It may have been a common practice back in the Stone Age when it was acceptable to strike horses with whips in order to get them to move faster. Back in those days, people cared much less about animal rights and thought of them as objects without feeling and emotions. It is never acceptable to hit an animal such as these horses. Read more on the California anti-whipping regulation and proposed changes endangering the animals at http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/with-new-ca-whip-rule-racing-gets-it-wrong-again/.
The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) implemented strict regulations against whipping horses during races but are now considering altering those regulations, allowing jockeys to hit their horses frequently. Current regulations let jockeys hit their horses three times in a row to see if the animal responds. Exceeding these regulations culminates in fines. The premise of the proposed changes allows for four whippings in the latter part of the race rather than increasing fines for offenders of the original rules. It appears that the jockeys are the ones pushing for these changes in the regulations that would allow less fines and more whipping of these sweet animals.
The effort in this petition is to urge members of the CHRB to reject any changes to the anti-whipping regulations that weaken these rules and endangered the horses. Those involved see no harm in adding an extra whipping of the animals but in reality, whether it is one, two, three or more whippings, it is cruel and unjust! You can help me in supporting this issue by signing and sharing this petition, adding your own thoughts and comments in support of the horses involved.
California Horse Racing Board, Executive Director, Rick Baedeker – Whipping a horse, whether it is once, twice, three times or more is clearly a form of animal cruelty and unacceptable. I am so disappointed that the CHRB is literally considering weakening California’s anti-whipping regulations in order to allow for an extra whipping of the horses in the latter part of the race rather than increasing fines for offenders of the original rules. Just recently a couple of horses have died during the Preakness Stakes and it is time to consider the health and well-being of these animals. Reject changes to the current anti-whipping regulations.
