Thoroughbred Racing Is Inhumane: Eight Belles and Other Horse Tragedies

I've learned more about thoroughbred racing in the past week than I've known my whole life---and what I've learned disturbs me.  Despite the "sport's" ardent supporters' claims to the contrary, this "sport of kings" seems largely cruel and inhumane.

First of all, let me relate the tale of the filly Eight Belles (a filly is a female horse 3 years old or younger)---the first filly to run against the male colts in the Kentucky Derby since 1999.  She put up a good show, finishing second in the race, but then she collapsed suddenly, having broken both front ankles; a freak occurence, according to race officials.  Eight Belles was euthanized on the spot by lethal injection.  On my local sports talk show on WHAM 1180, there were many callers who theorized that her injury may have been brought about by the fact that she was so young, or that she was inexperienced at racing such a long distance (the race is 1.24 miles).  Whatever the reason, seeing these majestic creatures suffer horrific injuries (ie.- Barbaro) because of our human whim for racing and gambling is just appalling.  As Monical Ball from Peoria, Illinois wrote in a letter to USA Today (Tuesday, May 13, 2008):  "In what other sport would we so happily watch a living being be whipped to make him or her perform better?"  Well put, Monica!

Of course, thoroughbred racing has its defenders---Missy Apmann of Barrington Hills, Illinois wrote in a letter to USA Today (same date):  "...those directly involved with the horses have the best intentions...Eight Belles has not died in vain.  She is a tribute and celebration of the equine spirit."  Yes, Missy---Eight Belles is, in fact, a spirit now.  And as far as those directly involved with the horses having the best intentions, I'm sure there definitely are those who, in Seabiscuit-like fashion, would live and die for their horses, but because of the profit-motive, there are also a lot of scumbags in the "sport" that value their horses only as long as they bring in a dollar value.  Otherwise, it's not economically feasible to care for them, to feed them, to house them, and to train them. 

One thing that American thoroughbred trainers are guilty of is pumping their horses full of drugs as part of their training regimen (harken back to the East German Olympic Athletes or to today's baseball players).  A guest on a recent Newshour interview remarked that "I think the American racing community is, like, addicted to the use of drugs. They -- I don't think trainers would know how to train without them." 

For some reason, Europeans and the Japanese pay top dollar for horse meat.  The May 12, 2008 edition of Realsports on HBO profiled how (some) thoroughbred owners sell off horses who aren't fast or profitable enough to "killer buyers" who transport these horses to slaughterhouses in Mexico and Canada (it's illegal to slaughter racehorses for meat in the United States).  Concerned horse lovers attend these meat auctions and buy up as many horses as they can, sometimes for just a few hundred bucks, so they can save them from the slaughterhouses and put them up for adoption.  It was just gutwrenching to see these stately creatures getting shot with a bolt gun to the head (multiple times in some cases), getting shot at close range with a shotgun, being strung up while still alive and being gutted, or being stabbed in the spine with a dagger in a Mexican slaughterhouse.  When Realsports reporter Bernard Goldberg later confronted a trainer on why he sold his thoroughbred to a slaughterhouse, the trainer tried to disavow any knowledge of the practice, saying "I don't want to know."  It was brought up in this episode how it is not feasible to adopt out all of the thoroughbreds because there simply aren't enough adoptees adopters, but that thoroughbred owners can pay a $60 fee to have their old horses euthanized "humanely", which is the lesser of two evils when considering their fate in a slaughterhouse. 

Overall, it's just a shame that any of this has to happen.  Can't we humans be satisfied with watching our fellow man engage in sport?  Why do we further have to exert our mastery over the "lower animals" for our entertainment?  Haven't we already done enough damage to our animal brothers and sisters?  Feel free to send a message to your congressman regarding holding hearings on "Problems in Thoroughbred Racing" via PETA's online petition.       

Comments

[Corrin Hart]

I would like to clear a few things up for those who don't know about thoroughbred racing. I am a 28 yr old female jockey and it frustrates me seeing so much negativity going around about racing. As a jockey I care more about my horse than anything else, as do the other jockeys and trainers. We take our horses out at 5AM to make sure that they are feeling well and nothing is wrong before ever going to a race a will scratch a horse from a race if even the slightest thing is off. As for the actual racing, anyone who has ever ridden a horse knows that they are very competitive animals and will "race" each other in the pasture with or without a rider. As a jockey it is my job to keep my horse from running full speed throughout the race and only let them run at the very end. We DO NOT continuously whip our horses. The purpose of the whip is to keep the horse from running into the rail or other horses and hurting themselves and the rider. Actually whipping a horse over and over the way most observers and laymen incorrectly think we do would slow the horse down. When we swing the whip we do not actually hit the horse. There are also judges that watch the races very closely and if you are a rider that whips the horse over and over you will lose your license because that would be inhumane and considered beating the horse. As for the tragedy of Eight Bells what happened was horrible but it was an accident. When horses slow down, weather with or without a rider they can clip one hoof on the other causing the horse to land on their ankle. Unfortunately in horses this causes the ankle to break where in humans it would sprain and possibly break. Horses cannot live on 3 legs and cannot lay down for long periods of time due to their digestive systems, if they were to lay down for more than a day it would kill them, so when they do break a leg they need to be put down, it is the only humane option.
I understand the misunderstandings of people who are not educated on the subject of racing but it is in no way inhumane and the horses are always extremely well cared for and loved. Their best interest is always considered first and foremost. Horses love to run, that's why we are so mesmerized by herds of mustangs running across plains, they are running because they love it and are having fun. The hardest job as a jockey is keeping a horse from running full speed and getting hurt, not asking them to run, but asking them to slow down.
Thank you for your time.

[edward saunders]

The writer needs to do more research and get their story straight. It is people like this that exploit the negative that create ill feelings towards those of us who actually work in the business and know the REALITY. There is negative in EVERY sport...do your homework, fight battles that need help...put your passion towards something real.

[Steven]

I understand the passion that many involved in horse racing feel for both the pursuit and for the horses, but my overall issue with the practice is the fact that an animal is being subjugated and made to engage in this man-made diversion. Just because it is in the nature of horses to run, does this make our use of them for "sport" any more justified? The animals have no choice whether to participate or not. We as human beings have made that choice for them. As sentient beings we have the ability to reason and to question the rationale of the decisions we make. So, what is the rationale?