Racehorse abuse in Australia

[Northern]

Going totally off topic but in Aus there is a big polocrosse scene and that takes in a lot of flat racers.

The drought is so hard, you couldn't imagine it unless you saw it first hand. Suicide in farmers is up too. They are having to shoot their animals because they cannot feed and water them and do not want them to suffer on. With no livestock they have no way to make a living. It's absolutely terrible and the government are not providing support for the farmers. They are however bringing in cheap imports and sending foreign aid so as you can imagine there is a lot of ill feeling in the country just now (outwith the cities).

But yes the point of this thread, as I understood it, was the methods of slaughter and the treatment of the horses up until that point. Neither of which are suitable let alone humane.

The polo industry also breed a lot of their own, lots of money in there too! I do know of a few who have ended up trying for polo, but they do get sold on if they aren't suitable too (usually through the saleyards). The drought is horrific at the moment, we did get some rain this spring where I am (more than last spring!), but the summer will be difficult. Add to that bushfires (70 out of control currently in my state) and with no water to fight them it's going to get tricky

My issue with the report is that they blurred two separate issues and presented it to the wider general public, the majority of whom have no idea about how the industry works. One good thing about the drought is that people are thinking more before breeding stock, which will hopefully lead to less TBs being produced next season. It also means that broodmares are being sent through the sales as well, which is not ideal Wish I could take another on.