Horse Racing's Shame -- And Ours
The death of two horses at a Triple Crown race encapsulates our conflicted relationship with animals.
One horse was already dead as Pramedya saddled up for the fourth race of the 2016 Preakness Stakes, an annual Triple Crown race held in Baltimore. Unlike Homeboykris, who died of apparent heart failure after winning the first contest of the day, she wouldn't even reach the finish line.
A spectator's hand-held video is all that remains of the racehorse's fatal run -- the bulk of the Internet since scrubbed by the guardians of this so-called "sport." In the clip, Pramedya stumbles awkwardly along the infield fence, her fractured leg dangling grotesquely in front of her.
The footage ends prior to her being euthanized on the track.
The demise of these two innocent animals is pretty much par for the course for a day of racing in America. As noted in a 2012 New York Times report, an average of 24 horses die each week for our entertainment. The overall number is likely higher, given the reluctance of industry officials to report casualties, nearly all of which occur at lower tier tracks and during training.
Greed, corruption, performance-enhancing and pain-masking drugs, and breeding practices that make horses prone to injury all contribute to these premature deaths. None of these transgressions, however, would be possible without our tacit approval.
To the detriment of those around us (and probably to ourselves), we humans have mastered the art of denial, compartmentalization, and rationalization. In a country whose masses routinely profess their love for animals, how else to explain the delirium of the record-setting Preakness crowd at Pimlico, even as jockey after jockey flogged their respective horses down the home stretch?
This capacity to distance ourselves from our actions -- and their consequences -- is part and parcel of our conflicted relationship with animals.
We invite some into our homes to be our companions, while sending billions of others to slaughterhouses. We voice outrage when a captive gorilla is shot, yet we hunt and fish countless other animals to death..
Treatises have been written about how we've managed to get to this point. And while there's no definitive answer to that question, I do believe it's possible to return to a place where our hearts and words live in harmony with our actions toward animals.
Recall how it felt to be lost in the moment watching an animal, any animal, simply being itself. If you're having difficulty remembering such a time, make a point of studying a child having that experience. It won't be long before you recognize the wonder in their eyes.
Create similar opportunities for yourself. Along the way, you'll notice that each animal you observe displays characteristics that are unique, as well as universal -- reflective of both their individuality and our shared kinship.
As you view the world through this lens, you'll find yourself in a place you once knew when you were a child. A place where you can see your fellow earthlings for who they really are: An extension of yourself.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
One horse was already dead as Pramedya saddled up for the fourth race of the 2016 Preakness Stakes, an annual Triple Crown race held in Baltimore. Unlike Homeboykris, who died of apparent heart failure after winning the first contest of the day, she wouldn't even reach the finish line.
A spectator's hand-held video is all that remains of the racehorse's fatal run -- the bulk of the Internet since scrubbed by the guardians of this so-called "sport." In the clip, Pramedya stumbles awkwardly along the infield fence, her fractured leg dangling grotesquely in front of her.
The footage ends prior to her being euthanized on the track.
The demise of these two innocent animals is pretty much par for the course for a day of racing in America. As noted in a 2012 New York Times report, an average of 24 horses die each week for our entertainment. The overall number is likely higher, given the reluctance of industry officials to report casualties, nearly all of which occur at lower tier tracks and during training.
Greed, corruption, performance-enhancing and pain-masking drugs, and breeding practices that make horses prone to injury all contribute to these premature deaths. None of these transgressions, however, would be possible without our tacit approval.
To the detriment of those around us (and probably to ourselves), we humans have mastered the art of denial, compartmentalization, and rationalization. In a country whose masses routinely profess their love for animals, how else to explain the delirium of the record-setting Preakness crowd at Pimlico, even as jockey after jockey flogged their respective horses down the home stretch?
This capacity to distance ourselves from our actions -- and their consequences -- is part and parcel of our conflicted relationship with animals.
We invite some into our homes to be our companions, while sending billions of others to slaughterhouses. We voice outrage when a captive gorilla is shot, yet we hunt and fish countless other animals to death..
Treatises have been written about how we've managed to get to this point. And while there's no definitive answer to that question, I do believe it's possible to return to a place where our hearts and words live in harmony with our actions toward animals.
Recall how it felt to be lost in the moment watching an animal, any animal, simply being itself. If you're having difficulty remembering such a time, make a point of studying a child having that experience. It won't be long before you recognize the wonder in their eyes.
Create similar opportunities for yourself. Along the way, you'll notice that each animal you observe displays characteristics that are unique, as well as universal -- reflective of both their individuality and our shared kinship.
As you view the world through this lens, you'll find yourself in a place you once knew when you were a child. A place where you can see your fellow earthlings for who they really are: An extension of yourself.
One horse was already dead as Pramedya saddled up for the fourth race of the 2016 Preakness Stakes, an annual Triple Crown race held in Baltimore. Unlike Homeboykris, who died of apparent heart failure after winning the first contest of the day, she wouldn't even reach the finish line.
A spectator's hand-held video is all that remains of the racehorse's fatal run -- the bulk of the Internet since scrubbed by the guardians of this so-called "sport." In the clip, Pramedya stumbles awkwardly along the infield fence, her fractured leg dangling grotesquely in front of her.
The footage ends prior to her being euthanized on the track.
The demise of these two innocent animals is pretty much par for the course for a day of racing in America. As noted in a 2012 New York Times report, an average of 24 horses die each week for our entertainment. The overall number is likely higher, given the reluctance of industry officials to report casualties, nearly all of which occur at lower tier tracks and during training.
Greed, corruption, performance-enhancing and pain-masking drugs, and breeding practices that make horses prone to injury all contribute to these premature deaths. None of these transgressions, however, would be possible without our tacit approval.
To the detriment of those around us (and probably to ourselves), we humans have mastered the art of denial, compartmentalization, and rationalization. In a country whose masses routinely profess their love for animals, how else to explain the delirium of the record-setting Preakness crowd at Pimlico, even as jockey after jockey flogged their respective horses down the home stretch?
This capacity to distance ourselves from our actions -- and their consequences -- is part and parcel of our conflicted relationship with animals.
We invite some into our homes to be our companions, while sending billions of others to slaughterhouses. We voice outrage when a captive gorilla is shot, yet we hunt and fish countless other animals to death..
Treatises have been written about how we've managed to get to this point. And while there's no definitive answer to that question, I do believe it's possible to return to a place where our hearts and words live in harmony with our actions toward animals.
Recall how it felt to be lost in the moment watching an animal, any animal, simply being itself. If you're having difficulty remembering such a time, make a point of studying a child having that experience. It won't be long before you recognize the wonder in their eyes.
Create similar opportunities for yourself. Along the way, you'll notice that each animal you observe displays characteristics that are unique, as well as universal -- reflective of both their individuality and our shared kinship.
As you view the world through this lens, you'll find yourself in a place you once knew when you were a child. A place where you can see your fellow earthlings for who they really are: An extension of yourself.