Is it wrong to like horseracing? Should I feel guilty?

Question

I purchased "The Life & Times of Secretariat" DVD and fell in love with that horse and the sport all over again. Reading some of the comments in the section, however, I'm worried I've fallen for a cruel pasttime.

Is it wrong to like horseracing? Must I stop?

PS I gave up foie gras.

Answer 1

I enjoy the sport of horse racing, but that doesn't mean that I am blind to its faults and dark side. Horse racing is an exciting sport for a lot of people- and there are those in the racing world who are in it only for the money and the cheap thrills they get. But there are others, like the people who owned Barbaro, who are in it for the love of the sport and of the animals involved. For these people, money and gambling don't have much of an impact on their decisions- they love their horses and want the best for them, and they will do whatever it takes to reach that goal. These are the people who make the best owners, because they can be counted upon to put the needs of the horse over their own desire for monetary rewards. Unfortunately, however, these individuals are very, very, rare. Most of the people involved at any level in the sport of horse racing tend to see the horses as commodities, instead of flesh and blood creatures. Economics become a huge factor with this type of person- they want return on their investments, and they want it NOW !!! That is why there is so much pressure to race horses before they are physically mature- and why we keep seeing tragedies like the ones that happened to Barbaro and Pine Island last year. The horses' bones are just NOT strong enough, in many cases, to stand up to the stress of training and racing. The problem is compounded by the constant overbreeding and inbreeding that is a way of life on the big thoroughbred farms. This has caused the gene pool to shrink, and has made the animals' bones even more fragile and susceptable to breakage under stress. Some of the tracks are going to a polytrack surface, which will help, but it will NOT solve the whole problem. The only real solution that I can see is if flat racing takes a cue from the steeplechase ( horses that race over fences) industry and raises the minimum racing age to 4 and 5. This would give these horses a chance to grow up and become strong, and there would be far fewer accidents and breakdowns as a result. The average age of a steeplechase horse is between 6 and 9, and many of them go on to run races and win into their teens. Quite a contrast to the flat racing world, where it's rare that horses race past their third or fourth birthday. ( There was quite a lot of commotion on this column around Grand National time last month- and it should be noted that NONE of the horses that ran in that race had to be put down because of injuries. Yes, there were falls, and horses withdrew from the race, but the injuries weren't serious, and all of those horses will go on to race again, and some of them may even be back again next year. The minimum age for that race is 5. Any horse under that age is too young and is not allowed to compete.) I think that you should enjoy the sport, but please be aware of its dark side. There is good and bad in every sport and situation, and it is matter of personal ethics and values when it comes to how one feels. I hope one day that those who run the sport of flat racing will wake up and realize ( and listen to) the message that these young horses who break down are sending, but it may be a long time before this happens- and in the interim, we will see more tragedies and breakdowns.

Answer 2

don't let people affect your love for the sport. some people might be abuse horses, but the majority of the big name trainers are decent people. the NTRA keeps a very close watch on what's going on... especially on the big trainers making lots of money.

the thing about horse racing is that we're forcing the animals to do something and we make money. they don't choose it for themselves. A lot of people have to question whether that's right... would the horse run a race if we didn't tell it to?

I've been reading questions and answers on this board for quite some time without posting anything until today and I can tell you that this is quite an odd day. Every once in a while you get a question about whether horse racing is cruel, but today it's more of an all out war.

A lot of people here love racing. If you love it and acknowledge that there's some risk to the horses and stuff... then there's no reason for you to change.

Answer 3

I dont think its wrong to like horse racing, but if youre going to support it, you have to accept that the romantic image the industry give us is NOT realistic. Im not sure where you live, but here in the UK, around 375 horses die every year in racing or training. To me, thats one horse to many.
I actively campaign against greyhound racing, where more than 10,000 greyhounds are killed every year once they are no longer a financial asset.
Im not an extremist..........I just believe that there are far better ways of gambling and having a pet is far better entertainment than watching an animal, which has been TRAINED to entertain us, simply for the owner to make money.
There is a lot more money in horse racing than greyhound racing and to some extent, this ensures better welfare for the horses as opposed to dogs.
Which ever way you look at it, by you supporting horse racing, you will be supporting animal cruelty in many forms.
Whether it be during their breeding, training or racing.
Please take time to visit this web site before you make an informed decision.
PS
I love to watch my greyhounds run free on the beach, indeed they are born runners....but in racing.they are literally running for their lives. A slow greyhound is a DEAD greyhound and likewise with horses.
Hope you make the right choice.

Answer 4

No it is not wrong! The term "guilty" as used in the Bible doesn't mean that we are to get around all remorseful and down cast when we sin. The term "guilty" actually means "to accept responsibility for the sin" Once we have confessed and agreed with the Lord that what we did was outside of His will for us, we are forgiven and we move on. We have no right to remember what the Lord has forgiven and forgotten. Many Christians have a problem when it comes to forgiving themselves when they sin. This should not be the case as all our sin was poured out on Jesus when He hung on the cross and the Lord's judgment was carried out and the shed blood forgave the sins of the whole world. So when we confess, we have instant forgiveness as the price has already been paid. All our sin, past, present, and future, was dealt with at the cross and done away with. Our status as a child of God remains unchanged when we sin but our fellowship with the Lord is broken. On confession, the fellowship is immediately restored. I hope this helps. God Bless!

Answer 5

Do you want to follow a winning sports betting system but don't have time to analyze the stats and probabilities yourself?
Are you tired of losing by following so called sports guru's that have no clue what they are doing?

Imagine if you had a fully automated Sports betting robot that not only calculates all the stats and probabilities but also gives you EXACT picks you need to place to win? With EXACT unit sizes! Yes, complete No Brainer.
Nothing to calculate
Nothing to worry about
Human error free winning picks

Then check this out: https://tr.im/FJ9JD

Answer 6

Not at all. You let other peoples opinions affect what you like? Thats just silly. If you bet on races. Have a max amount of money you bet each week. And don't chase your losses if you bet and lose. I think thats why they would be against horse racing.They don't understand it and just see it as a way that lot of silly people lose money. But it seems to me you love the actual sport not just the betting side of it.
ps I am biased I prefer "Pharlap".

Answer 7

No horse racing is ok but the problem that horce racing can create is a gambling addiction. Don't bet big and bet just for fun and you'll be fine.

Answer 8

I dont think it's wrong to like horse racing. Its a fun exciting sport. I don't bet but I can't see why it's wrong to do that either, providing you are sensible.

Answer 9

Horse racing can be cruel sometimes. I think it is wrong to use whips. But remember horses love running. They love the track. Even though they are tired at the end they still love it!

Answer 10

Liking horse racing is fine. There are always people that will claim cruel about anything people do. Personaly I am a dog racing fan.