Racing debate

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giggles mum

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I have to present an argument for critical thinking at school: 'Horseracing shoud be banned'. The thing is, I can think of plenty of things to say individually about types of racing e.g. flat racing or the grand national, but not reasons which apply to all kinds of racing. I'm meant to be creating a watertight argument with only three main reasons. Does anyone have any ideas/good statistics/websites?
Thanks.
 
What are your own personal views? It's difficult to present a convincing argument if the presenter is not convinced themselves! If you are against a ban I can think of a thousand arguments to offer you, but if you are in favour of a ban, I'd be struggling.
 
the animal aid site will have loads of reasons and gruesome images as to why racing should be banned.

Can't say I agree with them, their site or their propaganda but you'll find plenty of "reasons" in their literature.

Do you have to be "against" racing?
 
I don't know any exact links and I'm not anti-racing, but here's some ideas you could run with if you like.

The racing industry generates great waste in terms of horses bred that aren't up to scratch.

Numbers of horse falls/ horses breaking down/ horse fatalities especially in NH racing.

The amount and severity of jockey injuries and jockey fatalities

Corruption within the industry/ race fixing etc

Unfair working practices/ bullying of yard staff that can go on within the industry

Can't think of any more at the mo, sorry.
smile.gif
 
''Approximately 18,000 foals are born into the closely-related British and Irish racing industries each year, yet only around 40% go on to become racers. Those horses who do not make the grade may be slaughtered for meat or repeatedly change hands in a downward spiral of neglect. Of those horses who do go on to race, around 400 are raced to death every year.''

You could focus on the breeding element, there's LOADS of info etc in this report:
http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/CAMPAIGNS/horse/ALL/1350/

ETA, I must warn you that there are some pretty sickening photos in that report.....
 
Just to say (and I really don't want to start a counter-debate) that I totally agree with your comment that far too many horses are bred for racing which never make the grade and end up God knows where, which is why the racehorse retraining organisations are so vital.
 
Well I have never heard of a horse been raced to death. Lots of horses get killed cross country /3 day eventing/hunting. What about the thousands of people employed through racing,
racing yards, breeding yards, racecorses, caterers,farriers, pubs,restaurants,hotels in towns where racing is taking place, bookmakers, bookmaking staff.
No racing lot of unemployed people.
 
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