Horse racing is facing new updates as the horseracing authorities take measures to ensure safe practices for both the jockeys and their horses.
Moreover, the riders who won’t abide by the rules risk being disqualified even after running the race and winning. The British Horseracing Authority warns that the changes aren’t optional.
Read more to find a detailed exposition on what will change, when the changes will be instituted, and who created the new regulations.
The Whip Consultation Steering Group
Every organization needs certain authoritative bodies that propose changes based on scientific research on the matter. In this case, the Whip Consultation Steering Group was formed after an initial consultation phase of 10 weeks passed.
The initial consultation was an online questionnaire, followed by group studies, that aimed to discover more about the concerns and the industry’s overall impact on the public. The data gathered in the initial phase was thoroughly assessed, analyzed, and discussed by the WCSG in order to return with optimal recommendations for future horse racing events.
But why is this so important? The reason for its significance comes from the sport’s popularity. In the United Kingdom, horse racing placed second in the country’s most attended sports. It currently has a fanbase of 6 million attendees.
In this case, you can imagine how jockeys’ bad practices can be seen by a large population as actions condoned by the British Horseracing Authority. It’s fair to say that the BHA doesn’t wish for that.
Jump Racing is about to Change
The section of Jump racers within the industry is supposed to make the changes quicker than Flat racers. For Jump racing, the regulations start on January 9 with four weeks of accommodation. During those four weeks, the sanctions won’t be active but will take full effect on January 6.
The new rules state that a jockey who whips their horse 12 or more times during any race could instantly be disqualified.
However, the big races propose a more significant stake for the jockeys of both the Jump and Flat races. After the rules are officially instituted, jockeys could be suspended for 28 days, aside from being disqualified.
Why are rules around whipping changing?
Whips have a long history of being used on different targets. In fact, humans were once the target of the whips as well. Think about the building of the Great Pyramids, at least!
Needless to say, whips hurt. It doesn’t matter whether people think horses have thicker skin and don’t feel the whips. In reality, horses feel as much pain as we do when whipped. The Guardian also confirmed it in an article from 2020 when this fact was publicly shared.
The discrepancy between human beings and animals is much smaller than we think. However, we put so much pride in our power to dialogue and transmit information through language that we think of ourselves as Gods or, at worst, extraterrestrials.
Let’s treat animals fairly, just like we’d like to be treated by an evolutionarily superior being.
What about Flat Racing?
Although starting later, the Flat racers can’t avoid the new rules of conduct. According to the British Horseracing Authority, Flat racing counterparts begin an accommodation period on February 27, 2023. The total assimilation of the new rules will officially start on March 27.
If the Jump racers could count to 12 until they realized whipping horses is wrong and against the rules, Flat racers are only 11 strikes away from disqualification.
What Do the People Say?
According to a study by Research Gate, 84.5% of the participants raised ethical concerns about horses risking injuries when whipped during races. Compared to this, the percentage of people who raised ethical concerns regarding athlete injury in other sports was only 40.3%.
To top this off, around 65% of participants strongly objected to using whips in horse racing. We don’t know if the participants read the study referenced above regarding the pain levels felt by hoses when whipped. Still, the majority opposed whips based on ethical conduct.
In addition, 7 out of the 10 participants in one of the study groups declared their concern regarding horse injury on the tracks. All of the 7 participants belong to the Gen-Z demographic.
Will the Gambling Scene be Affected?
For those who bet, it’s essential to closely follow your favorite jockeys to observe if they abide entirely by the new regulations. Remember, breaking the rules could attract penalties and disqualifications. Betting on a jockey who can’t stop whipping their horse is not the best betting strategy.
Next, you need to know that betting agencies, including the new sites for gambling, are not directly affected by the new rules. Therefore, these types of businesses will probably avoid modifying their services.
Better Prospects for 2023
We know that horse racing is an international sport that excites millions of spectators at home. This is why we applaud this decision by the British Horseracing Authority. We hope that in the future, whipping will be replaced by something less harmful for the horses.
Even though whipping isn’t yet outlawed, 2023 will bring the changes we all wanted – to minimize the risk of injury for both the jockeys and their horses. After all, humans and horses are partners in this sport!
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.