Zara Tindall did not mince her words as she expressed her truthful thoughts about an important cause that she feels strongly about.
The daughter of Princess Anne, who is not a working royal but is a patron to some royal charities on behalf of the royal family, is an Olympic medallist and an equestrian who continues to raise awareness about horse welfare.
Former Rugby player Mike Tindall’s wife and her mother the Princess Royal are both patrons of the World Horse Welfare charity.
Horse riding is a much-loved sport among the royals and holds not only a historical but an emotional significance for the family. Zara had stepped out with her mother to attend the World Horse Welfare Annual Conference in London on Friday.
During the panel discussion, held at the Royal Geographical Society, Zara stressed that since the exit of Britain from European Union – Brexit – it has significantly impacted the well-being of the horses. She noted that the sport has “in many ways gone backwards”.
“Journey times have increased and the process has become much more stressful for the horses,” she told the audiences. “People are travelling less simply because it has become so difficult. Even with better technology, the actual time on the road is so much longer, which has a real impact on welfare.”
She explained that due to the legislation the welfare has “definitely gone downhill” and cited her personal experience which was “such hard work”.
King Charles’s niece shared that she brought a horse abroad at the end of October and it’s “more stressful on the horses than it used to be”, adding that “it’s got worse”.
Zara’s comments were a bold move to highlight the major issues faced in the equestrian sport. Her vigour indicates how seriously she takes her role to spread awareness.
