LAUNCH OF LIVERY YARD SURVEY
| LAUNCH OF LIVERY YARD SURVEY Britain's leading equestrian organisations today (18th July 08) launched a survey to find out more about the welfare standards in livery yards. Livery yards are very popular in the UK for those people who are unable to keep their horses and ponies at home. However, there is no record of how many horses are currently at livery or indeed the number of operating yards and the welfare standards under which they operate. |  |
Representatives from the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA), World Horse Welfare, The British Horse Society, RSPCA, Association of British Riding Schools, South Essex Insurance Brokers (who currently insure a total of 8,562 DIY and livery stables), and for local government LACORS and CIEH, set up a working party to carry out some research into UK livery yards to become better informed about standards.
The group took the view that asking the general public about their local livery yard would help to obtain information about the number of yards and get a general picture of the range and standard of accommodation and services that livery yards offer.
Horse owners, grooms, yard owners, veterinary surgeons, farriers and other equine professionals are invited to complete the online survey at http://www.liveryyardsurvey.co.uk/so that the working party has the most up to date information on livery yards. They should complete a survey for each livery yard about which they have first hand knowledge.
BEVA Chairman Elect, equine veterinary surgeon (and Chair of the working party), Chris House comments: "We are in the early stages of discussions about licensing Britain's livery yard system to ensure better welfare standards for horses kept at livery. However, there is currently a void of information about these yards. Working Party members agreed that it was necessary to survey those involved with this important industry to gather the facts about standards before any decisions are made."
World Horse Welfare Deputy Chief Executive and member of the working party, Tony Tyler added: "Our UK Operations team receives around 30,000 calls a year and a significant percentage of these relate to horses that are at livery. We are not seeking to impose a gold standard on livery yards, but we believe that there may be holes in the current system that lead to welfare problems. We must find solutions that make improvements for vulnerable horses at the bottom end of the market."
Visitors to the site will be able to complete the survey confidentially and the results will be reviewed in September 2008 to establish what further action, if any, is necessary.
To report a welfare concern please call the World Horse Welfare Hotline free on 08000 480180.
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Reporting a Welfare Concern
Added on: 18/07/08.
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