It’s a tragic revelation, as a new investigation has proved that most former racehorses are ending up in abattoirs every year, and the numbers are huge, allegedly in their thousands.
The racing industry has been blasé about the inhuman practice that has been going on for years. When they refer to a horse being prematurely withdrawn from racing, they are talking about a horse that is no longer financially viable and is destined on most occasions for the slaughterhouse.
While the racing industry might argue that most of the ex-racehorses are sent for breeding, it is obvious that they are lying through their teeth. Most of the horses that exit the stud end up as dog meat.
An investigation by BBC titled ‘The Dark Side Of Horse Racing’ relies on footage shared by Animal Aid. The animal rights group is campaigning for an absolute ban on racing and halt the mass slaughter of these animals. A concealed camera captured in horrific details the mass murder in F Drury & Sons, an abattoir which has slaughtered dozen of retired thoroughbreds, most of them from Ireland.
Three of the dead horses captured were from the stable of Gordon Elliott, a notorious horse trainer banned from the trade for having his picture taken seated on a dead racehorse.
Viewer discretion is advised before watching the video due to its graphic nature.
Recorded Evidence Of Mass Killing Of Racehorses
The program also captured a blatant breach of rules for humane practices at the slaughterhouse. There were 91 recorded instances of horses being shot from a distance. They weren’t even stunned before they were shot.
The racehorses that were captured being brutally killed were mostly transported over long distances of over 350 miles over land and sea. There were 26 instances captured on camera where the horses were slain within sighting distance of others destined to be slaughtered.
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Records show that since 2019, 4,000 former racehorses were slaughtered, including some of the most famous of the horses with celebrated racing careers.
Drury & Sons have given out pathetic excuses of being in line with legal requirements and being awake to any instances of abuse of former racehorses. The British Horseracing Authority has given out the customary lame-ass disclaimers about being committed to improving the high standards that they already follow for horses. It has promised to carefully consider all issues that are raised.
