The Horse Race Industry

The horse race is a sport of speed and skill that has captured the imagination of millions of people around the world. But it is also a multibillion-dollar industry that’s rife with injuries, drug abuse and race fixing. And many horses who lose their races end up in slaughterhouses where they are turned into glue and dog food.

During the horse race, the riders are on top of the horses’ backs as they are running at speeds of up to 30 miles an hour. The riders’ job is to guide the horses by using whips and their feet, but a lot can go wrong. A horse may slip its foot, lose its balance or become injured in other ways that can make it hard to continue the race. The rider may also be kicked or fall off the horse.

A broken leg or head injury could also ruin a race. Some of the most common fractures are in the fetlock joints (the large joint on the front of the horse’s leg). Another common injury is called a “spiral” because it spirals around bone.

One way to get more horses to enter a race is by offering bigger purses, which attract bettors and create competition among the runners. But the money that comes from these bets isn’t enough to pay for everything the horse needs, including veterinary care and food. The rest has to come from the owners, who have a lot of other financial interests besides racing.

To increase profits, the horse racing industry has pushed its athletes to the limit. Most are subjected to cocktails of legal and illegal drugs that mask injuries and artificially enhance performance. As a result, many horses suffer from a condition known as exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, or bleeding in the lungs.

These injuries and illnesses often lead to the deaths of some of the sport’s best and brightest. And even when a horse does finish the race, it can’t always find a home at a breeding farm. Many of these equine superstars end up in slaughterhouses, where they are turned into glue and dog food or sold to Japan, where they are a popular delicacy.

In the past, horses were more likely to be kept on farms where they were allowed to live out their lives in relative comfort and luxury. But the industry is now more focused on making quick bucks off bettors and attracting celebrities for glitzy events that can draw crowds of thousands. The end result is that fewer and fewer horses are getting the care they need to stay healthy. And those that do get the proper veterinary care have a much better chance of winning races and staying in good health. It’s a sad reality for an animal that was once praised by Laura Hillenbrand in her runaway bestseller, “Seabiscuit.”