How We’re Teaming Up with the British Equestrian Federation on Equine Welfare

The Pony Club is pleased to be collaborating with the British Equestrian Federation (BEF) and our partner Member Bodies on responding to equine welfare reports. Each organisation has nominated an Equine Welfare Officer (EWO) as the point of contact for the federation, which means that when a report comes in – whether directly to us, to the BEF, or to a different Member Body – it can be flagged among the relevant EWOs who can work together on any investigation.

To do this, we use a secure centralised database where we can log reports and actions. Importantly, whilst we can only access information related to The Pony Club, the system means that a suspended individual who has mistreated horses or ponies cannot simply ‘hop’ between their sports to avoid the sanction. The database mirrors what we already have in place for safeguarding children and means we can ensure a robust and co-ordinated approach across all Member bodies.

For our Volunteers and Officials, your essential work continues. Reported equine welfare concerns continue to be taken seriously by The Pony Club. We have internal processes for investigating and responding to complaints from our membership and these are now underpinned by increased collaboration across equestrian sport. Thank you for the vital role that you play in helping us to uphold high standards of equine welfare.

For more information please contact Ellie Phillips, Equine Welfare Officer for The Pony Club via equinewelfare@pcuk.org.