THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON'T THEY?
The Treatment of Horses in Australia.
Jane Duckworth interviewed by Claudette Vaughan

The relationship between the horse and human is one that’s been intractably altered in the error discerning a horse’s true function and purpose in the world.
 Kudos to Jane Duckworth for writing the first ever book focusing on the often appalling treatment of Australian horses. This is a must-have for no other book provides this kind of information in one volume. Duckworth tackles the racing of horses – the sport of so-called ‘kings’ as well as a racing horses health problems through to what happens to the horse companion, once loved and cared for, at child’s gymkhana but now discarded to the horse sales to be ground down for pet food, through to the controversial issue of horse slaughter itself.  Do Australians generally see horses as commodities to be discarded like an old boot when no longer required?  We asked Jane Duckworth, author and horse advocate for her opinions.

Abolitionist: What are your deepest concerns about racing horses in Australia and the racing industries seemingly insatiable appetite in its involvement and investment into horses?

Jane Duckworth: No doubt many owners, breeders and trainers of Thoroughbred and Standard breeds (harness horses) involved in the racing industry are very fond of their horses.

Unfortunately not everyone has the best interests of the horses in mind. After all, the horses are a commodity in an industry that exists to make money out of them by entertaining the public.While a certain romance surrounds the Thoroughbred industry, it is countered by the reality that racing is a massive business. Thoroughbreds are raced as two-year-olds for economic reasons. Owners want to see a return for their investment as soon as possible. In this sense the horses are viewed as a commercial item.

Controversial areas of racehorse welfare

• The use of the whip
• The racing of immature horses
• The incidence of stress-related conditions
• The treatment of horses as a commodity
• Substance abuse
• Over breeding
• The fate of ex-racehorses
• Jumps racing

Jump racing is less popular than flat racing. I, along with many animal welfare and rights groups have a number of major concerns about the treatment of Thoroughbred horses used in both flat and jumps racing. Horses should not be used for sport or entertainment when such use is likely to increase the risk of injury, suffering or distress to the animals or is contrary to their natural behavior or training.

Significantly, by far the greatest number of deaths and injuries in racing occur in jumps races. Jumps kill horses at around 20 times the rate of normal racing. These races include both hurdles and steeplechases.

Jump racing is banned in NSW and could be banned in Victoria after the State Government requested another review in June 2008. Nine of the 13 horses that started in the Grand National Hurdle at Flemington had failed to finish, two of them being put down behind screens. Causing violent injury and death is not entertainment.

The Russian horse liberationist, Alexander Nevzorov is highly critical of all horse sports states on his website: “equestrian sport (if we study the issue) represents parasitzing on physical abilities of another living being which does not want to be engaged in this sport but forced to it by pain and beating. So why the hell we call it a sport?” His comment on racing:  “horse racing devours horses”.  What is wastage in the racing industry?

‘Wastage’ is the term used to describe those horses born for racing purposes that do not ever start in a race and include horses that are prematurely withdrawn from racing.

How many horses are bred for Thoroughbred racing in Australia and what happens to the ones that don’t make it?

Australia produced the second highest number of thoroughbred foals in the world in 1999: 18,000.

Australia still has the second largest number of registered thoroughbreds in the world (USA 1st). The international market for high quality thoroughbred horses remains robust. Australia is likely to continue to be a net exporter of horses for the foreseeable future.

In the 2005–06 breeding season 29,070 thoroughbred mares were covered by 883 stallions. The mares produced 17,854 foals (64% success rate) of which 13,618 were registered.

The majority of elite thoroughbred stallions, mares and horse farms are owned by a relatively small number of individuals or corporations. Future growth of the thoroughbred industry is directly related to prize money which is in turn related to wagering. Both have continued to increase annually and as such the racing industry is likely to continue to expand. However, competition for the wagering dollar will continue to place pressure on this part of the industry. (These statistics and economic predictions have been accessed from the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporations (RIRDC) Horses Program website.

When a Thoroughbred destined for racing purposes is born in Australia, its chances of being a successful racehorse are incredibly slim. It has been estimated that approximately less than two per cent of horses actually racing earn their keep. This is an incredibly low figure — especially when we consider that approximately half of those born never even get to race, so they are not even part of this equation. Obviously the champions are a minuscule minority that really achieves what they were bred for.
For some of these racetrack ‘failures’ a new life will eventuate as well cared for breeding stock (for even some of these will go on to be stud stallions or brood mares), competition or working horses or loved family companions. Most will be less fortunate, as they will be destroyed in slaughterhouses or suffer neglect in some form.

Identify the risk factors in jumping races and what’s your view is the controversial issue of racing 2 year olds?

There is no doubt that jumps racing is a very dangerous business for horse and jockey alike. Most ex-racehorses are sold on, and on over time, as their monetary value decreases, they often end up in quarters where they suffer neglect, with ignorant or deliberately cruel owners who do not attend to the special needs of the thoroughbred. Alternatively, the ex-racehorse ends its days on a dinner plate in an overseas restaurant — or in a pet food can. Some people argue that when a horse stays in racing it is at least being fed, exercised, groomed and sheltered in a professional environment.

The case against is substantial. Jumps races are not very popular with punters. The main reasons for this negative attitude is the danger to the horses and jockeys, perceived cruelty and betting unpredictability.

The RSPCA has identified eight factors likely to contribute to injuries and fatalities of competing horses in jumps races. The organisation also confirms that concerted efforts by racing authorities to strictly control these factors have failed.

These factors are:

• The complex interaction between horses with the field.
• The willingness of the horse to participate over the jumps and its determination to win.
• The breeding of suitable horses for the task.
• The degree of fitness and training of the horses.
• The design of the course, the surface, topography and climatic conditions.
• The speed of the field.
• The interaction between jockey and horse.
• The demands on the horses (financial and otherwise) made by owners and trainers.

I will include 9. The design of the jump.

Misjudgment can occur when a field of horses is ‘bunched up’ as they approach a jump. The horses can find it difficult to take off accurately, as they do not have a clear view around them. It has also been scientifically proven that the specificities of a horse’s field of vision means that they are unable to see a fence at the moment of take-off. In a field, if one falters this may lead to a ‘pile-up’ situation where a number of horses are involved. Injuries such as broken bones or even fatalities may be the result.

Broken legs may occur even when there has been no misjudgment or interference from another horse. Bones can simply ‘explode’ while a horse is galloping on the flat between jumps. When galloping at speed the force on the lead foreleg as it hits the ground is 1.7 times the body weight of the horse. The force is even greater when landing after a jump. The stress placed on the horse’s skeletal systems is enormous.

The stresses on bones in long races over jumps produces a high level of micro-crushing. This occurs when some of the shock of the bones hitting the ground is absorbed by the spongy bone that all horses’ legs are made of, which is compressed in the process, and dramatically reduces the breaking strength of bones. Even a small stumble while galloping on

And racing immature horses?

Animal welfare and rights groups, vets and researchers say that there are concerns regarding the treatment of racehorses other than whipping.

They are opposed to the racing of physically immature horses, as these horses are not strong enough to race safely. Lameness is a common problem among all racehorses, but more so in young horses. Two-year-olds and most three-year-olds have an immature skeletal system. If young horses are raced too early the risk of injury definitely increases.

As you can see from the explanation above the stress placed on the skeletal system is great but particularly on galloping horses that then jump and very young flat racers. NB Very young thoroughbreds can’t compete in jumping races.

Bernard Donigan, a British RSPCA Equine Consultant, says that many racehorses are deemed failures at the age of two, even though they are not physically capable of doing the job they are expected to do. He says that a normal horseman would never consider breaking a horse until it was three, nor consider putting it into serious work until age four.

I think there’s probably a much stronger tendency to have two-year-old racing nowadays than there used to be as it’s so expensive to pay a racehorse’s upkeep and there is the lure of prize money. These are great incentives to race horses too young, too immature.

What is the latest research on musculo-skeletal injuries suffered by racehorses?

RIRDC continues to fund research into racehorse injuries, amongst other concerns. For instance, Pathogenesis of distal limb breakdown injuries in thoroughbred racehorses and Intra-articular medication as risk factor for musculoskeletal injury (both projects continuing in 2008-09). There is also a move to use radiographs of pre-sale thoroughbred yearlings to study in the future when some of these horses will breakdown. (These radiographs also assist prospective buyers, in case the horse already has an injury!)

Basically the industry partly funds these studies and others to work out ways to cut back on the wastage; which is a good thing but racing horses when they have a fully mature musculo-skeletal system would be the number one solution.

The RSPCA’s electronic publication Scientific Update is a great way to keep abreast of some of the latest research into animal welfare. It covers many species of animals and there are a number of equine-related updates. Sign up at www.rspca.org.au

Stomach ulcers, lung hemorrhaging (known as EIPH), respiratory disease, colic (stomach pain), tying up syndrome (muscle cramps) and conflict behaviour are all health concerns for racehorses. Talk about this please.

Stomach ulcers are caused by racehorses having to eat too much processed food and not having access to pasture plus they are stressed with being confined to a stable and also having to train hard. These stomach ulcers are apparently found in the majority of racehorses.
Exercise Induced Pulmonary Haemorrhage (EIPH) is not uncommon. These horses are called ‘bleeders’. Blood from lungs under tremendous pressure from their galloping owner comes out of the nose. In Australia a horse which bleeds from the nostrils for the first time is suspended for three months. A life suspension results if there is a second bleed.

 What have been the studies shown on the effects of whipping racehorses which is banned in New Zealand but not Australia by the way?

Temptation to overuse the whip must be great as the Australian racing industry is worth many millions of dollars.
I am unaware of any Australian studies but I can tell you this: ‘The use of the whip or the overuse is set to become a hot topic in Australian racing. Race followers outside Australia are shocked by the power and persistent hitting of racehorses in this country. Sentiment here is changing as more and more globalisation of racing gives us an insight into the way other nations operate.’ This statement appeared in the ‘Courier Mail’ on 7 July 2008 and there have been recent other articles on the topic of whip use in Australia e.g. ‘The Australian’ 5 July 2008.

How many horses are slaughtered each year in Australia?

A major problem for the horse industry as a whole is persisting drought. As a result there has been loss of available grazing and with the cost of feed more than doubling over the past 12 months, many farm, breeding, ‘backyard’ and/or ‘pet’ horses have been sent to sale. Of those horses passing through sales, around 30,000 per annum are processed for human consumption, with this meat being exported. This figure was supplied by RIRDC’s Horse Program. The article below cites around 40,000 per annum, according to Federal Government Department of Agriculture statistics.
The most insightful and well researched article that I have ever seen on this topic (hardly anything has been written anyway) is by Geraldine Chapman of HorsePoint.com.au and was published August 2007. Entitled I’m so hungry I could eat a horse, it can be found at horsepoint.com.au

What we witnessed at a horse knackery was the over-powering stench of blood, death and fear in the air is undeniable. Are horse knackeries themselves at fault or where does the fault lie? At what point can the cruelty circuit be disengaged? Who is responsible and who is inspecting the knackeries and on what basis?

There are knackeries and abattoirs that slaughter horses. Knackeries use dead horses (and other animals) for pet food, fertilizer, hides, etc. Horse abattoirs kill horses to provide meat for human consumption. This meat is exported, not consumed in Australia.

Knackeries and abattoirs are supposed to comply with codes of practice, specific to the state or territory. I don’t know how often a representative from the relevant government department actually checks. I suspect abattoirs would be better monitored as there are human health concerns involved.

I know the last time I went to a Victorian abattoir the waiting horses could see other horses being shot which is against the guidelines.
If horse lovers completely hate the idea of slaughterhouses for horses remember that these businesses do perform a useful service for horse owners and the horse industry. In February last year I had my own beloved horse put down by a licensed knackery worker on the property as I believe that shooting the horse on home ground in the correct way is more humane that having him or her put down with barbiturates by a vet. The problem of having to dispose of the body was also solved, and in an environmentally sound manner. I would never send a horse to be put down (a lovely euphemism) at an actual knackery; transported when sick and then destroyed in a strange, terrifying environment.

Another point: there are thousands of unwanted horses, including captured brumbies. Who will look after them? What can be done to reduce numbers? I don’t know. Fertility control? Unfortunately I don’t see horse slaughterhouses going out of business any time soon.

How terrifying is it for a horse to be slaughtered? Our undercover footage showed the equipment looking antique and as if horses are being butchered in front of one another.

Horses are killed with a captive bolt gun which is fairly humane if the marksman is accurate and the horse is not moving around too much. The whole situation is still horrendous as I’m sure the horses can still smell death but realistically cannot foresee their own ends. But instinct must tell them they are in terrible danger, I reckon. They must be terrified.
I know the last time I went to a Victorian abattoir the waiting horses could see other horses being shot which is against the guidelines.

Who surrenders racehorses to the knackeries when they leave the racing industry? Can this be prevented and what kind of legislation is in place to stop this from occurring again? Why is there a serious lack of adequate equine rescue facilities in Australia and where lies the solution?

Costs too much. Who will pay? What happens to the horses after rescue?
For instance, the Victorian Racing Club will not even help out the Living Legends champion racehorse retirement home at Woodlands near the Melbourne airport. The venture needs about $250,000 to keep going as it has fallen into financial difficulties because of Equine Influenza in 2007 (the public couldn’t visit the 13 or so retired champion horses because the horses had to be ‘quarantined.’) Surely their ex-owners and trainers who benefited so handsomely from their winnings could chip in and provide them with a decent retirement? If the industry does not give a stuff about famous name champions they are not going to care about your run of the mill racehorse who wasn’t fast enough.

What types of injustices happen at horse auctions and sale yards? Who buys up the horses?

Many go through mixed thoroughbred sales where people will pick out some to retrain as competition or recreational horses or to breed from. Many go off to be killed and these people sometimes outbid the people who would actually re-home them.

At country sales most go to the knackers or abattoirs. These sales have a mixture of horse types, including Standardbreds and Thoroughbreds who have raced, either recently or years ago. Scrubby young unbroken TB’s and STB’s turn up here too.

Horses do not get vet care when they are injured and usually stand there all day without food and water. In January 2008 I purchased two horses from the Mernda saleyards, north of Melbourne. Both guzzled water like there was no tomorrow when I got them home as they stood in the sun all day without access.

What type of re-adjustment is necessary for an ex-race horse who might be lucky enough to be rehomed after racing?
 
It would take ages to answer this question adequately but let’s say that they have to get any drugs out of their system (by resting) and need to be ‘let down’ after being in hard training; gradually given less ‘high performance food’ and probably get used to living outside instead of in a stable with a hard training regime.

Needless to say, many would be just chucked in a paddock without this ‘let down.’

A decent trainer would look after the horse’s physical requirements, let him rest mentally, then begin re-training for a career as a competition or recreational mount.

Standardbreds (ex-harness racehorses) need the additional time and expense of being broken to saddle. Unfortunately this fact alone would make them harder to re-home, despite the fact that the breed are renowned as generally have good, stable temperaments, making them great for trail riding and basic pony club work.

Talk about the life of a brumby in Australia.

I have just finished reading a very well researched, newly released book entitled, ‘The Horse in Australia’ by Fiona Carruthers.

This book has the most informative chapter on brumbies that you could hope to read. It is more up-to-date and better researched than mine! (There’s a lot of enlightening horse stuff in the rest of the book too.)

The brumby, like the dingo, is considered both a pest and a national icon, so there are always different stakeholders trying to either eradicate or preserve various brumby populations. Brumbies are generally considered an environmental pest by the government and environmental interest groups.
Brumbies are feral animals trying to survive in most of the varied environments that Australia has to offer. Some look half-starved, infested with parasites and have painfully long, overgrown hooves. They may be weedy and ugly in appearance. Others look like they are glowing with health and have all the charisma and beauty of the Silver Brumby. Some of these horses have even been sold overseas.

When captured, tragically most will end up in a can of pet food. Brumby protection groups have been formed over the years to advocate for the wild horses and try to assist in humanely managing them: Brumby Watch, Save the Brumbies Inc, Brumby Protection Group, Coffin Bay Pony Preservation Society, Guy Fawkes Heritage Horse Association and so on.
State government management often decides that the feral horses need to be removed from national parks so brumby groups try to see that welfare risks are minimalised and that some of these excess horses have a chance to be rehomed.

Even the horses that are better quality and in the best condition may be handled then only sold at a very low price. Not long a ago the best of the brumbies that were trapped in the Kosciuszko National Park and handled by Save the Brumbies Inc, a registered charity could only command around $200 each. There are too many horses already available. Members of the public can go and buy a very cheap horse that is already rideable from the country saleyards.

The effort is still worth it though as many hundreds of brumbies have been successfully re-homed by the various groups. Certainly fertility control programs would assist as there are always more wild horses than suitable homes. The current populations must be managed in ways that seek to limit their stress and suffering as much as possible.