Graham Fletcher_ ‘Delays put animals’ lives at stake’

Travelling to Europe continues to be proving difficult publish Brexit, says former worldwide showjumper Graham Fletcher, who’s now a highly-respected coach, in addition to a breeder and producer of younger horses.

I make no apology for returning to the Brexit settlement and its damaging results on horses and riders who frequently compete at European reveals as a result of, if something, the scenario appears set to worsen. With 27 pages of well being papers and carnets wanted to clear customs, the additional value in contrast with pre-Brexit is roughly £1,200 per horse each time they go away Britain.

There’s testing for some ailments that haven’t been seen on this nation for greater than 100 years. Vets solely want to make use of the wrong-coloured ink for a doc to be rejected. And why, on this digital age, is paperwork being hand-signed? So as to add to the chaos, I perceive that competitors horses coming again into Britain will shortly want one more vetting earlier than being allowed to proceed with their journeys.

Due to a clause agreed by the Authorities however delayed till now, when horses arrive in Dover after an extended, onerous journey, I hear they’ll need to be pushed to a testing station. Extra expense, and extra fatigue for our horses.

The damaging side-effects of Brexit are creeping into our sport. Peter Charles, who has top-class services at his yard in Hampshire, is within the technique of shifting his competitors horses to mainland Europe. Extra are following, draining the UK’s equestrian trade of expertise and income.

Will requirements drop at UK reveals as a result of European riders don’t need to cross the Channel? And can British riders fail to remain on top of things with continental programs?

The true precedence

What alarms me probably the most is the horse welfare challenge.

Three weeks in the past, our lorry was stopped in Calais as a result of UK customs had stamped the flawed paper. Despite the fact that it was their fault, they advised us we should get the following ferry again to Britain. It wasn’t a French error; the woman of their workplace was very useful and tried to get her British counterparts to co-operate.

Our lorry was grounded for 10 hours with six horses on board, together with one which’s had earlier colic surgical procedure. How can that be humane? Hassle is, when there’s an issue, there’s no person to get issues shifting.

“These on the entrance line are left at nighttime,” is how Richard Davison sums it up. I wholeheartedly agree and endorse his different glorious concepts…

Whereas British Equestrian are undoubtedly doing their finest to make circumstances as acceptable as doable, there must be a delegated helpline and individual for Brits to name when there’s a downside. It’s maybe ironic that when Richard has had trans-Channel delays, his principal and most useful contact is Jean-Marc Puissesseau, the president of the Port of Calais. Properly finished to Monsieur Puissesseau, who says he doesn’t need Calais to be referred to as a spot the place horses undergo misery.

Richard additionally factors out that now there’s extra goodwill between them, maybe the UK Authorities and EU fee might kind a working occasion to push by means of some enhancements. I’d counsel a Northern Eire-style customs settlement with a pink route and a “wave-through” inexperienced route… the latter for horses with FEI passports displaying they have already got all of the required paperwork.

As Richard says, all kinds of people shifting varied items are going to be shouting louder than us. However animals’ lives are at stake right here, one thing for the BEF to make use of to get us up the checklist.

One other query for the Authorities is why are we losing taxpayers’ cash on policing one thing that doesn’t want policing? One for candidates on the subsequent election, maybe?

With no assist obtainable, our great horses that do their finest are struggling in circumstances worse than some instances to which the RSPCA are referred to as out.

Customs delays additionally put an enormous and unfair duty on the grooms attempting to look after them.

Even many Tory MPs now admit that some commerce preparations had been swiftly put collectively to “get Brexit finished”. This surprising instance that’s affecting our horses’ welfare means I’ve nothing however utter contempt for whoever signed off on such a woeful deal.

● Have you ever had issues travelling horses to the remainder of Europe? Write to hhletters@futurenet.com, together with your title, nearest city and county, for the prospect to have your views printed in a future version of Horse & Hound journal

This unique column may even be obtainable to learn in Horse & Hound journal, on sale Thursday 27 July, 2023

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