSW for the majority of their lives from being transferred, gifted or sold to a person that has not complied with required equine welfare standards or with the Rules of Racing. If a person is placed on the Racing NSW Excluded List, that person will not be able to receive or have in their care a thoroughbred that has been domiciled in NSW for the majority of their lives. The rule is effective 1 May 2020.

LR114(5)

Further to AR64JA(1), where a decision has been made to retire a horse, or not to commence racing an Eligible Horse, and that horse has been domiciled in New South Wales for the majority of its life:

(b)(i) that horse is not to be transferred to a location which does not meet minimum standards prescribed by Racing NSW to ensure the ongoing welfare of that horse and the owners are required to provide Racing NSW with all information and assistance (including access to the proposed location) in order to enable Racing NSW to assess that those minimums standards are met; [introduced 1/10/2017]

(b)(ii) that horse is not to be transferred, sold or gifted upon retirement or thereafter, to a person who is placed on the Racing NSW Excluded List for rehoming of thoroughbreds. [introduced 1/5/2020]

LR5-Definitions

Excluded List – is a list maintained by Racing NSW that details the names of persons who are not permitted, due to horse welfare concerns, to be provided with and/or have in their care, custody or control thoroughbreds that have been domiciled in NSW for the majority of their lives.