Horse Racing
Kirsten Wilkie Should horse racing be banned?
Just an animal, only a horse, there are plenty more. I think not! Horses should not have to suffer beneath the glamorous façade, which is commercial horse racing. Motivated by financial gain and prestige company, most people regard it as a harmless and entertaining sport; but would the public still think that if they knew the truth? Behind the scenes, lies a story of immense suffering and complications.
The standard whip is a primary example of the stress that the horses must endure. Many people find the whip unsettling to watch on TV, and even more so live at the tracks. The whip is designed to “egg” the horse on a little bit, but these days it is being used to push horses beyond their capability, which results in unnecessary suffering. It is also bad for viewers as it shows the beloved horses, quietly beaten for entertainment. Lots of horses suffer severe open weals to the flesh on different occasions at the hands of the same jockey. The British horse authority put down a rule for giving the horse time to respond before hitting it, but it has been ignored. Norway banned the use of the whip on humane grounds in 1982, but it still continues everywhere else. There are no “winners” in this “sport”. Some people will gain money from it, but at what cost? It is unethical and the whip is a good way to show it.
Another way to show this is through the use of drugs and deception in the racing industry. There are trainers and even owners all over the world, pumping their “winning” horses full of drugs; illegal drugs. “Finding an American racehorse trained on the traditional hay, oats and water would probably be impossible “says one reporter. With so much money on the line, the horses are literally “drugged to the end”, and before it was banned in Pennsylvania, nearly 1,000 horses were tested for steroids, and more than 60% were positive. Because it is so widespread in the industry, it will be
Just an animal, only a horse, there are plenty more. I think not! Horses should not have to suffer beneath the glamorous façade, which is commercial horse racing. Motivated by financial gain and prestige company, most people regard it as a harmless and entertaining sport; but would the public still think that if they knew the truth? Behind the scenes, lies a story of immense suffering and complications.
The standard whip is a primary example of the stress that the horses must endure. Many people find the whip unsettling to watch on TV, and even more so live at the tracks. The whip is designed to “egg” the horse on a little bit, but these days it is being used to push horses beyond their capability, which results in unnecessary suffering. It is also bad for viewers as it shows the beloved horses, quietly beaten for entertainment. Lots of horses suffer severe open weals to the flesh on different occasions at the hands of the same jockey. The British horse authority put down a rule for giving the horse time to respond before hitting it, but it has been ignored. Norway banned the use of the whip on humane grounds in 1982, but it still continues everywhere else. There are no “winners” in this “sport”. Some people will gain money from it, but at what cost? It is unethical and the whip is a good way to show it.
Another way to show this is through the use of drugs and deception in the racing industry. There are trainers and even owners all over the world, pumping their “winning” horses full of drugs; illegal drugs. “Finding an American racehorse trained on the traditional hay, oats and water would probably be impossible “says one reporter. With so much money on the line, the horses are literally “drugged to the end”, and before it was banned in Pennsylvania, nearly 1,000 horses were tested for steroids, and more than 60% were positive. Because it is so widespread in the industry, it will be