Diverging interests and conflicts in regard to the veterinary practice for both the performance of the horse and its prolonged welfare

Abstract

Diverging interests and conflicts in regard to the veterinary practice for both the performance of the horse and its prolonged welfare Under ideal conditions the care for sport horses by veterinarians promotehe capacity of the sport horse as well as his long-term welfare. But this two aims can be conflicting in the work of veterinarians. That means: In some cases the capacity for sport performance is rehabilitated and increased at the cost of the long-term welfare of the horse; in other cases the care for the long term welfare of the horse implicates the interruption of competing in competitions. The opposing tasks, interests and willingnesses of the veterinarians and the corresponding conflicts are closely connected with the expectations of the clients adressed to the doctor, with the social attitudes to the phenomenon "illness" and with the conviction, that the health and the capacity could be achieved by the modifying action of the doctor, it means, the health and the capacity could be rehabilitated and increased. The conviction of the "makeability" connects the medical work with the technical world as well as with the performance sport. To the competition sport with horses the conflict between using the cpacity of the horse on one side and the protection of health and wellbeing of the horse on the other side is immanent. The riders and the riding organisations, which profit by the prospering sport, know as well about that conflict. But they diminish the occurrence of the conflict by psychic techniques as ignoring, reinterpretation and shifting the importance of the facts. Further growing consideration of the interests of the horse in the veterinarian work can not be expected to be achievd by moral appeals. This is mainly due to the pressure coming from the sport. A stronger effect could be reached by competent publications about the structures and the developments of the sport, which burdens the horse. Such publications, done by veterinarians, could diminish the image of the horse sport, provoke the criticism of the sponsors and as a reaction on that enforce the growing consideration of the wellbeing of the horse.

Interspecies Sustainability to Ensure Animal Protection: Lessons from the Thoroughbred Racing Industry

“…It is also well-known within the industry that veterinarians are challenged with the business and ethics of racing and their role within that context, a topic of a seminar conducted by Racing Victoria in 2014, and of a symposium for veterinarians, trainers and owners in Germany in 2015. Veterinarians for horses in sport and entertainment are exposed to pressures and expectation of owners and trainers [95] and an often-cited position of veterinarians is, "if I don't do it, someone else will" [96].…”