Give Mares a Fair Go
In honour of Black Caviar - Sign our petition to end overbreeding of racehorses and exploitation of broodmares.
The death of Black Caviar has drawn much needed attention to the lives of mares used for breeding - the so-called 'broodmares'. Black Caviar, who earnt $8M in prize money for her owners and won all of her 25 races, did not receive the happy retirement most people had expected. Instead, like most other mares in the racing industry, she went on to be used for another purpose.
Black Caviar’s role after ‘retiring’ from racing was to produce as many foals as she possibly could. In fact, her owners attempted to breed from her every single year right up to her death. Black Caviar produced 9 foals in 11 years.
The endless pursuit to produce that one, unique winner not only puts an unacceptable strain on broodmares, but also contributes to the devastating amount of 'wastage' - that is the thousands of racehorses needing rehoming every year from the racing industry. Homes that simply aren’t there.
THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE.
It’s time those who profit from racing be held responsible for the lives and welfare of all broodmares regardless of their profitability.
PETITION - GIVE MARES A FAIR GO
While racing is allowed to continue, changes need to be made to ensure broodmares and their foals are given the best possible opportunity to live a life worth living as horses - not commodities. This petition will be sent to Racing Australia and every state Minister for Racing.
We are calling for the following:
- Broodmares are bred from only every second year.
This will reduce the numbers of horses bred and importantly give mares a chance to recuperate from the stresses of pregnancy. - A mare breeding levy.
This levy would in effect be a superannuation plan for broodmares, ensuring they are given the opportunity to live out the rest of their lives with the proper care and attention they deserve. As most broodmares require significant care after exiting breeding, we suggest a minimum amount of $2000 per year. The formation of an independent statutory body to oversee the management of retired broodmares and maintain accurate records.
An independent statutory body is crucial to ensure the welfare of broodmares is not compromised by competing financial interests from within the racing industry.
Add your name to the petition:
2200 People has Signed this Petition to Help Broodmares
The Life and Restraints of a Broodmare
The rule of Thoroughbred breeding requires all mares to be mated live, as artificial insemination is not permitted.
Mares are commonly restrained so that they cannot say no. In many cases a twitch a device made of metal or rope that is tightly twisted around the upper lip, will be used to immobilise her. Hobbles are attached to her hind legs to prevent her from kicking the stallion away. Her tail is also held to the side to prevent her from interrupting the mating.
Mares are pregnant for 11-12 months. So just one month after giving birth, often with her newborn foal standing next to her, she will be forcibly impregnated again to produce next year’s foal. And again the following year and the year after that.
Learn more in the article ‘Breeding Thoroughbreds is far from natural in the race for a winner’ by Cathrynne Henshall, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, and Paul McGreevy, Professor of Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare Science, University of Sydney, published by The Conversation.
Broodmares Unaccounted for after Retirement
More than 18000 mares are currently being used for breeding in the Australian racing industry each year. Most broodmares start off as racehorses, like Black Caviar, . Other mares will go straight into breeding from as early as two years of age.
Pregnancy and birth takes a toll on the mare’s body. Giving birth year after year wears the body down and often leads to various physical birth trauma, muscle damage and infections.
For the same reasons, and the fact that many broodmares have had little handling apart from the forced breeding procedures, broodmares are most often considered unsuitable to re-train for the equestrian market.
The fate of these mares when they are retired from their breeding purposes, is not disclosed to the public. We estimate that at least 3000 broodmares disappear without a trace, every single year, from the racing industry.
Overbreeding is Flooding the Ex-Racehorse Market
The more than 18,000 mares used for breeding in the Australian racing industry produce around 13,000 foals every year. Approximately 35 percent will never make it onto the racetrack. All will need rehoming if not used in breeding. Most of the remaining 65 percent will be retired after an average of less than three years of racing.
Ex-racehorses will commonly leave the racing industry with mental and/or physical trauma from which they need rehabilitating. As such, the number of available new homes with appropriate resources and experience are scarce.
The ABC 7:30 documentary ‘The Final Race - The Dark Side of the Australian Horse Racing Industry’ exposed how thousands of ex-racehorses end up at slaughterhouses or at knackeries to become pet food. In 2024, there have been an alarming number of re-homing charities and re-trainers who have had to close their doors due to lack of funding and not being able to rehome the many racehorses exiting the industry.
Despite several state racing authorities adopting CPR’s proposal to apply a levy on prize money to fund the safe retirement of racehorses, many are still being sent to slaughter. Though the racing industry maintains very few horses are being killed, it has failed to provide any evidence to back this claim.
Because of the inherent conflict of interest, CPR is calling for an independent statutory body to be formed to oversee the management of the retirement of all racehorses. Until such time, the integrity of the racing industry and its ability to manage the wastage problem will always be in question.