Virtually Horses

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 Ethics & Horse Racing

 
Horse racing is very popular in New Zealand, as it is in many parts of the world.  Here thoroughbred flat racing, jumping races and standardbred harness racing of both trotters and pacers is undertaken by a national network of racing clubs.  I enjoy all forms of racing and admire the athletic prowess of the horses involved.  But I also have concerns about many aspects of the racing industry and have conflicting emotions about my spectator participation in a sport who's practises I don't always agree with.  I am not a racing 'insider', I have never raced a horse or been involved in the industry my opinions are solely based on my observations as a racegoer and horse enthusiast.

I don't have any basic objection to equestrian competition in most forms, including racing.  Many horse breeds would never have been developed without racing, subsequently this has also improved the general quality of sport horses in particular and many breeds in general.  I believe that the vast majority of horsemen and horsewomen in the racing industry care for the horses that they are involved with.  Although there are risks involved in many equestrian sports, racing included, I personally don't believe that this is a valid reason for opposing equestrian competitive sports.  Nature is far more risky.

 
The competitive nature of the Horse
 
Some racehorses are seen as deeply competitive on the racetrack and rather than trailing the field after dropping a rider will continue to actively race the others.  Others will attempt to intimidate their opponents during the race, the famous photo on the right is just one example  Many racing people will tell you that the thoroughbred is bred for competition and lives to run and race. Is this true or just anthropomorphism on our part?  
 
Horses are naturally competitive for resources and hierarchy, it's evident in the paddock and in the wild. The 'competitive' horses are often highly dominant horses, if they are fast, this dominant\aggressive behaviour is tolerated even when directed at humans.  But is it this behaviour that is then viewed as a 'competitive nature'.
 
When galloping in the herd, order is maintained and horses will show their dominance even at full gallop with laid back ears, a well aimed kick or bite.  As humans, we don't respect the herd and throw horses together arbitrarily to suit our own needs.  Being with strangers thereby encourages an almost constant battle for dominance. 
 
In a race there is another factor, the rider.  The whip mimics a predator, clawing at the horse's flanks and quarters.  Does this now change our galloping herd into a panicking stampede?  Do the horses with more highly developed flight (survival) instincts disobey their desire to 'keep their place in the pecking order' and simply charge past their more dominant comrades - thereby eliciting the commonly perceived 'horse with heart' who fights on gallantly. Do we place these ideals of 'heart' and competitive spirit onto the horse, when perhaps these are simply animals who are scared or full of adrenaline.
 
So what is it about horse racing that causes the division of opinion amongst people?  What are the arguments for and against?
 
Physical Abuse: I'm certainly not impressed by the sight of a jockey whipping a horse which is already trying its best or beyond its limits.  I am pleased to see jockeys who have started to wave the whip forward (in the horse's view) as an encouragement, instead.  They frequently get the same result without ever hitting the horse.  
 
Abusive Equipment & Practices: The frequent practice of using tongue ties and assorted other bits of gear to force a horse to conform seems unwarranted. Although, whether this is any worse than the assorted bits of equipment or training practises which many dressage or other sporting riders seem to pick up for their horse's 'faults' would be questionable.  I don't believe that one problem should be offset against another - if there are people who beat their horse's in one sport, it doesn't make it acceptable in any other. (This seems to be a common argument)  However of more concern are the practices (not used in by any reputable trainers thankfully) of doping, drugging, pin firing etc.
 
Wastage: However, my main concern for thoroughbreds is the sheer waste of lives.  The pressure to start racing at too early an age. Once it was considered fine horsemanship to allow a horse to mature, holding back a horse until they were a little older, stayers in particular being raced lightly or not at all during their 2 year old season.  The push for precocious youngsters appears to have increased markedly over the last couple of decades.  Several of the best youngsters recently have been destroyed after suffering break-downs during training or at the track. This may however, be my own prejudice since some studies show that there is little difference in the number of injuries to horses whether they start racing at 2 or 3 years old. 
 
But of course, that is not where the real waste lies - there are very few owners or syndicates that have a plan in place for their horse if it fails to live up to expectations.   Even fewer give the horse a second chance if it is badly injured before winning enough to warrant any expensive vet bills.  Even horses that have raced with sufficient wins to pay their own keep and give their owners the thrill of racehorse ownership may not have a planned retirement as their reward.
 

Harness Racing

In New Zealand harness racing is currently at a high point with the interest in the great champions that have emerged over the past few years and in particular the spectacular racing feats of Christian Cullen, Courage Under Fire, Lyall Creek and recently Elsu.  Even people who are not normally interested in horse racing are drawn to great horses.  I have two main concerns with harness racing; the very disposable nature of standardbreds and the gear worn by many.
 
Standardbreds are generally cheaper to buy than thoroughbreds, and this allows more people to start their racehorse ownership with a harness racing horse.  However, the stakes are lower and the costs of feeding and training a standardbred are much the same as any other horse.  So what happens to those horses that don't make the grade ? If you aren't wealthy to begin with, how long can you keep on with a horse that isn't making money? What options are there for a 'failed' harness horse?  Unlike thoroughbreds there is a prejudice against them as riding horses and sport horses. Hundreds of new standardbreds are being bred each year to end up as pet food, this to me seems like a terrible waste.  It is great to see that this prejudice is beginning to lessen and standardbreds are making inroads into endurance racing and trekking operations.
 
Trotters seem to fare well in comparison to pacers when it comes to the amount of gear used on them.  One piece of equipment that I would like to see modified, are the hopples used on pacers, I see no technical or financial reason that these should not be constructed in such a way that they perform their job of regulating the horses gait while allowing a quick release or break if the horse gets into difficulties, especially in a fall.  There are two items I'd like to see banned or at least reduced in use; the overcheck rein and boring poles.  If you ever saw the great little horse called Cuss race, you'll wonder if the overcheck is totally unnecessary and I believe actually holds a great number of horses back from their potential by forcing them into an unnatural position. The idea of the overcheck is that it holds the horse in a position that allows the most freedom of their shoulders.  Boring poles however, are stupid devices that annoy the horse and I believe are the ultimate in the lazy trainers aid.  The intention of the device is to ensure that the horse corners 'correctly'
 
As a last comment, I have noticed that some drivers have begun some very strange driving practices recently. Swinging violently back and forth in the sulky while driving their horse on with the whip.  I wish that they would look at a video of themselves.  By doing this they are hindering their horse's efforts,  any video will clearly show that the horse is often almost stopped in its tracks on the drivers backward jolt.  This practice is common in the US and is known as 'lifting'.  It is intended to lift or free the horse's shoulder to allow more extension.  However there are two problems with this theory - first, in Australasia the carts are different dimensions from those used in the US so the leverage afforded by such actions is also completely different - second, the horse's power comes from the hindquarters, so like the overcheck this idea that you can gain more power by lifting the front would be similar to a dressage rider assuming that if they could haul the horse's head in the air, this would create the all important impulsion. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Time for a change?
 
We are all aware of how some people view their domestic pets as disposable objects that they can abandon whenever they feel like it but we seem to gloss over this same problem with racing horses.  Another argument is that we have no objection to killing cattle for petfood, so this should apply to racehorses as well.  I guess I feel this is a deceptive argument.  We don't pretend that cattle are our partners in work, we don't claim that cattle have courage or any of the virtues we attribute to the horse, so if you are going to use this argument, at least be honest enough to state that horses are meat like any other. 
 
I'd like to see portion of the revenues from the betting industry going toward horse welfare and new owners being made to plan what the options are for their horse, if it doesn't make the grade.  There are many good people in the racing industry, trainers, jockeys, breeders and owners with a wealth of knowledge and with a great love for the horses and their welfare but this doesn't mean that it shouldn't stand a little scrutiny. 
 
"The International League for the Protection of Horses was established in New Zealand in 1990 to act as an equine lobby group and and equine welfare watchdog"
P.O. Box 10-368, Te Rapa, Hamilton
Phone/Fax 07-849-0678
 
For a full list of animal welfare agencies in New Zealand please go to the WELFARE LINKS page
 

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