Is horse racing cruel to the animals? Or do you think they are treated well?

Question

Is horse racing cruel to the animals? Or do you think they are treated well?

Answer 1

That's a tough question. Horses love to run, but maybe it's wrong to push them to the limits on their thin frail legs (that fracture easily) for the sake of our entertainment and betting. I've enjoyed watching horse races for quite a while, but after watching the movie "Ruffian" I have to wonder about the sacrifices horses are sometimes forced to make on the track.

Answer 2

well.............

Answer 3

go out to los alamitos on a rainy winter night with the winds blowing hard, the race horses have on around 4 blankets, while the groom "Jose" has on a thin wind breaker. not only do all race horses have their own vet, but the track and the state have their own vets, that look at each horse at the receiving barn, to make sure the horses are in good shape, that won't make them run any faster, also the whip is only cow hide, so just the noise make the horse run at top speed.

Answer 4

They get roomy stalls, round the clock care (and often security), daily training, grooming, vets always on call.  They're conditioned to run the distances, and if for any reason the horse isn't sound or the trainer thinks it's not sound, the horse can be and usually is pulled from a race.  Long answer short, horse racing isn't cruel to the horses.

Answer 5

No horse racing is not cruel.  Actually race horses get better care than most horses do.  They have around the clock care from grooms taking care of them and vets that come by daily, regular farrier visits, etc..  Their stalls are cleaned every day, given fresh hay and water, given two to three meals a day of sweet feed or oats,  groomed twice a day,  etc.  If anything they are pampered more than mistreated.  I don't know of too many non race horses that get that good of care.

Answer 6

Yes, they are treated well. Very well. Vets and grooms take good care of them and they are always in tip top shape.

Answer 7

As a trainer who buys race horses off the track I will tell you what I have seen. A race horse forced to race will not do well, you cannot force a 1000 lb animal to run that fast, if it's malnourished it's also not going to win, so... no race horses are treated very very well.

Here we have a dilemma, certainly there are owners that are cruel, however, if an owner really wants to win they wil treat the horse well. The racing itself is not cruel, these animals would not run if they didn't want to the whips only hit the horses 50% of the time otherwise it is the smack on the  boot or the motion of the whip encouraging the horse. It is afterwards when a horse isn't winning that we get into grey territory some owners will let the horse out to die, others try to find suitable homes.

The media exploits when an animal gets injured at a large event just like they do paris hilton doing anything stupid.

If you want to look at the injuries you need to go back to the breeders breeding animals withbones that are too fine. Anyways that's my rant :D. Lol I say yeah, some owners are idiots, but the majority are fine.

Answer 8

Right on racehorsegal! Someone who's telling it like it is.