There is
apparently a debate going on in Australia about horse racing regulations. What do you think of the sport? Is it a noble tradition that helps to create
a bond between horse and jockey, or is it cruelty to animals and an
encouragement to gamble? Is part of the
problem that the focus is on money and winning, rather than on the horses
themselves? When are second-best and
also-ran good enough?
Since my childhood when I often visited my friend’s ranch, I have loved the horses. I have learnt how to ride them and even take care of them. I loved watching horse races with and also with hurdles. But once, I was totally shocked by what I saw. We came to the stable where one jockey had his horses. All horses were totally neglected, but one was like a king. He was muscular, fit, washed, combed, and had enough of food. But the others were in such bad conditions that I almost burst into tears when I saw it. Then I realized that there is not only positive and bright side.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, what really shocked me from the article was the idea of placing horses on sale just to see the value it is worth. I really do not support the idea of knackery. The horses are lovely, harmless animals. I do not see a reason why we should be so cruel and kill them just because they are not worth more than 300$. They might be an additional and maybe unnecessary burden, but once you have it, you probably have a relationship with it and you cannot just kill it.
Secondly, I think Racing Victoria is not objective at all. There is only written about taking care of them and loving them, but in my opinion, horses are neither of it at all. Only the glorified champions are. But Racing Victoria is not taking into consideration the horses that are side-tracked or live ‘in a shadow’ of the champions.
Thirdly, the perspective of jump races has two sides. “Forcing horses to jump at speed is a cruel and needless extension of the sport.” Although I do not agree with this much, the horses might suffer during jumping in speed. Yet, if you are taught right techniques with your horse, then they do not suffer that much. However, unfortunately, in some cases, jumping sometimes causes also deaths. When a horse hits the hurdle and accidentally falls and breaks its leg, there is no other option but kill it. On the other hand, as there was written, jump races extend the lives of otherwise failed racehorses. As during jumping is not the most important speed but a technique and the height of hurdles, it definitely saves lives of horses. I agree on Colin Alderson’s example of his Hooker Road. Although it is just an example, we can say it is a general fact.
Last but not least, both horse racing and racehorses are great business. I like was the author said – “That means the ruthless pursuit of money is secondary“– however it is not as he said. People are more interested in money than in the horses. They consider them just as a way through which they can earn big amount of money. Furthermore, if I had to answer a question “Is horse racing a business or sport?” I would say that from our, human, perspective it is a business but from the perspective of horses it is a sport. Connected to this, the fact is that the horses are those that would deserve fame, not the jockeys. Yet, animals cannot be more famous than people. The animals are just a way for us to get famous.
First and foremost, any sport involving animals is not a sport for me. What I think about the owners of these sport pets is that they are totally selfish. They see their comfort and money only and in the same time they cuddle with their puppy, say how they love them and so on. Of course, their little cuties make money for them. As Mr. Summers stated, this racing, horse racing in this case, is a multi-million dollar business. An example of developing a business like this I imagine a wealthy man who thinks about getting some more money and so he comes up with an idea of buying a horse despite he has no knowledge about these animals. He finds some quality team who would take care of a horse and prepare it for the race. The last step is to get an experienced jockey and the business can start. But then the question comes. What happens to a horse who does not win? Either the owner tries it again and again or he tries to sell the horse as soon as possible so it would not cost the owner any more money for its food and care.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I guess there are three groups of people who sit on a tribune and watch the race. Those who come there because they enjoy it, those who are forced to come by their children and then people who come for already mentioned money since they can bet on their favorite. Thus I come back to the fact that racing is nothing else than a business. Not only for the owners of horses this time, but also for the organizer of the race. Except the fee which the owners have to pay for participating in the race and the money bet on favorites there are numbers of buffets with food and drinks and also shops with different souvenirs, which appreciate mainly the children. It can be for example, a balloon in shape of horse, or different jockey figures and toys.
Then, there are not many people who actually realize that the horse might suffer. Even though they know that horses can be hurt any time while running and jumping, the majority of spectators feel sorry for them just after they are really hurt. And it does not even need a fence or ditch over which horses have to jump. One bad step and horse can break a bone in such a way that it cannot be saved. It is because that once the horse´s bone is broken it becomes more fragile and it is not even possible to carry the horse´s weight and so it can break permanently. And this is the time when people actually start to care about it, when they do not want the horse to suffer, when the only option is euthanasia. And so they end life of a horse which could live for much longer time. However, this brings me to the statement by Trainers' Association President Colin Alderson who said that without racing, his horse would be at the knackery. Yes, this can be true. But if he had facilities for buying a horse while saying this, why did not he buy it and take care of it with love instead of racing? The only answer is money. For this reason I appreciate people who own stables filled with horses and treat them with real love.
I agree with almost everything that Sima wrote. I like horses and I don’t think that it’s safe for them to run fast and even jump while running. Anything can happen to them, and the fact that they are suffering while doing it is making it even worse. But I don’t agree with the fact that racing is nothing else than a business. Horse racing started as a sport. It’s not that jockeys or somebody else decided that they are going to race on horses to make money. It’s us, we turned it into business. We started to bet on them as we do on every sport. And I don’t think that for example football matches are just about business. And these matches are connected with a huge amount of money. Still, it’s a sport. That’s why I have to say that horse riding is a sport, not just a business.
DeleteFirstly, I have to say that I am not an expert when it comes to the horse racing. I consider horses wonderful and strong creatures, I have ridden the horse a few times and I saw some horse races on the television, but that is all… However, I agree with the author’s final statement that the good of the horse must be paramount and if the horse racing evolved it would be much better. Unfortunately, any of these two things is not happening and the author is aware of the fact and he admits that he didn’t do anything about it for a long time.
ReplyDeleteHorse racing represents the connection between animals and business. But is there any moral way how to connect these two elements? Firstly, there is the business. I understand it is about huge amounts of money, but there is no excuse for being so cruel and unhuman to the innocent animals. While business, you mostly cannot look at the things morally. You have to think about the profit and not about the harm you cause. Therefore, the horse is taken within the business as a commodity, which is undesirable.
Secondly, when it comes to the horses, we have to accept the fact that they are living creatures. They have some exigencies, limited supplies of energy, they feel pain… The journalist informed the public that the race horses are loved and well-cared for during their careers and provided with secure retirements and the author agrees that many horses lead such lives but I do not agree. The sport itself is torturing animals so we cannot talk about good treatment at all. Forcing horses to jump at the high speed, kicking and whipping them all the time you are sitting in the saddle in order to make them run faster, that is all terrible but their training is much worse. The trainers do these things thousands times over and over again and in the end, there is still a risk for the horse of being punished just because there are better and faster ones. Furthermore, after not winning few races the owners adjudge the poor horses for the knackery. It is deplorable that they do not feel some connection to the animal or that they do not feel sorry for the animal every time they look him in the eyes.
Finally, I do not think that these two elements can be connected in an effective way. When we put the good of the horse to the first place we cannot talk about million-dollar business anymore. However, it would be nice to look how the beautiful, healthy and (most importantly) happy horses race just for the entertainment. The horses are not machines and obviously, they should not be treated that way.
The is Sona Langova’s reply:
DeleteI agree with the main points that Katka said, but I have to say that for me horse racing is not a sport in any way. To do sport means to do something you really enjoy, you are good at and you want to improve at and develop your skills. But for horses racing is neither something they would enjoy nor something they would like to do. They are simply forced to do it, sometimes in a very unhuman way. So we do not have to pretend it is a sport; we can say straightway it’s just a business. But every business has its disadvantages, and there is always someone that benefits and someone that has to do the hard work. In this case, horses are naturally on the lower position and I think it cannot be changed. Many people simply care just about their own good and they would not stop horse racing just because others regard it too cruel. So I totally agree with the statement that those two elements cannot be combined in an effective way, but I think there is no way to change the people who are earning money on it.