Stopping and Preventing Horse Abuse

When a trainer whips a horse so it runs faster in races, a horse is abused.
When someone buys a horse for his child, thinking it would make a nice pet, but is not really equipped on how to take care of the creature, the horse is abused.
When a perfectly healthy horse is shipped and slaughtered for the sake of money, it is abused.
When a horse is left outside during the cold winters and very hot summers, the horse is abused.
Horse Abuse: The Dark Statistics
Sadly, there are several forms of horse abuse, and many people are contributing to its growing statistics, intentionally or otherwise. Here are some of the most terrifying data compiled by various animal rights and agencies regarding the number the statistics of horse abuse:
According to horsefund.org, 92% of the slaughtered horses are in perfect health and condition.
animal-rights-action adds that thousands of retired racing horses are sent to slaughter houses simply because they no longer generate money for their owners and have become more of a burden than an asset.
peta.org says that more than 700 racehorses are injured and eventually die every year. They are drugged, whipped and are given their so-called “training” in as early as two years of age.
We may never know exactly how many horses are left to die each year because apart from this dark statistics, several cases of horse remain unreported.

Understanding the Forms of Horse Abuse
There are two ways animals, horses included, are abused: through intentional abuse and through neglect. When a horse owner or trainer knowingly inflict pain or deprive the horse of its needs, the animal is being abused intentionally. This is often done to make the horse push its limits during training.
Whipping and sacking the horse is believed help improve his speed and performance. On the other hand, when an owner or trainer fails to deliver the horses needs or does not have the right information on how to provide the horse’s correct living conditions – the horse is abused through negligence.
Horse Abuse: For the Love of Money
If you have personally seen a horse race, you would know how it has become quite a fanfare for many people, especially racehorse owners and bettors. Witnesses gamble their money; trainers and jockeys are being paid handsomely for each win while owners enjoy the prestige of owning a speedy horse and even earn more from selling or breeding the winner. From the outside, horse racing is seen with such spectacle and full of adrenaline-pumping excitement. But at the barns, before and/or after horses are raced, they may be suffering a very sad and painful fate.
Training Abuse
It is innate and natural for horses to run, just as how normal it is to expect your baby’s first step after several months of his life. But horses are not necessarily conditioned to run in races, unless of course someone else does the conditioning.
You can read more of this article in our September 2014 issue of ModelsMania