Racing of 'Tubed Horses' to be phased out
The Board of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), following the advice of the BHA Veterinary Committee, have announced that the racing of 'tubed horses', or horses that have a tracheostomy, will be phased out from October 1st 2012. The impact on the horse, internal harmonisation, the visible appearance of the procedure and others factors were taken into consideration by the Board during the course of their deliberations.
As of October 1st 2012, horses that have tracheostomys will not be allowed to race unless the procedure took place before the deadline and the horse's trainer is able to supply a certificate signed by a veterinary surgeon confirming that this is the case. The number of races in which this occurs is not likely to be high due to the relative rarity of the procedure, and the BHA Veterinary Committee predicted that the procedure would likely be abandoned without the intervention of the BHA in any case.
The intention to introduce a similar ban in Point to Point events has also been confirmed, although neither the BHA or the Point to Point Authority have announced a date or further details as yet.
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
