The Equibase line for Very Elegant in the 8th yesterday at Mahoning: “VERY ELEGANT pulled up at the quarter pole, was badly injured and was euthanized.” Prior to being killed, the 5-year-old mare was “For Sale” at $7,500. This is horseracing.
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“was badly injured” ?
And
What was the injury? Perhaps there were multiple injuries which is not that uncommon when a racehorse breaks down.
Why the secrecy ?
The racing industry is a public industry and these horses are put on public display and therefore are open to public scrutiny.
Why are the officials at Mahoning racetrack
reluctant to disclose what this horse suffered when it is clearly in the interests of the public. Surely it doesn’t consider itself a private club of sorts – the old boys’ club in operation perhaps. The horrible painful suffering of a horse serving the industry resulting in its death in a place where the public are invited to attend, place bets and watch, is a seriously shameful matter.
As an aside, quite some years ago, a highly respected member of the legal profession in my home state of NSW, Australia, was commissioned to conduct a report on the horseracing industry and it was quite revealing and damning. One of the recommendations was to have cameras set up to observe the horses in the tie-ups and swabbing area on raceday but of course the industry refused to do this. Unfortunately, the terms of reference did not include the welfare of the racehorse. However, many people, including workers/participants in the industry, wrote letters to the commissioner expressing their genuine concerns in relation to the suffering of the horses. My late father submitted a letter regarding the cruel use by the jockeys of the whip. Thankfully, walking away from the terms of reference, the commissioner at the end of the report raised the animal welfare issue and the gist of the conclusion of this report was that the industry has the responsibility to the general public to conduct itself in a manner to gain the confidence of the public. Clearly, the horseracing industry continues to blatantly disregard the welfare of the horse, not just in the USA and Australia but globally as well.
Recently, in my home state, I came across a horse that was scratched from a race due to being clearly lame in a foreleg. Vet certificate required before being permitted to race again.
Several weeks later stable provides vet cert. declaring horse is now fit to race. Horse jumps out of the gates with obvious difficulty, struggles to keep up with the other horses and then breaks down badly in that same foreleg and is euthanased.
SICK.
Thank you Carolyn for describing the industry in your area.We have noticed patterns in the use of certain riders in our area of the USA who come from a completely different region of our country, the USA.
Carolyn, I don’t know how you feel about it, but it’s a black and white issue for me. There never will be a “welfare” policy for TB horses or this industry that will absolutely prevent mental, as well as physical suffering of horses, or deaths. These aforementioned consequences are totally unacceptable even if they happen rarely. Horseracing is a blood sport. It is morally reprehensible. Horses are not asking to be pushed beyond what they would choose to do riderless, nor when – anymore than a human would. You may agree with me on this. I hope so. Reforms and rules are not enough. And never will be.
Are all of you posting to social media? Writing and calling everyone to protest?. Otherwise this does no good. We are dealing with subhuman monsters.
Mary Porter, I have posted numerous times on Facebook and also sent the petition to ban horse racing in New York State to about 25 people.
Thanks to blogs like this the ugly truth, and the facts are being exposed, but the best information comes from the industry itself because the horrific breakdowns are there for all to see.
Nothing will ever change the fact that racehorses suffer and die for this antiquated business model.
As the pressure grows to fill races, increase wagering profits with a dwindling horse population it seems reasonable to assume that the death lists will grow and the thousands of racehorses who end up in neglectful situations, at kill auctions, and subsequently on the slaughterhouse floor will only grow too since this multibillion dollar industry does little to nothing to take care of their unwanted racehorse mess.
This business hasn’t been financially self-sustainable for years, and the main group that needs to stop supporting this with OUR precious taxpayers dollars and casino profits are the politicians.
VERY ELEGANT so sorry for you as your name reflects an industry that is anything but elegant.
Let’s keep informing the world — the horrors of this unconscionable, depravedly cruel industry — SHUT IT DOWN!