Horse Racing...... ? Cruel or Not ?

I've had very little experience of RSPCA, bluebelle. Practically none, in fact. Sorry you feel let down by them.

Article about spur use in dressage. Yesterday I was reading something from Australia about spur use.

Amazing where GN discussions lead one!

I rode until RA stopped me in my late 50's. One of my favourites over several years was a retired racer, he was beautiful in looks and in nature. Big, kind, gentle creature. His racing career wasn't hugely successful and he was bought by the stable owner to join her jolly crew. He loved to race and that was one downside of riding him on the countryside 'canter' routes, it was impossible to hold him back in his place in the line, never have I travelled at such speed on any other horse.
I have mixed feelings about horse racing. I absolutely share the horror that these beautiful creatures will run till their hearts burst. I loathe the National and Cheltenham but I recognise that its an industry employing many people. Anyone visiting a racing stable, or staying in an area where there a number of these will see the majestic beasts going out early morning. They are loved, cared for and cosseted. Their lives may indeed end early because selling on a thoroughbred isn't the easiest thing to do. Thoroughbreds are going to be usually, even more expensive to keep than your average cheap riding pony.
I would definitely ban the use of the whip.

Spurs. Apparently very few jockeys wear spurs and I doubt if they are any use at all as jockeys ride with very short stirrup leathers and are out of the saddle when galloping. Basically, they are riding by balance alone. Any attempt to move the lower leg to use spurs would upset their balance and that of the horse (which would slow it down). The babies they are riding haven't developed enough balance themselves to be able to cope with much movement on the part of their riders. Apart from using their whip hand, jockeys stay very still.

Whips. Jockeys carry whips which have a long (8"+) 'end' made of 2 layers of fairly stiff, but soft, leather. It is impossible to get a 'whiplash' effect with them as the end isn't anywhere near as flexible as were the thin whips previously carried before regulations called for more humane ones. The end is also quite broad, so it won't have the 'cutting' effect that a thin whip would have.

So this aspect isn't as cruel as it appears. The use of immature animals (a tradition that goes back 100s of years, before its bad effects were understood), overbreeding, and the huge 'wastage' of horses are the real evils, IMO

Baggs I once accidentally ate horse meat on a holiday in Germany. It was revolting. We were driving back to the UK the next day and my Dh had to keep stopping the car so I could rush into the bushes at the side of the road. This was in the 70’s when motorway services were few and far between.

I`m with Sparklefizz on this one.
I think it`s so cruel.

Ps, and barbaric.

If it was revolting enough to make you vomit, suedonim, it was probably bad. Any bad meat would have that effect. Nothing to do with the animal it was from.

Oh... was it the other end? Well, same applies.

Why use whips if they don’t give a sharp reminder to go faster
maizie they are not there to add to the attractiveness of the jockeys uniform are they ? they are used to urge them on quicker, quicker don’t you think the poor horse is running it’s heart out anyway without being whipped with a strip of leather
It’s barbaric whatever anyone says

The actual racing is the least cruel and barbaric aspect of the industry. Those who think it is are not listening. The horses are very fit and carefully trained and monitored to be in peak condition. Humans are able to run, but they don't normally run 26 miles in one go. If they're mad enough to want to do that they train intensively and undergo an thorough fitness regime.

You have no idea if the horse is running its heart out, or not, BluBelle, you're just being anthromorphic.

"You can lead a horse to the water but you can't make it drink"... Maybe same goes for racing. I believe it's impossible to make a horse join a race if it doesn't want to, and that those who don't want to are weeded out at a very early age.

Well they are obviously ‘groomed ‘ over time to conform/perform,

If horses naturally enjoy jumping fences and hedges, how on earth do they keep them in a field ?

Well said, maiz. Horse athletes. Bet they get endorphin fixes from running just like humans.

I can state unequivocally, that race horses are pampered much more than household pets.
I know the horseracing world inside out from trainers to stable staff, jockeys, owners pundits, vets and behind the scenes staff.

No racehorse will run if it doesn't want to.
You simply cannot make a horse run.
The whip is a very small strip of leather on a stick, can only be used as a tap a very few times to 'encourage' (number of taps differ between countries) and only on a particular part of the horse, not randomly.
Yes, UK whip rules are being revised but importantly, horses actually look forward to racing, are checked by vets immediately after racing and they particularly look for marks on the animals hide.
There should be none, as a light tap would not mark.
Horses are treasured and pampered, they are costly to keep but can earn their keep many times over. Some are worth millions so neglect and cruelty are definitely no part of legal horseracing.
Yes, some unfortunately have to be put down through illness or injury but so are household pets.
Humans have bred cats and especially dogs to be beholden to an owner, live indoors and eat manufactured food.
Cat, dog and bird owners buy them for their own pleasure, not because the pets choose to live with humans.
They were all feral in the first place.
Racehorses are bred to be ridden and although flat jockeys are lighter and can ride younger animals, jump jockeys are routinely much heavier and the horses older, as are those bred for show-jumping or other kinds of races abroad.
I wonder how many pet lovers would ban Crufts. ?
I think it's much more important to address meat, fish and fowl and the methods by which it arrives on your plate.
Proper race horses are loved and cared for, during and after their glory days are over, many going on to have other 'careers' in other equine fields.
They may be gone from the track but never forgotten by those who 'knew' and cared for them...as are many household pets.

All racehorses have their birthday on Jan 1st regardless as to when during the year, they were born.
It therefore means that a horse born on Dec 29th 2019 would be classed as a 1 year old on Jan 1st 2020 3 days later and eligible to be ridden in flat races for 2 yr olds on/after Jan 1st 2021.
To say that it's cruel, is to speak from a point of ignorance.

Well, well GabbyG is back!
Unless she is a “ringer” of course!
Bridgeit only a small proportion of racing greyhounds are rehomed, sadly they are too often seen as expendable.
I am on to my fourth - the lovely Hattie.
The luckiest are rehomed, then the “next luckiest “ are PTS
You don’t want to know what happens to the others -dumped, thrown out of cars, “coursed” to death, exported to be tortured for sport in countries I dare not mention, but hound owners may know what I mean.
I love seeing a greyhound run - zoomies round the garden or flyball can give you a taster, but greyhound racing is a cruel and under regulated sport.

Gabriella's posts are spot on.

And yes, I too have some knowledge of the racing industry.

Welcome back, Gabriella.

Have owned horses for 21 years, have had many retired race horses at our yard (both flat and jump), they are gentle loving creatures, but need a strong experienced rider, and most carry a crop.

I am not pro/anti horse racing, I agree with MaizieD that "flat racers" are backed to young.

DD has backed dozens of horses/ponies over the last 16 years and if a horse/pony does not want to do something it is nigh on impossible to get them to do it, regardless of bribery with treats or a smack on the rump!!

Yippee GabriellaG54 is back !!!!

Well said.

Manners Maw !
Welcome back GabriellaG - knew you couldn’t resist us for ever! ??

Thanks for information from all you ladies who know about the industry (horses & greyhounds)
As with everything we have to have some perspective /knowledge of a subject before we can form a balanced opinion, I appreciate it is not as cut & dried as one would think, And as in all areas of life there will be good owners/ citizens & the not so good.

I've been taken to race meetings since I was a toddler. Dad followed racing (I blame the Irish in him!) and so did ex-husband. I remember being shocked when I was about 8 and a horse was shot (behind screen). I've never considered the cruelty. I'm no expert on horses but they do seem to run spontaneously although I seem to remember a few horses who simply stayed at the start (often the ones I backed). Someone once told me jockeys sometimes use the whip on another jockey, does anyone know if it's true?