title: A Critical Analysis of the British Horseracing Authority's Review of the Use of the Whip in Horseracing.
abstract: There is increasing controversy about the use of the whip as a performance aid in Thoroughbred horseracing and its impact on horse welfare. This paper offers a critical analysis of the British Horseracing Authority's (BHA) 2011 Report Responsible Regulation: A Review of the Use of the Whip in Horseracing. It examines the BHA's process of consultation and use of science and public opinion research through the application of current scientific literature and legal analysis. This analysis suggests that the BHA's findings on the welfare impact and justification for whip use are insufficiently defended by the report. These findings indicate that the report is an inadequate basis from which to draw any definitive conclusions on the impact of whips on racehorse welfare. Further review is needed, undertaken by an independent scientific body, to advance this debate.
authors.affiliation: RSPCA Australia, P.O. Box 265, Deakin West, ACT 2600, Australia. bjones@rspca.org.au.|Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. bjones@rspca.org.au.
authors.forename: Bidda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: RSPCA Australia, P.O. Box 265, Deakin West, ACT 2600, Australia. jed.goodfellow@mq.edu.au.|Law School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia. jed.goodfellow@mq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Jed
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goodfellow
authors.affiliation: University of Bristol, Langford BS40 5DU, UK. james.yeates@rspca.org.uk.|RSPCA, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Sussex RH13 9RS, UK. james.yeates@rspca.org.uk.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yeates
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. paul.mcgreevy@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: McGreevy
keywords: equine; horse; pain; racing; welfare; whip