Cultural Arts and Entertainment

Horse racing -- inhumane?

Once again an innocent horse has been put to death because of a tragic accident it suffered following a race.

Eight Belles was euthanized Saturday after breaking both its front ankles after finishing the Kentucky Derby second. Jockey Gabriel Saez has been criticized for not pulling up on the only filly to run this year's Kentucky Derby halfway through the race. Animal Rights Activists claim that the rider pushed Eight Belles too hard -- it seems they are correct.

This sits wrong with me. I first started to believe that horse racing might be a bit inhumane when Barbaro, winner of the 2006 Kentucky Derby, shattered his leg while racing two weeks later in the Preakness Stakes. After numerous surgeries, the horse was finally euthanized after developing laminitis.

And these are just two of the many horse tragedies that occurr all the time due to horse racing. Horses' legs and ankles are simply too thin and fragile, and fracture at the slightest mis-step or when there is too much strain placed on them -- such as in horse racing. There's no reason why we would should be subjecting these innocent animals to this brutality. Once the horse breaks a leg or even more than one, there is little hope of saving its life. The horse often is immediately euthanized to put it out of its misery. I agree with ending a horse's suffering, but the point is, the horse should have never been put in that position in the first place.

So then why do we continue to race horses? As far as ethics and animal rights go, there should be no reason to continue doing this to animals for the simple purpose of entertainment. To me, it's simply animal cruelty and abuse. I'm a fan of sports as much as the next guy, but not at the expense at innocent animals. I know that animal rights acitivists already are all over this, but I think we need to start re-thinking the whole world of horse racing -- or any animal racing, for that matter.

In any other sport -- baseball, football, basketball, hockey, etc. -- it's the players who choose to participate in the sports. They know going into the game what the risks are, and that injury can strike at any moment. They know this but still play for the love of the game. Horses aren't asked whether they would like to race or not. They have no say as to whether they're placed out on that track or not. And, I can imagine, they have no idea of what injury they might possibly suffer, or that the end of their lives might lie at the finish line.

Horse racing may not be as cruel as other outlawed animal activities, such as dog fighting or cock fighting, but it certainly can have the same horrible results. If there's even the chance of the animal getting hurt, why continue with the sport? Maybe I've got a soft spot for the animals, but they deserve to be treated with as much compassion as possible.