Horse racing is one of the world’s oldest sports, but its basic concept hasn’t changed much over the centuries. It started as a primitive contest of speed or stamina between two horses, and has since developed into a multibillion-dollar public entertainment business that draws thousands of spectators each year to watch the sport from the stands or wager on its outcome.
During races, horses are forced to sprint—often under the threat of whips and even illegal electric shock devices—at speeds so high that many experience injuries or bleed from their lungs (a condition known as exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage). In fact, horses die from this stress more often than they win races.
In addition to the exorbitant physical demands of racing, which are the primary cause of fatalities in Thoroughbred racing, most racehorses spend their lives confined to small, dark stalls for 23 hours a day. According to an equine veterinarian who testified before the New York State Senate, keeping a 1,000-pound animal confined in a 12-by-12-foot stall for 23 hours a day is like locking up a human child in a closet for six days a week.
Despite all the pressure on them, few racehorses ever reach their golden years. The majority die from catastrophic cardiac or fractured limb episodes during the throes of performance or in the aftermath of an accident on the track. Eight Belles and Medina Spirit are just the latest in a long line of horses to suffer and die at the hands of this for-profit business.
Many of these deaths are preventable with better training and regulation. But the industry is failing to take action despite numerous calls for reform. Until it does, horseracing will remain a for-profit enterprise where horses are treated as disposable commodities rather than beloved equines whose lifelong health and well being is a priority.
The exploitation of these equines is not just immoral, it’s unsustainable. The industry needs to acknowledge that, change the way it treats its animals, and evolve to reflect a society, culture, and justice system that increasingly recognizes that all living creatures have a right to live free from harm and pursue happiness.
A study by Johanna Dunaway and Regina G. Lawrence analyzed print news coverage of elections in the United States and Great Britain from 2004 through 2008. They found that newspapers owned by large-chain owners were more likely to frame elections as a competitive game with voters being “switched” between parties. They also found that the characterization of an election as a competition increased in close races and during the weeks leading up to Election Day.
It’s time for horseracing to evolve from its current business model to one that prioritizes the well-being of its horses and puts an end to the exploitation and death that plagues it. Donations from industry folks and gamblers are essential, but they can’t cancel out the ongoing exploitation of younger horses. Let’s not forget the lessons of Eight Belles, Medina Spirit, Keepthename, Creative Plan, and Laoban.