H&H speaks to experts from World Horse Welfare, the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and British Breeding to find out what is being done to prevent overbreeding from causing an equine welfare disaster in the face of an uncertain economic future...
The equestrian world has a “collective responsibility” now as much as ever to protect equine welfare through responsible breeding in the light of likely knock-on effects from the coronavirus pandemic.
Breeding and welfare organisations are urging people to think carefully, ensuring the balance of supply and demand is met while protecting equine welfare in the face of an uncertain economic future.
“Supply and demand is at the heart of the equestrian world like any other,” World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers told H&H .
“There will always be a demand for good-quality horses bred for everything from pleasure riding to competition and racing at the highest level. But even before this pandemic struck there was an imbalance, with a huge oversupply of youngstock.
{"content":"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"}
You may also be interested in…
Some owners decide to breed from mares because they are lame or have had to retire through injury, but is
It's not just the choice of stallion that you have got to get right when planning on breeding or purchasing
Credit: David Miller
Should you breed from your mare this year? It's the question every breeder should be asking
Credit: Jon Stroud
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2025 with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
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.
