Great Yorkshire Show to become first major rural show to ban shaved docks for horses

Amanda Stoddart-West, the show’s entries and livestock coordinator, said the practice had been seen to be increasing in a number of heavy horse breeds, such as Clydesdales, Percherons and Shires, and the ban would be presented as an advisory for this year’s running of the event.

She said: “We have had complaints from other equestrians and members of the public. The horse is only in the ring for 20 minutes or even an hour, but it’s the rest of the time that’s important.”

Horses tails are seen by many as crucial to enable horses to swat flies away, but it is believed they have other important functions, such as in communicating with both other horses as well as humans.

Studies have shown horses transmit vital messages about its well-being through tails, lifting it slightly when beginning to move, and when paying attention or is concerned, horses often flag their tails, which also play a temperature regulation role.

Elevated tail posture implies heightened vigilance in response to excitement, such as aggression or fear.

The show’s vet, Julian Rishworth, said tails formed an essential element of a horse’s basic requirements.

A World Horse Welfare spokeswoman said shaving tails specifically for shows was not in the horse’s best interest as they also performed an important role for a horse’s balance, by subtly influencing the alignment of the horse's hind end as well as protecting delicate reproductive structures from environmental assault.

While tail docking was outlawed in 1949, the shaving of tails on heavy horses is considered a traditional way of presenting them at their best by some and a safety measure for working horses to prevent issues such as harness entanglement.

Nevertheless, Mrs Stoddart-West said people who shaved their horses tails to prevent the hairs getting caught had told her it was quicker than plaiting.

She said she was not aware of other animals at the show having their appearance altered to “such an extreme”, adding: “You can still trim up but leave things that are meant to be there.”

"Years ago everybody trimmed the whiskers off and in recent years there’s been more information that they actually have a role and now more and more people leave them alone. It’s what people get used to.”

She said the ban was agreed by the show’s animal welfare and bio-security committee consisting of Animal and Plant Health Agencty officials, several well-respected vets, the senior stewards from all the livestock and equine sections as well as key members of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society team most of which have been in post for over 20 years.

Mrs Stoddart-West said: “When the subject came to the table, there was resounding agreement that something must be done as every horse needs its tail, and as a show known for leading on welfare issues, we could not condone the practise of removing the majority of the hair from the dock.

“The committee also considered that growing a tail obviously takes time and that’s why it was agreed that providing exhibitors with plenty of notice was the best way forward. Obviously, the wording will take into account the age of the animal as we realise that a younger animal will not have the same fullness or length of tail as an older horse.

“As a show we are known to lead on these welfare initiatives. I don’t think we are the first to have challenged it, but until now the practice has carried on. At a time when equestrianism is under the spotlight we have all got to do our utmost to make sure it continues. It definitely feels the right thing to do. I dare say there may be some who are not happy about it, but they have got to think of their horses.”

In response, the Shire Horse Society said its rules stipulated that docks had to be covered by at least a fan of hair for in-hand showing, but that rule did not apply to turnout classes due to safety concerns, before emphasising the dangers of tail hair becoming caught in traces and harnesses.

It added the society would reject practices that causes horses suffering, before scotching suggestions that the clipping of tails was a welfare issue or that tails were necessary to deter flies when there were masks and rugs available.