Gyeonggi Province Opens 18,600-Sq-Meter Horse Welfare Retirement Center in Hwaseong
[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Gab-dong] A 18,607-square-meter 'Horse Welfare Resort Ranch' has been established in Hwaseong Special City to serve as a refuge for retired racehorses and abused horses, now entering full operation.
Gyeonggi Province held the 'Gyeonggi Horse Welfare Resort Ranch opening ceremony' on the 29th at the Livestock Promotion Center in Mado-myeon, Hwaseong City.
Racehorses and riding horses that retire from active duty have been pointed out as a serious blind spot for animal welfare, with no proper management systems in place, leading to neglect and abuse.
To address these fundamental problems, the province established a large-scale resort ranch equipped with spacious pastures, rehabilitation facilities, and cultural experience facilities within the riding horse complex of the Livestock Promotion Center in Hwaseong City.
This facility provides a stable rest and rehabilitation-focused environment where retired racehorses, horses designated for conversion to riding use, and rescued horses that have undergone thorough selection procedures by city and county offices, the Korea Racing Authority, and related organizations in the province can coexist with people.
Recently, a riding horse named 'Libby' that was urgently rescued after being left unattended for an extended period at an equestrian facility in North Gyeongsang Province has been adopted here, drawing attention as a representative success case of public horse welfare. After being rescued through the Korea Racing Authority's 'Horse Protection Monitoring Center,' Libby recovered health through treatment and was connected to the Gyeonggi Province Livestock Promotion Center through a horse welfare adoption platform.
The province plans to strengthen a solid positive cycle linking rescue, rehabilitation, and adoption through cases like Libby's, and to further expand the public-led protection foundation.
To this end, the province will pursue facility certification in connection with the 'Horse Welfare Improvement Initiative (2025-2029)' announced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, focusing on the establishment and operation of horse protection facilities. Additionally, the province plans to gradually increase the number of horses under management and to simultaneously carry out horse welfare education and awareness-raising projects targeting residents.
Furthermore, the province will establish a close cooperation framework involving the Korea Racing Authority, each local government, and experts, making an all-out effort in abuse prevention, identifying welfare blind spots, and supporting conversion of riding horses.
Deputy Governor Kim Dae-soon stated, "The Horse Welfare Resort Ranch is an integrated welfare model that goes beyond simple protection to include rehabilitation and utilization," and added, "We will continue to cooperate with related agencies to create an environment where horses are respected, and expand the sustainable horse industry foundation in cooperation with residents."