by Keith Dane
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| iStock.com |
| Tragic horse deaths expose risks of sports. |
Recent breakdowns or accidents in horse industry events—leading to the deaths of Eight Belles at the Kentucky Derby and two other horses in the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event in Lexington last week—have both the horse industry and the general public asking serious questions about the welfare of horses, and systemic problems in Thoroughbred racing and eventing.
It's not just the calamities at the track and on the field that threaten the very lives of horses in American sport. Of great concern to The HSUS is the discarding of horses no longer useful to the industry and the wanton overbreeding of these animals.
Horses can live to be 30 years old, but too many are bred for careers that last only four or five—or worse, have their lives snuffed out as soon as the verdict is made that they have no hope of becoming champions.
Some Thoroughbred owners and other segments of the equine economy routinely churn out more horses than the current market can support—a stable, responsible secondary market does not exist.
These animals—having given their all to the industry—are too often sent to a gruesome and early death at the horse slaughterhouse, or foisted off on a naïve horse enthusiast too new to horses to understand the sophisticated training needs of a horse off the track.
Efforts for Reform
To their credit, some leaders in the racing industry have begun to accept responsibility for their horses who no longer (or never did) stand in the Winners Circle—and work with the horse rescue community to find safe, responsible homes.
They have established funds—supported by a small percentage of racing purses—for the retraining, rehabilitation and re-homing of retired race horses. While these programs are voluntary (some do opt out) and do not meet the needs of nearly enough race horses, it's a start. Others in racing have established equine rescue centers such at the Kentucky Equine Humane Center for the re-homing of former race horses and other equines.
The American Quarter Horse Association and its members, who send far more horses to their deaths at slaughter than any other breed, should take a cue from the more enlightened in Thoroughbred racing on this issue. It's time for all segments of the horse industry to begin to think first—not last—of the animals from whom they make their living.
Leading the Pack
The HSUS wants to work with, encourage and support the leadership of those equine industry groups that make earnest, sincere and effective changes to safeguard equine lives.
For example, the leadership of the national governing body for equestrian sport, United States Equestrian Federation (USEF)—along with the United States Eventing Association (USEA)—has taken a long, hard look at recent equine fatalities and grave human injuries. They have acknowledged they have a serious problem that requires significant soul searching and immediate attention.
Four horses have died this year alone in the cross-country portion of eventing competitions, and the industry is acutely aware of the crisis these deaths present not only to animal welfare, but to the stability and future of their sport. They have sought our guidance and support as they negotiate the changes necessary to make eventing safe and humane.
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| iStock.com |
The HSUS wants to support the leadership of those
equine industry groups that make sincere efforts to
safeguard equine lives. |
The horse racing industry should borrow a page from eventing's playbook.
There's now an unprecedented public examination of their industry, and the problems are not easily explained away or forgotten.
As more racing superstars break down in widely televised events, racing will lose more fans, and there will be more fervor than ever to crack down on the industry.
Ways to Make It Better
Some changes to consider include the ending of two year old racing; raising the age of Triple Crown contenders to four years old; banning the use of performance-enhancing and pain-masking drugs on horses in race training, especially on race days; possible mandatory conversion to Synthetic race tracks, which are more forgiving; research into the correlation between genetics and the incidence of breakdowns leading to fatal injuries; and the creation of a National Racing Commission so there is one over-arching governing body responsible for the welfare of the animals and for setting a level playing field for the competitors.
To address the overpopulation problems created by the industry, it should adopt voluntary limits on breeding. It should greatly increase funding to create more Thorougbred retraining and rescue centers, to provide retirees with a career and a future after their racing days are over.
We would welcome a dialogue with the racing industry. We urge it to consider these options and the many suggestions that have come from within the industry itself. Ultimately, industry is in the best position to evaluate the problem and to adopt changes that ensure the safety of its equine athletes.
The question is whether it has the will to recognize that a horse breaking both front ankles at the end of a race is not an acceptable price of doing business, and that it can—and must—do better. Whether it chooses to recognize there's a problem and take adequate corrective action may well be the pivotal decision on which the industry's future hinges.
Keith Dane is the director of Equine Protection for The Humane Society of the United States. Before coming to The HSUS, Dane was executive director of Friends of Sound Horses, an organization he helped establish to eliminate cruelties in the Tennessee Walking Horse industry.
Read HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle's blog on the Kentucky Derby»
