A ‘monumental’ step for horse welfare, a dressage legend’s incredible score, plus more things the horse world is talking about
Ban on export for slaughter one step closer
A “monumental” step towards banning the live export of horses for slaughter was made on Tuesday (14 May), as provisional legislation passed its third and final reading in the House of Lords. The Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill now just needs royal assent before it becomes law. “The passage of this law ensures that no horse, pony or donkey will legally be exported from Great Britain for slaughter and while this is a monumental step forward, plenty more needs to be achieved to effectively combat the illegal export of equines from the country,” said World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers.
A dressage legend’s exceptional score
British dressage legend Carl Hester recorded the highest score he has ever had when the exciting mare he was riding was awarded 98.4% in a young horse class at the All England Dressage Festival at Hickstead on Friday (10 May). Quinn G (Quarterhit x Fassbinder), owned by Fiona Bigwood, won the five-year-old World Breeding Championship with Betina Jaeger last year, before she was sold to Fiona. “She has the perfect young horse champion vibe; she has a huge walk, huge trot, and huge canter. She’s enormous in character, size, movement – she’s just awesome to ride. That horse is a star without any rider on her,” said Carl.
Driver who killed horse jailed
A driver, who killed a horse when his lorry hit a broken-down horsebox on the M1 last July, has been jailed and suspended from driving. Nicholas Cole, 47, of Harrison Road, Wordsley, Stourbridge, admitted driving dangerously, at Northampton Magistrates Court in February. He was sentenced, at Northampton Crown Court on 9 May, to 42 weeks in prison and suspended from driving for 21 months. A video showing the incident has been shared by police as a warning to other road users of the importance of keeping their focus on the road and reading gantry signs.
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