Horse racing
Many people have been conned into believing that betting on a horse is harmless fun. But hundreds of horses are raced to death every year on British courses or in training. They are shot following falls, suffer fatal heart attacks, or sustain some other injury that means that they can’t race, or they are killed simply because they are no longer profitable.
Around 18,000 horses are bred every year for the closely connected British and Irish racing industry, but only 6,000 actually go on to race. Of those horses who retire from racing every year, only a token number are given proper care by the industry. Those who are not good enough racers, or who are retired, may be killed or sold from owner to owner in a downward spiral of neglect. Thousands of horses who don’t make the grade are slaughtered and their meat exported for human consumption.
Horses are selectively bred for speed, at the expense of their health, strength and stamina, and their light, weak bones can break if they fall after hitting a hurdle or fence. Racing is a stressful experience for horses, and can lead to serious racing-related illnesses. 82% of horses (over 3 years old) who race on flat courses suffer from bleeding lungs, and 93% of horses in training suffer from gastric ulcers.
Want to know more?
- Read our Horse racing factsheet
- Watch our Don't Back the Cruelty film
- Read more on the Horse racing section on main (adult) site
