Italy has pioneered the legal recognition of the horse as an athlete, with the decision having passed into Italian legislation through Art. 22 of Legislative Decree no. 36/2021, in September 2023.
According to the Italian legislation, a horse is defined as an 'athlete horse' when specific requirements are met: that it is a 'registered equid'; which is declared 'not intended for food production' and which is registered in the repertoire of athlete horses held by the Italian Equestrian Sports Federation - FISE (member of FEI - Federation Equestre Internationale) as shown in the identification document.
The Legislative Decree confers the legal recognition, requested by FISE, of the role of the horse as an athlete, alongside the women and men who partner them in competition.
The historic decision by the Italian Government, was part of the discussion on Wednesday 31 January at "Horse Athlete: Protections and Prospects", a conference organised by the Italian Equestrian Sports Federation in Bologna. The Italian Equestrian Sports Federation, represented by the President, Marco Di Paola and the Secretary General, Simone Perillo, who was acting also as Board Member of the European Equestrian Federation headed the conference held in collaboration with the University of Bologna.
The event was also attended by the Italian Ministry of Health, the FEI International Equestrian Federation (present Francisco Lima, Director Governance & Institutional Affairs), of the International Jumping Riders Club (Eleonora Ottaviani, Director) as well as numerous legal experts and Giulia Martinengo Marquet, international rider belonging to “Gruppo Sportivo Aeronautica Militare”.
The significant decision by the Italina Government will take on even greater importance in the future, as it will be the basis for further legal developments - for instance in the horse transport and veterinary controls domains - at national and European Union level.
