Horse Racing and Gambling on it should be banned

[SirLancelot]

They don't care because they used to that already but you, you noticed it and act nervously maybe because it was your first time? Horse racing was not new and I think it was not illegal because if it is then it was stopped already long time ago. What is not right is if they injected drugs on the horse. I think that's also the number one cause on why the horses experience a heart attack and other health problems. Organizers should monitor their horses strictly and punish those offenders.

Are you aware that most of the horses go through slaughter as well? Some of them have very bad injuries making them not even the least bit useful for the business therefore they are killed without second thought. I do hope people would get more aware and try and steer away from *horse racing*.

I didn't know this but how did you know? I think they don't show this on national television but this is not right and if someone sees them, they can be reported and the gambling company will be shut down. An injured horse can still heal and become healthy, they just want to treat them right and after that they can use them again. No not to kill them.

[Kakmakr]

You know that most of these horses are living the dream... right? A lot of these horses are getting groomed daily and they get fed a special diet and they are monitored full-time by Veterinarians and staff.    Horses in the wild have to deal with predators and also finding good food and hiding places when the weather is bad.

So, you are seeing a very small percentage of the "bad endings" for many of the horses being used in horse racing. The owners are just being rewarded for all the money and effort that they are pushing into those horses and they do not want to see those things happening. (A lot of them see those horses not as a source of income, but as one of their pets) 

[Oasisman]

Well, there are far more worse than horse racing when we're talking about animal cruelty.
Have you seen cock fighting? These roosters were installed with sharp blades to fight each other to death.
These kinds of business aren't easy to eradicate, because there is a lot of money involved in this kind of business and operators could actually pay even an excessive tax, permits, etc.
If these Horses were beaten and tortured after the race, that only means the business is doing well and is earning big amount of money considering the number of Horses died according to you. And they could afford to lose that many Horses considering again how much does 1 horse cost?

[robelneo]

Unfortunately, this is a multi-billion industry and so many people depend on the horse racing industry even some governments are dependent on horse racing for taxes, especially in a third world country, the call should be on how to properly train and check horses that will run in a race, what I mean is good supervision to avoid horses from dying in the race it can be avoided we should stop horses dying from exhaustion, horses are born to run but we must not exhaust their capability.

[Maestro75]

For a long time I have not liked the way animals, even dogs are used for racing sports for human pleasure. It defers animal rights and should be stopped. Those who campaign for animal freedom and rights, I mean those associations that persecuted Kurt Zouma for beating his cat should also come into this. Every form of animal race should be stopped. It is cruelty to animals. It is like a slave owner forcing his slaves  to race.

What is the Nature of animal? specially horse? to Run and Eat right? in Horse racing they are serving their fashion so why will make this a big deal?

If you know the pressure the long distant race puts on the health of these horses you will know how exposed they are to danger. Do you know the weight of the humans they carry to run that far? Am sure you as a human being can not carry a toddler and run up to a kilometer, so why think it is not a heavy load for horses to carry full grown humans weighing not less than 70kg and run that far? This should stop, and I repeat again that animal activists should come into this issue.

[Zackgeno96]

I actually don't have idea that happened to a horse, does it mean it also happened to the greyhounds racing? I really am not a fan of any gambling that uses animals including rooster fighting, for me it should be banned but I think it would not be easily banned since from way before horse racing is a normal thing.

[Cling18]

It's a traditional racing game and despite what is happening to horses, most gamblers are really hooked on it. There are actually lots of animals being involved in gambling which is really heartbreaking, especially to animal lovers but we can't control it since gamblers find it more exciting and thrilling. It's too saddening because animals have to suffer for the satisfaction of gamblers.

[safari88]

It's a traditional racing game and despite what is happening to horses, most gamblers are really hooked on it. There are actually lots of animals being involved in gambling which is really heartbreaking, especially to animal lovers but we can't control it since gamblers find it more exciting and thrilling. It's too saddening because animals have to suffer for the satisfaction of gamblers.

Yes I think it would be hard for people or for anyone to stop like this and I think it is not all the time that the horse died in a horse racing and I think they all are taking care of since they can't participate in a racing if they are not in a good condition.

[Beparanf]

It's a traditional racing game and despite what is happening to horses, most gamblers are really hooked on it. There are actually lots of animals being involved in gambling which is really heartbreaking, especially to animal lovers but we can't control it since gamblers find it more exciting and thrilling. It's too saddening because animals have to suffer for the satisfaction of gamblers.

Yeah, I saw many movement about banning this kind of game on change.org but it lacks support since there's no clear eveidence for animal cruelty besides the few incidents per race that same like OP describes. There are are animal sports that is more cruel than this like cock fight that literally let Rooster kill each other until the other becomes dead to declare winner. They are both animals yet this game is not being in question for abuse.

If horse racing will be ban, I think all animal sports should be ban too since they are all animals and in risk of sick once pur under physical pressure.

[bitbollo]

The amount of money behind horse racing Is impressive.
Probably there are more Money on that sports that in football itself.
Just have a look on betfair.com and follow the various race to have an idea of the amount of money on horse racing... It's something that can't be stopped in a short time and there Is an entire industry on that sport...

I have appreciated a lot this sport. Betting Is really addictive and After a while its Easy to Remember top jockeys, stables, trainers...
And yes wellness of horse must be at First Place. Always.
I still remember with regret the death of synchronized.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synchronised_(horse)

one month after winning the Cheltenham gold cup ... he was put down due to a broken leg ... After this event I have not followed or placed bets ....

[dothebeats]

All animal-based races and fights should be banned completely if that's the case. Lots of events involving animals for the entertainment of humans are still around, and not even PETA or any other concerned NGOs are up the throats of these organizers and the likes. I get your sentiment about animal cruelty and all that, but your sentiment must also include other events involving other animals as well.

I support the ban of gambling events involving animals for human entertainment consumption.

[joeperry]

I think there is already a previous topic about animal abuse in gambling but I think this is not a new news for us and many people are still a patron of this kind of games and I think they are going to banned it easily as many people are still playing or placing bets to horse racing and other gambling that uses animals.

[livingfree]

That's very sad to know. 

I am gambler and I've thought of betting into horse racing years before but I didn't do that even when I've stepped into cryptocurrencies. It's true that gambling with animals involved have a darker side.

But despite that reality that has been shared, many would still go and bet on it and won't be stopped by any sentiments because they're into it for a long time.

[crwth]

It's saddening to see animals being exploited for financial gain. There are many things I think you can consider being done in that kind of industry. 

• Racing is hard for the horse
• Drugging or doping
• Losing horses tend to be discarded

I have seen that some drugs that are being used are snake venom. That's going to be harmful, and that's probably why there are a lot of horses dying in a short period within the industry.

I'm not sure how different it would be from using animals for food, but this is brutal because it is just for entertainment.

[pawanjain]

I was spending some time with my friends parents and there was not only a huge party but all of them placed p2p bets on the horse racing. They asked me to come over as well, the ending was deeply sad and essential to cover : The horse died after winning of a heart attack.

The horse was presenting signs of heart attack on the camera but no one was actually even giving it a second thought and at the end when it was the last lap, all the horses got whipped excessively hard as well. That gets me to my point "why do you support horse racing?" This is honestly far to cruel to continue.

According the this site: https://www.horsedeathwatch.com/background.php they have seen more than 2000 deaths in around 5500 days. Most of the horses die during the match as well, they also have instances where they are exploited using drugs (doping).

Are you aware that most of the horses go through slaughter as well? Some of them have very bad injuries making them not even the least bit useful for the business therefore they are killed without second thought. I do hope people would get more aware and try and steer away from *horse racing*.

I know that's sad but at the same time it's happening from so many years already.
Even though so many animals die because of such cruelty on them they still conduct these events/bettings/fetivals etc...
It's hard to accept the fact that humans have this mindset right from the beginning to care less about animals.
But still there are people who are kind enough to help the poor animals and save them from such cruel actions on them.
To answer your question I think that horse racing should be regulated so that fewer animals die because of it.

[hahay]

Are only horses considered exploited animals? If so, then I think every sport becomes part of the exploitation of both animals and humans. All athletes get training and health care and so do animals and when they die I think that's part of life. But if it's just talking about horse racing, I personally feel there is no problem as long as the procedure is done well. But if this case is related to gambling then it comes back to the consciousness of every individual, because a bettor just bets without knowing what will happen next. Unlike the case if the animal is fought to the death, then betting and tournaments like this should be prohibited.

[judeafante]

I actually don't have idea that happened to a horse, does it mean it also happened to the greyhounds racing? I really am not a fan of any gambling that uses animals including rooster fighting, for me it should be banned but I think it would not be easily banned since from way before horse racing is a normal thing.

Banning is not good in the old days, horse racing is a tradition and Horses are created for transportation and moving we are just using their innate capability, we are not forcing them to run because they will run even if they are in a wilderness, so why not we take care of them and let them run and we bet on their innate capability,

[Boristhecat]

This is a very ancient sport/game. It is not going to get banned. Probably never. Lots of football players die of heart attack every year. They run like horses too. The are many similarities between a horse race and a soccer game. Just because footballers die sometimes, do we need to ban football/soccer? This logic don't make any sense to me.

I should note that after covid vaccination there is a significant increase in heart attacks among athletes, including football players. I won't develop any conspiracy theories around this, but it has attracted a lot of attention.
As for comparisons with human sports, I agree with you, but there is a nuance: everywhere there is some acceptable percentage of deaths after which sport becomes unacceptable. For example, it was great in boxing before, and after the legislators ordered the boxing federation to fix it or close it, doping requirements and some rules were changed in favor of athletes. This greatly reduced the number of deaths in the ring (and out of it).
Now the important question is what is the actual mortality rate among racehorses and whether we can consider it acceptable to require a change in the format of the competition or something else to reduce it.

[Maestro75]

There are are animal sports that is more cruel than this like cock fight that literally let Rooster kill each other until the other becomes dead to declare winner. They are both animals yet this game is not being in question for abuse.

That is not cruel in any way. It is like boxing. Both cocks fighting are assumed to be of equal strength until it is found out not to be so by one surrendering in the fight. That is the same thing boxers do in the rings. The only way it can be cruel is if one of the roosters is tied to a stick with a short rope that prevents its movement while the other is left free to fight and peck it.

If horse racing will be ban, I think all animal sports should be ban too since they are all animals and in risk of sick once pur under physical pressure.

If other animal sports also carry the same level of stress horse racing carries, they should be banned. Maybe horse racing would not be bad if the horses are allowed to race without people mounting them. That weight of humans they carry is stress on its own and that is not good for their health.

[YOSHIE]

Are you aware that most of the horses go through slaughter as well? Some of them have very bad injuries making them not even the least bit useful for the business therefore they are killed without second thought. I do hope people would get more aware and try and steer away from *horse racing*.

How can that happen, don't they check the health of the horse first before competing, I used to often do real horse racing bets, not on a gambling site, I know very well the rules for horses before jumping into the field to be raced, there are veterinarians and a team that checks the horse is eligible to race or not.

I suspect that there was a cheating game in the horse racing betting that you were participating in at that time, this is strange, horses with a history of heart attacks should not take part in the match, why the horse can pass in the match, there is a shrimp behind a rock if that happens.

@fiulpro, horse racing betting is hard to get rid of and avoid, that one sport in some areas has become a tradition that must be held, it's just that we decide whether we want to bet or not.