Do ALL racehorses and Greyhounds have a retirement?
Zimmie
Posts: 1,244 Forum Member
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I am not talking about the well known animals, i am talking about the also rans.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0412/gardai-investigate-greyhound-deaths-in-co-limerick.html.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0412/gardai-investigate-greyhound-deaths-in-co-limerick.html.
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Greyhounds normally end up in dogs homes for adoption.
We see too much of the 'rehomed racehorse' syndrome where inexperienced riders pick up a Thoroughbred off the tracks for little more than meat money and think they can hack round the lanes on it. Animal and rider often suffer, horse gets sold or sent to the sales and the final destination is often the greatest horror for any horse - live export - across to the continent.
My Brother in Law used to own Greyhounds, And the vast majority are put down, and not always by vets or the R.S.P.C.A.
If they are lucky. Sometimes Greyhounds are just dumped somewhere with their ears hacked off and left to starve. Or thrown in pools with bricks tied to them.
Sometimes that's the case unfortunately - especially for horses.
They find themselves being shipped off to a Belgian slaughter house.
Some dogs also end up being shot with a bolt gun.
Both industries are trying to do something about it. I think the government should introduce an animal welfare tax on the bookmakers to pay toward retired racing animals.
You forget that these thoroughbreds aren't quite as hardy as the horses most keep. As they won't be exercising as much their diet will need to be watched and in the winter they will still need to be fed and maybe kept indoors (rugs aren't the answer to everything) which raises the issue of space. They will also still need to be groomed and have the farrier around, particularly if they're only going to be in a field and not on hard ground which all costs money. Unfortunately a large enough number of owners wouldn't be bothered enough to do this when it's easier to get rid of the horse.
They cant just live in a field...they are too fine so it would cost, however only a fraction of what it costs to have a horse in training....owners wouldnt see the point though and will be off buying a replacment. A lot are kicked out because of injury so useless for training jockeys and there isnt the need if they have the genuine article to ride.
Thoroughbreds aren't cut out to live in a field all year round. They aren't hardy enough so need stabling or some form of shelter and extra food in winter, plus there's farrier and worming costs.
Some horses do also get bored just stuck in a field with nothing to do when they've been used to an active life.
A lot of them do go on to lead active lives outside of racing however. Recently introduced showing classes for ex racers are proving extremely popular and others go on to successful careers in other equestrian activities too. They aren't all slaughtered. Many make it into ex racehorse re-homing/re-training centres instead. Some of the mares will be used for breeding - the slower/unsuitable for racing mares may still be bought by someone wanting to breed a quality TB or half bred horse.
Likewise some of the non or lesser successful stallions may still stand at stud. There are plenty of these and they are hugely popular for those wishing to breed a horse for purposes other than the racecourse.
A lot of the time the owners don't even see the horses, they just buy them and send them off a trainer.
There are re-training places but they run on donations and can only handle very few......which is probably just as well because there is a limited riding market for them.