“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
“You have just seen what happens to racehorses on the previous post by PETA. I’m still in tears over it. So PLEASE…IF YOU TRULY LOVE ANIMALS; SUPPORT THEM, NOT THE INDUSTRY! P.S. The video is not in the original post, it’s just to remind people how horses suffer in horse racing!”
Posted 26 March 2014
Saturday (March 29) marks the start of Animal Aid’s Horse Racing Awareness Week, an annual campaign during which the public is asked to consider the sombre truth about an exploitative horseracing industry.
Just to remind you – 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.
On racecourses around the country, a total of around 200 horses die every year – usually from broken backs, legs and necks; or they suffer a heart attack. A large number of other horses at the start of their ‘careers’ are rejected as unsuitable, and others – when they have finished racing – are disposed of by being sent for slaughter.
The amount allocated for the roughly 7,500 horses who leave racing every year is pitifully small. The official rehabilitation scheme received just £50,000 from the Horserace Betting Levy Board for race horse care in 2013, out of a total of about £75m that was dispersed throughout the industry.1
Animal Aid supporters will be in high streets across the country during Horse Racing Awareness Week, communicating these hidden truths to a public that is told over and over by industry propagandists that race horses are cherished and cosseted like royalty.
Animal Aid’s detailed research over the past 15 years reveals something quite different: that the industry treats thoroughbreds as mere disposable commodities.
Animal Aid publishes details, as best we can, of every on-course death on British racecourses (because the British Horseracing Authority does not).
Based on industry data, we have calculated that around one in every 42 horses who begins the jump race season will be dead by the end of it as a result of an on-course injury.
Horse Racing Awareness Week is an ideal time for people to commit to supporting horses in need rather than bolstering the industry with their betting money or racecourse attendance fees.
The Animal Aid initiative that promotes this cause is called Sanctuary Not Cruelty. This year, the named horse charity isHillside Animal Sanctuary of Frettenham, Norfolk.
‘A typical reject of the racing industry is Underwriter. He stopped being profitable and found himself about to be sold to a slaughterhouse. About 1,000 horses from the racing industry are butchered each year in British slaughterhouses.
Happily, when it came to Underwriter, the meat man was outbid by representatives of Hillside Horse Sanctuary in Norfolk – and that is where Underwriter is currently to be found, sharing his days with special friend Sweetie and 900 other rescued equines.
As we approach the frenetically hyped three-day Grand National meeting, our message to the public is to use the money that would have gone on a bet, to support a hardworking horse sanctuary.’
“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.
“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!”
“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.
“A well presented article…it’s just a shame people have forgotten what horses have done for our Countries. The world would be a very different place, had horses not played such a big role in it’s development! Yet some see fit to treat these magnificent intelligent beast’s, like they were nothing more than vermin, to dispose of once they’ve been outgrown or no longer bring home money!
My horses are my life… apart from this blog 🙂
Horses hold an iconic place in our nation’s history. Without Paul Revere’s trusty steed, Brown Betty, the colonists in New England might have never known of the British forces’ late night advance toward Lexington. As American settlers moved west to the Pacific, horses pulled covered wagons and plowed fields on new homesteads. Horses accompanied many of our military commanders into battle, and horses still carry our fallen soldiers to their final resting places at Arlington National Cemetery.
Horses have been our companions and helped make this country what it is today.
Unfortunately, there is a dark side to our nation’s relationship with horses. America’s admiration for horses’ natural magnificence is the foundation of numerous industries, yet many of the horses used in these enterprises are treated poorly. Two sporting industries plagued by this inconsistency are the Tennessee Walking Horse show circuit and the world of horse racing.
Tennessee Walking Horse shows are too often gaudy pageants that mask a deeply entrenched subculture of abuse. The Tennessee Walking Horse is a breed long-admired for its unique gait and gentle disposition. Unfortunately, these same traits have motivated unscrupulous trainers to practice what is known as “soring” — the infliction of extreme pain on the horses’ feet by using caustic chemicals and painful devices to elicit an exaggerated version of the horse’s natural walk. This gait, known as “the big lick,” is prized at certain horse shows and draws handsome stud fees for champion horses.
The sport of horse racing has also been overtaken by rampant cruelties inflicted for the sake of financial gain. Once referred to as “the sport of kings,” horse racing is now subject to widespreaddrugging of racehorses. “Doping” is the practice of administering drugs to horses in order to give them a competitive advantage when racing. According to an investigative report in The New York Timesearlier this year, “trainers experiment with anything that might give them an edge, including chemicalsthat bulk up pigs and cattle before slaughter, cobra venom, Viagra, blood doping agents, stimulants and cancer drugs.” Doping is extremely dangerous to the horses and the jockeys who ride them because it masks warning signs of injuries and can cause horses to push beyond their limits. Devastating human and animal injuries and deaths have occurred as a result.
While the decentralized horse-racing industry has long promised to end this abuse, industry oversight has proved ineffective.
Lax enforcement allows violators to evade sanctions or receive mere slaps on the wrist as penalties. Inconsistent rules among various state commissions create a “race to the bottom” environment where individuals can avoid stricter sanctions by simply taking their operations to states with more lenient or non-existent regulations.
Horses are our companions, our partners in sport and a living reminder of the American spirit. We owe it to them to acknowledge this special bond and to give them the humane treatment they deserve.
The Case: News reports give the following account: On May 29, Lady May Z was grazing in her pen in Lake County, Ind., when someone shot her between the eyes, killing her. Lady May Z’s owners, Carl and Heidi Geib, found her lying dead in her pen. Police believe a captive bolt gun was used. The 8-year-old racehorse was scheduled to appear at Balmoral Park Racetrack on May 30 for a practice race.
“It takes a truly callous person to kill a gentle horse as she was grazing in her pen,” said Anne Sterling, Indiana state director for The HSUS. “We are hopeful that this reward will bring forward anyone with information about this tragic crime.”
The Investigators: The Lake County Sheriff’s Department is investigating. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Detective Michelle Weaver at 219-755-3400.
The number of racehorses destroyed in the UK’sabattoirs has more than doubled over the last year, triggering calls from animal rights groups for the racing industry to do more to help thoroughbreds once their racing careers are over.
The rise comes as charities warn that the recession is having an effect on the welfare of all types of horses and ponies, with many owners struggling to pay for the upkeep of their animals.
Yesterday’s Epsom Derby, attended by an estimated 200,000 racegoers, proved the continuing popularity of horse racing. But critics say not enough money generated by the industry is being allocated for the welfare of thoroughbreds after their racing careers have finished.
A report by the British Horseracing Authority says that in 2011 the number of thoroughbreds reported dead to the horse passport issuing authority rose by 29%, from 1,994 in 2010 to 2,574.
Dene Stansall, horse racing consultant at Animal Aid, a charity that campaigns against horse racing, described the report’s figures as disturbing. “They [the horse racing authority] have not got to grips with the problem,” he said. “For years more horses have been bred than have been needed.”
But Professor Tim Morris, director of equine science and welfare at the authority, said the figures should be seen in the context of the 1 million horses on the UK’s equine database. “While a 126% increase may sound a lot, in absolute terms it’s not a big number,” Morris said, pointing out that the industry was heavily regulated so that the welfare of its animals was often to a higher standard than that afforded other types of horses and ponies.
“To solve this problem we’ve got to stop breeding so many, and then we won’t have to put so many down,” said Carrie Humble, an independent equine welfare consultant. “But I would rather see these overproduced horses dead than suffering.”
Morris said the industry had taken steps to reduce the number of horses entering racing to ensure there was not an oversupply of thoroughbreds during the economic downturn.
The authority report notes: “From 2008 to 2011 there has been an overall reduction of 38% in foals registered (falls of 45% in Ireland and 24% in Great Britain).”
But Stansall questioned whether the trend would continue downwards: “Whilst the supply has gone down, as soon as the economy picks up it will rise again.” Stansall said that, as many racehorses were owned by syndicates, it made it difficult to determine who should take responsibility for the horse’s future welfare after it had finished racing.
“If you’ve got a racehorse you have to commit to that animal,” he said, pointing out it often took a couple of years to calm the horse down so that it could be ridden by non-jockeys.
The disposal of horses in UK abattoirs is part of a wider European trend. The number of horses slaughtered at DAFF (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food) abattoirs in Ireland rose from 3,220 in 2009 to 7,296 in 2010.
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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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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