Stop Horse Racing meetings when temperatures exceed 30 degrees (max)
Stop Horse Racing meetings when temperatures exceed 30 degrees (max)
The Issue
On Wednesday the 6th of September I visited the flat races at Lingfield. Leaving aside anyone's thoughts on horse racing, we arrived at the course with temperatures above 32 degrees. It was too hot to be outside for many. Way above temperatures to think about walking a dog and yet, we were here to see horses racing at speed, often at distances that a human wouldn't contemplate walking in, given the heat of the day.
The first race, the 13:55 - a Class event for three year olds, was over a distance of 7f and 1y. Just before the finish line Boarhunt ended his life with green screens around him in front of the crowds (who were more indoors than out). Three races later during the 15:40 1m 7f race, Arcadian Friend went down some distance from the finishing line. He too, endured the same fate as Boarhunt. It was heart-breaking. I left.
A further death was also reported on a flat course at Southwell on the same day.
I emailed Lingfield Racecourse on the car journey home and, on Thursday, received an email from Martin White, Executive Director at Lingfield. Martin explained that that both the horses had indeed died on the track, one from a catastrophic knee injury and the other from a catastrophic shoulder injury. Neither, apparently had shown signs of heat stress.
I have written to the British Horseracing Authority to raise the matter with them.
During my time watching events the heat did seem to affect some running to the start and being loaded into their stalls. The extreme heat would have added to the pressure of performance. Whilst the heat may have not been noted on the Post-mortem as part of the reason for their demise, I can only conclude, if it's too hot for some humans to stand around, too hot for dogs to be walked on the streets and too hot for animals to be transported within Europe once temperatures reach 30 degrees, it must be too hot for horses to run above a certain temperature.
Please help me to raise this matter at a far higher level and put the well being of racehorses in the same category as transporting any form of cattle - NO RACE MEETINGS when the temperature exceeds a maximum of 30 degrees.
The fact there is no upper limit to temperatures at present suggests that the situation will only get worse moving forward.
2,082
The Issue
On Wednesday the 6th of September I visited the flat races at Lingfield. Leaving aside anyone's thoughts on horse racing, we arrived at the course with temperatures above 32 degrees. It was too hot to be outside for many. Way above temperatures to think about walking a dog and yet, we were here to see horses racing at speed, often at distances that a human wouldn't contemplate walking in, given the heat of the day.
The first race, the 13:55 - a Class event for three year olds, was over a distance of 7f and 1y. Just before the finish line Boarhunt ended his life with green screens around him in front of the crowds (who were more indoors than out). Three races later during the 15:40 1m 7f race, Arcadian Friend went down some distance from the finishing line. He too, endured the same fate as Boarhunt. It was heart-breaking. I left.
A further death was also reported on a flat course at Southwell on the same day.
I emailed Lingfield Racecourse on the car journey home and, on Thursday, received an email from Martin White, Executive Director at Lingfield. Martin explained that that both the horses had indeed died on the track, one from a catastrophic knee injury and the other from a catastrophic shoulder injury. Neither, apparently had shown signs of heat stress.
I have written to the British Horseracing Authority to raise the matter with them.
During my time watching events the heat did seem to affect some running to the start and being loaded into their stalls. The extreme heat would have added to the pressure of performance. Whilst the heat may have not been noted on the Post-mortem as part of the reason for their demise, I can only conclude, if it's too hot for some humans to stand around, too hot for dogs to be walked on the streets and too hot for animals to be transported within Europe once temperatures reach 30 degrees, it must be too hot for horses to run above a certain temperature.
Please help me to raise this matter at a far higher level and put the well being of racehorses in the same category as transporting any form of cattle - NO RACE MEETINGS when the temperature exceeds a maximum of 30 degrees.
The fact there is no upper limit to temperatures at present suggests that the situation will only get worse moving forward.
2,082
Petition created on 10 September 2023