The Impact of COVID-19 on Staff Working Practices in UK Horseracing

Davies, Emma; McConn-Palfreyman, Will; Williams, Jane; Lovell, Geoff P.

doi:10.3390/ani10112003

Cited by 17 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 39 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Pandemic restrictions also affected other kept animal species such as domestic equines, altering working practices, interactions and access to equine care ( Davies et al, 2020 ). A survey undertaken in the UK reported that “ the financial impact of the pandemic combined with restricted access to veterinary professionals resulted in owners expressing concerns that horse health and welfare may be compromised as a result.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

One welfare impacts of COVID-19 – A summary of key highlights within the one welfare framework

Pinillos¹

2021

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

One Welfare describes the interconnection between animal welfare, human wellbeing and their physical and social environment. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is the cause of COVID-19 and emerged as a human pathogen in 2019 although is thought to have a zoonotic source. The original wildlife reservoir and any potential intermediate hosts have not yet been identified. The combination of the virus zoonotic condition together with the impacts of disease control measures has exposed clear interconnections between animals, people and their environment from both a health and a welfare perspective. The One Welfare Framework comprises five sections that can help understand the different One Welfare levels on which the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the world. This paper uses the One Welfare Framework to provide an overview of examples, within each of the five sections, where evidence is and/or can be made available to document COVID-19 impacts on One Welfare. The paper identifies a number of areas where further research and evidence gathering is required to better understand the different One Welfare impacts. Based on evidence summarised in this paper the author recommends that those responsible for managing the COVID-19 impacts and for planning the future recovery phase of the pandemic should consider adopting a holistic approach, including both health and welfare, by adopting & One Health, One Welfare& policies.

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

One welfare impacts of COVID-19 – A summary of key highlights within the one welfare framework

Pinillos¹

2021

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Care should be taken when considering working hours in relation to job demand in this study, as data collection took place during the 3rd national coronavirus lockdown between January and February 2021 [ 52 ]. Whilst many industries were closed during this period due to government-imposed restrictions, previous research from the 1st national lockdown in March 2020 shows that most horseracing staff were likely to be working the same number of hours, with only 32.8% working fewer hours during a COVID-19 lockdown than normal [ 34 ]. This suggests that the working behaviours reported in this study are representative of typical occupational demands for horseracing staff.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Injury an Occupational Hazard for Horseracing Staff?

Davies

McConn-Palfreyman

Parker

et al. 2022

IJERPH

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Occupational health is a key priority for the horseracing industry, yet little research on occupational injuries exists. This study investigated the prevalence and the effect of injury in British horseracing staff during a 12-month period. An online retrospective survey was answered by 352 participants, identifying self-reported injury prevalence, injury management practices and attitudes towards workplace injury reporting. Chi Squared tests for independence were undertaken. A total of 310 (88.1%) staff reported injuries; risk factors for injury type included self-perceived job security, working hours, and perceived job control. Physical limitations, loss of confidence, workplace changes, and lifestyle implications were reported as consequences of injury. A total of 75.3% (n = 134) of staff were likely to seek time-off following fractures, but only 48.6% (n = 86) would take time-off for concussion. Attitudes towards injury management were influenced by financial circumstances, perceived staff shortages, previous injury experiences, and perceived employer expectations. The high self-reported injury prevalence could result in decreased workforce efficiency, poor physical health, and negative implications on retention and career longevity. The perception of invisible injuries, i.e., concussion, and subsequent management, should be of immediate concern to racing organizations. This paper identifies recommendations to enhance the safety and wellbeing of horseracing staff.

show abstract

“…Rather than being dismissed by being “furloughed”, they were kept on payroll [ 11 ]. Racehorse trainers, for instance, were able to furlough staff, introducing different working practices within yards to mitigate the effect of a smaller workforce [ 12 , 13 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Capturing Beneficial Changes to Racehorse Veterinary Care Implemented during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Butler

Upton

Mullan

2021

Animals

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In March 2020, the World Health Organisation called for countries to take urgent and aggressive action against a global pandemic caused by COVID-19. Restrictions were introduced in many countries to reduce transmission of COVID-19 and ultimately deaths. Such restrictions have been colloquially referred to as “lockdown”. Anecdotal evidence of the beneficial practices that facilitated safe veterinary treatment and equine care had been reported together with an increase in the use of electronic communication and information technologies during the first “lockdown”. Thus, the aim of this qualitative study was to capture any beneficial changes to racehorse veterinary care that were implemented during the first “lockdown” period in the UK that lasted from 23 March to 12 May 2020. Ten equine veterinary surgeons who primarily treat racehorses and 10 racehorse trainers were interviewed either by telephone or by videoconferencing. After using thematic analysis from a critical realist social constructionist perspective, four themes were identified. These were, firstly, according to our participants, the trainer–vet relationship is predicated upon a good working relationship, secondly, there had been little or no change in the vet–trainer relationship during the first “lockdown” period. Thirdly, when COVID-19 restrictions were in force, more remote consultations took place using images or videos as well as telephone consults, viewed favourably by both trainers and vets, and finally, intermittent connectivity and poor-quality images and videos limited their effectiveness. In order to fully benefit from the positive changes employed by some vets and trainers in their working relationships, we recommend that rural connectivity is prioritised.

show abstract

The Impact of COVID-19 on Staff Working Practices in UK Horseracing

Cited by 17 publications

References 39 publications

One welfare impacts of COVID-19 – A summary of key highlights within the one welfare framework

One welfare impacts of COVID-19 – A summary of key highlights within the one welfare framework

Is Injury an Occupational Hazard for Horseracing Staff?

Capturing Beneficial Changes to Racehorse Veterinary Care Implemented during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About