“All horses love to run, my horse loves to gallop (without any coaxing, i.e. kicked, whipped) on the beach; then she stops when she has had enough! But there is a big difference between letting them run freely & forcing them to carry on galloping, when they have given their all, by whipping etc. This just totally pxxxxs’s me off! Why? Because it’s all down to money!”
Two horses, both aged six-years-old, lost their lives at Plumpton Racecourse yesterday afternoon (Sunday 11 May).
In the first race of the day, Head Rush was pulled up injured, halfway through the two-mile hurdle race in which he was competing. Then, in the final event of the day, a National Hunt flat race, grey gelding Eastbury fell to the ground injured and was seen struggling to get up.
Horse deaths at Plumpton are not rare. Two other horses, Ironically and Business Mover, were killed in almost identical circumstances to yesterday’s victims on the same race day in May 2013. And a total of 29 horses have perished at the East Sussex course since March 2007.
“I’m sat here thinking of all the horses that will run today! Please pray with me that they all finish safely & return to their homes. Some horses can finish the race but die later that day or the next due to internal injuries sustained whilst racing!”
If your unsure about the Race Horse Industry, or don’t believe it should be banned, please, download Animal Aids fact files on Race horses below, hopefully it will change your mind:-
The following initiatives would have an important impact on the welfare of Thoroughbred horses. We need your assistance to ensure they are implemented.
The publication of comprehensive data on equine mortality, sickness and injury.
A ban on the whip. It is not merely cruel, but our research shows that it is counterproductive from the point of view of the rider. Please visit our website for more details.
A proper fund for retired thoroughbreds.
A ban on the Grand National – a deliberately punishing and hazardous race.
Every year more than 400 horses are raced to death in Britain. The racing industry also slaughters thousands of ‘unprofitable’ animals who fail to make the grade. The Grand National at Aintree is particularly cruel and is designed to push horses to their limit and beyond. The majority of horses fail to finish the race, with equine death and injury being a routine feature.
We the undersigned: Believe that, however much welfare standards improve, the Grand National is morally unacceptable. We therefore call for a ban on this race.
Animal Aid’s Race Horse Death Watch was launched during the 2007 Festival.
Its purpose is to expose and record every on-course thoroughbred fatality in Britain.
The horse racing authorities have failed to put clear, unambiguous horse death information into the public domain, preferring to offer complex statistical data rather than specifying, as Death Watch does, the names of killed horses, where the fatality occurred, who was riding the horse and the nature of the injury.
We have good reason to believe that the equine fatalities we are able to list on Death Watch, and which we have verified, fall some 30% short of the true total. Disgruntled industry insiders have, in the past, supplied us with documents to support that view. Since Death Watch was launched, we have periodically produced special reports detailing the scale of on-course deaths, the most lethal race courses, the nature of injuries suffered, and the relative dangers posed by National Hunt, Flat and All Weather racing.
Deaths on racecourses are just one part of the sorry story to be told about commercial racing. Animal Aid’s extensive research over many years demonstrates that the industry treats thoroughbreds as mere reproducible commodities. It kills or dumps thousands every year when they fail to make the grade or when their racing days are over.
You can read our reports exposing the welfare problems associated with thoroughbred breeding, racing, and training, and the disposal of commercially unproductive stock on our main website:http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/CAMPAIGNS/horse/ALL/.
A Total of 40 horses have died in 2014 alone on UK & Ireland Race Tracks
“I am seriously shocked & disgusted at the following painful treatments these poor horses have to endure. A horse, forced to run with a makeshift super glued hoof; later had to be killed! Please watch the video & read on screen or listen to how trainers, vets or owners talk about their horses…the sick POS need putting down; not the horses! I am furious & sickened by what PETA documented. If you love animals; Please DO NOT BET ON any RACE HORSE either in the US or UK!!”
“PLEASE TAKE ACTION at the link BELOW; please don’t let them suffer!”
Imagine being forced to run, being pushed beyond the breaking point, the bones in your legs straining to hold up the weight of your body, your bleeding lungs incapable of breathing in enough air, and forced to keep running in spite of it all.
This is what life is like for racehorses who are chronically drugged by trainers in order to mask their pain and make them run faster.
All this, just so their owners and trainers can win money or fame.
For the first time ever, PETA has captured these cruel, standard industry practices on camera during an undercover investigation of leading thoroughbred trainer Steve Asmussen. Watch now:
UGH: Horses Drugged for Racing!
Published on 20 Mar 2014
A PETA undercover investigation of a leading thoroughbred trainer reveals that horses are DRUGGED to make them run faster and to hide their injuries. http://peta2.me/2nnnb
“We witnessed a horse so sore it hurt him even to stand, thyroid medication dumped into horses’ daily feed, and horses who had been blistered in a bizarre attempt to stimulate healing. Even at this top level of racing, the syringe is the top training tool, and if the horses get out alive, they’re broken.”
PETA’s investigation revealed the following …
Many if not all horses in Asmussen’s New York stable were giventhyroxine, a powerful drug that treats hypothyroidism. Horses may not have needed the drug―they may have been given it solely to “juice them up” and push them beyond their natural capabilities.
A horse’s legs were burned with liquid nitrogen, according to one trainer, and other horses’ legs were blistered with chemical paint, purportedly to stimulate blood flow to their sore legs but leaving multiple scars.
Horses were also given muscle relaxants, sedatives, and other potent pharmaceuticals―treatments designed for ailments such as ulcers, lameness, and inflammation―at times when they had no apparent symptoms.
Horses are reportedly sometimes electro-shocked with concealed buzzers to make them run faster.
One horse, Nehro (who came in second in the 2011 Kentucky Derby), was forced to run with chronically painful hooves that actually had holes in them and that were held together with superglue and was eventually killed after becoming violently ill.
HELP HORSES NOW!
Contact your U.S. representative and senators and ask them to support the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2013, Senate Bill 973 and House Bill 2012, which would increase oversight and penalties for overusing drugs in horse racing.
Remember: The best thing you can do to help horses in the racing industry is never to attend any race, including the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes.
Participation in this action alert is limited to those who live in the U.S., but if you are outside the U.S., you can still help horses by sharing the video and encouraging everyone you know to skip horse races.
“OMG…I’m shaking, with rage. At 4 Years old, horses are still growing, he probably had heart attack or something similar. I hate this sport!! R.I.P Chippendale God Bless you x
Hardwicke Stakes-winning horse Thomas Chippendale died of a suspected heart attack shortly after his victory on the final day of Royal Ascot.
Lady Cecil’s charge, ridden by Johnny Murtagh, had won the Group Two race in thrilling fashion.
But shortly past the post, the four-year-old colt collapsed and, following treatment on the racecourse, was pronounced dead
Horse Wins Race But Collapse & Dies Over Line R.I.P Thomas Chippendale
“It should have been a great win. He lost his balance and I don’t know what happened to him.” “You fxxxxxg raced him to death that’s what happened! He probably had a heart attack or pulmonary embolism; what you expect from a 4 year old??!”
It was Thomas Chippendale’s 10th race of his career and he had three previous wins, including last year’s King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
“It’s just devastating the way it’s finished,” said Murtagh. “The only other person I saw crying apart from me, was the groom; he was genuinely heartbroken!”
“An emotional Lady Cecil, who has temporarily taken over the Warren Place yard’s training licence following the recent death of her husband Sir Henry Cecil, added: “It was devastating, but at least it was quick and he wouldn’t have felt anything”.
“We didn’t realise the horse had collapsed, so we came from the grandstand into the winner’s enclosure feeling so happy and couldn’t understand why it was rather quiet.
“Leading up to the race he was in such good form and really enjoying himself. When Luis [Villarroel, his groom] took him out for a pick of grass he was always the last one who wanted to come back in.
“We couldn’t have been happier with him beforehand and he could not have won like that if he had not been a happy, sound horse.”
Owned by Sir Robert Ogden, Thomas Chippendale was running in his 10th career race and he had three previous wins, including last year’s King Edward VII Stakes at the Royal meeting.
Lady Cecil added: “It’s so awful to go from one emotion to another, from a high to a low. It puts such a dampener on the day. But we have to carry on.
“I feel so sorry for poor Sir Robert. He’d been looking forward so much to this day and I just don’t know what to say.”
Officials at Ascot Racecourse offered their sincere condolences to the connections of Thomas Chippendale after the incident.
“The death of Hardwicke Stakes winner Thomas Chippendale is agonising for the team which has been grieving the loss of legendary trainer Sir Henry Cecil.
“Sir Henry had saddled the horse to victory 12 months ago, and his widow Lady Cecil has been a dignified presence at the racecourse in terribly difficult times.
“She had dedicated Thursday’s win for their horse Riposte to her husband, who has been remembered this week at the meeting.
“A minute’s silence was held in the trainer’s honour before racing on Tuesday and Friday’s Queen’s Vase was run in his memory, with jockeys wearing black armbands.
“Thomas Chippendale’s groom, Luis Villarroel, showed admirable composure himself after the colt’s death, describing the four-year-old as a ‘wonderful’ horse.”
Tennessee’s proposed “Ag Gag” law suffered a setback Thursday when the state’s attorney general labeled it “constitutionally suspect” and said it could violate freedom of the press and the right against self-incrimination.
The bill, awaiting either Gov. Bill Haslam’s signature or veto, would force anyone who purposefully took pictures or video of livestock abuse to turn those over to law enforcement within 48 hours.
That limits the media, incriminates those who captured the video through trespassing and exposes police to copyright problems should the public ask for copies, Attorney General Robert Cooper wrote.
Haslam has until Wednesday to either sign or veto the bill, his spokesman confirmed, but the governor’s office offered no further comment. If he took no action at all, it would pass into law automatically, with those who broke it facing a $50 fine.
The bill’s author, Rep. Andy Holt, R-Dresden, said he didn’t see a constitutional problem and compared its provisions to forcing medical doctors to report suspected child abuse.
“If people are engaged in criminal activity, it will be abundantly apparent. “No it will not”You don’t have to have two months to provide clarity to law enforcement,” Holt said. “Ask yourself this question: Should an animal have to suffer an abusive situation for two months?” “Those animals will suffer whether being videod or not, if they are already in an abusive situation; often the management don’t know their animals are being abused. To ensure a conviction, evidence has to be collected over a period of time, so people can’t say it was a “one off” act of violence…FFS people…open your eyes. Those who want Ag-Gag laws must want them for a reason!!”
A two-month undercover investigation by the Humane Society led to state and federal animal abuse charges last year against famed Tennessee Walking Horse trainer Jackie McConnell of Collierville. The group released stomach-turning video of McConnell beating a horse and of its legs being chemically burned to encourage the breed’s prized longer, higher gait.
Holt said his bill has nothing to do with that case. Instead, it would prevent video of legitimate animal husbandry being represented as inhumane and used for fund raising, he said.
Humane Society leaders held a news conference earlier Thursday at Gaylord Opryland Convention Center, where the group is holding its Animal Care Expo. They denounced Holt’s bill and called upon the Tennessee attorney general’s office to investigate the walking horse industry.
“We need to know what perversion looks like and not be a part of any activity to either celebrate it, encourage it or somehow honor it,” said Dr. Michael Blackwell, president of the online Humane Society University.
Mike Inman, the Celebration’s CEO, didn’t respond to messages left Thursday but has said that walking horse trainers found McConnell’s actions deplorable. He said the industry is striving for 100 percent compliance with the federal Horse Protection Act.
“OMG…the dreaded day is ahead…& it’s started already, one horse dead, although that was through a heart attack, so one has to question, why was he racing in the first place? was it just about MONEY!!!”
“Please if you love animals, especially horses, don’t back on the cruelty! These horses may well be very well cared for but at what cost? their life, in one race! I am dreading the Grand National & would ask everyone to pray that all horses finish the course & get to go home without any incident!”
“The spokes people at the Grand National have to mention a horse that has gone down, because it’s live TV. But you don’t hear them mentioning the ones that have gone back to their stables & died of heart attacks like Battlfront R.I.P or other horses who have burst pulmonary arteries etc.”
The Grand National course, which has undergone what have been described as major safety improvements, claimed an equine victim today (4 April), when 11-year-old Battlefront collapsed and died with a suspected heart attack.
He was being ridden byKatie Walsh, who earlier this week triggered controversy when she seemed to trivialise the deaths of horses on racecourses (‘these things happen, and they’re horses at the end of the day’), and claimed that race horses are looked after ‘better than some children’.
Battlefront had been racing in the 3.40 Foxhunters’ Chase, which is run over 18 fences on the Grand National course.Walsh pulled him up when he appeared to become distressed after jumping the challenging Valentine’s Brook.
He had been carrying an exceptionally heavy weight of 12 stone. Twenty-three other horses were entered into the 2m 5f event. It has been reported that four of them fell, another was brought down, several were pulled up and just 14 of the 24 finished.
Battlefront is the 23rdhorseto have died on the Grand National course since 2000 – eleven of them having perished in the big race itself.
‘The Aintree authorities and the British Horseracing Authority have been claiming that major new safety measures and efficiencies would eliminate much of the risk associated with racing on the Grand National course. But today’s Foxhunters’ Chase, in which Battlefront lost his life, was stomach-wrenchingly chaotic from start to finish. Several horses fell or were pulled up, tired and potentially injured. It was both utterly depressing and served as confirmation that the Aintree authorities have got it badly wrong once again.’
For more information:Contact Andrew Tyler or Dene Stansall on 01732 364546.
The Grand National meeting at Aintree suffered its first fatality on day one this afternoon as Battlefront collapsed and died after the 3.40 John Smith’s Fox Hunters‘ Chase.
The horse, ridden by Katie Walsh, was pulled up at the 11th fence of the 2m 5f chase, which was won by 100/1 long shot Tartan Snow.
Unfortunately 11-year-old Battlefront, trained by the jockey’s father Ted, then suffered a suspected heart attack on the way back to the stables and died.
Professor Chris Proudman, veterinary advisor to Aintree Racecourse, confirmed the news, saying: ‘We can confirm that Battlefront was pulled up at fence 11 of the John Smith’s Fox Hunter’s Chase on the Grand National course by his jockey Katie Walsh and sadly afterwards he collapsed and died.
World Horse Welfare Chief Executive, Roly Owers, discusses the changes being made by Aintree Racecourse to the Grand National 2013 fences and course, including the new fence cores.
“As a lifetime horse owner, this just breaks my heart! Another beautiful horse, falls & is put down due to spinal damage. These horses are pushed to the limit, so much so that many deaths occur either after winning or just finishing the race. But these deaths won’t stop because it’s all down to money…they more they have the more they want. But if a breeders horse goes down, say with a broken leg, he could be saved, but the owners won’t waste money on a horse that won’t race again!…I hate this sport just as much as rodeo! Yes horses love to run & race each other, but all these courses push the horses too far! Why not just have flat races over much much shorter distances; that will never happen because there is no danger involved. When it comes to the Grand National this year…put your money to another good use, don’t back the cruelty; if any suffer fatal falls, don’t say I didn’t tell you so!”
The Cheltenham Festival claimed another horse victim when 10-year-old Matuhi was destroyed after falling at the final fence in the 4pm race and suffered ‘an untreatable spinal injury’.
Eurosport – Matuhi running at the 2012 Cheltenham Festival (PA Photos) Such a beautiful horse, to die for money!
He was attended by vets behind screens, close to the main grandstand, for more than 40 minutes before it was reported that he was dead. The David Pipe-trained gelding was rated an outsider for the 2-mile-5 furlong chase, which featured a crowded field of 21 other runners.
Carrickboy seals shocks Byrne Group Plate win | Cheltenham Festival 20 But Matuhi Has Fatal Fall
On the video at 3.47 is the point that Matuhi goes down.
Despite his outsider status, before his fatal fall Matuhi had been taken by jockey Brendan Powell to within reach of the front-runners.
While Matuhi was still lying prone behind screens, the 4.40pm race went ahead as scheduled – bypassing the stricken thoroughbred.”How sickening is that? a horse laying near death, yet the show goes on, why? MONEY!
HOW DISRESPECTFUL…the poor horse Matuhi is dying behind those screens but the race goes on without so much as a word about the horse Matuhi receiving treatment
‘Matuhi was clearly exhausted when he fell at the very end of a long race and suffered devastating injuries.
He had been whipped at least five times shortly before he fell. Matuhi is yet another in the long line of Cheltenham thoroughbred victims whose fate is a stark reminder that the Cheltenham Festival – notwithstanding the expensive, glossy hype – is ultimately about broken bones and animal exploitation.’
“There was drama before the start when second favourite Cantlow was not allowed to start by the vets due to a nose bleed while Matuhi fell heavily at the last when third and had to be put down.”
DEATHWATCH 2012: NEW REPORT REVEALS SHOCKING HORSEDEATH TOLL AT CHELTENHAM AND AINTREE
As the racing industry PR machine gears up to hard-sell the Cheltenham Festival and the Aintree Grand National, a new Animal Aid report reveals that jump racing’s two favourite venues were the most lethal for horses during the 12 months of 2012.
Ten horses perished at Cheltenham – more than at any other course. But when horse deaths are assessed against the number of days’ racing in which they occurred, Aintree tops the list with six horses killed in just eight days of racing. The Cheltenham equine fatalities occurred at the course in 16 days.
The release of Animal Aid’sDeathwatch 2012 report marks the start of a concerted public campaign aimed at highlighting the brutal reality behind racing’s deceitfully glossy image.
Other initiatives during March and early April include:
A visit to Cheltenham, on 7 March, by a converted ambulance emblazoned with stark protest imagery and messages. On the side of the vehicle, a powerful short film will be screened continuously. Leafleting will take place outside every major bookmaker in Cheltenham, and ethical cosmetics retailer, Lush, will feature a striking window display. This will draw attention to the horses who have died at recent festivals.
Animal Aid has written to Cheltenham’s Liberal Democrat MP Martin Horwood, the Leader of the Borough Council, and to each councillor. The letters highlight Cheltenham Racecourse’s appalling death toll, and calls upon them to demand an explanation from those in charge of the racecourse. In a Gloucestershire Echo article (March 12, 2012), Mr Horwood was reported as describing the Grand National as a ‘dangerous pantomime’ and said that the Cheltenham Festival is ‘a class apart from all that’. Animal Aid has pointed out to Mr Horwood that, while the Aintree’s April 2012 meeting killed three horses, five died at the Cheltenham Festival just a month earlier.
There will also be a protest on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival itself (12 March) at which ‘tombstones’ bearing the names of the dead thoroughbreds will be displayed, while a mourner reads out a short eulogy for each horse.
A series of equally forceful initiatives relating to Aintree will be announced shortly.
The core of Animal Aid’s new Deathwatch report derives from the unique online database of the same name, established in March 2007, which records all known deaths on Britain’s racecourses. Details offered include the name of the rider, the injury sustained by the horse, the type of race and the racecourse condition. “Take a look at the database, see how many either won or finished then dropped dead…they are the one’s you won’t hear about!”http://www.horsedeathwatch.com/
In 2012, 143 deaths were recorded. However, the true figure is likely to be about 30 per cent higher. The British Horseracing Authority, racing’s regulator, refuses to publish clear and complete data on horses killed. While Animal Aid makes every effort to catalogue all horse fatalities, a number are missed. “Which means some can go on to win, return to their stable then have a heart attack or burst blood vessles…it’s sickening…this isn’t sport, this is torture for the poor horses!
Causes of the 143 deaths included broken limbs, backs and shoulders, as well as cardiovascular failure. Many of the injuries can be attributed to the ground being too heavy or firm, or to the difficulty of the fences.
One hundred of the 143 deaths occurred on National Hunt courses and no fewer than 43 of Britain’s 60 race courses saw a fatality last year. Multiple deaths at meetings were common. Cheltenham, Hereford and Taunton each saw three horses die in a single day of racing. Ten race courses saw two horses killed at a single meeting.
In recent years, it is equine fatalities at the Aintree three-day meeting that have attracted the most negative publicity. But over the long haul, the Aintree Grand National meeting and the Cheltenham Festival can match each other for the number of horses killed. Between 2000 and 2012, each event saw a total of 38 fatalities.
Cheltenham still holds the record for the most deaths in modern times on a single day of racing. At the 2006 Cheltenham Festival, no fewer than six horses died on the third day of the four-day meeting – three of them in one race. A further five had perished by the time that meeting was over.
Since the start ofDeathwatch (March 2007), 43 horses have been killed at Cheltenham – more than at any other British racecourse. “Can I just say this is the only place i look to see who, what & how the horses died. I see no reason other than negativity for the race industry to show & tell all deaths, including those that have won, but died later in the day!”
‘This report makes for sad reading. Each of those 143 horses has an individual story to their death. Horrific limb injuries, broken necks and heart attacks are the price horses pay for public entertainment.
The British Horseracing Authority, which self-regulates the welfare of race horses, is clearly not fit for purpose. It should be replaced by an independent body, which will prioritise the thoroughbreds’ welfare.’
“ALL IN THE NAME OF ENTERTAINMENT, WELL I HOPE THOSE THAT ADD TO THIS MISERY BY BETTING, FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES…ACTUALLY, THEY WOULDN’T GIVE A RAT’S ASS IF THEIR HORSE BROUGHT IN THE MONEY!!”
The Dark Side If Horse Racing – Please Don’t Back The Cruelty
Most people regard horse racing as a harmless sport in which the animals are willing participants who thoroughly enjoy the thrill. The truth is that behind the scenes lies a story of immense suffering. http://www.animalaid.org.uk/racing
Every year more than 400 horses are raced to death in Britain. The racing industry also slaughters thousands of ‘unprofitable’ animals who fail to make the grade. The Grand National at Aintree is particularly cruel and is designed to push horses to their limit and beyond. The majority of horses fail to finish the race, with equine death and injury being a routine feature.
We the undersigned: Believe that, however much welfare standards improve, the Grand National is morally unacceptable. We therefore call for a ban on this race.
Horses Plunge to Death in “Suicide” Race!!! It’s been called “The Deadliest Horse Race in the World”!
THIS DEFINITELY NEEDS A NEW PETITION, IS ANYONE FREE TO MAKE A NEW PETITION TO HELP END THIS YEARS RACE???
Each year in mid summer, a small town in Eastern Washington State, called Omak, proudly promotes an event named “The World-Famous Suicide Race.” Town officials claim this event (created to as a draw for the town’s annual rodeo) is a celebration of history and tradition. In reality, it’s murder on horses. The race seriously injures riders and routinely kills horses.
Over a span of four days and nights, riders repeatedly run their horses off Suicide Hill with a 120-foot galloping start. Horses blindly plunge more than 210 feet down a slope that event organizer’s often boast as an “almost vertical… 62-degree angle.” At breakneck speed, the horses then meet the Okanogan River.
Entry into the river is narrow, causing bottlenecks and horrendous multiple-horse spills. If rider and horse do make it to the, they face a treacherous and often panicked swim about the length of a football field. The final gruelling sprint is a 500-foot uphill climb to the finish line.
The horses—many ‘on-loan’ for the event—have suffered heart attacks from over exertion, broken bones from shocking collisions and tumbles, and even horrifying death by drowning.
It is unclear how many horses or people have died in the race since its inception in 1935. Since 1983, at least 22 horse deaths have been documented. In 2004, three horses were killed in the first heat alone.
Marketing gimmick or tradition?
First run in 1935, the Suicide Race was the brainchild of Claire Pentz, publicity chairman for the Stampede, after failing to attract big crowds with boxing, trained zebras and stock car racing.
Stampede organizers currently contend that the Suicide Race has roots in Native American tradition but in fact, an Anglo conceived the race as a publicity stunt. Race organizers claim it is a customary rite-of-passage. This can be negated by two facts:
The races that used to occur among Native tribes of the area were longer-distance, cross-country races on horses bred to thrive on the hard, rocky, desert terrain of Eastern Washington. This is not comparable to flinging a long-legged thoroughbred or quarter horse down a 62-degree slope in the dark of night.
A native rite-of-passage traditionally refers to a ritual or ceremony indicating the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Historically, Suicide Race rider’s ages range from 18 to well into the 30’s. Many have ridden in the race year after year seeking cash and popularity, not cultural fulfillment.
Native American traditions teach respect not exploitation
The 12 bands that compose theConfederated Tribes of the Colville Reservationare the Chelan, the Colville, the Entiat, the Lake, the Methow, the Moses-Columbia, the Nespelem, the Nez Perce of Chief Joseph’s band, the Okanogan, the Palus, the San Poil and the Wenatchee. These tribes came from across the Western United States and their histories and customs teach of the reverence and respect given to the animals of our land, from salmon and whales to horses, wolves and bears, which are central to the Native American belief system.
“Of all the animals the horse is the best friend of the Indian, for without it he could not go on long journeys. A horse is the Indian’s most valuable piece of property. If an Indian wishes to gain something, he promises that if the horse will help him he will paint it with native dye, that all may see that help has come to him through the aid of his horse.” – Brave Buffalo (late 19th century) Teton Sioux medicine man
“The earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the Earth. Man does not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself. All things are connected like the blood which unites one family.” – Chief Sealth (Seattle)
“The four-leggeds and the wings of the air and the mother earth were supposed to be relative-like… The first thing an Indian learns is to love each other and that they should be relative-like to the four-leggeds” – Black Elk, Lakota medicine man
Contemporary leaders such as Winona LaDuke tell us that “Native American teachings describe the relations all around-animals, fish, trees and rocks-as our brothers, sisters, uncles and grandpas…These relations are honored in ceremony, song, story and life that keep relations close-to buffalo, sturgeon, salmon, turtles, bears, wolves, and panthers. These are our older relatives-the ones who came before and taught us how to live.”
With this information, who can really believe the claim that this race is tradition? It may have been based on an idea of an old tradition, but in its current form is nothing more than abuse and exploitation.
Dan Paul, Washington state director for The Humane Society of the United States, issued the following statement in response to reports that a horse died during the preliminary trials for the annual Omak Suicide Race:
“The Omak Suicide Race forces horses into a hazardous situation, inflicting stress, injuries, and possible death for the sake of competition. Horses are our companions and should not be placed at risk in an event that has such a terrible track record of fatalities. The stress and trauma endured by these horses make this type of racing unacceptable, and we call on race organizers to end this event before another horse is hurt or killed.”
Facts:
Including the above, at least 23 horses reportedly have died during the race since 1983. It is unknown how many horses die or are seriously injured during training, the practice trials or after the race.
At least one horse died during the practice trials as witnessed by a Wall-Street Journalreporter in 2007.
In 2007 another horse was shot at his owner’s property shortly after surviving the race due to catastrophic post-race injuries. An HSUS employee witnessed another horse nearly drown during the practice trials.
During the race, horses are forced to run 120 yards at a full gallop off the cliff, down 210 feet, on a 60-degree slope. If the horse should survive the cliff, he is then forced to swim across the Omak River; depending on the depth of the river, horses may go under and nearly drown. The river and its banks are also covered in rocks and debris.
Horses who survive the death-defying practice trials are then forced to participate in the Suicide Race for four consecutive days. The Suicide Race is unlike any other horse racing or rodeo event and is the most dangerous such spectacle The HSUS is aware of, for both horses and riders.
You can help end the cruelty by sharing the truth about animals’ abuse. If you agree that animals feel, suffer, love and the truth about their abuse should be exposed, please honor our work by “like” our page.
Petitions to end this death race, many have stopped, but I still can’t believe I only found 2, most are dated pre 2010! Think it’s about time a new petition was written…any takers??? we need one if were going to have a chance at trying to stop this!!:-
NEW YORK, SEPT. 13, 2012 — H.R. 6388 strengthens Horse Protection Act to better protect horses
The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today applauds Reps.Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and Steve Cohen (D-TN) for introducing legislation to amend the federalHorse Protection Act of 1970to eradicate the abusive practice of horse soring. H.R. 6388 will enhance theU.S. Department of Agriculture‘s (USDA) ability to enforce the Horse Protection Act by eliminating self-policing inspection practices, increasing penalties, and designating additional soring practices illegal.
Currently illegal under the Horse Protection Act, soring involves using painful chemicals and devices to inflict pain in horses to compel an exaggerated show-ring gait so desirable in the multimillion-dollar Tennessee Walking Horse industry.
“Soring is a particularly cruel form of abuse as the horses are forced to endure years of chronic pain throughout their show career,” said Nancy Perry, senior vice president of ASPCA Government Relations. “The Horse Protection Act was specifically enacted in 1970 to prohibit this abhorrent practice, and yet it continues to pervade the gaited horse industry four decades later. We thank Representatives Whitfield, Cohen, Schakowsky, and Moran for introducing legislation to protect these gentle animals and bring an end to horse soring.”
“Far too often, those involved in showing the Tennessee Walking Horse have turned a blind eye to abusive trainers, or when they do take action, the penalties are so minor, it does nothing to prevent these barbaric acts,” said. Rep. Whitfield. “This amendment does not cost the federal government any additional money and is essential in helping to put an end to the practice of soring Tennessee Walking Horses by abusive trainers.”
“In Tennessee, soring horses is illegal and unacceptable,” said Rep. Cohen. “Those responsible for abusing these horses should be punished severely and banned from the sport. How we treat animals is a direct reflection of our character, both as individuals and a nation. There is no ribbon, no prize nor championship worth the price of one’s humanity.”
The training method known as “soring” involves the deliberate application of pain-causing chemicals, cuts or foreign objects to a horse’s limbs or hoof pads to cause such agony to the animal’s front limbs that any contact with the ground forces the horse to fling its leg back up into the air. Additionally, trainers may attempt to mask soring by “stewarding” Tennessee Walking Horses, which conditions the horses to remain still by beating, torturing or burning them.
In 2010, the USDA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted an audit of the horse protection program, finding that trainers in the industry often go to great lengths to evade detection rather than comply with federal law and train their horses using humane methods. The OIG made severalrecommendations, including stiffer penalties and abolishing the self-policing practices currently allowed, where the Horse Industry Organizations are able to assign their own inspectors to horse shows.
H.R. 6388 will eliminate the current self-policing practices by requiring the USDA to assign a licensed inspector to a horse show. Second, it will prohibit the use of action devices on the various horse breeds that have frequently been the victims of soring. Action devices, such as chains that rub up and down an already sore leg, intensify the horse’s pain when it moves, so that the horse quickly jolts up its leg. Lastly, the amendment increases the penalties on an individual caught soring a horse.
For more information about the ASPCA’s efforts to protect horses and to join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade, please visit www.aspca.org.
“It doesn’t matter how many times I watch this video, it always makes me cry! To purposely inflict pain on an animal, just to win a prize is sickening; its legal abuse, just like rodeos! Why hasn’t it been stopped before now, they know it’s still happening, the majority of punters know it happens…but it all boils down to money, & when animals are involved, it is they, who always pay the highest price! Corrupt judges, vets, trainers, handlers…from the top down, their all in on it…they are nothing but sad, evil greedy bxxxxxd’s!! (excuse my French).
“My horse went lame over the weekend…my daughter brought back video of her…I haven’t stopped crying since viewing it! Watching her try to walk on 3 legs, bless, she must have been in agony…it was bloody heartbreaking to see; I felt so useless not being able to get to her due to my usual pain! Anyhow, vet thinks she pulled her stifle muscle, so she is on box rest with medication for pain & swelling, which is gradually getting better daily…got vets bill yesterday… £328…I knew it would be high because it was an emergency call out, but it’s not about the money, as long as she will soon feel better & be back to her old cantankerous way’s…I don’t care how much it will cost!
“That’s what you do when you love your animals, I would sell the clothes off my back if need be, to pay for further treatment for her! Yet some turds in this industry purposely torture their horses, so they step higher, out of pain… just for a bloody rosette or tin cup!! They shouldn’t be anywhere near horses, or other animals for that matter…because they clearly don’t give 2 tits about them or their welfare, their only in it for the money they will make, out of the animals they abuse! So don’t ever believe them when they say ‘Oh, I just love my horse, he’s the best’… because their bloody lying!”
The Humane Society of the United States released undercover video on Thursday, May 17, 2012, of a Tennessee Walking Horse trainer in Middle Tennessee abusing the animals in order to accentuate their well-known high leg kick.
“A horse above, over, evading the bit, mouth open, tongue showing, however you call it, it’s all evidence that the horse is avoiding contact and has problems… (That’s just the mouth)…The FEI Rules, state marks from 1-3 can be deducted for each instance seen, so I don’t understand why some are scoring so high! My mare is only ever ridden bit less, even in dressage, (obviously not to this high level, I wish) but bit less is not accepted in dressage, so she can’t enter local competitions, its ridiculous! A horse doesn’t nor shouldn’t have to be tortured through aggressive use of the bit & reins etc. to achieve this look!”
A photo capturing Swedish dressage rider, Patrik Kittel, has reignited the rollkur debate in the horse community. Kittel was warming up his horse Scandic on Thursday when the image was captured.
Dressage enthusiasts world-wide called for Kittel’s disqualification fromthe Olympics, however he competed Friday posting a score of 74.03. His score qualifies him – among thirty – to compete for an individual medal.
The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) initially responded on its Facebook page to the outrage and allegations of abuse. “We are aware that there is concern about some training methods, but photographs can be misleading. Rest assured that our stewards are always there, on the ground, monitoring all training sessions. We are on the case.”
While the FEI tried to calm fans, its Facebook page continued to received hundreds of posts calling for action.
As more photographs surfaced throughout the day, we pressed the FEI for additional answers. “We completely agree that the pictures are unattractive, but we have spoken to the Stewards who were monitoring the session and they have clearly confirmed that Patrik Kittel was not in breach of the rules as he only maintained the horse’s head and neck in that position for very short periods,” says FEI Dressage Director, Trond Asmyr, in a statement to Rate My Horse PRO.
The rules state that “deliberate extreme flexions of the neck involving either high, low or lateral head carriages, should only be performed for very short periods. If performed for longer periods the steward will intervene,” he says. More pictures at the link.
Kittel responded to the accusations on Facebook. “The surprise of the day came when St George (again of course) put pictures from the training up, I really think they went below the belt this time,,, I for sure have not ridden Scandic in anyway that will harm him, but I seem to be a good target to get clicks for… Anyway I have so much support!!! And to the critics All I can say don’t believe photos that were taken in a bad moment go to the Show and see for yourself then believe.”
Kittel is no stranger to scandal. The infamous “blue tongue video” from 2009 shows him riding his stallion hyper-flexed to the point the horse’s tongue is blue and hanging out of his mouth. After review, the FEI ruled “there is no reliable evidence that the warm-up techniques used by Mr Kittel were excessive.”
This is the uncut version of the video sequence, which shows the KWPN stallion, Watermill Scandic, being ridden in the hyperflexed/rollkur position with its blue tongue lolling out at the World Cup dressage qualifier in Odense, Denmark in October 2009.
A photographer also captured Netherlands rider Patrick van der Meer riding Uzzo in an unsightly moment during warm-up.
Patrick van der Meer & Uzzo…My question would be, how long did he hold that posistion for??
In 2010, the FEI announced it “resolved the rollkur controversy.” The consensus of the group “was that any head and neck position achieved through aggressive force is not acceptable.” The group redefined rollkur as flexion of the horse’s neck achieved through aggressive force, which the association deemed unacceptable.
The technique known as Low, Deep and Round (LDR), which according to the FEI achieves flexion without undue force, is accepted by the governing body.
As the world watches our equestrian sports on the Olympic stage, the debate continues regarding acceptable training methods.
DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS BLOG - SOME PICTURES & VIDEOS CAN & WILL BE VERY GRAPHIC - SO PLEASE, VIEW THIS BLOG AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
You can find out more about me & this blog by reading "ABOUT THIS BLOG" on the menu (when i finish it) lol
PLEASE NOTE.....
Not all of my posts will be current news, or even about animal abuse! I do like to share other animal news, uplifting stories or videos; some that are funny or just touch the heart!
If I have anything to say on any post, you will see it in bold blue writing. I try to remain a lady, but it's hard to contain my anger & emotions at the some of the stories I post; I don’t have a heart of stone, tears stain many articles I write!
Lastly, my apologies for any errors; I am learning whilst posting, so if you find anything that doesn't work or a broken link, sorry, I'm only human!!!!
ABOUT THESE POSTS
I would just like to make readers aware, that I search for stories on the internet; regards animal abuse etc. I copy stories etc. from the internet; assuming these stories are correct at time of publishing. Having said that, sometimes the press get it wrong! So I just want to add that at the time of me posting a news story, I presume all the facts seem present & correct.
Please note....all people mentioned in this blog, are presumed innocent, until proven otherwise, in a court of law.
Error: Please make sure the Twitter account is public.
Flag Counter Added May 2012
Face Book – Please Take Notice
For anyone wishing to connect to me via my Facebook page...PLEASE NOTE, ONLY PEOPLE I ADD AS ANIMAL ADVOCATES CAN SEE MY WHOLE PAGE...I do this out of respect for those friends I have who do not wish to see graphic images, videos or links of animal abuse!
As 99% of my page is animal related; anyone not in the above group of friends; will only see a limited amount of posts!!
DUE TO ANIMAL HATERS...I WILL ONLY ADD PEOPLE WHO CAN PROVE WHO THEY ARE via Facebook, Wordpress, Twitter etc. & WHO HAVE A GENUINE INTEREST IN ANIMAL WELFARE... i.e. if your Facebook page has absolutely nothing to do with animals, I see no point in joining my page. My Facebook is solely for animal welfare, I am not interested in playing games etc. I don't mean to sound rude but I am not interested in the amount of friends I have, its the quality of those friends that count.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND REQUESTS FOR YOUR FRIENDS TO JOIN. I do not want anyone to be upset by graphic images etc.
My aim is to educate & raise awareness to the horrors animals face, at the hands of humans, every day, around the world!!
We can not hope to achieve better laws, to protect animals, unless we unite as one, to speak up for those who are voiceless!!
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Frank Keogh – 
DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS BLOG - SOME PICTURES & VIDEOS CAN & WILL BE VERY GRAPHIC - SO PLEASE, VIEW THIS BLOG AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
STOP ANIMAL ABUSE 
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