Horse racing is absolutely brutal. If we don't reform this industry, the tragic consequences will continue to pile up:
- Hundreds of deaths on the track each year;
- Overbreeding, and abandonment of "extra" foals and fillies;
- Devastating damage to the legs of horses who are raced too young; and
- The grim ending for thousands of retired racehorses.
Reforms are underway to improve track surfaces and to fight doping, but these steps address only a fraction of the horse deaths associated with racing.
For the purposes of racing, all horses have a birthday of January 1 – even if they're born in December. So a foal born on Christmas Day is considered one year old just a week later, and trainers can begin the grueling process of getting him ready to win.
That's just wrong. Horses don't have a fully mature skeleton until they are five. Most can safely walk with a rider at four, but to train one for racing any earlier drastically increases the risk of injury. And as we all know, when a horse breaks a bone in his leg the only option is euthanasia.
Most equines bred for the track never make it to the starting gates. To find the few special horses who have the potential to win big, many colts and fillies are born. Those who don't make the cut are often auctioned off, and too many go to meat buyers.
The same fate awaits retired racehorses. When they stop earning money, they have no value to their owners. Those who are spared the auction find their way to rescues like Miracle Ranch. Right now, we have 14. Because they typically can't physically support a rider, they are therefore less likely to be adopted. For Plum, Athena and the others, this is probably their forever home.
Will you sign our pledge today to show your support for Habitat for Horses, and our work to reform this abusive industry?
