Racing Welfare: The Horse Comes First

[Spilletta]

I recall some heated debates about racing on this forum, normally around Grand National time, so when I spotted this today, I thought it worth posting for anyone interested.

Leading organisations in British Horseracing are working together to raise awareness of the high levels of equine welfare in the sport. This is the microsite:

http://www.thehorsecomesfirst.com/

 

[PaddyMonty]

Sorry but if the horse really did come first the they wouldn't be raced as 2yo.

Raise the minimum (true) age to 5 and I wouldn't have an issue with racing.

 

[SpringArising]

And provide more turnout. That's my one major issue with the industry.

 

[webble]

Sorry but if the horse really did come first the they wouldn't be raced as 2yo.

Raise the minimum (true) age to 5 and I wouldn't have an issue with racing.

Agreed

 

[ycbm]

The 14,000 horses registered in training at any one time enjoy a quality of life virtually unsurpassed by any other domesticated animal.

My free range cats and horses would not agree. Neither do I. I do not think horses judge quality of life by clean shiny coats or well mucked out stables.

A study by Liverpool University found that 62% of “traumatic injuries” (ranging from grazes to fractures) suffered by a sample of leisure and competition horses occurred when turned out in the field, compared to only 13% during ridden exercise. The British Horse Society also estimates that there are over 3,000 road accidents annually involving horses.

Of what relevance is this as an answer to the question of how dangerous racing is? If racehorses were turned out as much as leisure horses, they would get the same injuries. It's not a reason for preventing turnout in those racing yards which don't turn out. Are they still the majority?


Very interesting to see that deaths in racing have reduced over the last twenty years from three in one thousand starters to two in one thousand starters though. If each of the 14,000 horses in training runs an average of, say, five times in the year, then only 140 will die each year on the race track instead of 210. It is a big improvement, I wonder what they attribute it to?

 

[ycbm]

Sorry but if the horse really did come first the they wouldn't be raced as 2yo.

Raise the minimum (true) age to 5 and I wouldn't have an issue with racing.

Agree except I'd be happy to see flat racers broken at three, not before, and lightly raced on the flat only, no hurdles (do we hurdle three year olds, I think the French do?) provided they also had several hours turnout a day.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Agree except I'd be happy to see flat racers broken at three, not before, and lightly raced on the flat only, no hurdles (do we hurdle three year olds, I think the French do?) provided they also had several hours turnout a day.

Yes we have Juvenine Hurdles for 3yos from May onwards. From Jan- end of April the Juvenile races are 4yos - the previous seasons 3yos. Nothing will run athe big Festivals until it is 4yo.

I do not agree with 2yo racing. 3yo +.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

And provide more turnout. That's my one major issue with the industry.

A lot of yards are now turning out more. Mostly jumping yards granted. It is hard in a yard for 100+ where have a 75/25 split in favour of the colts to turn them all out safely.

Our yard turn out. We try to get every horse out at least twice a week. It is not possible to do more than this mid season due to the volume of horses in.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Racing of two year olds is part of the structure of racing, so it will never end, but you have to be aware that these two year olds are always far more forward than the average leisure horse at two. In addition the riders are lightweight and are professional riders, its not rocket science, but the horse maturity and the weight are relevant.
Also lots of people on here tend to assume all registered TBs are run at two, have ulcers and flat feet, this is just not true.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

They are no more skeletally mature than an average leisure horse.

 

[hackneylass2]

Agree with Faracat. Also, in the last 20 years veterinary treatment has evolved quite a lot.

I would think that the introduction of racing horses at 3 and then a long lead in to racing them at 4 would provide massive welfare improvements.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

They are no more skeletally mature than an average leisure horse.

I don't know how to answer this, as am no expert, but most are born two months earlier than leisure horses [a lot of effort goes in to eg getting early foals] and they are well fed before and after birth, so will be more forward skeletally than an animal which is "held back", in the way we see horses which have been rescues or poorly fed when young take longer to become skeletally mature. They are also in professional hands so any problem eg limb problems are sorted f possible as soon as it is spotted. World class veterinary treatment is available for world class horses, due in no part to the moneys involved.
There is evidence that the conditioning methods used in racing will affect bone development, which re models in response. The scientific [modern] training methods may have affected affect on course fatalities and injuries.
I am not here to defend racing, just saying that no comments on here or elsewhere will change the age of racing horses, its part of the structure of the industry, and it is an industry it is all geared to certain patterns of racing, which will never change.

 

[fburton]

Agree except I'd be happy to see flat racers broken at three, not before, and lightly raced on the flat only, no hurdles (do we hurdle three year olds, I think the French do?) provided they also had several hours turnout a day.

This would be a very welcome move, I agree.

 

[ester]

My free range cats and horses would not agree. Neither do I. I do not think horses judge quality of life by clean shiny coats or well mucked out stables.



Of what relevance is this as an answer to the question of how dangerous racing is? If racehorses were turned out as much as leisure horses, they would get the same injuries. It's not a reason for preventing turnout in those racing yards which don't turn out. Are they still the majority?


Very interesting to see that deaths in racing have reduced over the last twenty years from three in one thousand starters to two in one thousand starters though. If each of the 14,000 horses in training runs an average of, say, five times in the year, then only 140 will die each year on the race track instead of 210. It is a big improvement, I wonder what they attribute it to?

It's a complete non argument, by many measures battery hens are technically healthier (ie suffer less disease etc) than free range. That doesn't make it better!

 

[Blurr]

I don't know how to answer this, as am no expert, but most are born two months earlier than leisure horses [a lot of effort goes in to eg getting early foals] and they are well fed before and after birth, so will be more forward skeletally than an animal which is "held back", in the way we see horses which have been rescues or poorly fed when young take longer to become skeletally mature. They are also in professional hands so any problem eg limb problems are sorted f possible as soon as it is spotted. World class veterinary treatment is available for world class horses, due in no part to the moneys involved.
There is evidence that the conditioning methods used in racing will affect bone development, which re models in response. The scientific [modern] training methods may have affected affect on course fatalities and injuries.
I am not here to defend racing, just saying that no comments on here or elsewhere will change the age of racing horses, its part of the structure of the industry, and it is an industry it is all geared to certain patterns of racing, which will never change.

The feed and exercise will affect musculature and bone density but I've never seen any evidence to suggest that it will affect the maturation of bone in terms of bringing forward the times growth plates are closed, and that is what people are referring to when they say that maturation in the TB is the same as any other horse. I totally agree that knowledge of this (and it is well known, long before the oft quoted 'Ranger Piece' became popular) will not change the racing industry - people want a quick return on their cash.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

The feed and exercise will affect musculature and bone density but I've never seen any evidence to suggest that it will affect the maturation of bone in terms of bringing forward the times growth plates are closed, and that is what people are referring to when they say that maturation in the TB is the same as any other horse. I totally agree that knowledge of this (and it is well known, long before the oft quoted 'Ranger Piece' became popular) will not change the racing industry - people want a quick return on their cash.

Exactly this.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I should add that it's worth reading the Ranger article mentioned above as it also discusses what pre race conditioning actually does to the bones. http://www.equinestudies.org/ranger_2008/ranger_piece_2008_pdf1.pdf

 

[Clodagh]

Horses that are bred to do a job are always going to have compromises. I think I would rather be a racehorse than a show hoorse - rugged, stabled, tied down with side reins in the box and so on.
As long as they are offered the best possible care, within the confines of the industry expactations I don't have a problem. Yes, living out would be nice, and I am glad that some yards are going towards having turnout but compare a tb to a gypsy trotter - both are born to race, but the care is not comparable.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I don't really know anything about gypsy trotters and their care so can't comment on that.

I do know a few people in the racing industry though and it does make me very cross when the anti-racing types make sweeping statements about how no-one in the racing industry cares for the horses' welfare. This isn't what I have found, as IME they care very much. The stud that I used to live near, cared for their broodies, foals and youngsters very well and 'naturally'. They were out, unrugged in herds. I have seen young TB's being backed and they were ridden by a lady that wasn't a tiny jockey... I'm being tactful there, so I've never believed that they are only ever ridden by lightweight riders. My own late TB had been born at that stud mentioned above and she was mentally scarred from her time in race training and couldn't take being stabled at all. I have known a lot more ex racers than her though and the vast majority were not affected like that and actually seemed like pretty balanced individuals.

 

[ester]

I don't think comparing them to gypsy trotters mean it's ok ... and that it rather depends on the definition of 'best possible care' when many that come out of racing have shocking feet as well as other issues as long as they keep running well - it doesn't often seem that long term welfare is considered on the flat. I don't think Michen's poor lad was that long out of racing for example but had a whole host of issues.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

There is definitely seems to be a dichotomy in racing where the people that deal with the horses daily do care, but the system that they work within, isn't that horse friendly in many ways (eg starting them so young, lack of daily turnout, high incidence of gastric ulcers etc...).

 

[Equi]

I think anyone who has had a tb off a racing yard will agree they can have a lot of psychological issues (weaving, anger, cribbing, box walking etc)

Horses are just not meant to live in a box.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

The feed and exercise will affect musculature and bone density but I've never seen any evidence to suggest that it will affect the maturation of bone in terms of bringing forward the times growth plates are closed, and that is what people are referring to when they say that maturation in the TB is the same as any other horse. I totally agree that knowledge of this (and it is well known, long before the oft quoted 'Ranger Piece' became popular) will not change the racing industry - people want a quick return on their cash.

I am not here to defend the people who buy racehorses, if they want a quick return on cash they can go to the bookies this afternoon, I can give them a tip, or maybe buy in to the art world, or a lottery ticket.
No way does anyone go in to racing to make money, what planet are you on?
Most people do not seem to understand the structure of the racing industry but are happy to demand a re structuring. It makes no difference, we have what we have, there will always be races for two year olds, and it will never be illegal. If it were illegal in the UK it would just shift to another country where welfare would be disregarded, ask the endurance people what happens when the Arabs have control.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

I think anyone who has had a tb off a racing yard will agree they can have a lot of psychological issues (weaving, anger, cribbing, box walking etc)

Horses are just not meant to live in a box.

Really? I have seen horses who have never raced doing all these things. I have worked in racing and none of our horses weaved, or box walked. I was at a big stud a few months ago and a foal was cribbing on the water trough, it was three months old.
I bought a little filly out of racing and she had a few mental problems, but after four months she won several races and seemed quite happy to live with us, her former jockey came to see us, I was having my coffee in her stable, she was leaning against me, hing legs leaning, he said , "no one goes in her box" ....... really?
Ditto a stallion who had "savaged his groom" the vet refused to handle him without a twitch and sedation, absolute rubbish.
Most of the people who post on here have never worked in a racing yard, I can tell this by their posts.

 

[Optimissteeq]

I think anyone who has had a tb off a racing yard will agree they can have a lot of psychological issues (weaving, anger, cribbing, box walking etc)

Horses are just not meant to live in a box.

From my own personal experience I can't agree with this. I've seen many OTTB re-homed and not one of them exhibited the behaviours you have listed. It's too much of a sweeping statement IMO. I have 3 TB's myself - 2 have raced and the other one hasn't - guess which one crib bites?
Yes, there will be some that exhibit those behaviours but that's the same for horses who aren't ex-racers.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

I don't think comparing them to gypsy trotters mean it's ok ... and that it rather depends on the definition of 'best possible care' when many that come out of racing have shocking feet as well as other issues as long as they keep running well - it doesn't often seem that long term welfare is considered on the flat. I don't think Michen's poor lad was that long out of racing for example but had a whole host of issues.

I really think her horse was the exception not the rule, loads of leisure horses fail vettings, it is not because thy have been kept in a stable for a year. Racehorses are not actually stabled 24/7, they go out for some exercise, usually twice a day. In my experience young horses sleep a lot anyway. Certainly most horses in racing are left in the afternoon for a zizz. Our farrier was far better than the average farrier for leisure horses, they don't get the job unless they are better than average.
I had my ponies in a local yard and discovered there was a stallion there one day, poor thing had been locked in for three months, what is that about?

 

[Jim bob]

I can see both sides really. The racing side and the non racing side, I have a OTTB, and yes he does crib, windsuck and can box walk as well as having flat feet. I believe people in the racing industry do care. However I disagree with racing the horses at 2 year olds. My horse was one of the lucky ones, due to his size and a decent trainer they waited until he was 3 before training and he was bred for flat. That's another thing that annoys me. There not seen as pets, there seen as an animal there to do a job and sadly when they cant do the job or are too slow then they move on. I went to a racing open day near me last year and the amount of horses that were going to auction eg the meat man if not gone in the week. There was a lot of them, they were just racehorses that were no longer needed, that how they end up in bad homes or with people who don't understand their needs.
So;
not racing the horses so young, starting at 4 for example. I know so many young ex racers who have joint problems, or soundness issues. and most of it , from vets have said its due to the hard work of racing. Also They litrally never get a day off. Even your eventers get at least a day off. When their doing work as hard as a racehorse you need a day off. If you think a horse has been overworked, its continued with the training but has pulled something, it cant tell you and if its not that painful they will pay for that later in life.

Were talking about racehorses, not cobs and stallions.

 

[be positive]

They are NOT pets they are owned frequently by people who look at them as an investment, a very expensive one, they are there to do a job and if they cannot do that job then they are sold on, pts or sent to stud, the same happens to leisure horses not all live an idyllic life in retirement once they are no longer able to do the job they were bought for.

Most racehorses will have a day off every week, they are rarely exercised on Sunday when the yard will have a quiet day with limited staff on duty, they obviously do work hard to become as fit as possible but to say they literally never get a day off is ridiculous.

Most NH horses are currently turned out 24/7 having a well earned holiday, the top trainer near me has fields of horses lounging about, they will start to come back in within the next few weeks and the few that are still in training are getting turned out each day after work for a few hours, it may not be perfect but most are looked after well within the constraints of a very demanding industry and many do retire to an active life afterwards.

 

[Alec Swan]

They are NOT pets ……..
……..then they are sold on, pts or sent to stud, ……...

I agree with you, except that those which fail to live up to the hopes of their owners, rarely go to stud, thankfully. If a horse proves to be useless for its intended purpose, then there would be little point in breeding from it, only to produce more which are useless. The odd Black Type filly may be bred from, even though she herself has no supporting record, but it would be unusual.

As with racing greyhounds, all so often, racehorses rarely fill any other role in life following their early years of training and treatment. There will be the odd animal which will go to the odd home, and which will then go on and to a useful life, but they are the exception, rather than the rule.

Plucking figures from the air, I'd guess that perhaps less than 10% of racehorses bred, go on to succeed and win, and many of those that do join the detritus of the industry and then again fail to live up to the ambitions of their new owners. I don't like it any more than anyone else, but the breeding, keeping and training costs of racehorses is a precarious business, and the failure rate is huge. The 'industry', both from the Owner's and Trainer's perspective is already a balanced and risky business, that the funding simply isn't in place to have these horses treated as charity cases.

The Meat Man? Is it really such a bad thing? Is it not a better and a more responsible end for the animal, rather than spending the rest of its days living the miserable life that many do? When we took in three TB mares as ET recipient mares, and from established stud farms, the condition attached to all of them was that they were humanely destroyed, when we no longer needed them, and that's exactly what we did. One went to the Hunt Kennels, and the other two were taken away dead, by the knackerman.

If we're to consider 'Welfare', then the responsible will accept, how ever distasteful it may be, that the end of a career, no matter how short and for most horses, will be the end of their lives. It's the better way.

Alec.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I agree with you, except that those which fail to live up to the hopes of their owners, rarely go to stud, thankfully. If a horse proves to be useless for its intended purpose, then there would be little point in breeding from it, only to produce more which are useless. The odd Black Type filly may be bred from, even though she herself has no supporting record, but it would be unusual.

you say that Alec but in my experience, loads of fillies that didn't make it on to a track went to stud instead. I worked in a pre training/sales prep/rehab/spelling yard which was full of very nicely bred horses. So many never made it even into training and lots of those that were female were sent to stud. To me the stats that focus on track and training injuries mean little, because there's a whole raft of animals below that that have already been discarded.

I am not one to think the knackerman is the worst fate for a horse but equally I don't think animals should be disposable to that extent-not when it could possibly be improved upon by using slightly older horses.