By now all British breeders and Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association members will have received a letter in the post and a set of FAQs explaining the introduction of a £60 equine welfare levy, which will be a mandatory fee imposed on all GB-bred foals from 2026 at the foal registration stage.

This new levy will replace the two voluntary levies currently in place totalling £25 that are used for TBA veterinary research and the charity Retraining of Racehorses (RoR).

I know that no one likes being informed that they are going to have to pay more and the TBA are acutely aware of the sustained financial pressures that breeders are experiencing. Therefore I can already hear the question that is going round in your head – why are the TBA imposing an extra cost on us, particularly as we have retired horses as part of our herd and are retraining our own horses as well?

To help me answer this question, I decided to look up on a search engine: ‘Why is welfare so important?’ The reply: ‘Welfare programmes ensure that the most fundamental needs of individuals are met.’

I am thankful that the vast majority of breeders can truthfully say that all the horses under their care have their most fundamental needs not only met, but the level of care we provide often for life indeed surpasses solely fundamental needs. For this the TBA thanks you – your efforts are very much appreciated and keep up the good work!

However, what about those that don’t have these needs met, either by a breeder or at a later stage? What are we as breeders doing to ensure their fundamental needs are met and guarantee there is a safety net for the most vulnerable?  This is where the £60 equine welfare levy comes into play – it could be looked on as an insurance, for all the horses we sell on and/or lose contact with.

Aftercare is so important to this industry that owners, trainers, racecourses, sales companies, purchasers and vendors, the Federation of Bloodstock Agents’ members and jockeys all now have  structured mandatory payment systems in place for it – to date, breeders are the only ones who don’t. Therefore, it is clear we need to align ourselves with the rest of industry to ensure that  aftercare is properly funded.

Of the new levy, £25 will be directed to aftercare via RoR. This will aid in the delivery of their three-year strategy, endorsed by the BHA last year, and which also supports the Horse Welfare  Board’s ‘A Life Well Lived’ strategy. It will ensure a comprehensive range of services, educational initiatives and safety net mechanisms are available to all thoroughbreds bred to race, not just those who entered training.

It is appropriate that RoR demonstrates the impact and reach of their initiatives to other stakeholders within the industry on an ongoing basis. The remaining £35 will go to the TBA, ensuring the continuation of vital veterinary research, equine infectious disease prevention and control, work on genetic diversity, traceability, sustainable vaccination production and medication stewardship, as well as supporting breeders to achieve the highest possible care and welfare standards. The TBA annual report will continue to detail the activity and spend in this area.

For those thinking we already do enough for welfare, the latest research study conducted by the industry, Project Beacon, found that 27% of the 7,500 people surveyed cited ‘welfare perception’ as the largest barrier to engagement in the sport.

And, for anyone thinking the rise to £60 is steep, the current voluntary donation of £25 has remained unchanged for over 30 years.

The Bank of England inflation calculator shows that £25 in 1990 is the equivalent of £62.36 today. You could even argue that the £60 fee, which demonstrates breeders’ commitment to the horses’ quality of life and proves how we play our part in the lifetime responsibility for the equines that we bring into the world, is in fact excellent value!