Whilst intoxicated onlookers stand by in decadent hats and smart suits, the horses are suffering; racing to within an inch of their lives, with some meeting their end right there on the racetrack.
The horses begin training when their skeletons are still growing, so they are unprepared to cope with competing on hard tracks at high speeds. And it doesn’t get any better from there: trainers often keep injured horses racing when they should be resting by pumping them full of drugs, some of which are illegal. Whips are harshly used and are often abusive towards the animals, despite the RSPCA stating whips could be withdrawn without detrimentally affecting the sport. Jump races, such as the Grand National, increase the risk of a horse dying by 19 times and increases the likelihood of bleeding on the lungs, a condition which between 68-90% of racehorses have. One study estimated that 3 thoroughbreds die everyday in North America because of racing inflicted injuries.
The erection of the sinister ‘white tent’ often means a horse has to be euthanised. If a horse collapses whilst racing or suffers a leg injury at any point in their career, euthanasia is usually the first, and only, option, avoidable had they not been forced to race. Even when the horses stop winning or end their careers, few retire to green pastures, as money-hungry owners have no use for a horse that no longer serves their purpose.
There are no ‘winners’; most race horses end up euthanised by their owners.
There are simple changes to racing that could be implemented today to improve the welfare of these horses, such as the banning of whips. These horses are the victims of a multibillion dollar industry rife with death, drug abuse, and injuries, and it needs to stop.
Written by Coco Clelland
Artwork by Zara Masood
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