Paul Murphy TD has asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will ban "highly invasive and unethical" wind surgeries on horses used in racing.

Wind operations are carried out to improve the performance of horses used in racing - this is done by cutting out a part of a horse’s anatomy to increase the airflow into their lungs.

In the normal course of events in a horse’s life, the animal is not going to require increased airflow. This is only a consideration in the context of a horse being pushed to its limits and beyond, forced to run long distances and jump over numerous obstacles - all to provide a gambling product for racecourses and betting companies.

Wind surgery is effectively done to increase the chances of a horse winning more prize money. 

As acknowledged in an article on the Paddy Power betting company website, “wind surgery is one of the procedures owners can conduct on a horse to ensure it runs at its maximum...having the operation could improve their chances of winning a race, as they are now less likely to endure a blockage of their airflow when galloping” 

Wind surgery involves tying back a vocal cord and the sack behind it, or completely removing them with a scalpel.

The different types of surgery are:

• Tie forward operation - The horse is anesthetized and positioned on its back, with head and neck extended before an incision is made between the jaw bones. The larynx is pulled forward and upwards using a wire anchored to a bone. The larynx is sutured into place. The horse’s soft palate is then cauterized through the mouth, causing it to scar and tighten. The horse’s skin is then stapled together. Reported post-operative complications include swelling and wound infection, including infections involving the sutures which “can be difficult to treat, sometimes necessitating removal of the surgical implant sutures”.

• Tie back surgery (prosthetic laryngoplasty) - this is performed under general anaesthetic and involves using a suture to tie a vocal cord into a fully open position. This operation interferes with a horse’s swallowing mechanism and can result, postoperatively, in the horse coughing when bits of food end up going down the windpipe. 

• Hobday procedure (ventriculectomy/ventriculocordectomy) is also typically done under general anaesthetic using a scalpel. It involves surgically removing a vocal cord and the sac behind it to prevent tissue collapsing into the laryngeal passage. 

• Soft palate cautery involves burning the oral surface of the soft palate in order to produce scar tissue to cause a stiffening of the tissue. This has been described as “a pretty crude procedure” which “seems to produce results”. These results may last less than a year, meaning the horse may be subjected to the surgery twice or more.
 
Another related operation involves cutting the sternothyrohyoid muscles to prevent backward movement of the larynx.

As noted in an article by Dr Erwin Koenen and Richard Birnie in Horse Trainer magazine, “Wind surgeries can have welfare implications, for example, if a horse suffers post-surgical complications such as infection or difficulty swallowing...” 

Animal Aid, which campaigns for a ban on horse racing, has also pointed out that after any wind operation, horses are unable to express their full and varied natural vocalisation. This, they stress, “must have a negative psychological effect on their wellbeing”.

Responding to Deputy Murphy, Minister Martin Heydon stated: "My Department currently has no plans to introduce legislation to ban wind surgeries".

SEE ALSO:

Image: A horse being subjected to wind surgery
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/nov/22/british-horseracing-authority-trainers-wind-operations

Video: How taking the impact of wind surgery on racehorses into account can “enhance your betting experience”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5XYiM-PIPg

Veterinary Council urged to prohibit grotesque wind surgeries on horses
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2025/03/20/veterinary-council-urged-to-prohibit-grotesque-wind-surgeries-on-horses/

Dail Question and Answer - 29 April 2025

QUESTION

Paul Murphy TD: 

To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the number of thoroughbred horses that have been subjected to wind surgeries in Ireland over the past five years (details supplied); and if he will consider banning these highly invasive and unethical operations, given that their sole purpose is to maximise air flow into a horse's lungs to improve performance and increase chances of winning more prize money. 

(Details Supplied) Wind operations involve tying back a vocal cord and the sack behind it, or completely removing them with a scalpel. As acknowledged in an article on the Paddy Power betting company website, "wind surgery is one of the procedures owners can conduct on a horse to ensure it runs at its maximum...having the operation could improve their chances of winning a race, as they are now less likely to endure a blockage of their airflow when galloping"

REPLY

Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon:

My Department does not hold records of the number of thoroughbred horses that have been subjected to wind surgeries in Ireland.  

My Department takes the matter of animal welfare most seriously. 

It should be noted that wind surgeries are carried out by qualified Veterinary Practitioners who are regulated by the Veterinary Practice Act 2005, which comes under the remit of the Veterinary Council of Ireland.

Wind surgeries are performed when deemed clinically justified by any such veterinary surgeon, which may include for reasons of animal health and welfare.

My Department currently has no plans to introduce legislation to ban wind surgeries.