Is horse racing abuse

Answer 1

I believe horse racing is wrong. They race the horses when they're too young, and the horses' bones haven't completely formed. They are still soft, and damage easily. They often drug the horse, and race the horse even when they're injured. They often push the horse too hard, and the horses generally break down at five years old. The horses are often not cared for as well as they should be, since the owners are too concerned at winning and earning money. Horses who are done their racing career are often killed or sent to the slaughterhouse. I am not fond of whipping the horses during the race, either. Racing places a lot of stress on the horses.

Answer 2

That's a long-discussed argument. In some ways, yes. In other ways, no. First and foremost, running is what Thoroughbreds are bred to do. They love it. They live for it. It's in their blood. Those who don't end up fancying the track usually go on to lead successful careers as hunters, jumpers, dressage horses, eventers or just pleasure horses. They are very clever and have a lot of heart and endurance, and when devoted, will do anything for you. On the flipside, they are run when they are not done growing. Often, their bones have not fully formed. Horses do not stop growing completely until around four, and most racers run at two and three. Galloping so frequently and so fast wreaks havoc on their legs and joints, and because the bones are not done fully forming, breaks often occur, which is why so many racehorses break their legs on the track and have to be put down, like Eight Belles. If they don't break bones, they are usually crippled for life thereafter, riddled with arthiritis and deformities. A lot of people criticize the jockeys for whipping the horses. Horses have a high pain threshold, meaning what is painful to us is barely noticeable for them. The whipping is meant as encouragement and guidance, given that at such high speeds and so high up on the horse's back, the jockeys have little means of control other than the whip and the reins. So, the debate continues. To review, the pro point would be that these amazing athletes usually love what they do and will run their hearts out. The negative aspect is the damage to their bodies, which can be both very painful for them and at times fatal.

Answer 3

This question is one that invites opinions rather than fact. There are only two sides to this argument, but many views on each side. Below are the opinions presented by different authors who contributed to this answer.

Those that answered "Yes":

• Yes. There are lots of different views on it but over all it is very cruel, I mean how would you feel if someone was sat on your back digging metal into your sides, smacking you with a whip and being forced to gallop at top speed. It is awfully cruel as lots of horses are injured and lots die, many people are not against it because not many people care if these animals are in pain all they care about is winning there money. It's inhumane and should be banned.

Those that answered "No":

• Horse racing is NOT cruel. One of the reasons horses were created was to run! They love it! It can be dangerouse, but even grazing on lush pastures the rest of their life can be dangerous.
• The sport of horse racing is NOT cruel itself. But, on the other hand, some PEOPLE involved in horse racing are. But there are LOTS of people involved in horse racing that absolutely 100% love horses and hate to see them suffer (one very good example of that kind of person is Edgar Prado). Yes accidents happen, nobody likes them. But that doesn't mean the sport is cruel. For instance, many automobile accidents happen every day all over the world, are we going to ban driving? Most people who say the sport is cruel don't realize that race horses LOVE to run. People who don't understand this will tell you that the horses are forced to run, think about it, they are urged to run, but NOT forced. They will tell you that they are whipped into the ground, this is not true, the whips are only used when they are needed (such as when a horse is getting distracted). But, on the other hand, some jockeys do overuse the whip sometimes, but this doesn't make the sport cruel, they should simply limit the amount of times a jockey can use the whip. Yes, the sport could use a few improvements, and hopefully that will be done. But, overall, the sport is NOT cruel.
• The horses that are raised for horse racing are literally born to run. They love to run and it's the only thing they will do without any qualms about it. These horses are not forced to run, they will do it when encouraged to do so. Horses are built to run, they're not like cows or pigs that would rather mosey along at a walking speed than run like the wind. So no, I would not consider the actual racing of horses itself (even chuckwagon derbies!!) as a cruel sport.

Answer 4

Horse racing itself is not bad, but some of the practices are. The main breed used for racing are Thoroughbreds, they are tall, elegant, early maturing horses, but many are trained and raced by the age of 2 years which is still too young and causes severe problems later on. Horses are also allowed to be put on certain drugs to enhance their performance, while numbing pain that they may feel. Horse Racing needs to eliminate certain drug uses and not allow racing until the horses are at least 3 or 4 years old to stop the breakdowns and injuries. But on the positive side many Thoroughbreds get the best care money can buy and are probably the most useful breed of horse around. Thoroughbred racing groups tend to also donate large sums of money to charities as well.

Answer 5

Yes and no would be the correct answer. Horses that were created and bred for racing will do it no matter what and typically will run a race without a jockey on it's back. However whenever humans are involved there is always the possibility for racing to be harmful. Humans will push a horse farther than it is capable of going, or drug the horse so that it won't feel pain. So horse racing itself is not harmful, but it can be made harmful by humans.

Answer 6

The question of whether horse racing constitutes abuse is a complex and contentious issue that involves ethical, welfare, and regulatory considerations. Proponents argue that well-regulated horse racing can provide economic benefits and ensure the welfare of the animals involved. Opponents raise concerns about the physical and psychological stress placed on the horses, the risks of injury and death, and the potential for exploitation. Ultimately, the answer depends on the specific practices and standards within the industry, as well as individual perspectives on the ethics of using animals for entertainment and competition.

Answer 7

nah, they don't do it hard, it's often just used as an encouragement to the horse. Also there is a limit to the amount of times the jockey can whip the horse during a race.