Horrifying horse smuggling trade to be highlighted at Burghley Horse Trials

This week, we will be at Burghley Horse Trials in Lincolnshire to talk to horse enthusiasts about our work and, in particular, the murky underworld of horse smuggling. While the horses taking part in the elite competition should receive the best possible care, we will be raising awareness of the thousands of horses and ponies who suffer at the hands of illegal smugglers and will continue to do so if more is not done to stop them.  

Those involved in the illicit trade in horses have little to no regard for their welfare and are able to cover their tracks and get away with their crimes due to an archaic passport system and poor enforcement. 

Visitors to Burghley Horse Trials will be invited to explore the issue of horse smuggling through an engaging and interactive experience at our stand. The main activity will be a “Find the Smuggled Ponies” scavenger hunt, which will send participants around exhibitor stands within the Shopping Village to find four ‘smuggled’ ponies and identify them on a passport.  

Within the horse trials Shopping Village on Avenue D Stand 5, visitors can scan a microchipped pony and work out which of three passports matches its description and have a go at matching foal pictures with a range of photos of them as adults to highlight how they can change dramatically as they grow. 

With knowledge from over 15 years of investigations and our own research, we have also drawn from the ‘Dover 26’ group – a consignment of horses which were abandoned at a Kent holding yard being smuggled out of the UK. The mixed load of 26 frightened and vulnerable animals had been crammed onto a transporter to be exported, possibly from Ireland, through Britain and believed to be heading to slaughter in Europe.  

Many of the horses were unfit for the journey, with pregnant mares, unhandled youngsters. Sadly two severely arthritic mares and another gelding had to be put to sleep to prevent any further suffering. The remaining horses are now being cared for at our Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Norfolk. 

We will continue to push for stricter regulations and enforcement, especially in light of the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024. The case of the Dover 26 underscores the urgent need for robust secondary legislation to ensure the enforcement of bans on live exports for slaughter. 

For more information about horse smuggling and to watch our #StopHorseSmuggling animation, Stop Horse Smuggling: Rosie’s story.