The sport of horse racing has evolved over the centuries from a primitive contest of speed or stamina between two horses into an enormous public entertainment industry. Today, the sport draws billions of dollars in wagers from spectators who can place bets at the track where the race is being run, at other tracks (known as simulcasting), and on the Internet through companies such as Betfair. The earliest races were match races between the owners of individual horses. In time, the industry began to produce open events that allowed anyone to enter a horse and compete for a prize purse. Rules were developed to determine eligibility based on age, sex, birthplace, and previous performance.
A defining characteristic of the modern race horse is its size. Modern thoroughbreds weigh as much as 2500 pounds and can run at speeds of up to 120 mph. These animals are often rushed into competition before their skeletal systems have fully matured, leaving them unprepared to handle the stresses of racing on a hard surface at high speeds. The resulting injuries are not uncommon. One study found that one horse in 22 races suffered an injury that prevented it from finishing a race, while another report claimed that 3 thoroughbreds die every day in North America due to catastrophic accidents during racing.
Horses are trained by trainers and groomed by stable boys who ensure that they are fed properly, exercised adequately, and given proper medical attention. This differs from how horses were treated throughout history, when they were used for transportation and war and not seen more as valuable investments that needed to be looked after. Regardless of how well they are cared for, however, all race horses suffer from the physical and emotional pressures of competitive racing.
During the race, jockeys ride the horses on their backs and use a stick called a crop to whip them into a faster pace. The crop can cause psychological damage to the horses, and it can also lead to physical injury. Some jockeys even use their crops to hit the horses to get them to move faster, which is incredibly damaging and causes them great fear and pain.
While there have been improvements in the training and health of racehorses, growing awareness of the cruel treatment of these animals has prompted many to demand reform and even outright bans on the sport. A number of PETA investigations have exposed abusive training practices for young horses, drug use, and the transportation of countless American racehorses to foreign slaughterhouses.
Horses cannot be forced to participate in an activity that they find stressful and painful, especially when they are prone to serious injuries like fractured legs and lungs. They should be able to enjoy their retirement in peace, without having to worry about being transported to a foreign slaughterhouse or being forced to endure an endless series of races where they are likely to be injured. We need to create a culture and legal system that recognizes that the for-profit racing industry does not own the horses it breeds, trains, and profits from; they belong to the animals themselves, who are entitled to certain fundamental rights, including survival of the business that created them and a safe and secure future.
