18,607-Square-Meter Horse Welfare Retirement Facility Established in Hwaseong for Retired and Abused Horses

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Gapdong] A 18,607-square-meter 'Horse Welfare Resort Ranch' has been established in Hwaseong Special City to serve as a haven for retired racehorses and abused horses, and has begun full operations.

On the 29th, Gyeonggi Province held an 'Opening Ceremony for the Gyeonggi Province Horse Welfare Resort Ranch' at the Livestock Promotion Center located in Mado-myeon, Hwaseong City.

Racehorses and riding horses have been pointed out as a serious blind spot in animal welfare, as they lack proper management systems after retiring from active service, leading to neglect and abuse.

To address these fundamental issues, the province established a large-scale resort ranch equipped with extensive pastures, rehabilitation facilities, and cultural experience facilities within the riding horse complex of the Livestock Promotion Center in Hwaseong City.

This facility provides retired racehorses, horses designated for conversion to riding use, and rescued horses—which undergo rigorous selection procedures by cities and counties, the Korea Racing Authority, and related organizations in the province—with a stable environment centered on rest and rehabilitation where they can coexist with people.

Recently, a riding horse named 'Livy,' which was urgently rescued after being neglected for an extended period at an equestrian facility in North Gyeongsang Province, has been adopted at this facility and is drawing attention as a representative success case of public horse welfare. After being rescued through the Korea Racing Authority's 'Horse Protection Monitoring Center,' Livy recovered her health through treatment and was connected to the Gyeonggi Province Livestock Promotion Center through the horse welfare adoption platform.

The province plans to establish a firm positive cycle connecting rescue, rehabilitation, and adoption similar to Livy's case and further expand the publicly-led protection framework.

To this end, it will pursue facility certification in connection with the 'Horse Welfare Improvement Plan (2025-2029)' announced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, which includes projects for installing and operating horse protection facilities. Additionally, it plans to gradually increase the number of horses under management and simultaneously implement horse welfare education and awareness improvement projects targeting residents.

Furthermore, it will establish a comprehensive cooperation system involving the Korea Racing Authority, local governments, and experts to focus all efforts on abuse prevention, identifying welfare blind spots, and supporting the conversion of horses to riding use.

Administrative Vice Governor Kim Dae-soon stated, "The Horse Welfare Resort Ranch is an integrated welfare model that extends beyond simple protection to include rehabilitation and utilization," and added, "Going forward, we will work with relevant organizations to create an environment where horses are respected and expand the foundation of a sustainable horse industry working together with residents."