Horse racing and cruelty

Absolutely dreadful. I have always thought racing a cruel sport, all that whipping is appalling - not necessary. I have had horses all my life and to read this is shocking.

I hate it. Why do they have to have a whip at all. Very outdated I would think.

I am not a 'horsey' person, but care about their welfare. I have always wondered whether they ever like being ridden at all, it must be very uncomfortable. Do they show that they enjoy it?

I hate all horse sports and always have from a small child I m not a horsey person never been around them or been particularly interested in then but have always felt horses racing is cruel and that goes for dog racing too
Hideous

I live where there are hundreds of horses and they are beautiful animals.
I would love to see the whipping of the racing horses banned but that won`t happen as money talks.
It`s in their genes to run so i think they do enjoy it,but they can`t talk so who knows.

I'm afraid racing, whether it be horses or dogs, is a business and the outfall is excessive breeding and the destruction of the 'excess' is part of the scene. To be honest, animals are slaughtered in their millions to suit our ways, what about the cows, sheep and chickens who all have nasty short lives followed by unpleasant slaughter.

Back to horses, whips are now heavily prohibited in their usage in racing. The kind of horses used in racing are thoroughbred, they have been bred to race for generations and are highly strung and to race is natural for them. Horses are flight animals, running is what evolution has created them for. Whether they like running with a ham-fisted human on top is a good question. I think it's sad that animals are so abused by humans, all mammals share our nervous system and emotional range, they feel pain, fear and social bonds. Just like us.

timetogo2016

I live where there are hundreds of horses and they are beautiful animals.
I would love to see the whipping of the racing horses banned but that won`t happen as money talks.
It`s in their genes to run so i think they do enjoy it,but they can`t talk so who knows.

Sorry, but to be honest, the OP is not really about whether horses enjoy running and racing- is it?

It is about what happens to horses that can't or won't race, due to age or injury, or not being 'good enough' to earn their keep - and how they are cruelly transported vast distances to slaughter- and slaughtered in a way which goes against our own laws- as humanely as possible, and never in sight of each other.

Could I respectfully ask that we stick to the above. Thanks.

It's dreadful. May I suggest HM has a word about this to the right people?

So sorry to read this. I don't agree with animals being used in any way for human entertainment and hope there is some form of protest about this cruelty.

Just googled it, Panorama tonight, reading the Guardian article I'm not sure I have the stomach for the cruelty it will be showing.

I find it impossible to believe that anyone deeply involved in the horse racing world doesn't know what happens to horses that are surplus to requirements. In fact while we are on the subject what happens to horses in general when they are no longer needed? The ponies that children outgrow? Nearby a horse owner got rid of their elderly horse to redevelop the land. I knew him for 10 years. Where did he end up?There doesn't seem to be a lot of loyalty to me.

Many are rescued and go to other owners for retirement, that happens to racing greyhounds too, they do make very good pets. Although young racehorses are highly strung, as they get older and “fat” they are quite manageable, most are not injured they are just too slow.

However, too many do end up in a slaughterhouse outside the UK, that should be stopped, in the UK they are supervised by vets so there should not be problems.

I just wondered who would take in an elderly horse with all the associated costs? Btw the slaughter that took place in Animal Aids video didn't seem to involve a vet.

Daisymae

I find it impossible to believe that anyone deeply involved in the horse racing world doesn't know what happens to horses that are surplus to requirements. In fact while we are on the subject what happens to horses in general when they are no longer needed? The ponies that children outgrow? Nearby a horse owner got rid of their elderly horse to redevelop the land. I knew him for 10 years. Where did he end up?There doesn't seem to be a lot of loyalty to me.

I do know, ponies are handed on to other families when outgrown and live a full lifespan, very few pick up injuries in fact the biggest death rate is caused by unknowlegable owners over feeding them, Laminitis or Colic being the result.
Owners who don’t know how to care for their animals is a problem for all pets

In fact while we are on the subject what happens to horses in general when they are no longer needed? The ponies that children outgrow

I would keep away from that aspect if I were you. Individual horse and pony ownership is vastly different from what goes on in the racing world.
Most horse owners adore their horses and would die themselves rather than do anything to harm them. Most 'retired' horses and ponies live out a serene old age in company with others and ore PTS humanely when their time comes.

I have loathed horse racing for many years because of what happens to the 'excess' horses that are bred every year, and the cruelty of putting them into work before their skeletons are fully formed.

Unlike most other horse related sports, a huge number of the punters are just there for the betting and the excitement, not because they have any love or respect for the horses. That sickens me a bit, too.

I am not bothered about the 'whipping' because I'd defy anyone to hurt anything at all with a modern wide bladed whip (which are mandatory, nothing else allowed)

I actually doubt if the horses are particularly aware of the jockey because to get the very last inch of pace from the horse the jockey has to be in perfect balance with the horse and not interfere with its paces at all. As if the jockey weren't even there...

Daisymae

I just wondered who would take in an elderly horse with all the associated costs? Btw the slaughter that took place in Animal Aids video didn't seem to involve a vet.

Are you talking about horses in general or just the racehorses?

Because if it's just the race horses very few of them will be 'elderly' at all as their racing career could well end by the time they are 4 (that's the age at which a decent owner puts their young horse into light work), though some might go on for a few years as hurdlers (jumping). 'Rescue' racehorses in the right hands, providing they are sound, can be excellent pleasure rides and compete in all the other disciplines. Thoroughbreds are great horses.

Daisymae

I just wondered who would take in an elderly horse with all the associated costs? Btw the slaughter that took place in Animal Aids video didn't seem to involve a vet.

You would be amazed how many mostly women keep a horse as a pet. Usually don’t ride them, just care for their horse, they get pleasure from that and exercise too, my partners daughter runs a DIY stable. There is one young woman there has dedicated her life to 4 horses and spends most of her wages looking after them.
Horse owners I know put the horse first, they will starve themselves and their children, leave their partner but the horse gets looked after.

It's not just about horses that are unable to continue for whatever reason to race, it is about an industry that overbreeds and has to do something about the excess along with those not fast enough to win prize money. The betting industry has a lot to answer for too. There is a problem with ex-racehorses which is that they are hard to rehome because they are highly strung and unsuitable for an average rider.

This is not a new issue. It's been known about for years by anyone remotely connected with the horse world. I haven't got time to look up the statistics but they are out there. One minute, the horse is a yearling (they race them at two you know before they are mature!!), worth £250k upwards, the next they are worth their meat value.

As regards travel to slaughter, there are fewer abattoirs than there were in the UK so that fact plus economics means they have to travel to be slaughtered. It costs a fortune to have a vet out to put a horse down humanely and then there is a problem disposing of the body, you can't just bury it. Hunts often collect the bodies for the hounds but there is a limit!

Of course you can Kali2.
Has anyone else been given the same message ?.

I think it was probably me that sent the thread rather in the wrong direction, because I commented on whipping. However, I did say that the original post and the whole thing reported by Animal Aid was shocking.

I cannot see that it matters; as usual we have someone telling other people what to do ( Kali2 ); subjects are being discussed, which people feel passionate about. That is important (not to you maybe) but to others.

Also I see we have one poster, always the same one, who seems to know everything about everything. The whip used be it a "wide bladed" whip (never heard of that one in all my 70+ years) is used to make the horse go faster. A horse is the most obliging animal there is and will always do it's best for the rider and whipping is cruel and not needed and not allowed in other horse disciplines.

Some of them are eaten aren't they?

I’m glad that these abhorrent practices are being exposed. There was such an uproar over the trainer who happily sat on a dead horse to use his phone which lead to his being banned. There are extremely cruel practices in horse racing. My neighbour has two unwanted horses (not racehorses) and two unwanted ponies. She must spend a great deal of money on them though she’s by no means well off, and they are certainly very labour intensive. They are a joy to watch, living out their lives peacefully and happily. It pains me that healthy horses end up in pet food. They should certainly never be slaughtered in the sight of one another. Perhaps the abattoir in question will face severe penalties. It wouldn’t be the first. Though I know little about horses I support a number of equine charities which take in unwanted horses and donkeys and also publicise their misuse and seek to educate.

We have owned ponies and horses for 25 years, there have been many ex race horses at our yard. With an experienced rider they can lead a full and happy life.

Whips/crops have strict regulations regarding their usage in all equine activities.

Remember showing happy contented horses turned out in pastures would not make a sensationalist TV programme.

JaneJudge

Some of them are eaten aren't they?

It is legal to eat horse meat in the UK

Common overseas.