Horse racing is a sport where horses compete to the best of their ability. It is a popular activity in many countries. Some of the top racehorses are in the United Kingdom followed by the United States. Horse racing has been around for centuries. It is a sport that has many different rules and regulations. The rules and regulations vary from country to country. The main rule is that the horse must be healthy in order to participate in a race.
The racehorses are drugged, whipped, trained and raced too young, pushed to the breaking point and beyond, and if not killed in training or in a race will be slaughtered. Despite these facts, millions of people continue to flock to races and bet on the sport. The sport is one of the most popular sports in the world.
For decades the industry has promoted its image as a sport of aristocrats and millionaires who pamper their charges and take great pride in their achievements. While this is certainly true of a few, the vast majority of horsemen and women who work in the industry are honest, hardworking, and dedicated to their horses. The only thing that can save horse racing from its current impending collapse is a profound change in the way it treats its horses.
It is not enough to simply stop using whips and sedatives on the animals in training and to put an end to sloppy riding, bad track conditions, and dangerous equipment. It is also necessary to stop racing a small percentage of animals that are genetically inferior and not as talented as others, and it is vital to move toward an integrated system in which all horses receive equal treatment regardless of their ability or potential for success.
The biggest problems facing the racing industry are corruption and a general lack of respect for the rights of the horses that live in its care. The corrupt element of the business is a tiny, feral group whose only concern is to sully the reputations of everyone else in the industry. It is not too late for the honest majority to give up their games and join those in a society and legal system that increasingly recognizes the fact that all horses, even equine athletes, deserve a dignified existence.
It is a mistake to confuse hostility to PETA with dismissal of its work. Virtually no one outside the industry cares how PETA gets its undercover video of alleged abuse. They only care about the contents of that video. People who watch or bet on races and see a young, beautiful, well-bred animal die in the course of those events are detriments to those horses’ lives. They are depriving future generations of the opportunity to see this wonderful sport thrive. This is what happened to Eight Belles, Medina Spirit, Keepthename, Creative Plan and countless other horses, including the young ones to come. Let us not repeat the mistakes of the past.