Horse racing is a form of competition between humans and horses in running competitions. The goal of racing is to predict which horse will come first by betting on them to come first place – its roots date back centuries; archeological findings demonstrate its prevalence even among ancient people like Greece and Egypt, not to mention myth and legend depictions such as Odin’s fight with Hrungnir on His steed Helga!
Horse racing has long been associated with gambling and illegal drugs use, while criticizing for the cruelty it inflicts upon its participants — particularly horses themselves. They are regularly forced to race uphill at speeds which cause injuries such as pulmonary hemorrhage. Furthermore, many use legal or illegal medication injections to mask or enhance performance during races.
Despite these issues, sport has made some positive strides toward horse welfare in recent years. Now employing thermal imaging cameras to detect heat exhaustion, MRI scanners for checking for injuries or diseases and 3D printers for casting casts and splints; in addition, racetrack medicine specialists as well as nutritionists work alongside veterinary surgeons who specialize in racetrack medicine to provide animals with optimal care.
These improvements do not address the fundamental problem that horse races are too dangerous for participants, as exploiting young, vulnerable horses for wagering continues to harm and even kill them. A for-profit business model cannot sustain itself; horse racing must instead move toward an animal rights justice system where animals have certain fundamental rights that include survival.
One of Italy’s most beloved events, Palio di Siena is an annual horse race held twice each year on July 2 and August 16 in Siena. Each steed and rider represent one of Siena’s 17 Contrade, or city wards, featuring in an extravagant pageant that draws in tourists and spectators from around the globe.
Horse racing in the United States is a multibillion-dollar industry and serves as a critical source of revenue for numerous state and local governments. The National Thoroughbred Racing Authority was formed to address public concerns about the safety of thoroughbred racing horses, with its first task being setting safety standards for racetracks and tracks. The NTRA has worked to implement an injury-prevention plan and to enhance veterinary care of horses that participate in racing, promote better breed standards, increase training capacity of Thoroughbreds across Europe and fight steroid abuse and doping within racing.
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