Horse racing and other abuses

Horses are not exempt form human abuse...

When one thinks of animal cruelty, one's mind naturally lands on the dairy industry, which is  responsible for the ongoing slaughter and barbaric treatment of billions of farm animals. Other species, including insects, suffer in a variety of ways through human activity and many are on the verge of extinction. One could be excused from considering horses safe form man's cruelty. They are generally "owned" by horse "lovers" and are far from cheap to purchase or look after. Sadly, however, horses are not exempt from our contempt of animal rights. 

The kudos of dominating a horse

Horses evoke qualities of dignity, strength and independence, so dominating them has been seen as a sign of power. Throughout history, therefore, leaders were proud to be associated with them. Famous horses include Alexander the Great's Bucephalus, Emperor Caligula's Incitatus (whom the emperor wanted to make Consul) and Napoleon's Marengo. Whilst, some equines do get treated kindly - although I would rather see them roam freely in their natural habitats - racehorses certainly do not. 

Examples of equine cruelty

Last Sunday, at the Santa Anita racing track, a gelding named Arms Runner fell during a race. The horse had to be put down because of its dreadful injuries. Between December 26 and March 4, 22 horses had died in similar circumstances, resulting in a temporary closure of the track. Racing had only resumed a few days before this 23rd fatality. Santa Anita is no exception and injuries are not the only concern regarding race horses. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) list five:

1. Racing is hard on horses' bodies
2. Horses are often drugged
3. Around 24 horses die every week on US tracks alone
4. It's a lonely life for horses (since they are heard animals)
5. Horses, even young ones, who don’t win or stop winning races often get slaughtered for meat 

Other forms of equine cruelty exist. Last year, for instance, a horse named Justice was suing its previous owners for negligence (it had been exposed to hunger severe weather). Workhorses too can lead wretched lives, especially in countries where legislation is weak.

There is no excuse for abusing animals

Matters will only improve when people and their governments realise that, despite what many scriptures may say, animals were not created for our exploitation. They have their rights, just as we do. The fact that we are more advanced, means we have more responsibilities towards other life forms. It does not mean that we can abuse them.