Ten reasons to never bet on a horse
An animal’s life should always come before money.
Going to the races or placing a bet on a horse may seem harmless and 'fun', but for the horses this is far from true. The racing industry, and in particular Spring Carnival events like the Melbourne Cup, loves to be presented as a glamorous event, but we're here to draw attention to the suffering and cruelty inflicted upon the horses.
1. Injuries are extremely common.
Horses suffer frequent injuries including recurring or catastrophic and fatal injuries, during races, trials and track work. These include abnormal respiratory noises, exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhaging (bleeding in the lungs), cardiac arrhythmia, abrasions, lacerations, speedy cuts, muscle and shin soreness, lameness, thumps, tying up, or being slow to recover.
2. Horses are dying all the time.
On average, a horse dies every 2 days on Australian race tracks due to an injury sustained while racing. From the period August 1, 2022 to July 31 2023 (the 'racing year'), 168 horses were killed on Australian racetracks. Their injuries ranged from a catastrophic front or hind limb injury (fractures, breaks, tears), neurological injury, shoulder injury, limb injury, pelvis injury, excercise-induced internal bleeding, cardiac arrest, and infection.
The names of the 168 horses, killed on Australian racetracks
Credit: Information by the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses
3. Horses are denied the opportunity to express/experience their natural behaviours.
Horses are social animals, who live in herds and spend their days grazing and exploring. Those exploited by the racing industry, however, can be kept in an isolated stall for 22-23 hours a day. When they are released from the stall, they are forced to train. A recent study found that isolation causes extreme stress in horses. This affects their physical and mental health. They become more prone to stomach ulcers, respiratory disease, and have a weakened immune system. Confinement also leads to several abnormal behaviours, such as chewing, wind-sucking, and weaving (swaying their head and body from side to side).
4. They are commonly fed an unnatural diet.
Horses eat small amounts of low energy, high fibre food continuously – eating for 12-16 hours throughout the day and night. They should never be fed ‘meals’ of concentrated foods like they do in the racing industry. If they are being fed meals, they can suffer from poor gut functioning, colic, and gastric ulcers. High energy feed can cause obesity and laminitis, which are very serious conditions.
5. They have their spirits broken.
All horses have to be “broken” in, which basically translates to breaking their spirits so that they obey people and can be ridden. Yearlings begin the intensive training regime at less than 2 years of age. This places enormous stress on the horse’s immature skeletal frame and can lead to early breakdowns, lower limb ailments, fractures, pulled ligaments, and strained tendons. More research is needed to determine the long term effects of training and racing young horses.
6. Whips, tongue ties, and bits hurt.
Whipping has proven to cause pain, bruising, and inflammation because a horses skin is as sensitive as ours. Whipping a horse is also a discouraging behaviour, busting the myth that whips make horses run faster and increase jockey safety.
Some horses have an elastic strap or nylon stocking tied around their tongue and lower jaw, to prevent their tongues from moving while racing. Horses with tongue-ties exhibit signs of pain, anxiety, distress, difficulty swallowing, cuts and lacerations, bruising, and swelling. It restricts blood flow and can cause permanent tissue damage.
Bits are the metal part of a bridle that is inserted into a horse's mouth. Riders control the horse by pulling on the reins, placing pressure on the horse's sensitive mouth. Horses respond due to the high level of pain they experience. According to studies, common injuries from bit include lesions in soft tissue, bruising, and chronic impediment of a horse’s ability to breathe or swallow normally.
Credit: Horses and People Magazine
7. Their bodies are pushed to extreme limits.
Horses are prey animals and enact the ‘flight’ response when in a frightening situation. They wouldn’t naturally run at high speeds for long distances, unless they are trying to escape predators or danger (fire, flood). The racing industry, however, forces them to run at top speeds for 1-3.2 km. Horses may also forced to run in temperatures up to 38 degrees Celcius (PDF). Even in these temperatures, races may not be cancelled and might be scheduled to “cooler” parts of the day.
8. Many horses never make it to the racetrack.
Every year, the racing industry breeds around 13,000 foals and the exact number of foals who become “successful” racehorses and are entered into a race is unknown. It is estimated that up to 70% of foals never make it to the racetrack (PDF). Horses may be unsuccessful because they don’t run fast enough, have an unsuitable temperment, or have an illness or injury.
9. There is no meaningful retirement plan.
The average racing “career” of a racehorse is less than 3 years, and most thoroughbreds are retired at just 6 to 7 years old. The racing industry admits that many will retire much earlier at 4 or 5 years old. In Australia, there is currently no lifetime traceability, meaning there is no proper record system for what happens to horses bred by the horse racing industry. This includes unsuccessful foals and horses who are “retired”. The main reasons why foals are unsuccessful and horses are “retired” are due to poor performance, injury, illness, breeding, and unsuitable temperament. Horses may be rehomed, bred, or slaughtered. A expose by ABC’s 730 Report, showed that hundreds of ex-racehorses and standardbreds are being discarded and brutally slaughtered across Australia.
10. Horses are unique and worthy of kindness.
Horses are all unique and have different personalities – just like us! They can be curious, social, aloof, or more fearful, or confident and challenging. Horses have a complex nervous system, excellent memory, can make valid judgements, can learn, and work problems out themselves, such as opening stables and freeing themselves.
The good news is, you can have fun without the cruelty.
You can help end race horse suffering by:
Showing you can have fun without the cruelty by joining or hosting a Nup to the Cup event.
Sharing this information with others and encouraging them to never bet on a horse’s life.
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