The horse race is an important tradition of civilizations around the world. It is practiced in countries and territories as diverse as Ancient Greece, Babylon, Egypt, Syria, and Arabia. It is also a central part of myth and legend, such as the contest between Odin’s and Hrungnir’s steeds in Norse mythology. Today, the sport draws millions of fans who share in long-standing traditions and love for these majestic creatures. However, the industry must continue to improve its practices and impose stricter standards on itself to protect its most important asset: the horses.
In the wild, horses are prey animals who run as a pack to keep each other safe and to protect themselves from danger. They love to run fast, and they can run far faster than humans can. Nonetheless, racing is not a natural form of competition for these creatures. It is a human construct that exploits a very human desire for competition. As a result, the horses are subject to many forms of cruelty, from being torn from their mothers at a young age for training to being broken (an industry term for making them pliant and submissive) and then suffering a painful, early death on the racecourse.
Those who work in the industry exert control over the horses through force and intimidation, including pushing, shoving, pulling, yanking, and screaming. They use a variety of tools to manipulate and control the animals, including cribbing collars, lip chains, nose ties, and tongue ties. Horses must be taught to run in a counter-clockwise direction and to change leads (extension of the legs) on cue, as they tire more quickly on straightaways than on turns.
In addition, the horses are pushed to compete while injured, and many receive drugs that they should not be taking. All of these factors contribute to an extremely dangerous and unnatural sport, one in which the deaths of so many thoroughbreds are accepted as the cost of luring gamblers to the betting window. No other sport would tolerate such abuse of its athletes, and the horses deserve better than to be treated like this. The good news is that there are now many ways in which the industry can improve, from improving track conditions to reducing drug misuse and improving veterinary care. These changes are a step in the right direction, but they must continue to accelerate if we are to save horse racing from its demise.