The Truth behind the Cruel and Exploitative Horse Racing Industry
Breeding:
Each year about 13,000 foals are bred for the sole purpose of lining the pockets of the owners and breeders that represent Horse Racing.
Selection is cruel and the foals that don’t make the grade are often killed, being fed to hunting hounds, or butchered for meat.
Those that do make the grade are usually confined to their stables for most of the day, only being allowed out for short periods of time when they endure harsh training.They then spend many hours travelling long distances across the country, confined to a trailer.
Horses are pushed Beyond their limits:
Horses are the only animals that can be beaten in public for entertainment. The use of the whip not only causes pain and suffering for the horse but it also forces them to continue running far beyond their natural limits, causing devastating injuries to the horse and very often Death. Norway banned the whip in 1982, why is the UK still allowing it to be used?
Injuries and Death:
One horse dies on a British racecourse every two days of racing.
Broken limbs, backs and necks and life threatening injuries are common.
Many horses are raced whilst carrying a serious injury and they will be drugged to mask their pain to keep them running, when they should be resting or receiving veterinary treatment.
Serious illnesses such as bleeding lungs and gastric ulcers are now very common in Racing horses. Eighty-two per cent of Flat race horses older than three years of age suffer from bleeding lungs
Approximately one in every 37 horses who starts a season’s racing will have died by the end of it, as a result of racing, a training injury, or being killed because they are no longer financially viable to the owner or trainer.
Former race horses are “retired” to the slaughterhouse:
According to Animal Aid, around 1,000 horses from the racing industry are killed in slaughterhouses in Britain every year, to be turned into dog food or horse meat. Other horses may face horrific live export journeys to Europe. All because they are no longer financially viable to the industry.
How you can help:
Sign this petition, refuse to attend Race Courses, don’t make bets on Racing events and share this petition with as many people as possible to create awareness of this cruel and exploitative Horse Racing Industry.
