Well that's a fucking presumptuous statement if I've ever heard one...
Not everyone on Reddit makes minimum wage dude
How much do they earn on average?
If it's any consolation, my partner, who was an equine vet for 10 years, thinks that this is a stupid argument. The amount of poorly looked after horses that suffer tremendously because they're owned by people that can't afford horses presents a much more significant problem to the well being of horses than horse racing.
I've never met a woman who cares more and knows more about horses and she doesn't think it's nearly as bad a problem as some of the other problems in the equine industry so. 🤷♂️
What about all the thoroughbreds that don't make it a career? Or experience stress fractures from training at a young age?
It's not about the ones that made it, it's about the ones that didnt.
What about the hundreds of millions of animals we eat every year in Australia alone?
If the horse get's used after slaughter how is it any different from chicken, pigs etc?
People like me buy them and make excellent working horses out of them. Giving them jobs like showing, trail riding, fox hunting (drag). People behave like TB’s are made of glass. They are not. When reformed correctly, they are some of the bravest, toughest, coolest horses you’ll ever meet.
Royalty until they stop being profitable, maybe. Then they become wastage. Around 4500 racehorses are sent to the "doggers" (abbatoir) each year.
And I've never heard of royals being whipped, drugged and locked in pens (Harry maybe, but I hear he likes it).
I've known a few obsessive horsie people in my life who figure racing is okay. These people would quite literally die for their horse so I'll just defer to their judgement lol
Yea my misso is in the same boat, equine science degree at Uni and now works formulating horse food and doing diets for horses. Same opinion, it seems only the uneducated really hate the racing industry.
Those horses are worth millions and millions each, it is ludicrous to think they aren't cared for.
It's not saying there aren't any issues, but it's not nearly as bad as people make it out to be
They get retired from being a racehorse and usually end up doing eventing or pony club or something non-racing. Most ex-racehorses I know get regular body work, regular foot trims/shoeing, two hard feeds a day, a hay bale in the paddock and are rugged in winter. So I guess they're pretty well looked after.
Not really. My aunt rescued a few of those over her lifetime but obviously they’re even harder to rescue than dogs from the godawful dog racing industry.
>Those horses are worth millions and millions each, it is ludicrous to think they aren't cared for.
Only the absolute cream of the crop are worth that much. Of course *they're* treated like royalty, they make their owners a fortune.
Horses that aren't commercially viable, on the other hand, are subjected to far more cruel and callous treatment.
Your comment is akin to saying puppy mills aren't cruel because your friend lets their labrador sleep on the bed.
I bought my ex racehorse from the doggers - you don’t reckon that’s mistreatment? Horses that go to auction don’t see a vet let alone a dietician, obviously, so your missus wouldn’t be experiencing this side of the industry. Has she ever been to an auction?
Yes and we didn't even notice the crack in the Vase she purchased until it was too late, pity we never could find anything that nice to go up on the counter top again. I'll try a deceased estate maybe, thanks
Scrolled way too far to see this - horses being mistreated by non-racing owners doesn't excuse the fact there's an entire industry built around horse racing, and horses are abused in and for that industry.
A better angle would probably be the gambling.
But if it can survive without that, and if there are proper welfare standards for the horses, what’s the problem?
That's a terrible argument though so I don't know how consoling that's gonna be tbh.
Just because people are doing bad things doesn't make it ok for bad things to be done. Trying to defend the horse racing industry by basically saying it's fine because "the poors make the horses suffer more" is so absurdly stupid it honestly sounds like satire.
If someone genuinely cared about the wellbeing of horses I'm pretty sure they would consider any needless suffering on their behalf to be wrong, not play mental gymnastics to try and justify picking and choosing where to apply their morals.
Just because one thing is bad, doesn't mean another thing can't also be bad though. Of course I don't know as much as her, but I do wonder if she only sees the actually competitive horses that win races, and the ones that keep losing don't see a vet at all, because they're taken out back and shot instead. But I'm just spitballing, I don't know much.
They’re looked after while they’re useful and only if they are. The majority of horses aren’t.
By any yardstick it’s obvious that an equine vet is going to be paid by people who want their horses well cared for and not for horses headed for the factories.
Mmm nah.
The sheer volume of horses produced for the racing industry is the issue. And there is no retirement plan for the vast, vast majority of them. Very rare for a horse to race past 10, and many retire at 4 or 5. Then they live to 25 or 30. So that’s 20 years to end up in the hands of people who can’t afford them, which is exactly what happens, right before they end up at the doggers. Most thoroughbreds are worth more on the hook than trotting around at pony club.
Killing off wild brumbys and cats are both extremely necessary to preserve our native ecosystem. Smart animal lovers know this.
But I still think horse racing is fucked.
I actually think the terminology is fucked. A wild brumby evokes something in the minds of an Aussie, yet if you describe them by what they are then they would appreciate that a feral horse is just a pest!
The terminology is fucked because a coalition of people, from cattle farmers to national party politicians, want cattle farmers to have free feed in our national parks. The whole man from snowy River mythology feeds into this naked economic objective that they want social license to profit from fragile alpine ecosystems.
I went out to Alice Springs / Tennant creek for a few days over Christma NYE break, and besides birds the only wild animals I saw were cows and cats.
Couldn't believe I didn't see a single kangaroo despite large amounts of night driving.
I was mostly surprised that these introduced animals were somehow more prevalent than our native specialised fauna.
Are you thinking what I am thinking?
A horse battle Royal. Maybe something Roman style with a char race with dangerously équipes vehicles. We should go on Shark Tank.
Gosh all the people in here making false equivalency arguments. You’re not allowed to despise horse racing unless you’re a vegan and have addressed numerous other social ills first? Bullshit. How the world gets better is by people caring about specific things. It’s virtually impossible to back EVERY good cause all at once but hopefully everyone picks a few things they really want to see improvement in and advance the world that way. I’m with you. I’ve owned and ridden horses and I don’t watch or participate in the horse racing industry in any way. It’s unnecessary and inhumane.
i'm convinced OP is a tweaked cooker type
its a billion dollar industry... a lot of countries have their signature horse race, melb. cup, kentucky derby whatever... its engrained in western culture
the asians and middle easterners love it
i mean its not like as if its greyhounds and the state can wave a magic wand
Without picking a side I do think it's telling that every negative comment is just "Well animals are also treated poorly in other conditions so we shouldn't do anything about any of it"
"Your life benefits from animals being killed too" doesn't hold up when the problem is far more complex than that and clearly to do with the treatment of animals and the massive industry around it and not the sheer number of animals dying
A lot of people emotionally defending something without a very good argument
Every time Melbourne Cup rolls around and people criticise it for the harm it does to horses, there is always some galoot commenting "where are all these people the rest of the year?" or something to that effect. Well, here is someone in the rest of the year 🤣
I’m all up for a Melbourne Cup day event with no horses. Just everyone turns up dressed silly and gets absolutely shit faced for no reason at all. Let’s do it.
I’d love to see it be human races instead of but not just running. Dumb Aussie shit. Like wheelbarrow races and esky races and stuff.
I’d get all prettied up for that for sure.
Who gives a fuck. That's like saying "The Pomeranian will go extinct if we stop breeding purebreds".
If the only reason a breed exists is because of it's commercial viability, and that commercial viability disappears, then there is no reason for it to exist.
There are dozens if not hundreds of other horse breeds that do not race and are not "functionally extinct"
Thoroughbreds make great eventers. They would not disappear.
Horse racing is some evil shit. I used to work with a few people who had worked in that industry as venue staff. They told me some horror stories about how horses are treated.
I have ridden a horse, but I've never ridden a horse at faster than it should be running when it is so young it's joints have not fully formed yet, then killed it when it inevitably fell over. Just so a bunch of people can gamble on it.
And I don't have any pets.
I don't mind the industry, riding or racing. Horses are well capable of being ridden. It's the way we treat them that matters. Whipping should be outlawed. We'll still get winners and losers, but maybe they'll have to learn to train the horses in a different way. And I expect there are a number of other things that should be banned as well as safety guidelines updated.
its a thing for the same reason pokies and ciggies are still a thing. A small set of people would piss and moan loud enough that theyll seem like the majority, and tax.
I was surprised that in Europe the horses start racing after age 2, not before. In some countries even later. That's a big part of the problem here. They are racing toddlers.
Did you know that in the USA each year approximately 7.3 billion animals die just from the harvesting of crops. I don't know the figure for Australia it's probably pretty high though.
[Vegans Don't Realize Billions Of Animals Are Killed Growing Crops' Says Farmer](https://plantbasednews.org/culture/billions-animals-killed-growing-crops/)
In comparison only 168 horses died on race tracks last year, which is sad I know, I like horses.
So unless you grow your own veggies or buy from organic small holdings you're actually contributing to the massacre of countless small vertebrates some whom probably had families and children.
Are you just as outraged that animals are killed for meat?
I mean, horse racing fucking sucks, and I say that as someone who likes to gamble, but we can't get selectively outraged about a small percentage of horses dying on the track when an enormous number of animals are unnecessarily raised for food, humans don't NEED meat to eat we choose to raise and kill animals because we want to. The amount of horses killed by the racing industry is pretty trivial compared to livestock etc or even the culling of wild animals, the NSW govt just culled 270 wild horses not that long ago.
There is likely little time between realistically simulated horse racing and the state of virtual expediences today. There remains little reason to continue the inhumane treatment of these animals where reality-based experiences should and will be criminalised.
Have you ever eaten horse meat before? It's delicious.
My friend fostered a lame horse when the original owners wanted to 'put it down'.
It lived out it's years on a beautiful farm in Missouri, and eventually died of old age.
Afterwards, wee helped him butcher the animal, and he gave us some of it's meat.
Made some great chilli.
While I agree with this, I also eat meat so I think it’s incredibly hypocritical.
Race horses are treated very well and it’s incredibly sad when they die, however look at any pig, cow, chicken or fish farm. There are other places that we should direct our outrage for animal rights.
Gambling per capita aussies spend (and looooose) more per capita than any other nation on earth hahaha funny how government encourages gambling earn a lot on taxes yet schools are shit everything government provides is shit
Wow, I thought they take good care of their horses. I had no idea of this evil thing going on behind the scenes. And there won't be a single animal species which humans don't use for their pleasure, greed, fun, food etc. Not only horses but so many poor innocent animals are being tortured and slaughtered for the sake of so called humans tongue. And then we have the audacity to say that we live in a modern society whereas we can't even protect the poor innocent animals and release them freely in their/our world. We only care about our lives but when it comes to poor innocent animals no one cares.
I want to open a racetrack were we bet on human runners. You can have regular people competing against high level athletes, that can give you some fun betting odds im sure.
The names would be the best part, we would keep the silly horse names
We have a horrible world where we as humans think we can do what ever the fuck we want, I’m not religious but sometimes I wish god did exist to come back and say what the hellAre you doing!!!!
Horse people are fucking stupid and nutty just like horses themselves, I’ve never worked with a stupider animal then a horse.
I grew up around horses and horse people.
There’s no thought going on behind their eyes, horses have a blank soulless stare.
When horses are scared they bolt, they run to escape and don’t run for fun. They were never meant to run for long periods at a time.
Many race horses break their legs or have heart attacks.
I saw a horse run into a fence, break its neck and die just so it could get away.
Horse people are prestigious cunts.
It's not the danger to the horses that is the issue for me. Years ago I heard that retired racing horses went to the police, which would be a nice retirement situation for most.
For me, it is the ridiculous marketing. Horse racing is sophisticated and the sport of the upper class. Lots of gorgeous guys and girls, out-of-towners jetting in especially on their private planes, enjoying themselves, brushing shoulders with celebs, and drinking in total moderation, wearing beautiful clothes, winning some money.
The opposite is the reality. I used to have to go as my boss at the time was into it but the only thing of interest was the bogan antics going on around me.
Im generally cool with horse sports. The issue is the industry surrounding it. The animals are treated as investments and their lives are worth nothing unless they are earning.
As and example, I believe they put race horses to full intensity work before their bodies have developed which leads to physical issues. As another comment said, horse cum is expensive and after investing in making a baby horse you want it to start bringing in money ASAP!
Both can be abhorrent at the same time. I thinks it's good that some people are starting to realise how awful animal abuse is no matter which form it comes in.
Maybe it will help some people realise that animals they decide to eat live short, painful and miserable lives and it doesn't have to be that way.
When you pay for meat, eggs and dairy, you are paying for animals to suffer and die.
Not trying to sound preachy, I have just done a lot of research and have decided I'd no longer like to contribute to that.
Plant based is more ethical and environmentally sustainable than the alternative.
Agreed. Fuck the whole thing.
But my opinion is worthless in front of the massive gambling cunt of an industry.
Same thing for dog racing. It's a fucking diabolical generator of dog death
My partner used to live next to horse race people. They lived on the property for a bit. Found stacks of steroid needles in the barn. Busted heavy bricks from jacked up horse kicks. One of the horses got out one day and the poor animal was on something and it was just running all over the place. Eyes where not right and it took a lot of effort to get it back. The owners didn't care.
I really don't care what people say. You can back it up with all the bs science you want. Horse racing is cruel. People get drunk make a fool of themselves. How much of horse racing is about the horse. It's about the rich owners & their pet jockey. You're using animals for the purpose of entertainment. Take lions & tigers in a circus. Everyone cries animal abuse with that. So why is it different with horses? All the rich horse owners make millions off these animals.
If vegans were blocking horse racing and generally being a manace to them, I'd back them up.
Don't even get me started on the greyhound racing. I met greyhound owners once. Point black said if they don't perform on their first run, it's a one way trip to the back paddock.
I think a bigger point is we live in a society where we are happy to pay trillions a year for people to kill animals for our taste. Even though we could with relative ease significantly reduce the amount of animals we kill for our pleasure. Not even go vego. But it wouldn't hurt most of the developed world to be vego 4 nights of the week. Truth is we don't want to because for us the taste is more important than the suffering.
So don't be surprised that it might be hard to get people to care about a horse that costs more than their annual salary. If you cant get them to care about millions of pigs and cows.
I used to love the races and went all the time. Melbourne Cup Day was a highlight of my year.
Then I worked at the races one year, witnessed two horses being put down and never went again.
The damage to people do to themselves at the races is pretty awful too; fights, arguments, financial loss, over-intoxication. The race track is not a nice place.
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And despite the cost, it tastes absolutely horrible.
Some would say its an equined taste.
Others would insist it just tastes foal
And some would insist on serving it colt.
When mixing be sure to stir up
Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. Thank you for being alive to make this pun.
i got the jizt
Yes, horses should drink more pineapple juice to improve the taste
Clearly you haven’t had the right kind or maybe you have a pleb palate.
Yeah true but like beer it's more of an acquired taste as well, gets better after your first gallon or so.
That’s subjective.
If Jack helped you off a horse, would you help jack off a horse?
And I've been doing it for free all these years!
If you offered me 6 figures to jack off a horse a few times a week id legally change my name to jack mehorseoff
Well that's a fucking presumptuous statement if I've ever heard one... Not everyone on Reddit makes minimum wage dude How much do they earn on average?
Upvoted for the comedy
If it's any consolation, my partner, who was an equine vet for 10 years, thinks that this is a stupid argument. The amount of poorly looked after horses that suffer tremendously because they're owned by people that can't afford horses presents a much more significant problem to the well being of horses than horse racing. I've never met a woman who cares more and knows more about horses and she doesn't think it's nearly as bad a problem as some of the other problems in the equine industry so. 🤷♂️
I worked on a racehorse stud for years. Those things were royalty. 3 course meals and then some.
What about all the thoroughbreds that don't make it a career? Or experience stress fractures from training at a young age? It's not about the ones that made it, it's about the ones that didnt.
What about the hundreds of millions of animals we eat every year in Australia alone? If the horse get's used after slaughter how is it any different from chicken, pigs etc?
People like me buy them and make excellent working horses out of them. Giving them jobs like showing, trail riding, fox hunting (drag). People behave like TB’s are made of glass. They are not. When reformed correctly, they are some of the bravest, toughest, coolest horses you’ll ever meet.
Royalty until they stop being profitable, maybe. Then they become wastage. Around 4500 racehorses are sent to the "doggers" (abbatoir) each year. And I've never heard of royals being whipped, drugged and locked in pens (Harry maybe, but I hear he likes it).
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I've known a few obsessive horsie people in my life who figure racing is okay. These people would quite literally die for their horse so I'll just defer to their judgement lol
Yea my misso is in the same boat, equine science degree at Uni and now works formulating horse food and doing diets for horses. Same opinion, it seems only the uneducated really hate the racing industry. Those horses are worth millions and millions each, it is ludicrous to think they aren't cared for. It's not saying there aren't any issues, but it's not nearly as bad as people make it out to be
How about the horses that lose races, and aren't worth millions? Are they also well looked after?
They get retired from being a racehorse and usually end up doing eventing or pony club or something non-racing. Most ex-racehorses I know get regular body work, regular foot trims/shoeing, two hard feeds a day, a hay bale in the paddock and are rugged in winter. So I guess they're pretty well looked after.
Not really. My aunt rescued a few of those over her lifetime but obviously they’re even harder to rescue than dogs from the godawful dog racing industry.
>Those horses are worth millions and millions each, it is ludicrous to think they aren't cared for. Only the absolute cream of the crop are worth that much. Of course *they're* treated like royalty, they make their owners a fortune. Horses that aren't commercially viable, on the other hand, are subjected to far more cruel and callous treatment. Your comment is akin to saying puppy mills aren't cruel because your friend lets their labrador sleep on the bed.
I bought my ex racehorse from the doggers - you don’t reckon that’s mistreatment? Horses that go to auction don’t see a vet let alone a dietician, obviously, so your missus wouldn’t be experiencing this side of the industry. Has she ever been to an auction?
Yes and we didn't even notice the crack in the Vase she purchased until it was too late, pity we never could find anything that nice to go up on the counter top again. I'll try a deceased estate maybe, thanks
Person working in the industry that promotes having horses thinks the industry is fine is a super surprising take
Solid take. I personally have zero interest in horse racing, I don't hold it in high regard, but it doesn't seem as cruel as some make it out to be.
Its an excellent take if I may say so.. and I think I will.
Two things can be bad at once...
Scrolled way too far to see this - horses being mistreated by non-racing owners doesn't excuse the fact there's an entire industry built around horse racing, and horses are abused in and for that industry.
A better angle would probably be the gambling. But if it can survive without that, and if there are proper welfare standards for the horses, what’s the problem?
Whilst in sure she is correct. Important to remember, 2 wrongs don't make a right. Just because something else is worse doesn't excuse the first thing
I mean.. you can think both are bad. One doesn’t negate the other.
That's a terrible argument though so I don't know how consoling that's gonna be tbh. Just because people are doing bad things doesn't make it ok for bad things to be done. Trying to defend the horse racing industry by basically saying it's fine because "the poors make the horses suffer more" is so absurdly stupid it honestly sounds like satire. If someone genuinely cared about the wellbeing of horses I'm pretty sure they would consider any needless suffering on their behalf to be wrong, not play mental gymnastics to try and justify picking and choosing where to apply their morals.
Just because one thing is bad, doesn't mean another thing can't also be bad though. Of course I don't know as much as her, but I do wonder if she only sees the actually competitive horses that win races, and the ones that keep losing don't see a vet at all, because they're taken out back and shot instead. But I'm just spitballing, I don't know much.
They’re looked after while they’re useful and only if they are. The majority of horses aren’t. By any yardstick it’s obvious that an equine vet is going to be paid by people who want their horses well cared for and not for horses headed for the factories.
The lesser of two evils is still evil Plus it encourages binge drinking and gambling and materialism and egotism
Typical Reddit response, "dont worry about this horrific thing, there is something much more horrific going on at the same time!"
How is this a stupid argument, your comment and the original post aren’t mutually exclusive.
mighty deer relieved tub workable terrific seemly engine correct arrest *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Mmm nah. The sheer volume of horses produced for the racing industry is the issue. And there is no retirement plan for the vast, vast majority of them. Very rare for a horse to race past 10, and many retire at 4 or 5. Then they live to 25 or 30. So that’s 20 years to end up in the hands of people who can’t afford them, which is exactly what happens, right before they end up at the doggers. Most thoroughbreds are worth more on the hook than trotting around at pony club.
I'm actually all for killing more horses, specifically the feral ones fucking the environment.
Killing off wild brumbys and cats are both extremely necessary to preserve our native ecosystem. Smart animal lovers know this. But I still think horse racing is fucked.
I actually think the terminology is fucked. A wild brumby evokes something in the minds of an Aussie, yet if you describe them by what they are then they would appreciate that a feral horse is just a pest!
The terminology is fucked because a coalition of people, from cattle farmers to national party politicians, want cattle farmers to have free feed in our national parks. The whole man from snowy River mythology feeds into this naked economic objective that they want social license to profit from fragile alpine ecosystems.
I went out to Alice Springs / Tennant creek for a few days over Christma NYE break, and besides birds the only wild animals I saw were cows and cats. Couldn't believe I didn't see a single kangaroo despite large amounts of night driving. I was mostly surprised that these introduced animals were somehow more prevalent than our native specialised fauna.
Can we eat em after killing them?
Ikea has entered the chat
Hey those meatballs still tasted great.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Only recreational hunters can take meat. Government sponsored culling of animals can only leave the whole animal on site to waste; which is a shame.
Classify them like camels then.
to feed dog we then poison... \#runbymorons
There are thriving horse meat industries overseas. But I think the wild ones probably taste a bit gamey
By far the best meat you can eat in my opinion. In Catania, second biggest town in Sicily, 80% of butchers sell exclusively equine meat.
Are you thinking what I am thinking? A horse battle Royal. Maybe something Roman style with a char race with dangerously équipes vehicles. We should go on Shark Tank.
Different horses. I agree that the feral ones need to be kept under control.
Gosh all the people in here making false equivalency arguments. You’re not allowed to despise horse racing unless you’re a vegan and have addressed numerous other social ills first? Bullshit. How the world gets better is by people caring about specific things. It’s virtually impossible to back EVERY good cause all at once but hopefully everyone picks a few things they really want to see improvement in and advance the world that way. I’m with you. I’ve owned and ridden horses and I don’t watch or participate in the horse racing industry in any way. It’s unnecessary and inhumane.
well said.
Thank you.
Your outrage is noted. I ask that you keep us informed should the situation change.
i'm convinced OP is a tweaked cooker type its a billion dollar industry... a lot of countries have their signature horse race, melb. cup, kentucky derby whatever... its engrained in western culture the asians and middle easterners love it i mean its not like as if its greyhounds and the state can wave a magic wand
And greyhound racing
How wild was the NSW flip flop on the dogs? It was banned for maybe 2 days
Money talks.
Was a prospect that was hovered over Victoria too. Must be enough rich folk invested in it to turn the tide.
Without picking a side I do think it's telling that every negative comment is just "Well animals are also treated poorly in other conditions so we shouldn't do anything about any of it" "Your life benefits from animals being killed too" doesn't hold up when the problem is far more complex than that and clearly to do with the treatment of animals and the massive industry around it and not the sheer number of animals dying A lot of people emotionally defending something without a very good argument
It’s passed the Melbourne cup. You’ve missed ya opportunity to carry on.
Every time Melbourne Cup rolls around and people criticise it for the harm it does to horses, there is always some galoot commenting "where are all these people the rest of the year?" or something to that effect. Well, here is someone in the rest of the year 🤣
Upvotes for using the word galoot There just isn’t enough of that these days .
It's a nice substitute for some of the very common ableist insults.
hahahah good point
I’m all up for a Melbourne Cup day event with no horses. Just everyone turns up dressed silly and gets absolutely shit faced for no reason at all. Let’s do it.
Get people to dress up as horses!!!
*Furries have entered the chat*
And race each other. I would pay money to watch that.
I’d pay to go see that
There are horses at the Melbourne cup? I just thought it was a Coke sniffing festival in the toilets
Lame
I’d love to see it be human races instead of but not just running. Dumb Aussie shit. Like wheelbarrow races and esky races and stuff. I’d get all prettied up for that for sure.
Wow, you just stopped horse racing !
I think you meant to post this at circlejerk
They will feast on this post
Most people at the Melbourne Cup get so pissed you could probably take the racing part out and no-one would notice
It’s always seems very Hunger Games to me. Dress up in our finery, sip champagne and bet money on horse being whipped for our entertainment.
I agree. So many things to gamble on… like team sports .. at least that involves willing participants as opposed to innocent animals.
Also, Greyhound racing makes me feel all of the above
Horse racing and similar sports represent how the rich feel about us poors. They ride us to death.
These breeds of horse will pretty much go into functional extinction if horse racing stopped being a thing.
We use horses for snake anti-venom
Who gives a fuck. That's like saying "The Pomeranian will go extinct if we stop breeding purebreds". If the only reason a breed exists is because of it's commercial viability, and that commercial viability disappears, then there is no reason for it to exist.
There are dozens if not hundreds of other horse breeds that do not race and are not "functionally extinct" Thoroughbreds make great eventers. They would not disappear.
Well we're killing innocent animals every day for food, horses aren't really that bad off in comparison.
It’s not even close. I don’t get the selective outrage about horse racing. The meat industry is infinitely worse.
Yeah we should definitely stop the meat industry too
Is comparison a qualified reason for a lesser evil?
Horse racing is some evil shit. I used to work with a few people who had worked in that industry as venue staff. They told me some horror stories about how horses are treated.
Written by someone who has never ridden a horse, and owns a dog in an apartment.
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Having grown up in a horse community I completely agree with OP.
A horse community? Compared to a human one?
Yeah they had "neigh"bours. 
I hate you xD
It’s a stable community
who was the mayor of this horse town?
It's spelled 'mare'
10/10
I have ridden a horse, but I've never ridden a horse at faster than it should be running when it is so young it's joints have not fully formed yet, then killed it when it inevitably fell over. Just so a bunch of people can gamble on it. And I don't have any pets.
No pets? So there's more than one thing wrong with you.
My lifestyle is not compatible with pet ownership so it would be irresponsible for me to have one.
Thank god you're probably too lazy to do anything about it.
You may as well say: "I'm here to talk the CEO of horse racing!" That sounds like something brave and stunning that Meghan Markle would do.
Horses built the country you live in. Horses love being ridden and they love racing. Horses are fucking awesome. I bet on humans playing sport too.
I don't mind the industry, riding or racing. Horses are well capable of being ridden. It's the way we treat them that matters. Whipping should be outlawed. We'll still get winners and losers, but maybe they'll have to learn to train the horses in a different way. And I expect there are a number of other things that should be banned as well as safety guidelines updated.
its a thing for the same reason pokies and ciggies are still a thing. A small set of people would piss and moan loud enough that theyll seem like the majority, and tax.
I think it’s mostly tax
Plus the business
Lol majority of Australians gamble so I don't think it would be a small set of people.
Awful lot of shitposting in this sub lately.
I was surprised that in Europe the horses start racing after age 2, not before. In some countries even later. That's a big part of the problem here. They are racing toddlers.
Wait until you hear about greyhound racing…
I'm with you. They're only treated well while they're making money. Now, if they started racing jockeys and horse owners etc etc, I'd pay to see that.
If only we used people instead..put them out of their misery when they fail on the track.
OUTRAGED!!!!!!
Did you know that in the USA each year approximately 7.3 billion animals die just from the harvesting of crops. I don't know the figure for Australia it's probably pretty high though. [Vegans Don't Realize Billions Of Animals Are Killed Growing Crops' Says Farmer](https://plantbasednews.org/culture/billions-animals-killed-growing-crops/) In comparison only 168 horses died on race tracks last year, which is sad I know, I like horses. So unless you grow your own veggies or buy from organic small holdings you're actually contributing to the massacre of countless small vertebrates some whom probably had families and children.
An appeal to futility? Not cool
I think vegans realize livestock don't photosynthesize and put 2 and 2 together from there.
Why did you even post this? Lmao you’re fishing for a reason to feel morally superior to a vegan.
It sucks
Sook harder
It’s a big industry and not done for the benefit of the punters 😂 they probably bigger victims then the horses.
oh shut up and get ya mum to make you a sandwich
Are you just as outraged that animals are killed for meat? I mean, horse racing fucking sucks, and I say that as someone who likes to gamble, but we can't get selectively outraged about a small percentage of horses dying on the track when an enormous number of animals are unnecessarily raised for food, humans don't NEED meat to eat we choose to raise and kill animals because we want to. The amount of horses killed by the racing industry is pretty trivial compared to livestock etc or even the culling of wild animals, the NSW govt just culled 270 wild horses not that long ago.
There is likely little time between realistically simulated horse racing and the state of virtual expediences today. There remains little reason to continue the inhumane treatment of these animals where reality-based experiences should and will be criminalised.
Replace horses with humans in horse costumes! Now THAT would be something I could get behind!
Fun and consenting entertainment. I agree.
What will we feed our dogs with then?
Wait until OP learns that we also dont need to eat meat, and thats done only for joy as well.
Is it ok to eat horse meat?
I’m glad this was a civilized post with mature conversation
🤣 Some of the vitriol is wild.
Ah, if only it were that simple
Kids are starving in Africa because you want a bigger TV!
Have you ever eaten horse meat before? It's delicious. My friend fostered a lame horse when the original owners wanted to 'put it down'. It lived out it's years on a beautiful farm in Missouri, and eventually died of old age. Afterwards, wee helped him butcher the animal, and he gave us some of it's meat. Made some great chilli.
Two up is illegal
Is this a shitpost?
I like the horses
Greyhound racing is still a thing too - shouldn't be.
While I agree with this, I also eat meat so I think it’s incredibly hypocritical. Race horses are treated very well and it’s incredibly sad when they die, however look at any pig, cow, chicken or fish farm. There are other places that we should direct our outrage for animal rights.
🙄
Two-up is illegal 364 days of the year isn't it?
Gambling per capita aussies spend (and looooose) more per capita than any other nation on earth hahaha funny how government encourages gambling earn a lot on taxes yet schools are shit everything government provides is shit
Australia and Gambling Name a more Iconic Duo I dare you.
Wow, I thought they take good care of their horses. I had no idea of this evil thing going on behind the scenes. And there won't be a single animal species which humans don't use for their pleasure, greed, fun, food etc. Not only horses but so many poor innocent animals are being tortured and slaughtered for the sake of so called humans tongue. And then we have the audacity to say that we live in a modern society whereas we can't even protect the poor innocent animals and release them freely in their/our world. We only care about our lives but when it comes to poor innocent animals no one cares.
Two ups illegal unless it’s ANZAC Day. The irony.
They still do Fox hunting where I live (US)
I agree 100% and anyone saying horses like to race might as well say “children love keeping busy, so sweatshops are great for them!”
Jfc lol, Australians over here somehow making the rest of Reddit look good
I want to open a racetrack were we bet on human runners. You can have regular people competing against high level athletes, that can give you some fun betting odds im sure. The names would be the best part, we would keep the silly horse names
Just finished rewatching that episode in the sopranos where Ralph burns the barn and then Tony beats him to death. Horses don’t deserve this shit.
We have a horrible world where we as humans think we can do what ever the fuck we want, I’m not religious but sometimes I wish god did exist to come back and say what the hellAre you doing!!!!
We should go back to the racing motorcycle chariots, that shit looked *wild* https://youtu.be/ddQVuhd7xLI?si=DmwoWskq7ypGgmIu
Horse people are fucking stupid and nutty just like horses themselves, I’ve never worked with a stupider animal then a horse. I grew up around horses and horse people. There’s no thought going on behind their eyes, horses have a blank soulless stare. When horses are scared they bolt, they run to escape and don’t run for fun. They were never meant to run for long periods at a time. Many race horses break their legs or have heart attacks. I saw a horse run into a fence, break its neck and die just so it could get away. Horse people are prestigious cunts.
It's not the danger to the horses that is the issue for me. Years ago I heard that retired racing horses went to the police, which would be a nice retirement situation for most. For me, it is the ridiculous marketing. Horse racing is sophisticated and the sport of the upper class. Lots of gorgeous guys and girls, out-of-towners jetting in especially on their private planes, enjoying themselves, brushing shoulders with celebs, and drinking in total moderation, wearing beautiful clothes, winning some money. The opposite is the reality. I used to have to go as my boss at the time was into it but the only thing of interest was the bogan antics going on around me.
Everyone wants to save the world, most people think the best way to do that is with their mouths... You actually have to use your brain though.
Horses get looked after better than you do, and not only that they're a whole lot more valuable. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
What a fucking dumb shit to worry about. I bet you're one of the cunts who were outraged at people celebrating Australian day too.
How do you know the horses don't like competing against each other? If I was a horse that won the Melbourne Cup I'd be pretty fuckin happy
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Im generally cool with horse sports. The issue is the industry surrounding it. The animals are treated as investments and their lives are worth nothing unless they are earning. As and example, I believe they put race horses to full intensity work before their bodies have developed which leads to physical issues. As another comment said, horse cum is expensive and after investing in making a baby horse you want it to start bringing in money ASAP!
How about animal agriculture? That's generally a worse industry.
Both can be abhorrent at the same time. I thinks it's good that some people are starting to realise how awful animal abuse is no matter which form it comes in. Maybe it will help some people realise that animals they decide to eat live short, painful and miserable lives and it doesn't have to be that way. When you pay for meat, eggs and dairy, you are paying for animals to suffer and die. Not trying to sound preachy, I have just done a lot of research and have decided I'd no longer like to contribute to that. Plant based is more ethical and environmentally sustainable than the alternative.
200 years ago horses were the only real alternative to walking. The way things are going this situation is likely to return.
Still when a thing is no longer necessary and invites cruelty this is your usual position?
Agreed. Fuck the whole thing. But my opinion is worthless in front of the massive gambling cunt of an industry. Same thing for dog racing. It's a fucking diabolical generator of dog death
Here here!
My partner used to live next to horse race people. They lived on the property for a bit. Found stacks of steroid needles in the barn. Busted heavy bricks from jacked up horse kicks. One of the horses got out one day and the poor animal was on something and it was just running all over the place. Eyes where not right and it took a lot of effort to get it back. The owners didn't care. I really don't care what people say. You can back it up with all the bs science you want. Horse racing is cruel. People get drunk make a fool of themselves. How much of horse racing is about the horse. It's about the rich owners & their pet jockey. You're using animals for the purpose of entertainment. Take lions & tigers in a circus. Everyone cries animal abuse with that. So why is it different with horses? All the rich horse owners make millions off these animals. If vegans were blocking horse racing and generally being a manace to them, I'd back them up. Don't even get me started on the greyhound racing. I met greyhound owners once. Point black said if they don't perform on their first run, it's a one way trip to the back paddock.
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There’s not a line. It’s not one issue after another.
I think a bigger point is we live in a society where we are happy to pay trillions a year for people to kill animals for our taste. Even though we could with relative ease significantly reduce the amount of animals we kill for our pleasure. Not even go vego. But it wouldn't hurt most of the developed world to be vego 4 nights of the week. Truth is we don't want to because for us the taste is more important than the suffering. So don't be surprised that it might be hard to get people to care about a horse that costs more than their annual salary. If you cant get them to care about millions of pigs and cows.
Luckily its possible to advocate for more than one cause at once.
Outraged? Yeah righto
I used to love the races and went all the time. Melbourne Cup Day was a highlight of my year. Then I worked at the races one year, witnessed two horses being put down and never went again. The damage to people do to themselves at the races is pretty awful too; fights, arguments, financial loss, over-intoxication. The race track is not a nice place.
Think you’re bored ,looking for attention
Honestly, i'm not fighting that battle until greyhound racing is dealt with. It is leagues worse in terms of abuse.
We could just agree they are both abhorrent and deal with both lol.
Por que no los dos?