What is a Horse Race?
A horse race is a competition in which horses run on a track. People bet on which horses will win. The winner of the race receives a sum of money called prize money. There are many different ways to bet on a horse race, including straight bets and parimutuel bets.
The sport of horse racing is ancient, with its roots in chariot races and Bedouin endurance races. Modern horse racing is based on Thoroughbreds, which are bred and raised for speed and competition. The sport has grown into a multibillion dollar industry and is regulated by several national and international bodies. It is not uncommon to see a million-dollar bet placed on a single race.
Horses are trained for racing while their skeletal systems are still growing, putting immense stress on their bodies.1 Despite improving medical treatment and technological advances, the horse racing industry has failed to address serious concerns about animal welfare.
Despite the claim that “horses love to race and are born to compete,” horses do not enjoy what they are made to do on a racetrack. The natural life of a horse, running and playing in an open field, bears no resemblance to what they are made to do in a race.
The equine athletes of the racing industry, who are often treated like commodities, suffer from a variety of injuries and illnesses, including laminitis, a condition in which the hooves become thin and painful. Other ailments include bowed tendons, heaves (emphysema), back problems and even death.
In addition to physical trauma, a horse’s long career in racing can cause psychological distress. Horses are constantly exposed to loud noises and crowded crowds, which can be overwhelming for them. They are also subjected to the constant pressure of winning, which can lead to behavioral issues and a variety of mental health problems.
There are many reasons for the ongoing suffering of horses in the horse racing industry, but one is that the sport remains rooted in the past. Horse racing must decide whether it is willing to evolve its business model and prioritize the best interests of the horses at every level, from breeding to race day. This will require a profound ideological reckoning at the macro business and industry level as well as within the minds of horsemen.
The best way to protect horses is for the industry to reassess its values and priorities. Then it must put into place a series of complicated, expensive and untraditional measures that will ensure the safety and wellbeing of the racehorses it exploits and relies on for profits. Ultimately, these measures will include a complete restructuring of the industry’s entire model—from imposing caps on the number of times a horse can be raced to establishing a more natural and equine-friendly lifestyle for the animals. It is time for an overhaul to save the future of horse racing, for Eight Belles and the countless other young racehorses who have been discarded.
A horse race is a competition in which horses run on a track. People bet on which horses will win. The winner of the race receives a sum of money called prize money. There are many different ways to bet on a horse race, including straight bets and parimutuel bets. The sport of horse racing is ancient, with its roots in chariot races and Bedouin endurance races. Modern horse racing is based on Thoroughbreds, which are bred and raised for speed and competition. The sport has grown into a multibillion dollar industry and is regulated by several national and international bodies. It is not uncommon to see a million-dollar bet placed on a single race. Horses are trained for racing while their skeletal systems are still growing, putting immense stress on their bodies.1 Despite improving medical treatment and technological advances, the horse racing industry has failed to address serious concerns about animal welfare. Despite the claim that “horses love to race and are born to compete,” horses do not enjoy what they are made to do on a racetrack. The natural life of a horse, running and playing in an open field, bears no resemblance to what they are made to do in a race. The equine athletes of the racing industry, who are often treated like commodities, suffer from a variety of injuries and illnesses, including laminitis, a condition in which the hooves become thin and painful. Other ailments include bowed tendons, heaves (emphysema), back problems and even death. In addition to physical trauma, a horse’s long career in racing can cause psychological distress. Horses are constantly exposed to loud noises and crowded crowds, which can be overwhelming for them. They are also subjected to the constant pressure of winning, which can lead to behavioral issues and a variety of mental health problems. There are many reasons for the ongoing suffering of horses in the horse racing industry, but one is that the sport remains rooted in the past. Horse racing must decide whether it is willing to evolve its business model and prioritize the best interests of the horses at every level, from breeding to race day. This will require a profound ideological reckoning at the macro business and industry level as well as within the minds of horsemen. The best way to protect horses is for the industry to reassess its values and priorities. Then it must put into place a series of complicated, expensive and untraditional measures that will ensure the safety and wellbeing of the racehorses it exploits and relies on for profits. Ultimately, these measures will include a complete restructuring of the industry’s entire model—from imposing caps on the number of times a horse can be raced to establishing a more natural and equine-friendly lifestyle for the animals. It is time for an overhaul to save the future of horse racing, for Eight Belles and the countless other young racehorses who have been discarded.