Behind the glamorous facade of horse races is a world of injuries, drugs, and slaughter. While spectators show off their fancy attire and sip mint juleps, horses are forced to run-often at speeds that cause them to suffer from exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage.
When journalists cover elections by parsing polls, data, and statistics instead of exploring policy issues – what’s sometimes called “horse race journalism” – voters, candidates, and the news industry suffer, research suggests.
Origins
Horse racing is a sport that has been around for centuries, and it has undergone significant changes over time. It has adapted to new technology and regulations, while also maintaining its traditional culture and traditions. Today, it is a popular sport that attracts millions of fans worldwide.
The sport’s roots are rooted in ancient Greece, where horse races were a part of the Olympic Games. It then spread to other countries, and eventually evolved into the modern version of the sport we know today.
In medieval times, professional riders would demonstrate their horses’ speed to potential buyers by racing them over short distances. This led to the formation of a new breed of fast, leaner horses called Thoroughbreds. The 19th century saw the emergence of iconic events that made horse racing more recognizable to a broader audience.
Rules
Owner: A person who owns or holds a legal interest in a horse. An Owner may be a joint or several proprietor. A registered Owner may authorize another person as an Authorized Agent to act in his or her behalf in racing matters until written notification revoking such agency is received by Licensee and approved by the Stewards.
Trainer: A person in whose name a horse is entered for a race. A registered Trainer bears primary responsibility for horses he enters as to eligibility, weight allowances claimed, physical fitness to run creditably at the distance entered, absence of prohibited drugs or medications, and prompt arrival in the saddling paddock.
Jockey: A person engaged to ride a horse. A jockey must report to the Clerk of Scales for weighing at a time specified by the Stewards prior to post time for each race in which he or she is engaged.
Prizes
The highest-profile horse races in the world feature huge prize pots. This includes the Arc, one of Europe’s most prestigious horse races that offers a prize fund of more than $5 million.
While infusions of capital from owners and breeders play a big role, race purses power horse racing’s economic engine. They attract pari-mutuel wagering, which helps drive the industry’s overall growth.
In the US, the winner of a race receives 60% of the declared value of the total purse, with 18% going to second place, 10% to third, and 1% each to fourth through twelfth. Many horse race tracks also offer starter bonuses, which are added to the top share without subtracting anything from it. These bonuses are designed to encourage trainers to run their horses at the highest class level realistically possible for their talent.
Injuries
Horses in racing are at risk of injury. These injuries can range from minor to catastrophic, causing pain and distress. Non-fatal injuries include fractures and damaged ligaments or tendons. These can be repaired or managed. But severe, irreparable damage to a horse’s bones or limbs should result in immediate euthanasia.
These injuries are a result of large repeated loads that horses experience while galloping at high speed. Bone and soft tissue can only withstand a limited number of these loads before they develop damage, but this damage is not repaired until the horse rests.
Some of the most serious injuries are caused by jockeys who use equipment like tongue ties and spurs to help them control their horses. These devices can cause pain, discomfort, and discomfort.
Slaughter
Many of the horses that earn fame and riches during a horse race end up sold and slaughtered for meat. A team of investigators from the animal rights organization Animal Aid recently placed cameras in a British abattoir and claims to have recorded footage of former race horses, such as Vyta Du Roc, being slaughtered for their meat.
The kill buyers buy the horses at auctions and private sales, and they truck them to slaughter plants where they are killed within four days of being purchased. This slaughter method poses a health risk to the public because horse meat can be tainted with illegal drugs and performance-enhancing medications.
Food agencies in Canada and some non-EU countries allow the sale of this tainted meat, which puts consumers at elevated risk for disease. Lawmakers have introduced legislation to ban horse slaughter nine times, but it has never become law.