Horse-Racing- Cruel?

[pixie374]

To avoid disrupting Ken's thread, and to allow people to have their say...

My view is no. Because I believe mental health is just as important for animals as it is for people... and I have worked in Racing yards, Polo yards, Riding schools etc...

When you have bred an animal throughout hundreds of years to want to race, is it actually "kind" to wrap them in cotton wool instead forever? I now work with older people, and feel the same. Anything "fun" comes with some risk.

Obviously,there is no justification for cruelty or abuse, no matter what- and I doubt anyone would suggest there is.

So- horseracing? Fair or not?

[woofgang]

pixie "I was just asking what people expected. I get the feeling that an "innocent, beautiful animal" has died. But sometimes it seems people prefer them to be kept safely in a stable (which would send them mad...) without really acknowledging, that none would have a life at all otherwise, even a good one."

I don't see anywhere where anyone has said that

[pixie374]

Not literally. But those saying that an animal has lost their life... haven't also said that the animal gained their life.
Each to their own- but at least acknowledge these animals also only exist because of this.

[pixie374]

It is, bazile...
Yes, naomi, do you know whether they were bred to be raced?

[naomi24]

Yes, I do know, pixie. They are not bred to be raced - which is surely the point.

[pixie374]

Maybe. But also, there are thousands of happy healthy racehorses... who would not be alive at all, if racing didn't exist. They are the sacrifice, for those upset that some die. I totally appreciate that, actually... but... priorities?

[pixie374]

Google says around 20,000 racehorses in the UK per year. I'll have to regoogle how many die.

[pixie374]

12. According to Deathwatch.

[naomi24]

They’re not sacrificed if they’re never born. No priorities involved.

[woofgang]

pixie deathwatch only records horses who are killed when actually racing....on top of that there are the thousands who end up as dogmeat, are sold to unsuitable homes or abandonned or otherwise vanish. 2020/21 will be a low race injuries and deaths year because of covid.

[pixie374]

Fair enough... they are to me. 19,088 long lived happy healthy horses... I consider a bonus. But I agree, it's awful that 12 might die earlier than usual.

[pixie374]

Woof, I tried to say from the start, it's about whether "racing" them is cruel. I don't see any justification for mistreating them- no matter what their "purpose" is.
I would be happy to fight for kind treatment. I just don't equate it with banning- as I said, I have worked at places where that just wouldn't happen. It is not inevitable or necessary.

[Apc2604]

Horses bred purely for racing is very wrong in my opinion. Same as dogs bred purely for showing. Animals should live as natural a life as possible. But 'The Sport of Kings' will continue.

[pixie374]

Apg, I think you have gone, but if you look in... I just want to clarify, i haven't described anyone as ignorant, whether they are for or against. That was a lazy run-through of posts "so far".
It bothers me a little, as you gave me good advice for my pony, which i took and it worked. So, if you thought I was having a dig- I wasn't and I'm sorry if you thought so.

[woofgang]

its not just 12 who die early, its the failed racers too...also all theracehorses at the budget end of the business who are treated like tools for people to bet on and don't even get the chance of any kind of kindness

[pixie374]

I agree with that, apg. Weirdly, maybe... I think showing is "more unnatural", although its safer. Racing, Polo, jumping- and Agility and obedience etc for dogs... I see as more "natural".
Dogs and horses have both been domesticated for thousands of years... and awful though this sounds... they actually feel happy when they have done something right for us. It's what we have done, they aren't wild.

[pixie374]

Woof, again... I, and I doubt anyone else are condoning that. I have tried to give examples to show that cruelty isn't necessary or inevitable. Quite honestly, I see sports and cruelty as two different subjects. You don't need one to achieve the other.

[pixie374]

13:40, apc... sorry.

[woofgang]

pixie "Quite honestly, I see sports and cruelty as two different subjects. You don't need one to achieve the other."

you do need it if you are going to break a creature at 18 months to race at age 2. But i know you won't be convinced.

[pixie374]

That is cruel. And no- I'm not convinced that is necessary. As I said earlier, our youngest beginners were 4. 2 is way too young.

[pixie374]

Their bones aren't even strong at that age.