At Harness Racing Australia (HRA), the health, welfare and traceability of Standardbred horses is central to everything we do. We believe that cruel, abusive, or inhumane treatment of any horse is unacceptable—by anyone, anywhere.

Harness Racing Australia has a comprehensive and robust governance system which designs, manages and regulates policies and rules.

Like the Thoroughbred, the Standardbred is bred for speed rather than appearance, resulting in wide variation in its look and build.

Standardbreds have historically been identified via a unique 'alpha angled' freezebrand on their neck. From September 2017, microchipping was introduced as an additional form of identification, and the freeze brand has since been progressively phased out.

“Community expectations of animal welfare continue to evolve at a rapid rate - particularly with regards to racing animals.”

Raceday injury and incident reports record vet details for every horse examined at the track on raceday.

Ensuring a level playing field is essential for the well-being of our participants and the image of our racing among both punters and the broader community.

There are many and varied opportunities available to Standardbreds in their life away from the race track.

In Harness Cacing, every piece of equipment has a specific role in keeping the horse straight, tractable and in its correct gait, at high speed, in tightly packed fields.