As a child, the allure of my grandparent’s Pennsylvania racehorse farm was undeniable. The vast open fields and the majestic presence of horses painted a picture of idyllic rural life. However, with the passage of time and a deeper understanding, the veneer of this “family farm” has dissolved, revealing a disturbing reality of abuse and cruelty inherent in the horse racing industry. This experience has led me to advocate for a more ethical approach to our relationship with these magnificent animals.
The family I grew up in was deeply involved in the equestrian world, making a living through horse racing and sales. I witnessed firsthand the practice of “breaking” horses, a process that, regardless of method, aims to subdue their spirit, exhaust their bodies, and ultimately force compliance for personal or financial gain. I saw horses pushed to their limits during “exercise” sessions, subjected to harsh “discipline” through whipping and forceful compliance, and compelled to race. These intense demands often resulted in premature harm to their bodies, all in the name of entertainment.
My family’s engagement with these practices was not occasional; it was a daily way of life. As a young person tasked with farm duties, a persistent feeling of unease began to surface. The act of exerting such power over these animals felt fundamentally wrong. When I voiced my concerns or hesitated to train horses, I was often dismissed as “too sensitive” or told that the “work just needed to get done.”
At the time, the full extent of the damage inflicted upon their bodies during intense racing was not apparent to me. Many horses commence training and racing while their skeletal systems are still developing, making them highly susceptible to the immense pressures of competitive racing. Horses typically reach full skeletal maturity around the age of six, and the strain of racing during their formative years often leads to physical breakdown and eventual lameness. Tragically, due to the frequency of injuries, trainers and veterinarians frequently administer drugs to mask pain and control inflammation, allowing these injured animals to continue racing.
The grim reality for many racehorses extends beyond their racing careers. When they are no longer profitable for racing, they are often retired for slaughter, with their meat being sold. This fate is particularly stark for American horses, as many are sent to slaughterhouses in Mexico and China. There, they face a brutal end, often being shot in the head with a bolt gun, their meat destined for pet food, glue production, or even human consumption. The Humane Society highlights this disturbing trend, noting that over 100,000 horses are sent to slaughter annually, a significant portion of which could have been rehomed. USDA data indicates that a staggering 92.3 percent of horses sent to slaughter are in good condition and capable of living out productive lives.
This personal journey has led me to align with my younger self’s intuition. I no longer participate in the horse racing industry or endorse riding horses purely for sport. I cannot support an industry that exploits horses throughout their lives, only to condemn them to a slaughterhouse at the end. Even when certain practices become deeply ingrained in our lives and memories, it is our ethical imperative to cease participating in cruelty the moment we recognize it. It is time to re-evaluate our relationship with these animals and move towards practices that honor their well-being and inherent value.
References:
- The Humane Society. (n.d.). Facts About Horse Slaughter. https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/facts-about-horse-slaughter
- YouTube. (2019, February 19). Horse Slaughter – The Horrible Truth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_i8BilSzNw
- FreeFromHarm.org. (2015, October 28). Why Horsemeat is Delicious and Disgusting. https://freefromharm.org/animal-products-and-psychology/why-horsemeat-is-delicious-and-disgusting/
