For the Love of Horses (Has Horse Racing Gone Off Track?)

My love of horses began when I was about seven years old. After visiting a riding school near the Yarra Valley, I devoured books like Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty. Filled with loving empathy, and poignantly told through the voice of Black Beauty himself, I felt an instant connection to the grace, spirit and majesty of horses.

At that tender age, I had a greater understanding of how people treated these sentient beings: either with cruelty or kindness.

Now, with the spring racing carnival upon us in Melbourne, the welfare of racehorses rears its head. It was only a couple of weeks ago that the ABC’s 7.30 program presented graphic accounts about the atrocious treatment of retired racehorses that are sent to abattoirs and knackeries. By no means is this a new story, nor am I singling out horse racing, but as grisly as it is, it’s one that needs to be shared — widely.

What happened to honouring the entire life of these sublime creatures?

From birth to death, all beings deserve love, care and respect.

The horses I had from my youth to my mid-twenties were mostly finely-tuned thoroughbreds, with some being ex-racehorses. I retrained them for dressage and healthy, enjoyable competition work, such as hack classes, and took them out on relaxing bush rides.

Me on thoroughbred mare Forelle at the 1993 Royal Melbourne Show.

Despite traditional methods that were often taught at riding schools, I was never one to kick a horse, pull them in them mouth, or use a whip or spurs. My preference was to use natural horsemanship wherever possible and create meaningful relationships. Back then, I would absorb teachings by American horse whisperers Monty Roberts and Pat Parelli.

When it came to selling my horses to new homes, which was due to me having outgrown them, I ensured they were the most loving and kindred of spirits. Some of the new owners/caretakers remained in contact with me, but if the horses were sold on again, I wouldn’t hear about them. Besides word of mouth, there was really no way of finding out how they were going.

I could only trust that these horses were in the best of hands, and would see out their final days with love, care and commitment.

No matter what purpose horses are used for, this is where a dark cavernous hole with horse ownership occurs. And since horses have an average lifespan of 30 years, they can take on different roles in their lifetime. They can also have anywhere from two to four owners — sometimes more, especially racehorses.

Depending on its health and temperament, a former racehorse can be retrained to do anything from eventing to being a pleasure horse, even therapy. One of the best examples has been much-loved 1992 Melbourne Cup winner Subzero, who went on to become a clerk of the course horse, followed by many years of charity and therapy work.

As for the peaceful retirement of racehorses, it’s only a minority that experience this. That’s largely due to the commitment required, including having appropriate land and facilities to keep them on and sufficient funds to ensure they’re healthy. (Generally, it costs from $4000 a year for the healthy maintenance of a retired, non-ridden racehorse. However, it increases dramatically when experiencing things like drought, having to treat injuries or pay for agistment.)

Either way, it takes time, understanding and money to rehome and/or retrain them. And there are only so many individuals and horse sanctuaries that can do this.

Although some practices within the racing ‘industry’ are considered contentious, I do know that many group one racehorses are truly adored and cherished by their strappers, trainers and owners, and often form great bonds with jockeys, when racing. But there’s massive room for improvement for the welfare of racehorses, in fact, all horses, from the beginning to the end of their lives.

Horses are naturally active animals. When it comes to highly spirited thoroughbreds, they love to run. You only have to watch them gallop in full flight around a paddock with their nostrils flared and tails held high. (With that in mind, any horse can injure itself at any time.)

1995 Caulfield and Melbourne Cup winner Doriemus, who was retired to Living Legends, Greenvale. He was humanely euthanased in 2015 after a paddock accident.

The thing is, do we need to breed such an exorbitant amount of racehorses in Australia? And if you do a breed a racehorse, or any horse for that matter, why are you doing it?

While it’s in your care, are you going to take full responsibility for its welfare? And how do ensure that it has continual care through its lifetime?

Just considering a racehorse’s life, they receive daily grooming, pats, an early morning gallop, a roll in the sand (a dust bath), heavy grain-based feed (which has been known to cause digestive wear and tear, unlike hay or foraging), an open-air stable while in training (as herd animals, it can be isolating) and potentially a swim. But what other factors can enhance their welfare?

What if horse racing was actually more about healthy, natural competition? In other words, it’s purely based on the horse’s natural willingness and ability. It’s not interfering with or pushing them beyond their natural limits so they become stressed and potentially injured.

As horseman Monty Roberts asks in his book, From My Hands to Yours: “As for finding the genetic aptitude for racing, would you not prefer the winning horse to run out of natural desire, rather than running from pain?”

Does that mean, as others, such as six-time Melbourne Cup winning owner Lloyd Williams, have suggested, horse racing is entirely whip-free?

Although I’m not a fan of its usage, what if the whip was only there for its true purpose: to be used for safety and guidance only? Racing is a highly dangerous sport for both horses and jockeys, and sometimes a tap on the shoulder, not a whipping, is needed in an emergency to regain the horse’s attention. This is true for any equestrian sport.

Despite handicaps, theoretically, putting all racehorses on a level playing field, what if they were no longer used? They also no longer have shoes on, which would have to be done according to the surface they run on and based on the horse’s individual needs. (Some may require a specialised shoe or toe cap, given thoroughbreds are renowned for having thinner hooves. There are many alternatives.)

The idea of barefoot racing is becoming increasingly appealing, especially with owners and trainers, but not with racing bodies.

And what about these equine athletes being trained from the get-go to race bit-less?

Radical, I know.

If a horse refuses to enter a barrier, it’s giving a pretty clear message. While it may actually want to run, I don’t believe in forcing an animal into such a confined and often intimidating space. If it willingly enters and remains relatively settled until the start of the race, so be it.

For the love of horses.

A genuine horse person carefully observes and listens to their finely-tuned creatures. They look them in those big, glorious, wise eyes and ask them how they are and what they need. They scan every inch of their body, reading everything from the way they stand to how they hold their head and their tail. There is the utmost reverence for these emotionally intelligent beings.

Despite a welfare fund of about 1% of the earnings from racehorses more recently being created for retired Australian horses, it’s insufficient. A larger percentage is required. What if for every bet placed on that particular horse, a portion goes directly back to that animal’s welfare, so it becomes a benefit?

It’s not about easing the conscience of punters, it’s about making a genuine difference to these animal’s lives.

Horse racing cannot be done to the detriment of any stage of an animal’s life.

Whether you’re a racehorse owner, syndicate member or a punter, you need to be prepared to take responsibility for your role in that horse’s life.

And while it’s in your care that includes how it’s treated when it takes its final breath.

Champion middle distance racehorse Fields of Omagh (Foo) thriving in his twilight years at Living Legends.

They need us — our humanity. They don’t deserve to be beaten and abused, then experience a slow, painful and horrific death at the likes of an abattoir. If an animal cannot be lovingly rehomed, the kindest thing to do is euthanase it.

Something that has occurred this week is Racing Victoria’s announcement of a $25 million on-farm euthanasia scheme. The idea is that when the time comes, retired racehorses will be humanely euthanased by suitable veterinarians, not sent off for slaughter at abattoirs or knackeries.

There’s also a call for the Federal Government to fast track a national horse traceability register.

It’s a start, but will this be effective in the long run?

It’s likely that a minority of racehorses will still end up at an abattoir. And given that horses, including brumbies, and various other animals end up there, surely the practices used at them can be vastly improved.

Just as Indigenous peoples honour the life of any animals they kill, perhaps the same approach can be adopted at abattoirs and knackeries. But the current way of thinking would be that it was too time-consuming and costly. They’re more interested in running a production line.

There’s much to consider with the welfare of horses. And with racehorses, this shouldn’t just be an annual awareness. It needs to be resolved, in the best way possible.

Ultimately, the responsibility of any horse lies in the hands of its caretaker. It should never be about winning at any cost.