A horse race is a contest of speed between horses that are ridden by jockeys or pulled by drivers. The sport is an important part of American culture and history. Despite the enduring popularity of horse races, they can be a dangerous game for horses that are not properly trained or conditioned and can suffer serious injuries.
The governance of racing varies from nation to nation. In England the Jockey Club is the regulatory agency for long-term policy, while in most other nations state racing commissions have ultimate control. The sport also has private owners, who own the tracks and some of the horses.
While some people have a passion for horse racing, many others find the spectacle unpleasant and are averse to the idea of betting on a creature that is not human. This is not surprising because the horse race business involves a high degree of risk and a large capital investment. The profits of the racing industry are not enough to attract many investors and the sport has been plagued by financial difficulties.
There is no doubt that most trainers, assistants, jockeys and other racetrack personnel love the sport and care deeply for their horses. They strive to balance the financial demands of the business with the health and well-being of the animals. These horsemen and women are the majority, and they need to be the focus of reform efforts to save the industry.
But the fact is, a small, feral minority does exist. These bad apples are a threat to the integrity of horse racing, and they must be eliminated, as should the sport’s system of training young horses that is so often abusive, its drug use, and the horrific fate of countless horses that are transported to slaughter after gruesome breakdowns or injury.
Horse racing’s legions of apologists often confuse hostility toward PETA with dismissal of its work, but it is a mistake. Virtually no one outside of the sport cares how PETA got its video, just as they do not care how other activists get undercover footage of alleged animal abuse by professional athletes.