Horse Welfare Board Sets Five-Year Plan Aiming for Full Lifetime Traceability
The programme pairs independent governance with digitised medication records and pilots of AI and wearable tech to cut injuries and rebuild public trust.
Overview
- The Horse Welfare Board launched the 2027–2031 'A Life Well Lived' strategy on Tuesday, setting 20 priorities and an ambition to achieve 100% lifetime traceability for thoroughbreds bred for racing in Britain.
- The plan mandates governance reforms and greater transparency and asks the industry to move medication and clinical records online so regulators can better spot risks in the training environment.
- Pilot work will start on data collection, AI analysis and wearable sensors to detect issues such as weakness or heart problems before they cause on-course injuries.
- Retraining of Racehorses will lead aftercare delivery and the Racing Foundation with the Levy Board have committed more than £1 million for 2027 to begin implementation and evaluation.
- The board framed the strategy as a response to public concern about equine welfare and to protect racing’s social licence, noting past gains on fall rates but persistent jumps-racing fatalities that the new measures aim to reduce.