The biggest horse race in the country, the Kentucky Derby, just took place on the first Saturday of May, that is, May 6. The event was exciting, yet unusual and unexpected at the same time. A lot of bad news and controversy rocked the equestrian event of the year, with several horses getting injured and some even succumbing to their injuries.

The equine death toll of the Kentucky Derby now stands at 8, a truly shocking news that has left a bad taste in the mouths of all the fans. Even outside the Kentucky Derby, there have been calls to end the sport of horse racing once and for all to save these magnificent animals from abuse, and worse, death. Amid these concerns, the FEI has spoken up.

FEI seeks to implement new equine welfare standards

The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) founded in 1921, serves as the international governing body of the Olympic Equestrian Sports such as Jumping, Dressage, Para-dressage, and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance, Vaulting, and Reining. The newly formed Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission (EEWC), which comes under the FEI, has produced some evidence-based proposals for the need for an improved set of standards governing equestrian sports.

The EEWC took into account the opinions of five external horse welfare experts, in addition to those of five FEI-affiliated members, and formulated a proposal. According to a report by The Horse, Ingmar De Vos, the FEI president, during his opening speech at the 2023 Sports Forum in Switzerland, said, “If our relationship with horses—and consequently, our sport—wants to remain acceptable in a broader society, and if we want to ensure a sustainable future, we need to re-explain and reestablish the essence of our relationship with horses.” 

Read more: “Punishing Horses”: Days After 2 Accidents in 35 Minutes, Equestrian Club’s Shocking Decision Leaves Veteran Trainer Stunned

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In this regard, the FEI seeks to create a brand new commission, that will govern all horse-welfare-related concerns for the FEI. The modus operandi of this new commission will be to make decisions based on science. The committee started working in June 2022, and they have already made a list of six initial proposals that they wish to address. This move comes as a welcome one in the current climate when it comes to equestrian sports.

Multiple tragedies rock the mega equestrian race

An alarming number of horse deaths cast a shameful shadow on the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby. Chloe’s Dream, a 3-year-old gelding had to be taken away in a van and then had to be given a lethal injection so she could be euthanized. Freezing Point, a 3-year-old colt, just a few hours before the main race was about to start, was taken from the field during the Pat Day Mile race and had to be euthanized as well.

The tally of dead horses, from the period leading up to the event to the day of the actual event, is a total of 8 now. Rio Moon was the last to be euthanized after he suffered a fatal injury to his left foreleg. Take Charge Briana and Wild on Ice lost their lives while participating in other races during the days leading up to the Derby. These worrying deaths have brought much-needed scrutiny to the event.

Hopefully, the new rules that the FEI seeks to implement will change the horse racing and equestrian sports industry once and for all, ensuring that no more innocent lives are lost due to negligence, malpractices, or animal abuse.

Watch the story here: We are all gut wrenched”: 8-year-old horse suffers horrifying fate after falling down a 100-foot-embankment