Caitriona Murphy

NEW animal welfare guidelines were this week issued by the Department of Agriculture which could have far-reaching implications for traditional Irish horse fairs.

As thousands of people prepare to travel to Ballinasloe in Co Galway this weekend for one of the biggest horse fairs in the country, Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney published a 16-page document which issues guidelines on loading/unloading of animals, the sale of sick or injured horses, records of sales and reporting systems for event organisers.

According to the guidelines, entry to the sale premises at fairs should be supervised by a senior member of market staff who would identify sick or injured animals and those unsuitable for sale such as heavily pregnant mares.

The Department of Agriculture document recommends that individual markets assess their capacity to avoid over-crowding of horses and that numbers in the sale should not exceed the capacity. It also recommends individual penning of animals, something that is rarely seen at traditional horse fairs.

The local District Veterinary Office (DVO) should be notified by event organisers at least a week in advance of the sale, together with the equine premises registration number.

Procedures should be put in place to ensure that only horses with a valid passport be accepted for sale (a legal requirement) and the sale organiser/manager must keep a record of all movements onto and off the premises.

Among the other guidelines are that horses should not be kept overnight in market premises, particularly marts and that markets should not be used as a location for the weaning of foals.

The Department of Agriculture has confirmed that it will have staff on duty to assist the Gardai and local authority staff at Ballinasloe Fair this weekend.

“The Department’s presence will facilitate awareness and provision of advice and literature on issues such as equine welfare, equine premises registration, equine identification and change of ownership,” confirmed a spokesperson.

Kieran Egan, a member of the voluntary committee that runs lunging competitions at Ballinasloe, told The Irish Field: “I understand that the Department officials will be operating checkpoints on all the main routes into the fair, asking for passports and equine premises numbers.

“I think it is a good idea. The passports and premises rules are now legislation and it should make a better job of the whole thing. Proper identification will help to put out the wrong element from owning horses.”