END HORSE RACING IN IRELAND ON CRUELTY GROUNDS.

Four race horses had to be killed last weekend due to severe injuries sustained at Tramore Race track. This is not an isolated incident. The unnecessary suffering sustained by these animals whilst being whipped around a track is morally unacceptable. We call for an end to Horse racing in Ireland and for an end to the use of horses as beasts of burden. Injured and abused horses are increasingly being discovered all over Ireland due to over-breeding and increased cruelty. A University College Dublin survey, funded by international charity World Horse Welfare, suggests that a humane disposal scheme should be considered to reduce the number of horses likely to suffer from adverse welfare.[in other words CRUELTY] Over three times as many horses are being produced now than 40 years ago and a decreasing proportion – currently about 35% – are sufficiently robust and healthy to start racing.The others are killed as they are surplus to requirements. Stallions for breeding are effectively enslaved by an industry that regards them as mere semen-producing machines. They are kept isolated from other horses and, for as long as 20 years, can be required to impregnate three mares a day during the six-month breeding season. Breeding mares are subjected to an almost constant cycle of pregnancy and birth. To control when the foal is delivered, they are injected with hormones and other drugs, and subjected to long periods of artificial light during winter months. Many ‘defective’ newborns end up slaughtered for meat, while those who do enter racing suffer a high level of fatal injuries and stress-related illnesses such as gastric ulcers and bleeding lungs. Despite the high attrition rate, the obscene level of over-production means that the racing authorities are still unable to accommodate many of the lower-ranked horses in the racing calendar. Many ‘surplus’ but healthy horses will also end up being slaughtered for meat.