Photo taken during a race at Churchill Downs, where three horses died - Matt Stone/Courier Journal 

By: Paloma Far (Grade 6)

Horse racing is a very traditional sport in which horses, ridden by jockeys, compete for the best time around a track. Even though the idea appears harmless, behind this romanticized facade, there’s a world of injuries, drug abuse, gruesome breakdowns and slaughter. According to The Jockey Club’s Equine Injury Database, nearly 10 horses died every week at American racetracks in 2018. Tragically, there hasn’t been much change in this scenario over the past few years. But why?

Racehorses are victims of a multi-billion dollar industry. Therefore, multiple times, they commence training as one-year-olds in order to be competing at the age of two. Studies indicate that this practice increases the risk of injuries seeing that their bones are still very immature when training programmes start. Since most owners and trainers have only a short-term financial interest, one thoroughbred can be purchased various times throughout its career. This much instability and uncertainty, added with how early they are forced to begin training, causes a lifetime of suffering and stress.

Beyond the use and abuse of horses as if they were simple commodities, there is also a lack of mandatory standards and improper regulation when it comes to the equestrians’ welfare. There is not a single health or care related requirement in the Brazilian national racing code. Instead, in the Art.21, it acquits the Entities from all responsibilities derivative to every accident horses may suffer and their sacrifice. Unfortunately, due to this industry’s “self-regulations” in the absence of proper standards, without independent inspections, well-being issues will remain undetected and uncared for.

Most racehorses deaths could be avoided. It is common for them to be euthanized after injuries and breakdowns, even when they could be provided with life quality and no pain. To arch with the costs of surgery when they would never go back to racing, for many owners, is inconceivable. I mean, why save the life of the animal you paid for, became responsible for, put them through an exhausting and harmful lifestyle that resulted in the injury it’s facing, when you could just slaughter it?

The horse racing industry has always concealed from the public the number of horses raced to death every year. Likewise the data about “inferior specimens” that are disposed of before even going to the track for the first time. This reflects only some of the untold secrets and absurdities that occur every day all around the world in horse racing.

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