Horse racing is a form of entertainment that involves horses connected to two-wheeled carts or chariots. The sport grew from an ancient game of horses and human drivers, and it eventually became a formal competition when men appeared riding on the backs of the animals instead of behind them. Horse racing has been a major part of cultures throughout history and is featured in numerous myths and legends.
The first organized horse races were standardized races for six-year-old horses running in four-mile heats, with a winner determined by counting the number of wins. The King’s Plates were first run in 1731, and the original rules called for five- and four-year-old horses to carry heavier weights than their elders to be competitive. By the 1860s, the sport was changing and speed had become more important than stamina.
In modern times, the sport has come to rely heavily on the skill and courage of its jockeys, who are paid for each race in which they win or place. The best riders are highly prized and earn millions of dollars annually, making the sport one of the most lucrative for athletes. In order to succeed, jockeys must be able to read their mounts and communicate with them, as well as coax maximum performance from the horses through the use of the whip.
The 2008 deaths of Eight Belles and Medina Spirit, both in the Kentucky Derby, triggered a public outcry about the treatment of racehorses. They were both killed in a sport that has long been plagued by an inability to deal with its ethical and moral issues. The ensuing scandal brought into sharp focus the fact that thousands of young, vulnerable horses die each year from exorbitant physical stress while in training and racing.
Despite a public outcry, not much has changed for most racehorses. They still suffer the same horrific fates that befell Eight Belles and Medina Spirit. They continue to die from catastrophic cardiac episodes and broken limbs under the extreme physical stress of racing and training. And, because of a lack of industry regulation, record keeping and transparency, many are never even found.
Horse racing has a profound opportunity to change course and begin prioritizing the welfare of its horses. But, to do so will require a radical ideological reckoning at the macro business and industry level as well as in the minds of horsemen and women. This will mean a restructuring of the entire system from breeding to aftercare and incorporating a more natural and equine friendly lifestyle for retired racehorses. It will also require the adoption of an adequately funded industry-sponsored wraparound aftercare solution for all of the horses who leave the track. This is what is owed to the horses who died like Eight Belles, Medina Spirit, Keepthename and Creative Plan, and the thousands of others who do not make it to their final resting place.