Equine Welfare Consensus Reached By AQHA, Partners

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Equine industry alliance partners reached a general consensus involving humane treatment and equine welfare during a meeting October 20 and 21 at the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas.

Meeting participants discussed the merits of developing a uniform therapeutic medications program and humane treatment policies that could be adopted by all of the groups involved.

Attendees included representatives from the following organizations:

• American Quarter Horse Association,
• United States Equestrian Federation,
• American Association of Equine Practitioners,
• National Cutting Horse Association,
• National Snaffle Bit Association,
• National Reining Horse Association,
• National Reined Cow Horse Association,
• United States Team Penning Association, American Paint Horse Association, and
• Equine Canada.

“Never before have so many leaders in the performance-horse disciplines gotten together to seriously discuss medication and animal welfare in relation to our events,” said Gary Carpenter, AQHA's executive director of breed integrity and animal welfare. “In-depth discussions led to a good, overall agreement on these vital subjects and the direction we need to go in the future.”

Executive directors from these associations scheduled a follow-up meeting for January 2010.