Thoroughbred Racing Cruel?

Question

I just read a remark accusing the racetracks and the sport of thoroughbred (standardbreds too) racing to be cruel. Interesting, Id like to hear what everyone thinks about this.

@ Mulereiner:

I think youre aboslutley right! :)

@ WillowWitch:

You said it yourself - "SOME RACEHORSES" which is NOT ALL. And for your information, horses are not sent into a gigantic meat grinder with metal chains on their legs and grinded alive...how disgusting. The process is not humane by any means, buts absolutley not THAT inhumane. And if you care to know the details I'll share them with you as I have done extensive research on this process and am on different board not supporting the humanity of the slaughter process. With that said, I would also like to point out that for you to generalize based on the few racetracks youve worked at, is foolish. Do you know how many racetracks there are around the world? A heck of alot more than a couple. Horses are not ALL treated so TERRIBLY as you so say. The majority of top end race tracks are gold mines for horses and they have the best of best of lives there. When they leave, sure Iam sure some of them are off to slaughter but not all of them are shipped off grounds to a slaughter

house for heavens sake...! There are LOADS of TB auctions dedicated to finding new, promising careers (As I know, Iam in that business) for OTTb's and TONS of organizations running for retirement for the injured off the track....
You are slightly misinformed in a few areas and are making a HUGE answer out of only a handful of your personal experiences which is unfair to the sport entirely....

And Iam not here to support the BAD things they do, the things you mentioned are not by any means acceptable...but thats not every race horse, and thats not fair to make a generlization of the sport based on those small facts......

And again, might I point out that whatever dicipline you ride, or if you do at all, has its twisted ends too.

An ugly industry with a pretty face, thats truly the best description ive heard of the industry.

Answer 1

The problem with racing isn't so much the track or the racing as it is all the stuff that goes with it. If a horse is a consistent winner it can be a great life. A few years on the track and then off to the breeding shed. But the "also rans" often don't do so well. They become a liability. Racing is a business, and that which does not make money for the business gets disposed of. (With little if any regard as to what "disposed of" means. Some find homes. Others go to slaughter. And then there are those that never get a chance to race. Foal after foal is bred looking for that magic combination that's the next Secretariat. Those that don't measure up...

And then there are the nurse mares. In an effort to breed more foals, newborns are paired with a "nurse mare" who will nurse the foal while mom is taken back to the breeding shed. And why are these nurse mares able to lactate? Because they just had foals of their own. A disposable by product of the industry. Again, some find homes, some die.

Racing is beautiful and it has the potential to be a beautiful sport, but as it stands right now it's an ugly industry with a pretty face.

Answer 2

I totally agree with Lynn, these animals have the best lives and are absolutely pampered. I must say though that they aren't trained enough and most of the time that is what causes the problems. Also the farriers, alot of these horses have terrible feet cause there are no decent farriers these days. And on the arguement of they're to young, some horses and breed and built to do it and others aren't. Oh and here in Australia steroids and slaughters aren't used or allowed. Infact alot of people take ex-racers in a re-train them and alot of them then go on to become great competitors. Horse Deals magazine has a section on off the track horses(which is one of the smallest sections) and they have an article about how an ex-racer has become a very successful competition horse. Also I just want to mention all the money that horse racing brings in, here in australia it is the third largest industry and unlike all of our other industries the money generated by horse racing is not falling as much. The recent yearling sales clearance rate was normal and prices ddid not fall as much as expected, stallion owners are cutting fees and uyet prize money is still the same.

Answer 3

MuleReiner pretty much said it all! :)

It is just like with everything out there - there are people who shouldn't own horses because they don't take care of them, no matter what discipline they ride -- if they even ride at all. Then, there are the people who do take care of their horses. The cruelness comes from the people, not the running!

My opinion on the ages to run, well, it's just my opinion, but I think it's a combonation which depends on the horses maturity and the mentality of the person training it also. I don't like the futurities, because personally I think it ruins alot of good horses, some can take it, but alot can't.
Horses are like people - they all have their own personality!
Each one is different!
I have a 5 yr old which we've just started on barrel racing this year, she did get hurt which put us a year behind, but, honestly I don't care because I've seen WAY too many horses which after being ran in futurities you don't hear about them, and I personally think it's because some people just "pound" on them and "blow them up".
Then, I have a 2 year old which, as a yearling I was on him twice (he's pretty good sized) for about 15 minutes at the most, and has a nice disposition. This year ( within the last two months) I have been on him probably 15 times and trotted once. Actually I even jumped on him bareback just to see how he would react - I wish they were all like him!!! :) I may ride him a few more times this winter, but nothing major! He's pretty level headed, and combined with his size and my size ( 105 lbs), I see no reason to start him EASY! I want him to stay sound and have a brain - therefore I don't push, but at the same time, he's still learning basics! Like I said - in my opinion, I think it depends on the horse and the person training it!

Answer 4

Racing is not cruel, be it Thoroughbred, Standardbred, Quarter horse, or Arabian...PEOPLE on the other hand, specifically, ignorant, cruel and selfish and greedy, thoughtless, PEOPLE are cruel.
It doesn't matter what dicipline,there will always be those who do not truly care a rats a55, about the quality of care, their animals receive. We see proof of that everyday. Consider the person who is on their back, or driving the sulky, they want to get out of there intact and with all their limbs working, so when they feel it's unsafe for them, they will speak to the stewards.
It is true, the bottom line has much to do in the decisions of the industries, but it is that same bottom line that helps keep both animals and people as safe as possible.
Technology is day by day improving the sports we love.

Answer 5

Racing as a whole isn't cruel. The horses are bred to run and as many people will know, if a horse doesn't want to run- it won't! The horses are usually extremely well cared for and trainers make sure there horses are fit enough to run.
When a jockey overuses their whip, that is cruel. Using it once behind the leg to ask a horse to go faster is acceptable- smacking it down from shoulder height is worse.

Answer 6

I don't think that racing as a whole is cruel because racehorses are very well looked after and they love what they do but I do think that they start racing way to young, 2 year old horses shouldn't be racing - they haven't even finished growing yet

Answer 7

Yes I do. Many of the horses are too young and overworked. I've seen tons of thoroughbreds come off the tracks with shattered bones or ruined careers due to bone fragments (sure, this can occur in other sports but is most prevalent in racing). Many of these horses get bowed tendons and then endure pin-firing as well. I do not believe in exploitng animals for your own entertainment either, I think betting on race horses is almost as bad as betting on a dog fight or cockfighting. There are plenty of other horse based sports people can participate in that are more humane. The biggest problem in unethical people who get involved in racing and the things they do just to chase a $$$$$.

Answer 8

I personally do not think it is cruel. Most of those horses LOVE to run and WANT to run and race. I mean sure there are people out there who abuse their horses over it but its not the sport thats cruel, its the way that some people train and treat their horses to race. I've seen this one trainer tell the jockey to hit the horse as much as he could with a pipe in 1 furlong. The jockey refused to do it and then later turned the trainer in once he had proof that he abused his horses.

Answer 9

This is a very interesting question, and I don't the answer is gonna be a solid yes or no, but will reside somewhere in the middle.

There are many things that could certainly be changed about the horse racing industry, for the better of the animal.

I don't like that many race horses are given hormones and even human body building steroids to create unnatural muscle. I don't think it is fair that that race horses begin being ridden as early as 1 1/2 years of age and raced hard when they are still so young. They get shoes nailed onto their still growing and developing hooves, many race horses suffer from injuries in the races, from the starting gates and from training. Most are kept in huge stables in a box stall almost 24/7. I friend of mine used to work at a Thoroughbred racing stable, and has told me awful and embarrassing secrets behind the scenes. Watch the videos I have posted, although they are showing you more extreme cases, this is not far from the truth. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGE_fMuogKA, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCx78Fh30NA

I have a friend in Ontario who has 2 race horse geldings, she keeps them in 50acre pasture (no stalls), does not use hormones or antibiotics, provides natural hoof care without shoes. She rescued these 2 horses from being slaughtered because they had lameness injuries from impropper hoof care and bad shoeing. After 6 months of recovery she got them in shape for racing and has been getting some 2nds and 3rds in the races. After they are retired from racing she is gonna train one for dressage, and the other for jumping.

So I know that racing horses doesn't have to be cruel or unfair to the animal, but in most cases horse racing has alot of problems that need to be adressed.

Answer 10

Just as cruel as any sport might be. These horses are bred for racing so it's not against nature. They're just like athletes -- prone to injuries. Now, what's cruel was a jockey's life, read "Seabiscuit."