The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has announced that is conducting a survey to better understand the aftercare of racing Thoroughbreds in that country.

The voluntary survey, which asks for trainers to share their own racehorse aftercare experiences, forms part of ongoing work towards the overarching equine health and welfare strategy the BHA is currently developing.

The focus will be on life after horses finish their racing career and follows on from news of 30-day foal notification, which the BHA hopes will help form a more accurate picture of racehorses’ lives before they enter training.

The survey will be open for two weeks allowing trainers the opportunity to share the high standards of aftercare received by racehorses, but also will allow the BHA to gain greater clarity regarding the latter stages of racehorses’ lives.

Trainers have been sent the survey by e-mail and have been asked to complete it by March 2.

“British Racing’s duty of care to its racehorses extends beyond the end of their racing careers,” said David Sykes, BVSc, MRCVS, director of equine health and welfare at the BHA. “As part of our work towards an equine welfare strategy which encompasses the post-racing life of a racehorse, we need to get a fuller picture of what happens to horses after they leave the track.

“Asking for trainers’ help to do this will allow us to understand the current landscape from those who experience it first hand, and we are looking forward to seeing the results.”