I need ppls opinion on horse racing is it good or bad?

Question

I need ppls opinion on horse racing is it good or bad?

Answer 1

It's a sport using animals, don't see how it's good or bad

Answer 2

It's the greatest sport in the world.

Answer 3

Horses love to run, there is nothing wrong with it.  I've only been on one horse that didn't  like to run, and he was just lazy.

Answer 4

There's elements of both just like every other thing in life. You break a horse to ride you risk getting hurt or the horse getting hurt. We teach horses to jump, or compete in various ways. There's a chance of them getting hurt just being in the back yard.

Answer 5

This is ccp'ed from a previous question, so those that have already read it, bear with me, there is some new as well.

Though not all race horses are well treated, most in the United States and other major countries are. This is a billion dollar a year industry, there are rules in place to protect the animals. Most whips, and this might be all, not sure on whether this rule is official yet, have a foam core, they make a lot of noise, but offer little to no pain, sort of like whacking yourself with a wiffleball bat. Not all thoroughbreds are worth millions, but even the lowest level of claimers are loved by someone. Leaving out the bad apples that pop up in every sport, most trainers, grooms, exercise riders, jockeys, etc. treat the animals well, that is not to say they never whip or slap the horses, but most of these animals weigh in excess of 1,000 lbs of the people handling them......if you aren't the boss, you're in the dirt. To be honest the thoroughbred industry has more rules and is better at enforcing those rules than ANY other equine sport. It sounds horrible, but accidents happen, the recent tragic events in racing are heartbreaking, but it is NO REASON to condemn the industry, accidents are just that, accidents...if you don't understand the term, look it up in the dictionary. These animals are bred to run, they love to run, if they don't love it, then they don't make it to the track, if you ever doubt that thoroughbreds love to run, visit your local thoroughbred nursery and watch yearlings race each other in the pasture, or if you ever get the chance to ride a thoroughbred and have the experience to do so, give them their head and marvel in the feel of a powerful animal in flight. You don't need to give them anything to make them go faster, it is in fact illegal in thoroughbred racing, they simply want to go faster, it is as natural for them as breathing.

Yes, many thoroughbreds are slaughtered every year, but every other equine sport is as much to blame as horse racing, breeding hundred of thousands of horses each year solely for profit means that hundreds of thousands of horses need homes.  If we didn't slaughter, or ship horses to be slaughtered we would end up with millions of feral horses roaming the United States, unfortunate as it is, this is a necessary part of the industry.. The SPCA is forced to put down millions of dogs and cats every year, but no one seems to give a d**n when they do it, yet a slaughter plant does it and everyone is up in arms....explain that one to me, both methods are considered HUMANE forms of death.

Racing thoroughbreds young, training and breaking them young provides valuable loading to the bones and joints that actually REDUCES the number of injuries associated with horse racing.  Look at broad facts, 100 years ago horses raced more often, over more years, now we race them less and many thoroughbreds are retired by 3 years old...often due to INJURY.

PLEASE don't judge horse racing until you have spent time within the industry.  'Only once you have walked a mile in another man's shoes may you judge him.'  Don't remember who said it, but it's true.  I may not agree with everything that happens in horse racing, but I love the sport, I love the animals, and I love...well, most of the people I've met.

Answer 6

I do not think horse racing is bad.  However, I do think some of the breeding practices used by the industry are bad.  There's a lot of inbreeding, and people are breeding their mares to stallions who have won races, but have broken down and thus had to retire.  Why would you do that?  You are going to breed more fast horses but they may get injured and have to be put down.

I just think different things should be emphasized in breeding.  Breed horses that are DURABLE as well as fast.  Horses nowadays have such short careers before they get retired.  

Also, I would like it more racetracks would use turf or another soft material instead of dirt.  It would be better for their horses' legs.  

So overall horse racing is not bad but if these two things would change, I think it could be even greater.

Answer 7

I don't think horse racing is a bad sport, although I believe some things should be changed.

Horses love to gallop, because that is what they do in the wild, and they have strong backs so they have no problem with carrying a person, but I do believe there should be certain limits. Like for example, if a horse has been doing races every week, it should get a break after it's not done and not just keep going. Horses with weak legs should not be allowed to race because of the amount of pressure put on the horses legs when racing. Owners don't pay attention to these things because they are more intrested in the money that the horse brings and not the horse itself. To them, winning is the first priority and the horse's welfare second. I am not saying that all owners are like this, because a lot of caregivers or jockeys or owners love their horses, and would do anything to keep their horse from getting hurt, even if that means retiring the horse from racing. But I am still acknowledging the fact that there are cruel owners out there. Some people send their horses to a slaughterhouse if it has an imperfection or is retiring. There a horse can be bought (live) for the same amount as you would have to pay for the meat, but a lot of the horses cannot be saved that way and are sent to their deaths. Although there are people working to close slaughter houses, and some of them have been closed, others are killing horses the very second you are reading this. But I'm getting besides the point.

Racing itself is not a bad sport. I personally love to watch races, but it is more of what the people that own the horse do for it and what they do to it. Otherwise, it is a great sport, and very rewarding for both the animal and its owner. It also requires a lot of training and practice just like any other horseback-riding activity/sport.



But there are horse racing sports that are cruel and should be stopped such as the Omak Suicide Race. You can find out more about it at this website: http://www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_ne...

Answer 8

It is fun, and can be good if the trainers and owners race their horses at appropriate times, meaning their muscles are fully in and they are not under three. In my opinion the owners and trainers who race their horses early are putting the horses at high risk of injury. They need to wait until they have built up muscle and the tissue in their legs have been built up so they don't break legs.

Answer 9

hey its excerise for the horse and a way to make $$$ for us.

Answer 10

it's fun and addictive

Answer 11

i wouldnt say its bad but i disagree with it.