Written by Deby Adair. © 2024.
Between 1988 to 2001, I was able to take on several racing thoroughbreds who were, in the words of horse racing, ‘finished.’ They were offered to me after they’d tolerated several years of racing. And of earning money. They came with impeccable and highly sought after bloodlines, and they were usually between 4 – 6 years of age. They were all damaged. And they were all on their way to the sales or the knackery. None of them had done anything wrong. They weren’t useful to anyone anymore. That’s all.
Their damage was not only physical – suffering with a multitude of painful injuries – but also most strikingly, emotional and mental. I was assured on more than one occasion that they ‘would never walk again, would never run again, were mad, were man killers, were useless, were brain fried.’
Each one, in my care – after a careful regime of rehabilitation, planning, assessment, understanding and treatments – went onward in life as an amazing horse ready to experience a whole new career or a new life, or a quiet, safe forever home.
It wasn’t always easy. Their physical damage was addressed by ‘letting them down’, slow changes in diet, slow introduction from small yards to larger ones, to paddocks and even swimming holes. A slow introduction to socialising with other horses – something many of them had no clue how to do. A mix of treatments, whether massage, veterinary, chiropractic, Bowen or herbal. It was often a long 12 – 36 months of reconditioning, risks, challenges and ultimately new boundaries, kindness and daily monitoring, repeated messages with no mixed signals, clarity and understanding.
Their post-racing physical conditions ranged from: bleeding from the nose and lungs regularly, roaring when cantering – from severe lung damage; ligaments and tendons that were blown out, ruptured, unsightly, a mess and apparently ‘unfix-able.’ Muscle problems, back issues, stifle damage and more. But these were, in general, with time and treatment, remarkably able to be healed to a full capacity and to allow the horses to go onto new lives. What was not so easy, was their fear factor.
Fear of loud speakers, fear of flank pain, fear of whips, fear of sharp voices, fear of going forward, fear of going anywhere, fear of other horses, fear of large paddocks, fear of being alone, fear of horse shows, fear of horse floats, fear of confined spaces, fear of many things that make even people with horses often assume they are a dangerous breed, too hot blooded, too spirited, unsuitable for anything other than running around a race track, too unpredictable; ‘too mad to be sent onto a riding home.’
They were so highly intelligent and so gentle in nature that often, their behaviour patterns were clearly, obviously, not just high spirits or a horse’s natural flight instinct or a lack of understanding of what was being asked of them. It was, quite simply, that their entire lives had been filled with mixed signals from too many racing stables and all the stable hands ‘just doing their job’.
That they were taken, in many cases, far too early from their dam, that they had severe internal injuries that the racing stable and the owners weren’t willing to have vetted or had even noticed, that they had been unjustly treated and highly misunderstood in a busy, business venture, called horse racing.
Highly intelligent, their lives were a distraught, painful maze of trying to understand what was required of them; too young, bodies weak, cartilage unformed, forced to live in tiny stables, fed highly inappropriate amounts of energy food. All so they could run and win money for the owners, the trainers and to become a product. Just a product. Of one of society’s most critical social ills – gambling. Sanctioned and supported by governments and government funding. The taxpayer believes they are ‘having a fun day out’ while they pay and support this, in the gambling arena.
Fine, delicate, sensitive, beautiful, imaginative, good humoured and gentle thoroughbreds came to me ‘finished’, discarded and on their way to be ‘destroyed’. Over bred, over raced, over industrialised. Under appreciated. Uncared for. An industrial wasteland of refined breeding. Cinderellas treated like servants. I saved the ones that came to me. They will never be forgotten.
I take a pledge to never and I never have agreed with the suffering of horses for racing since I was a very young child.
So incredibly sad. I will never attend a horse race or gamble on a hirse race ever. I haven’t for decades. I support the protests when they are in my local area. I find it heart-breaking and will continue to write to politicians and others although I realise it is a long-established industry run by the rich and powerful. Still we have to keep on trying to at least ease the suffering ofthese magnificent animals.
I , like you, was involved with horses for many years.
I purchased the rejects no one wanted at auctions and, with lots of time and care overcome their fears and issues.
Some of these horses were ex racehorses so I fully appreciate the work involved in adjusting them to a new life.
Thank you so much for this post and for all the horses you have saved from slaughter.
Although a horse lover, I have never, nor will ever bet on a race or attend a race meeting.
This isn’t sport, sport is when competitors willingly participate knowing the potential dangers. These horses have no choice.
They are broken and raced whilst still “babies” their bodies are still underdeveloped, yet they are pushed to their limits to win races for their owners. Injury or failure is a death sentence as they are no longer of any value. Even horses who have earned their owners thousands of dollars/pounds/euros are sent to slaughter after their racing career has ended.
It’s all about financial gain, these poor horses are disposable commodities, their lives and their future means nothing.
So so sad.
Horses feel pain as people .They bleed,have heartaches, love and die for people and people’s greed .They shouldn’t be torchered on a race track for man’s pleasure and riches then discarded like garbage.