HorseWorld welcome British Equestrian’s Charter for the Horse
Shetland pony Beth and her groom, Lorna enjoy a moment in the field. Image courtesy of Jo Hansford Photography
HorseWorld welcome British Equestrian’s Charter for the Horse which sets out the highest standards of equine welfare, wellbeing and ethics.
Nineteen member bodies of the British Equestrian Federation have united to sign a new Charter for the Horse which demonstrates a pledge to be adopted across the equestrian sector to underpin commitment to safeguarding the physical and mental wellbeing of all equids.
There are six key areas in which the member bodies have collectively agreed to work towards achieving the highest standards. These are empathy, care, respect, consideration, ethics and learning.
It is intended that this Charter will be supported by all those who interact with, own or ride horses at any level, from those who enjoy pleasure riding, through to those who compete at the highest level.
At the heart of the Charter are the internationally recognised ‘three Fs’ - freedom, friends and forage - and the five domains welfare model which cite nutrition, physical environment, health, behavioural interactions and mental state as the crucial factors for an animal’s positive experience. The Charter domains have been central to the welfare, rehabilitation and equine assisted learning work of HorseWorld since it was established in 1952.
Carl Hester, one of Britain’s most successful equestrians with 15 championship medals to his credit and a leading advocate for equine wellbeing, added his endorsement to the Charter: “I’m delighted to see the release of this Charter – it’s such a positive move for our industry and unites us under one common aim. I always treat my horses as horses first, athletes second to support their mental and physical wellbeing, which means they can perform at their happy best on the world stage. I’d love to see everyone join together in showing support for the Charter and turning the words into action, for the good of all horses throughout the country.”
With the support of the BEF and The Horse Charter, HorseWorld look forward to continuing vital welfare and rehabilitation of equines in need and establishing HorseWorld as a leading voice in equine assisted learning through the pioneering HorseWorld Discovery Programme.
