Light exercise at private properties gets the OK for physical and mental well-being of horses

Light ridden exercise of horses will be permitted at private properties around the country under a new directive released this afternoon by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing.

NZTR boss Bernard Saundry yesterday made it clear that gallops trainers shouldn’t see it as business as usual just because the Ministry Of Primary Industries had deemed stables and training centres as essential services.

Further rules were then imposed that horses could not be ridden if agistment properties could be found, they were otherwise confined to a box or the trainers had a treadmill or walker.

But those restrictions have been removed in a revised directive issued by NZTR today, along with the stipulation that young horses cannot be educated, replaced by a statement that it recognises that the welfare of the horse encompasses both its mental and physical well-being.

“The mental well-being of some horses may be negatively impacted by monotony if only exercised on treadmills or horse walkers.

“Some horses require light ridden exercise to avoid becoming overweight.

“And the continuation of pre-training practices that provide graduated learning of young horses is important to their development.”

NZTR now says trainers who consider light ridden exercise is necessary for a horse’s well-being, and alternatives would not be effective, can continue if:

• It is conducted at a private property; and
• The horse and staff and/or trainer are resident on the same property, and all remain fully compliant to the government’s requirements under COVID alert level 4, and
• The property includes suitable areas or an existing circuit upon which light ridden exercise can be safely conducted.

If light ridden exercise is justified and permitted, the following prohibitions are stipulated on the grounds of personal safety at a time when the public health system is dedicating to combatting COVID-19:

* Galloping or fast work is prohibited.

* Education through jump-out starting gates is prohibited.

* The horse may be ridden only at a trot, canter or up to half-pace.

* Horses may only be ridden at a distance of 50 metres or more from other ridden horses.

* A very cautious approach must be taken to a decision to ride a very inexperienced horse or a potentially fractious horse.

The amended directive was issued in consultation with the New Zealand Trainer’s Association, a Racing Club Advisory Group, and the NZ Racecourse Managers’ Association.

NZTR General Manager Welfare and Sustainability, Martin Burns, said the provisions were specific to those trainers or pre-trainers with their own self-contained properties.

“NZTR’s very clear expectation is that all involved in racing must recognise that, with the focus of our health care professionals on the COVID-19 pandemic, they should not be taking any unnecessary risks. The advice from authorities is to apply common sense and do not do anything which might require someone else having to put themselves in danger to assist you, nor impose on the health care sector.”

NZTR says its advice from the Ministry for Primary Industries confirms that training centres, training stables, agistment properties and stud farms where horses are in containment are businesses that may register with MPI as an essential service under animal welfare considerations.

Businesses with more than five people (including the owner) working at each business site, or who cannot achieve physical distancing between staff, are required to register.

MPI has requested that all businesses who need to register do so by 5pm today. Businesses will be able to continue operating while going through the registration process.

Meanwhile, most racetracks throughout the country are now believed to be closed.