British racing has launched a new campaign targeted at proactively building public trust around horse welfare.

The HorsePWR initiative takes inspiration from other successful sporting campaigns that visually have human “stars and athletes right at the heart”, by promoting thoroughbreds in the same way. Its name is an acronym, with PWR representing “purpose, welfare and responsibility”, and the campaign comprises a new website with facts about the sport, plus posters with simple messaging around welfare.

“The HorsePWR campaign sees the sport take a new approach when it comes to talking about welfare,” said Robin Mounsey, British Horseracing Authority (BHA) head of communications and member of the sport’s Horse Welfare Board.

“It is about being up-front, open and transparent. It is about tackling head-on the elements of the sport that we know are areas of concern and providing information to educate and reassure.”

The first stage, which launched publicly on 4 April, is aimed at getting the industry engaged first, to give “racing people and supporters the tools with which to share their pride in racing, promoting the sport’s welfare standards and rebutting negative or misleading information”. The longer-term ambition is to engage with wider audiences.

In a media briefing ahead of the launch, Mr Mounsey added that the other reason the cross-industry campaign is targeting racing supporters and the industry first is that just because someone is a fan, “doesn’t mean they are immune to concerns about welfare”.

“We do not want to lose fans from the sport because those concerns start to override the enjoyment that people get from the sport,” he said.

Mr Mounsey shared findings of research that has informed the campaign – and explained why the “new approach” has been adopted.

He noted that in the past, a lot of messaging has focused on how much racing cares for its horses. While that is one of the seven aims of this new campaign, it is not the singular focus.

“People know that horses are well cared for in racing,” he said. “Even those who are wildly opposed to the sport acknowledge that racehorses are well cared for, but that’s not what they’re concerned about. They’re concerned about horses falling, horses being injured, what happens to horses when they’re injured, what happens to horses who are bred for the sport, what happens to horses who leave the sport, does the whip hurt – areas such as that.

“So we are tackling those areas head-on, and that’s why the messaging in this campaign might be different to what you’ve seen before.”

In developing the campaign, they canvased opinions of 600 respondents aged 18 to 34. They were asked a few questions on their immediate perceptions of racing, including what proportion of horses they believe are seriously injured or die due to racing (the current five-year rolling fatal injury rate in British racing is 0.2%).

Of those surveyed, 70% believed that between five and 20% of racehorses are seriously injured or die, 15% thought that number was 30% or more, and just under 12% thought that it was fewer than 1%.

“That shows why education around some of these issues is so important,” said Mr Mounsey, adding that they also found the general view on welfare is limited, and that people want to know what’s happening now regarding welfare.

The first stage of the campaign has been funded by the BHA, Great British Racing and the Jockey Club. It is also supported by the sport’s Horse Welfare Board and developed with input from those involved in the Stand Up For Racing, which was formed in spring 2023 to help counter misinformation and negative scrutiny.

Racing broadcaster Richard Hoiles welcomed the campaign.

“Following the welfare debates around last year’s Grand National it was felt the sport lacked a single source for accurate facts about racing, and this campaign fills that vacuum,” said Mr Hoiles. “This is about providing credible data and information, in the right context, so that people can make informed opinions.”

Two-time Grand National-winning trainer Lucinda Russell said that “this is just what racing needs”.

“We must provide the facts, help educate, and confront the tough questions head-on,” she said. “The facts matter. We understand our responsibility and respect our horses, and we want to make sure the public know this too. It’s good to see us taking a new approach, showing pride in the lives we give our horses, and challenging and correcting inaccurate information which is put into the public domain by those who are opposed to the sport.”

BHA chief executive Julie Harrington said that the response to the campaign is “unprecedented for racing”.

“For the industry to rally behind this cause with such full-throated support is immensely heartening,” she said.

“We deliberately took a bold and innovative approach to tackling welfare concerns fully aware that it carried a risk of a negative response in some quarters.

“But the way the sport has readily embraced this new concept shows just how much everyone in it recognises that perceptions around welfare are a critical issue for our future.

“It also shows that we recognise the need to be open, transparent and to tackle welfare concerns head-on.

“We should have confidence in what we do and understand that it is through education and information that we will build trust in the sport.”

You might also be interested in:

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

H&H senior news writer

Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.