The Use of Electric Prodders on Rodeo Horses in Australia: Regulatory Inconsistency and Potential Illegality

Inflicting electric shock on a horse can cause significant pain for which they are not adapted. This is recognised in the animal welfare legislation of all Australian jurisdictions, which prohibit the use of electrical devices on horses. However, rodeo horses are exempted from this protection in some jurisdictions. This article analyses the regulatory framework to determine if legislative exemptions result in different legal protections for horses depending on whether they are used in rodeos or horse racing. It also considers instances of actual use of electrical devices on horses to determine whether the current regulatory framework is capable of enforcement. It argues that possession of electric prodders near horses at rodeos should be made an offence in all jurisdictions.