Horse Racing in Australia

[treehugga]

I've been having a discussion with a collegue re cruelty of horse racing. I know, your all probably thinking i should have put this in the animal ethics section, but i want as much australian info as possible, otherwise i'll get 'it only happens like that overseas!' I don't want the info to shove down her throat but she has expressed interest at seeing it so this may start a spark for her. I have a lot of info re this in my head but no particular sites, research papers, articles etc. She beleives i'm wrong about the cruelty and i would like to show the truth. If anyone can help i'd be really grateful. :)

[RedWellies]

I know I'm not in Australia but for me the biggest problem in horse racing is not the accidents that happen on the racecourse (although awful) but the waste of lives before the horses even go racing. So many young horses break down in training (injure tendons, have breathing difficulties,etc). Some are allowed time to heal and are sold on to have a less strenuous life but some are irreparably damaged. Racing, and particularly jumping, puts tremendous strain on the horses' front legs (when they land after a fence, all their weight is briefly on one leg) and if horses are asked to do too much too soon, their bodies are not strong enough to cope. After all, some of the flat racers are only two years old. A horse is not physically mature until 4 or 5 and mental maturity depends on the individual horse. In my experience, horses are mentally mature about 7 years old.

Maybe if you do a search on Google you might come up with some scientific articles. I know Animal Aid are pushing for more studies into the racing industry (but that might just be here in the UK).

[eve]

There is a very useful leaflet by Animal Lib Vic, called "Don't be Blinded by the Glamour", and it also mentions www.horseracingkills.org which is also Australian. There are paras on what happens to ex-racehorses, overbreeding, raced too young, the whip, and there are photos. I think you will find all the info on the reality and the public perception, treehugga, to convince anyone.

[treehugga]

I know I'm not in Australia but for me the biggest problem in horse racing is not the accidents that happen on the racecourse (although awful) but the waste of lives before the horses even go racing. So many young horses break down in training (injure tendons, have breathing difficulties,etc). Some are allowed time to heal and are sold on to have a less strenuous life but some are irreparably damaged. Racing, and particularly jumping, puts tremendous strain on the horses' front legs (when they land after a fence, all their weight is briefly on one leg) and if horses are asked to do too much too soon, their bodies are not strong enough to cope. After all, some of the flat racers are only two years old. A horse is not physically mature until 4 or 5 and mental maturity depends on the individual horse. In my experience, horses are mentally mature about 7 years old.

Maybe if you do a search on Google you might come up with some scientific articles. I know Animal Aid are pushing for more studies into the racing industry (but that might just be here in the UK).
thanks redwellies. Yes i thought about the google search but i know it sounds lazy, but i'm really short of time and thought if others already knew of great sites i could use them. i agree with the 2 yo being far too young to race. i also think it's cruel for any horse. I used to live with a horse dealer (i know and yes it was shocking) and the horse sales were full of all sorts of cruelty.

[treehugga]

There is a very useful leaflet by Animal Lib Vic, called "Don't be Blinded by the Glamour", and it also mentions www.horseracingkills.org (http://www.horseracingkills.org) which is also Australian. There are paras on what happens to ex-racehorses, overbreeding, raced too young, the whip, and there are photos. I think you will find all the info on the reality and the public perception, treehugga, to convince anyone.

Thanks Eve. You truely are a legend :)

[Ashee]

I so agree, this has really been on my mind lately. Cos of the melb cup and all. there is a shocking vid on that site, Ive forwarded it to as may people as I can, people need to know and relise about this abuse. I makes me sick, "fashion" its all about the fashion, people need to be shown the truth, yeah its all so glam!-not.