Italy is the first country to pass a law recognizing horses as athletes.
According to the legislation of September 2023, an “athlete horse” has to be registered, cannot be intended for use as food and must be listed with the Italian Equestrian Sports Federation.
This historic decision by the Italian government was discussed Jan. 31 in a conference entitled: “Horse Athlete: protections and prospects,” organized in Bologna by the federation. The session included representatives of the European Equestrian Federation and the International Jumping Riders Club.
Only the Italian Equestrian Federation would meet in a room that looks like one of the country’s many museums,
The concept is expected to pave the way for more legal developments, perhaps in the area of equine transport and veterinary controls. It also could be an important consideration in view of the ever-expanding role of social license to operate. (See the feature story on this website for details of that movement.)