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The terror of thoroughbred horseracing
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Ernie Paragallo is at it again. Authorities seized 170 malnourished horses from his Hudson Valley farm, just south of Albany, on April 8, 2009. ??
State police and animal protection workers found that all of the horses were in varying stages of malnutrition, and lacking overall proper care and shelter. ?
Paragallo is a well-known thoroughbred horse breeder, who had horses rescued from another farm in 2007, according to the New York Times. Those horses were found starving and had to stay in an equine hospital for “more than a month.”
Horse racing is an international, multi-million dollar industry, which means that one of the last thing participants care about is the well-being of the horses.
Blinders to the tradegy.
I find that people have short attention spans when it comes to the suffering of animals, and we turn a blind eye to obvious suffering. Take the case of Barbaro, the beautiful and famous 2006 Kentucky Derby winner, whose leg was shattered during the Preakness that same year. After two years of painful surgeries and bouts of laminitis Barbaro was euthanized on January 29, 2007. His accident and death were considered unusual, but they more likely revealed, in dramatic fashion, the inherent dangers of horse racing.
The tragic death of 2008 Kentucky Derby winner Eight Belles made salient, once again, the serious welfare concerns for racehorses that seem inherent to the dubious horse racing industry.
An ABC news report, "Danger Out of the Gate," reported that for every 1000 horses that started a race, 1.5 of them collapsed and died at the gate or on the track.
What’s wrong with this picture?
For one thing, experts in equine development say that racehorses are too young and have insufficient bone development to take the pressure and great speeds that racing demands.
The ABC report also revealed the widespread use of drugs on the horses. Performance enhancing drugs can cause serious health problems, such as pulmonary hemorrhage. No one seems to care.
Ernie Paragallo’s repeated abuse allegations demonstrate that racehorses suffer before the race ever begins. All people care about is their legs or what’s between their legs. Case in point: Scientists outside of Milan, Italy cloned a foal, Prometea, from the “skin cell of an adult mare that was fused with an empty equine egg.” (More on the horror of cloning in a future article. An empty egg doesn’t come easily, let me tell you). Cesare Galli, Prometea’s creator, is quoted as saying that he was delighted with his achievement and dreams of a race full of clones of the greatest racehorses.
After Paragallo’s arrest, The Jockey Club said that if he is found guilty, they will take action that will essentially end his career, but can it do more? This organization is supposed to be “dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing.” It professes to “support to a wide range of industry initiatives.” I think that an initiative to protect the horses is in order. If you agree, let them know.
It won’t surprise you that I see horse racing as another form of animal exploitation. It's not going anywhere, but those of us who care about animals are encouraged to remain vigilant and vocal, so that the horses are properly cared for.
The Kentucky Derby is upon us. When you look at this lavish race, don’t forget about the suffering that the horses endure for your entertainment.
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