Equine Welfare at Royal Ascot

The safety and wellbeing of horses and jockeys is paramount at Royal Ascot and in recent years several major changes have been made to improve welfare standards.

A new initiative at Royal Ascot this year will see enhanced pre-race examinations carried out on every horse running throughout the week. The process involves:

• A cardiac assessment

• A trot up over 25 metres in a straight line

• An examination of the musculoskeletal system

These examinations are designed to support the work of the whole sport to reduce avoidable risk, adding an extra layer of protection so we know horses are lining up in the best possible health post-travel.

Ascot has invested significant amounts to improve equine welfare in recent years

During the 2004-2006 redevelopment a safer racetrack was created by cambering the home and old paddock bends and removing the road crossings over the track.

In 2016, further improvements to equine welfare provision were made as part of a £700,000 project to create an enhanced unsaddling area. This benefits from extra space, maximum shade and is also equipped with equine misting fans to aid with post-race cooling of horses.

Five specifically qualified equine vets are on duty every day at Royal Ascot who are dedicated to the welfare of all the horses.

During each race, vets follow the runners by car and can respond to and attend an incident generally within a minute – as fast as the paramedic teams responsible for jockeys.