Horse Racing Ireland chief executive Brian Kavanagh has reflected on a tough week for the sport after a photo emerged of Gordon Elliott sitting on a dead horse.
The Meath handler had his training licence suspended for six months after an Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board hearing on Friday.
Kavanagh admits it has been a 'difficult week' for horse racing, but said he was happy to see the issue dealt with quickly.
He told RTÉ's Sunday Sport: "It's been a difficult week for the industry but it was good to see the matter dealt with by the IHRB swiftly on Friday and they deserve credit for that.
"It wasn't good for the sport when you have a leading figure making news for all the wrong reasons.
"That was part of the issue. Everyone in the sport immediately condemned what they saw and nobody could justify the photo – that was the universal reaction.
"What was surprising about it was that people said that it wasn't the Gordon Elliott they knew, and that it was so untypical of what goes on in the industry.
"Any time the industry is portrayed in that light it's not good."
He added: "It falls on everyone in the industry to explain the positive aspects of horse welfare.
"The way these horses are looked after throughout their life, the care and attention that they do get.
"Technically this is not a welfare question – it was a lack of respect towards the horse, which was inexcusable. The welfare of the horses in Gordon's yard was not in question.
"The IRHB said that in their statement on Friday. There will be a period of reflection and then I think we'll need to explain better things we take for granted in the industry.
"The fact that thoroughbreds account for about a quarter of the total number of horses in the country. Around the country, even at this time of the year, hundreds of people staying up all night to foal these horses.
"From the moment they're born, through their racing career, and their breeding career afterwards, they're looked after - 'minded like babies' is an expression that is sometimes used."
