The Dangers of a Horse Race
A horse race is a contest of speed and endurance. It is one of the most ancient and enduring sports. It is a sport of men and women, who compete for money, glory and fame. In the past, horse races were often dangerous affairs, and many horses died or broke down during the course of a race. Today, the sport is safer than ever before. It is less dangerous than riding a bike or car, yet it continues to cause gruesome injuries and deaths to the horses that participate. The human participants are also at risk of serious injury, illness or even death. This is a sport that should not be supported by taxpayer subsidies in the form of gambling money or by the money gamblers put on the line.
Despite the glamorous and romanticized facade, horse racing is an exploitative industry in which the animals pay the ultimate price for their participation. Pushed beyond their limits, horses suffer a host of debilitating health problems — including a condition known as exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. They are also given cocktails of legal and illegal drugs intended to mask injuries and artificially enhance performance.
Most races are “claimed” races. When a runner is claimed, it means that he or she has been entered in a race and will change owners immediately before the race starts although the prior owner still retains all of the purse money. This method of ownership gives an incentive for jockeys and trainers to use the horses that are least likely to win in order to increase their earning potential.
The average racehorse cost is less than a decent used car, and the high purses are jacked up by government subsidies in the form of casino cash that allow tracks to pay first through last place winners. This creates an incentive for jockeys and trainers (who make far more than the racehorses they own) to push the horses as hard as possible, a practice that is extremely hazardous to their health. Dead racehorses are frequently found with fractured spines, ruptured ligaments and shattered legs. Many have shattered necks, and some are found with their limbs hanging on by a shred of skin.
A horse’s heart rate can increase tenfold during a race, to as high as 250 beats per minute. This leads to severe exhaustion, and sometimes collapses or heart attacks. It is common for racehorses to die from cardiovascular collapse, pulmonary hemorrhage, or to be severely injured in terrifying accidents at the tracks. Many of these injuries are due to the dangerous and unnatural jumps that racehorses are forced to contend with. It is time to end the suffering of these sensitive, intelligent creatures. Instead of betting on a horse race, bet on a football game or any other sport that treats its participants as willing athletes rather than mistreated commodities. A boycott of this cruel, exploitative industry would help to send a message that the public is tired of supporting it.