What do you think about horse riding and racing?

Inspired by Longdogs posts in the Horse Riders on Roads thread, what do you think about general horse riding and racing/gmbling? Should it be allowed? Banned? Do you feel it is unfair on horses? Cruel? Or perhaps it just doesn't sit well with you?

I read once that if a horse breaks a leg it has to be put down and the number of horses that have died in races like the Grand National is shocking.

What do you think?

Re: What do you think about horse riding and racing?

There's a lot to cover in that question.
Does a horse like racing?
Is it cruel?
Is gambling linked to racing to be frowned upon?

What do you think Azz. You haven't said.

Re: What do you think about horse riding and racing?

Some aspects of the sport are not good, but race horses are bred to race. Gambling??? Plenty of us can enjoy the sport without betting, but betting under control and in moderation can be enjoyable - you need to know when to stop, cut your losses, walk away!

Re: What do you think about horse riding and racing?

Horses are run far too young .
Especially as two year olds .
This is done only for economic reasons there is no good reason why a young animal should not be allowed to develop naturally .
The thoroughbred horse is not developed at this age it's growth plates are not closed hence it does a lot of damage to its legs .
Even the light weight of a jockey can harm the spine and it's sometimes fuses the vertebrae.
This means that the many horses unless they win well when they are used for breeding cannot be used for other deciplines .
Some do but a racehorse even when retired is still a young uneducated horse and its not an easy prospect to retrain even if it has managed to come out of racing without significant injuries .
Some horses survive running on the flat and carry on to run over hurdles and them steeplechase fences . These do fall and hurt themselves , a horse has very thin legs and the force on impact from a big fence can sometimes break the bone .
It's very hard to mend a horses leg bone as a horse cannot lie down for more than 12 hours else it started to swell up. It therefore has to hung in a sling with very poor success rate .
The wastage in racehorses is tremendous . Many young ones never make it to the race tracks for one reason or another. They are sold cheaply at sales often for pet food .
Many horses break down in training or simply don't run fast enough .
These too unless they are bought for a dedicated person to retrain will end up as kitty Kat .
The horse is a noble animal and will run but only when forced too will it gallop flat out .
Racehorses in training are kept in stables for up to 23 hour a day 24/7 it is a sad stressful and boring life for a young horse . Racehorses develop many bad habits because of this weaving ( rocking from side to side ) crib biting or wind sucking ( sucking air into their stomachs ) these habits or vices as they are called are NEVER seen in a horse in the wild or one that has not been confined in a box in this way . Vices such as these are undesirable in a riding horse and have to be declared on sale .
They are caused by stress in the same way that caged lions pace and monkeys rock themselves.
All in all horse racing is not a kind or good life for a horse .
It is for the entertainment of the human species.

Re: What do you think about horse riding and racing?

Horses run..its natural, I don't like racing which involves jumping. So let's ban it and why not? It will reduce the number of golds at the Olympics, and the little Targuins and Samantha's will have to give up their Gymkhanas which will save mommy money. Of course this will then lead to banning donkeys on the beach and any performing horses, all mounted policemen and the Horse Guards will also be banned.

This will lead to a glut of horses so I suppose they will have to be put down, and in a few years time the only horse you will see will be in a zoo

Re: What do you think about horse riding and racing?

I have just completed the registration process purely so that I can commend Muddy's post. I totally agree with all your points and would add, in reply to anyone who says that horses must enjoy racing because when the rider falls off they keep running ~ horses are herd animals, when one runs they all run, it's a survival instinct.
We should stop exploiting horses for the purposes of entertainment.
Right, now you've enticed me in with your valid argument, I'd better go and introduce myself properly in the correct thread

Re: What do you think about horse riding and racing?

Exactly, Clover.

Re: What do you think about horse riding and racing?

I have mixed feelings....I enjoy watching horses race but I don't gamble.
Should they be ridden? Why not, they enjoy it.

Here's Fred my(ok, bought for daughter) retired racehorse.
As Muddy says, they can have issues....like rearing and setting off like they've just exited the stalls....his faults were easily remedied though I've known to have some serious behaviour problems.

Re: What do you think about horse riding and racing?

I enjoy watching horses race TBH. I also gamble on them, not huge amounts , but enough. I think the horses enjoy it too, as when they have unseated a rider they still gallop alongside the others.

Re: What do you think about horse riding and racing?

I don't like in when the jockey really whips the horse to make it run faster to try to win the race.
l'm not sure if it really hurts them?