No matter all of the mudslinging, name calling and attack ads during this election cycle, real issues often get lost in the horse race. Horse race has long been used as an umbrella term to refer to any close form of competition or contest; more recently however it has taken on political significance and now appears to have acquired new meaning altogether.
Horse racing has a rich and distinguished history dating back to ancient Greece. Archeological evidence demonstrates that races were held across several regions including Greece, Babylon, Syria and Arabia. Over time this sport has evolved into an expansive global public-entertainment enterprise featuring huge fields of runners with sophisticated monitoring equipment as well as vast sums of money; its core concept remains unchanged – an endurance and speed contest between two or more horses.
Modern racing involves many of the same physical and mental abuses associated with its legendary predecessors, including overcrowded, noisy tracks with unreliable surfaces, insufficient feeding programs, use of legal and illegal drugs to mask injuries or artificially enhance performance, injury bleeding during running races (known as exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage) resulting in blood leaking out through their lungs causing exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage) which must be reduced through Lasix (a salt-based diuretic) and Salix (diuretic with performance-enhancing qualities) being given to horses to reduce this phenomenon.
This combination of drugs may result in serious adverse side effects for horses, including heart and kidney damage, bone degeneration, gastrointestinal upsets and a potentially life-threatening leg condition known as coffin bone disease, in which both long and short pastern bones fracture along their hock joints and fracture away from each other.
Racehorses trained and confined in unnatural ways often experience anxiety and fear as their instinctive behaviors are diminished, leading them to display repetitive, compulsive behaviors such as biting on gates repeatedly or pacing or kicking; these symptoms may also result in self-harm and even in extreme cases death through kicking themselves or biting themselves repeatedly.
As a result of mounting pressure, the racing industry has improved some training conditions and reduced race counts; but has failed to address one of its primary concerns: exploiting younger racing horses for profit. For-profit sport must do more to address all retired racehorses’ needs by creating comprehensive aftercare solutions funded entirely by racing officials – something currently missing in practice.
Racing industry awareness has led to declining attendance and revenue. Now is the time for racing community members to recognize their responsibility of providing a humane future for its former steeds, such as Eight Belles, Medina Spirit and Keepthename who should not be forgotten; please visit PETA’s Racing Campaign Page for more details.