Today, I present “Requiem for the Racehorses” – a beautiful, haunting song written and performed by the very talented Nicolette Aubourg. (You can show your support for Nicolette here.) Thank you, Nicolette, from the depths of my heart.
Full Lyrics and Credits:
“Requiem for the Racehorses”
Another racehorse is euthanized
here at the tracks. It’s no surprise—
thousands bred and killed each year,
commodities for the racing industry.
The injured, bleeding, sick and lame
are medicated and raced the same.
The young horses, not fully grown,
tear their flesh and break their bones.
Horses love to run when they’re free to run.
They’re driven by the sun and wind—it’s in their blood.
They’re not driven by a whip, ridden to exhaustion, drugged to mask the pain.
Crashing down before the crowd,
breaking bones as they hit the ground,
euthanized and then replaced—
people say it’s just part of the race.
There’s no requiem for the racehorses.
These are the pawns in a gambler’s game,
locked in stalls for hours a day.
Some earn money but in the end
there’s no home awaiting them.
They’re discarded when they have no use,
sold at auction, scared and confused.
Sent to slaughter, robbed of their grace—
a final betrayal as they’re dragged away.
Horses love to run when they’re free to run.
They’re driven by the sun and wind—it’s in their blood.
They’re not driven by a whip, ridden to exhaustion, drugged to mask the pain.
Crashing down before the crowd,
breaking bones as they hit the ground,
euthanized and then replaced—
people say it’s just part of the race.
There’s no requiem for the racehorses.
No requiem for the racehorses, no requiem.
Credits:
Music and Lyrics by Nicolette Aubourg ©
Vocals, background vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion: Nicolette Aubourg
Bass, piano, additional percussion: Jorgen Carlsson
Produced by Nicolette Aubourg
Co-produced by Jorgen Carlsson
Engineered by Nicolette Aubourg & Jorgen Carlsson
Mixed by Jorgen Carlsson
Mastered by Steve Holroyd
©(P) Syresham Music/Nicolette Aubourg (ASCAP)
Awesome. I just couldn’t watch the horses breakdown. It was hard to watch.
This song and accompanying video should be released for all to see not just on horseracing wrongs website. After viewing just a bit of it this will indeed touch people’s hearts and end horse racing for good.
Thank you Nicolette.
Thank you Patrick
We hope that this song becomes a top ten listing! Every word of the lyrics is the truth. This song needs to heard everywhere by everyone who even thinks of participating in the racing industry. Wish we had the knowledge of today in past years.
Well done!
Nicolette writes and sings it EXACTLY as it is. Every line reflects the truth, without exaggeration. And it’s beautifully sung. I hope that many hear it!!
Wow, that was beautiful, and so haunting and sad. I’m like you Mary….I couldn’t watch the horses going down. Thank you so much Nicolette.
I couldn’t watch the video – just reading about the injuries these horses get is too much.