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Ethical Racehorse Ownership: Thoughts On Life After the Racetrack
There’s no avoiding the consideration — especially if you’re a racehorse owner. Is the sport entirely unethical, and is there nothing at all that can be done to ensure the wellbeing of our racehorses on and off the track? There are, of course, two sides to the debate: of which we would undoubtedly be biased in our argument for a more ethical perspective towards racehorse ownership. We believe that there remains a duty of care upon a racehorse owner, and within the larger organised sport in Australia, to prioritise animal wellbeing during and after their racing career.
Without engaging in the ongoing and binary argument, our purpose is to encourage a community of racehorse owners that appreciates a whole-of-life approach towards caring for their racehorses. Considering that racehorses are bred with good health and form in mind, it’s natural to assume that owners and trainers alike would focus on helping their horses maintain their health and performance, in anticipation of a successful racing career. So what else could racehorse owners be considerate of, when it comes to ensuring the proper, ethical care of their yearlings throughout and after their racing careers?
Be Involved — Don’t Assume the Burden of Care Falls On Anyone Else
Poor form as a racehorse owner comes not from lack of knowledge or experience, but with indifference to the duty of care you should rightfully afford your horse. Even in co-ownership situations that involve a managing co-owner or trainer, it is well worth your time and effort to get involved in discussions and training to understand the conditions through which your horse enjoys.
While your budget does determine the kind of access to facilities available for your horse, it shouldn’t limit you from applying discerning and responsible ownership. Right from the auction, young yearlings deserve to be nursed by well-fed and cared for mothers, with access to well-kept stables and fields to graze in. As much as you’d like your horse to perform well on the track, it helps to consider its natural needs at every step of its training journey. Engaging your trainer or syndicate members in discussions about its environment and wellbeing are also excellent ways for you to develop your own knowledge as a racehorse owner.
Apart from its Basic Upkeep, Focus On its Access to Good Medical Support
A prominent argument against horse racing is the consideration that injuries are sustained when horses are trained or raced competitively. While injuries can happen, this does not prevent owners and trainers from being able to provide their horses with adequate medical support. Even outside of injury treatment, race horses will require loving upkeep as they are groomed and trained.
Proper and ethical care of a racehorse should include access to veterinary and dental support, even to assist with common occurrences. Among these can include excessively sharp teeth, or blocked bellies which deserve immediate and competent care. Additionally, racehorses deserve gentle and affectionate environments provided to them by their owners and trainers. This helps to foster mutual trust so they may achieve success on the race track and throughout any kind of training they undergo.
Keeping Responsible Consideration Beyond Your Racehorse’s Career
Most racehorses maintain a racing career between two to three years, despite having a life expectancy of up to 30 years. This leaves no excuse for owners to think just within the span of its training and monetary potential during its active years spent racing! It’s often said that ‘horse people love horses’. While this tends to hold true across the majority of horse owners and how they involve themselves with the training and upkeep of their yearlings, racehorse ownership should be approached with a whole-of-life approach in mind, no matter how experienced an owner may be.
That means putting the effort of planning into considering what happens to your racehorse when it retires. Not just what it will take to care for and train a new yearling to achieve fantastic results on the racetrack. Additionally, it helps to set more aside in terms of your training budget, to account for your horse’s wellbeing should an accident or emergency ever arise. While these do happen on and off the racetrack, thinking ahead can help you ensure your horse finds its next home and adequate care, even if an injury prevents it from continuing with its racing career.
Retiring Your Racehorse the Proper Way
Retirement programmes are available depending on the state you reside in. If you’ve registered your thoroughbred or yearling as a racehorse, there’s no doubt that you would have the same access to available resources to help you find a post-racing solution for your racehorse. Depending on its athleticism, versatility, and other factors, you may well find your horse happily re-homed in an equestrian capacity for performances or pleasure riding, or even as therapy or working animals.
There are programmes that exist, which facilitate the placement of retired racehorses, to ensure they continue to live happy and fulfilled lives — cared for by other qualified professionals. Additionally, these programmes serve to keep industry participants and the wider horse racing community informed as to post-racing options and appropriate care for retired racehorses. Keeping active participation through such communities is what helps the racehorsing industry develop higher ethical standards when it comes to caring for horses throughout the span of their lives. Remember that it’s never just about the winnings, and that the sport does see fans, owners and racers drawn together by a like minded love for horses after all.
Nakeeta by half a length
Nakeeta
Ebor winner 2017
Nakeeta
The Ebor winner for 2017 makes this horse ideal to win the Melbourne Cup.
A nose
2leghths
Nakeeta by 3/4 of a length
0.75 lengths
1/2 length first Scottish horse to win
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1.5 lengths
I think by a photo finish
.4 length
Will win by 1.25Lengths
3 Lengths
Its a guess
Nakeeta will win by 1.75 lengths
3/4 length
A head
Nose
0.5L
1 length
Half a head
Neck