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Horse racingMost people regard horse racing as a harmless sport in which the animals are willing participants who thoroughly enjoy the thrill. The truth is that behind the scenes lies a story of immense suffering. Beneath its glamorous façade, commercial horse racing is a ruthless industry motivated by financial gain and prestige. Cruelty? You can bet on it! Approximately 15,000 foals are born into the racing industry each year, yet only a third go on to become racers. Those horses who do not make the grade may be killed for pet food, fed to hunting hounds or repeatedly change hands in a downward spiral of neglect. Of those horses who do go on to race, around 375 are raced to death every year. The notoriously cruel Grand National in particular brings shame on Britain as a nation of 'animal lovers' - since 1997, the three day meet at Aintree has claimed the lives of 30 horses. Animal Aid repeated its call for the Grand National to be banned following scenes in the 2004 race that one television commentator described as 'carnage'. Every April Animal Aid promotes Horse Racing Awareness Week, which culminates on the day of the Grand National. Almost every year without exception, horses have been killed at the three-day event. |
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| For links to all the Animal Aid resources in this area - including our four in-depth reports on the racing industry - see the horse racing archive. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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