HORSE racing is not the innocuous sport many people believe it to be. There are many aspects of the commercial racing industry that cause horses to suffer, one example being the use of the whip.
Hitting a horse with this narrow, plastic rod causes pain and less visible, but equally disturbing psychological scars.
The Jockey Club devised a code of conduct that is supposed to prevent abuse of the whip. Even if the code were enforced, it would be inadequate - but the reality is that jockeys routinely thrash horses repeatedly, especially in the last stages of a race - and excessive whipping frequently goes unpunished.
It is claimed that the whip provides a form of helpful chastisement, which leads to increased performance.
Animal Aid's report, A Hiding to Nothing, suggests exactly the opposite - that more the horses are whipped, the less likely they are to win, because whipping causes them to become fearful, distracted and unbalanced.
There is nothing sporting about cruelty to animals. Racing's governing body should implement a ban with immediate effect, as even they admit that more races are lost rather than won through use of the whip'.
For a free Hose Racing Awareness Pack, contact Animal Aid on 01732 364546 or go to www.animalaid.org.uk.
MRS M HACK
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