Animal Rights Advocates Call For Elimination of the Horse Race

Horse races are exciting events to watch and bet on, but they’re also brutal for the horses that participate in them. Behind the glamorous facade of Thoroughbred racing is a world of injuries, drug abuse and gruesome breakdowns. While spectators show off their fancy outfits and sip mint juleps, horses are forced to sprint-often under the threat of whips and illegal electric shock devices-at speeds that can cause catastrophic injuries like traumatic brain injury, bone fractures and exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage.

The equestrian sport of horse racing has been practiced since ancient times, with records of it appearing in cultures as diverse as Egypt, Babylon and Greece. It is a popular pastime among many people, both for recreation and betting purposes, and has even been featured in movies and television shows such as Seabiscuit and Man o’ War. While the sport has its supporters, animal rights advocates are calling for its elimination due to the many humane issues that surround it.

For starters, horses that are used for racing are often bred and trained before they’re ready to be raced, meaning that they enter their first race while their skeletal systems are still developing. This is why one of the most common causes of racing-related death is exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, which occurs when the horse’s lungs get damaged by excessive exertion and cannot circulate blood effectively.

To prevent this from happening, most horses are injected with cocktails of legal and illegal drugs that help mask the pain and enhance their performance. These drugs include corticosteroids and sedatives, which have been linked to numerous other health problems in horse athletes, including severe degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis and bone cysts (holes in the bones). The sedatives are particularly harmful for jockeys, who can become seriously injured or paralyzed while riding a horse.

Another major issue is the use of illegal electric shock devices during training and races, which can cause the horse to lose balance and collapse on the track. This can lead to the horse getting crushed by its own weight and is not only harmful for the horse, but also for the trainer and other horses in the stable. It is estimated that up to three thoroughbreds die from such accidents each day in North America.

In addition, horse racing isn’t good for the jockeys, either, who are often pushed to the limit and subjected to a variety of harsh training practices, including forced sprinting on a hard track at high speeds. On average, two jockeys die and 60 are paralyzed every year.

As a result of all of this, horse racing is losing popularity among the public and is facing increased criticism from animal rights activists. However, it is important to remember that despite this increasing criticism and calls for the sport to be abolished, horses can only truly find freedom from their cruel fate through a boycott of the industry that creates them. Until that time, however, we can continue to show our support by boycotting horse races and supporting organizations such as Nup to the Cup and Stop Horseracing Australia.