“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.
Ruby Walsh attacked on Twitter for comments describing animals as replaceable
Ruby Walsh created controversy when he said animals are replaceable after Our Conor suffered fatal fall at Cheltenham on first day
One tweet: ‘Ruby Walsh I hope you get your skull crushed by one of the horses you’re so heartlessly flippant about…’
On Wednesday, Mail reported how Walsh, who has twice won the Grand National, said there is a difference between death of a human and a horse
A star jockey has received death threats after he played down the death of a horse during a race.
Star jockey Ruby Walsh (above) has received death threats after he played down the death of a horse during a race. Above, Walsh on Faugheen celebrates victory in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle during Ladies Day at Cheltenham on Wednesday
Animal rights campaigners have accused the 34-year-old Irishman of being callous, while others have bombarded him with threats.
One tweeted: ‘Ruby Walsh I hope you get your skull crushed by one of the horses you’re so heartlessly flippant about. Animals should not die for sport.’
Another added: ‘Shame more jockeys aren’t killed instead of beautiful horses!!!!!! All jockeys are complete c**ts!! No horse is replaceable!’
Ruby Walsh created controversy when he said that animals are replaceable after Our Conor suffered a fatal fall at Cheltenham on the first day of racing. Above, Our Conor (right) ridden by jockey Daniel Mullins
While another wrote: ‘@Ruby Walsh Don’t worry if you die in a race, there’ll be someone to replace you too.’
On Wednesday, the Mail reported how Ruby Walsh, who has twice won the Grand National, said that there is a difference between the death of a human and a horse.
He said: ‘It’s sad, but horses are animals, outside your back door. Humans are humans. They are inside your back door.
‘You can replace a horse. You can’t replace a human being. That’s my feeling on it.’
Dene Stansall of campaign group Animal Aid told the Mail: ‘He has shown callousness for the animals that have earned him a good living.
‘It’s completely disrespectful. To treat the death of a horse in such a way shows that they are merely machines for people to make money.
‘Ruby Walsh is the leading jockey at Cheltenham and wants to support the event as much as he can, but you cannot disregard the lives of horses just because they are not humans.
‘We would expect more from him. This shows he has got little empathy for a horse that really suffered before it died.’
‘Lacking respect’: Ruby Walsh, seen after taking a record sixth Mares’ Hurdle title at the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday, has been attacked by animal rights activists
Ingrid Newkirk, founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), said: ‘Walsh’s comments expose the true emotion behind horseracing: greed. They are deeply offensive to anyone who has ever loved and lost a horse or other beloved animal companion.
‘Unlike Walsh, horses are not unfeeling but experience joy, anxiety, fear and affection, just as human beings do.’
Mr Walsh last night declined to comment on the threats against him. He told the Mail: ‘I didn’t even know about it.’ Dozens of messages criticising Walsh have been sent directly to his Twitter account.
One user, with the profile name Amy, wrote: ‘Do you hate horses because you are so short and this makes you angry?’
Another posted: ‘YOUR (sic) AN IDIOT!! ‘A horse can be replaced’ really??? So can jockeys so I hope you fall off a horse & get trampled!’
Since the furore, Mr Walsh’s father, trainerTed Walsh, has compared Britain’s attitude on the issue to that in Ireland.
He said of the UK: ‘It’s a funny country. They can remember the names of horses that got blown up by the bombs in London but not the names of the people riding them.’
The British Horse racing Association has stressed that the welfare of horses is ‘paramount’ at races such as Cheltenham. “So I have to ask….why are they racing horses on flat or over jumps when the horses are not mentally & physically ready for such a task>”
A spokesman said: ‘Cheltenham Racecourseemploys eight veterinary surgeons, whose sole responsibility it is to provide care to the horses throughout their time at the racecourse.
‘In the event of an incident on the racecourse, any horse affected will receive immediate attention and treatment from the racecourse’s veterinary team.” I.E put them to sleep, because they can be fixed but wouldn’t be worth any money to the owners or syndicate if they are not bring the money home;plenty more being bred for this very reason!!!”
‘Qualified paramedics and doctors are also on hand in the case of any incident involving a jockey.
‘If necessary, horses and riders will be transported from the course to receive further treatment at the most appropriate equine hospital or Accident & Emergency hospital.
‘British Racing is open and transparent about the risks involved in the sport – the BHA Veterinary team monitors injury rates at every licensed racecourse. Over the last 15 years, the equine fatality rate has fallen by one third to 0.2 per cent of all runners. “OK, then go look at the Animal Aids ” Race Horse Death”? That will tell you exactly where, when & who was the jockey….I don’t know of any other site where I could get that information from!! http://www.horsedeathwatch.com/“
‘Despite the best efforts of all involved, as with participation in any sport involving speed and athleticism, there remains an inherent risk of injury.’
STOP PRESS: REPORTS OF THIRD HORSE DEAD AT CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL
Posted 12 March 2014
A four-year-old horse, inexperienced over the jumps and ridden by a young, inexperienced jockey, became the second victim of the 2014 Cheltenham Festival. Akdam broke a foreleg racing in the 16.40 Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. On the Festival’s opening day (Tuesday), Our Conor suffered what turned out to be fatal spinal injuries in the Champion Hurdle race.Akdam was running in a hotly contested, crowded race, featuring 24 horses. His ‘conditional’ jockey, Josh Hamer, was up against leading riders including, AP McCoy, Tom Scudamore and Ruby Walsh.Akdam had been entered into 20 previous races, 11 of them hurdle events, the others on the flat or all-weather courses. In fact, he was bred to race on the flat but ended up at a very young age being put over jumps.Says Dene Stansall, Horseracing Consultant, Animal Aid:
‘Akdam died in a race that was rough messy and hazardous. No doubt racing’s apologists will offer yet another unconvincing excuse for why this horse suffered this violent end.
Stop press: It is reported this evening (Wednesday) that the Festival has claimed a third victim. Five-year-old Stack The Deck was destroyed after fracturing a knee in the 17.15 Champion Bumper.News Link:–http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/NEWS/news_horse/ALL/3066//
The dark side of horse racing
Uploaded on 25 Mar 2008
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.
“THIS IS A DIFFICULT SUBJECT for me to discuss. I own horses & understand that due to overpopulation, lack of food or abandonment etc. it is causing welfare problems. Charities can’t protect every horse in need of a home, they will simply never have enough funds to protect them all. God…I wish they could, I hate to see horses or any animal for that matter suffer, no animal lover would want an animal to suffer unnecessarily. So to prevent this, if there is no other way possible to save them, I would prefer they were put out of their misery; in the kindest way possible & cremated. Horses die from disease, injury or just old age & their bodies have to be dealt with whatever the circumstance.
“If owners are not permitted to dispose of the body themselves on their own land, which most aren’t; then the body (no matter how loved) has to be dealt with! I dread the day one of my horses dies or has to be put to sleep, but I don’t have land to bury them on or the required permission…it would literally break my heart, but I will have no option but to still call the knacker man (for want of a better word) to cremate the body & return the ashes to me, so I can do with them as I wish.”
“WHAT I OPPOSE is the use of slaughterhouses TO KILL HEALTHY, ILL & ABUSED HORSES FOR FOOD & PROFIT! This planet already kills way too many animals to feed the population, some in the most barbaric, cheapest & despicable ways, with rife abuse & cruelty: which is why I don’t eat animals. Those who don’t own horses but own dogs, would find the practice of a slaughterhouse for dogs horrific & wouldn’t stand for it! Just as it is with horse owners/lovers… HORSES DO NOT BELONG ON THE MENU in this century or the next. By all means their bodies have to be dealt with…BUT NO HORSE SHOULD END UP ON A PLATE! Killing horses for their meat & profit alone is not justified; THOSE WHO WISH TO KILL HORSES FOR FOOD, ARE IN IT FOR THE MONEY, PURE GREED ALONE & IT IS THEY WHO SHOULD BE BANNED!!”
A federal appeals court on Friday removed a temporary ban on domestic horse slaughter, clearing the way for companies in New Mexico, Missouri and Iowa to open while an appeal of a lawsuit by animal protection groups proceeds.
The appeals court’s order Friday said the groups had “failed to meet their burden for an injunction pending appeal.”
Blair Dunn, an attorney for Valley Meat and Rains Natural Meats, said the order lifts the emergency status of the case, meaning it will likely be months before a final decision is issued.
Dunn said the plants are ready to open, although they could agree to remain shuttered if the plaintiffs agree to post a sufficient bond to cover the companies’ losses should they ultimately prevail.
“They are getting ready to go as quickly as they can. It shouldn’t take too long. Not more than two weeks,” he said.
The Humane Society, however, said “the fight for America‘s horses is not over.”
“We will press for a quick resolution of the merits of our claims in the 10th Circuit,” said Jonathan R. Lovvorn, the group’s senior vice president of animal protection litigation and investigations.
The plants would become the first horse slaughterhouses to operate in the U.S. since 2007. Congress effectively banned horse slaughter by eliminating funding for inspections at the plants in 2006. It restored that funding in 2011, but the USDA did not approve the first permits for horse slaughterhouses until this summer.
The issue has divided horse rescue and animal welfare groups, ranchers, politicians and Indian tribes about what is the most humane way to deal with the country’s horse overpopulation, and what rescue groups have said are a rising number of neglected and starving horses as the West deals with persistent drought.
Valley Meat and Responsible Transportation were set to begin horse slaughter operations in August, but U.S. District Judge Christina Armijo blocked their plans while she heard the lawsuit by The Humane Society of the United States, Front Range Equine Rescue and others. The groups claimed the plants should have been forced to undergo environmental reviews under provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act.
Responsible Transportation abandoned its horse slaughter plans and converted its plant to cattle before Armijo dismissed the lawsuit in November.
Attorneys for the plants have argued that the plaintiffs are simply in court because they are morally opposed to horse slaughter and are looking for a way to delay the plants while they lobby Congress for a ban.
Proponents of a return to domestic horse slaughter point to a 2011 report from the federal Government Accountability Office that shows horse abuse and abandonment have increased since domestic horse slaughter was banned. They say it is better to slaughter the animals in humane, federally regulated facilities than have them abandoned to starve across the drought-stricken West or shipped to inhumane facilities in Mexico.
Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, calls the practice barbaric and has said blocking a return to domestic horse “is an issue of national importance and scale.”
“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.”
“OMG…I FXXXXXG HATE THIS BLOOD SPORT….As a horse owner & lover for over 40 years; this just breaks my heart! TWO dead already, what is the Grand National going to be like…please pray all the horses get round the course safely; and go home safely, not dying of heart attacks or burst arteries after the race. R.I.P Little Josh x”
The Grand National meeting at Aintree suffered its second fatality today as the Little Josh, ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies, had to be put down after fracturing his shoulder.
The news comes after the meeting’s first casualty yesterday, when Battlefront suffered a suspected heart attack after being pulled up in the John Smith’s Fox Hunters’ Chase.
It is a further blow for Aintree officials after the course revamp before the meeting.
Carnage: Runners and riders are left strewn across the Aintree turf during the Fox Hunters’ Chase
Fox Hunters’ Chase In which Battlefront died of a heart attack after being pulled up
Aintree has revamped the course fences to make them safer for competing horses after criticism of the meeting’s Saturday showpiece branding it dangerous after seeing two fatalities – According to Pete and Synchronised – in last year’s National.
John Baker, Aintree and North West Regional Director of Jockey Club Racecourses, expressed his sympathies but defended the sport.
Tragic: Battlefront, ridden by Katy Walsh (left), suffered a suspected heart attack after being pulled up
‘British racing is very open that you can never eliminate all risk from horse racing, as with any sport.
However, welfare standards are very high and equine fatalities are rare.
‘With 90,000 runners each year, we have a fatality rate of just 0.2 per cent.’
Andrew Tyler, director of Animal Aid, described the carnage at Aintree as ‘utterly depressing’.
He said: ‘The Aintree authorities and the British Horse Racing 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.”
Notorious: Bechers’ Brook (above) has claimed many casualties in the past
“But today’s Fox Hunters’ Chase, (4/4/2013) 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.”
“Please sign the petitions in the following related posts related articles…this race has to stop or at the very least, the jumps much smaller & a shorter distance to run!”
Cosmetics retailer Lush launches tombstone window displays in memory of equine fatalities
Adverts across London and in a national newspaper call on punters not to bet on the National
2012 Neptune Collonges runs clears as According to Pete and jockey Henry Haynes and On His Own and Paul Townshend fall at Bechers. According to Pete was also put down
Despite much heralded ‘safety improvements’, the Grand National’s most notorious obstacle remains a potentially lethal challenge for horses running at Aintree next month. The two horses who died at last year’s event – Synchronised and According To Pete – both fell at Becher’s Brook. The same 4ft 10in fence accounted for Dooneys Gate in 2011. His back was broken after the obstacle brought him down and another horse landed on him.
Animal Aid has long criticised the hard wooden core of Becher’s Brook. Reports, therefore, that the inner structure of Becher’s and other fences will be softened represents, in our view, a positive development.
However, Becher’s remains inherently lethal for many reasons, including its height, the spread, the diagonal angle of approach, the fact that it comes at the end of a fast straight of five demanding fences, and because horses must turn after the obstacle has been jumped. In addition, although changes have been made to the ground on the landing side of Becher’s, the fence is still lower there than on the take-off side, which poses another potential hazard for horses.
Animal Aid insists that the time for tinkering is over – Becher’s Brook must be removed.
Thrills and spills: James Reveley rolls away from the crash. A number of other fallers in the race will renew calls for smaller fences. Pictures via Daily Mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2130235/Grand-National-2012-horse-deaths-Ban-cruel-spectacle.html
Read more:
Besides Becher’s, other distinctive features make the Aintree annual race extraordinarily dangerous for horses. These include: an overcrowded field of 40 horses; a uniquely long distance, with more fences per mile than any other race; plus perversely challenging obstacles that vary in height and design, unlike the uniform fences found on other British courses. It is due to these and other factors that just 37 per cent of horses entered into the event over the past ten years have managed to complete the course.
Animal Aid anti-Grand National campaign initiatives include:
A demonstration outside Channel 4 in London on 6 April (the day of the race) by local activists and supported by Animal Aid. Channel 4 this year takes over broadcasting the Aintree meeting from the BBC.
Adverts, asking punters not to bet on the big race, appearing across London and in The Daily Telegraph newspaper.
A visit to Liverpool, on 3 April, by a converted ambulance emblazoned with stark protest imagery and messages. On the vehicle’s side, a powerful short film will be screened continuously. Leafleting will take place in various locations around the city.
Ethical cosmetics retailer, Lush, to feature a striking window display in its Leeds outlet, drawing attention to the horses who have died at recent Grand Nationals.
Animal Aid to attend the annual demonstration outside the gates of Aintree racecourse on the day of the Grand National.
Animal Aid’s redesigned unique database of on-course equine fatalities,Deathwatch, to be launched at the start of the Grand National meeting.
Animal Aid activists to distribute tens of thousands of leaflets across the country, calling on the public not to place a bet on the race, but instead back the Sanctuary not Cruelty scheme which directly funds two hard-pressed specialist sanctuaries that rescue horses – including ex-racehorses.
A number of course alterations and entry conditions were announced in November 2011, but these did not prevent two horses being killed in the 2012 Grand National. Further changes were introduced at the end of last year and more in recent weeks. But features that make the race so lethal remain unchanged.
Last month, Animal Aid published the report Deathwatch 2012, drawn from its online database that records the deaths of thoroughbreds on all British racecourses. The report reveals that Aintree was the most lethal of all Britain’s 60 racecourses in 2012, when deaths are evaluated in relation to the number of days’ racing. Six horses died at Aintree in just eight days of racing. Three of those fatalities occurred during the three-day Grand National meeting.
‘The time has come for Aintree Racecourse to face what for them is an unpalatable truth: the tide of public opinion is turning against its perversely cruel spectacle. An NOP poll conducted on behalf of Animal Aid last year revealed that, of those respondents who expressed a clear opinion, the majority feels that the Grand National is cruel. Our message is clear: people should stop backing this horror show and donate their money instead to sanctuaries that help horses – not to an industry that exploits and kills them.’
Further information
For press enquiries, please call Andrew Tyler or Dene Stansall on 01732 364546. Notes
Animal Aid’s campaign vehicle will be in Liverpool (Bold Street, near Ropewalks Square) on 3 April at 13.30.
The protest at Channel 4 in London will take place on 6 April from 14.30 onwards.
“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!!:-
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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