Behind the scenes

Horse welfare is as critical as ever as we enjoy Christmas jollity. Howard Newitt MRCVS explains how racehorses are cared for during the festive racing period

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HORSERACING over the Christmas period is a hugely popular annual tradition enjoyed by families throughout the country.

From the Boxing Day bustle at Kempton Park to the thrill of Chepstow’s Welsh National, thousands of racegoers visit their local track to experience top-class racing - and an action-packed antidote to festive overindulgence.

And while the spotlight shines on the sporting drama, an extraordinary group of people works tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the highest standards of equine safety and welfare.

Every race meeting in Britain is supported by an expert team of vets, who work alongside other raceday officials to care for the horses competing that day.

First, we have the British Horseracing Authority's (BHA) veterinary officers, who are responsible for overall horse welfare and making sure the Rules of Racing are followed. Up to four BHA vets will be present at the sport's major meetings.

Alongside them are the racecourse veterinary surgeons, who lead the on-the-day veterinary care. Should a horse experience any kind of problem during a race, these are the vets who assess and treat any injury.

STRICT SECURITY

EACH raceday begins early - long before the starter's flag is raised for the first contest of the afternoon.

Horses arriving at the racecourse are greeted by the BHA's team of equine welfare integrity officers (EWIO), who control access to the stable yard. Highly experienced horse people, they also use their extensive knowledge and expertise to monitor the wellbeing of horses throughout the day.

Each horse has his or her own unique microchip, which is scanned on entry to the stable yard and again before heading out to compete - making sure the right horse is competing in the right race.