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Home > Get involved > Issues - take action > Horse welfare
Horse welfare
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Jumps racing |
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Whips |
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Carriage horses |
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Rodeos |
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Brumbies
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Take action |
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Jumps racing
Jumps racing
is an extremely dangerous sport in which horses must jump high fences,
at high speed. Jumps races, which are normally run over greater
distances than flat races and are ten times more dangerous than flats
racing. The very nature of jumping during a horse race places both the
jockey and horse under immense pressure.
In a jumps race there is a one in 10 chance of injury and high risk of death for the racehorse. In Victoria and South Australia where jumps racing continues, horses die during races every year.
The RSPCA is campaigning
for a ban on jumps racing in Victoria. It’s only a matter of time that
key decision makers, namely the Victoria State Government and Racing
Victoria, face the reality that jumps racing is unacceptable.
View detailed jumps racing information and ways you can help stop this cruelty.
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Take action
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Visit our jumps racing section to learn about ways you can take action.
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Whips
The RSPCA is opposed to the use of traditional contact whips due to their potential for inflicting pain and injury on horses. Physical injuries to racehorses caused by traditional contact whips are
well-documented and include severe eye lesions resulting from blunt
trauma to the eye from whip contact and skin lesions such as weals,
welts, cuts and bruises. In addition, race horses may be over-exerted through the use of
traditional contact whips. Overexerting a racehorse can lead to physical
problems or exacerbate pre-existing medical conditions in some
racehorses.
Despite fierce opposition to changing whip rules, there has been little agreement within the industry as to why whips are actually used. There is also no real understanding about what impact whips have on the horse and race outcome. An Australia-first study conducted by the University of Sydney has shed light on this issue revealing:
- Whipping does not increase a horse's chances of finishing first, second or third.
- Horses run their fastest when they aren't being whipped.
- The strongest predictor of racing success is how a horse runs in the section of the race that it isn't being whipped.
- The results of this study do not offer any support for the retention of whipping in horse racing.
March 2009 the Australian Racing Board introduced new rules to reduce
the number of times jockeys can whip their horses in a race. After
outcry from jockeys, owners and breeders, these rules were wound back
twice.
Limited whipping remains from the start of a race but
jockeys can still use the whip at their discretion in the last 100
metres - that means within these rules, horses can be struck up to 13
times in a row.
The way forward
The racing industry can celebrate great
horsemanship without the use of whips. Jockeys are athletes and they
shouldn't have to rely on the whip to get the best out of their horses.
The RSPCA would like to see:
- A total ban on the use of whips as performance aids.
- Commitment from jockeys to adhere to the rules.
- Commitment from the racing industry to encourage reduced reliance on whips.
- Mandatory training programs for jockeys to help them adapt.
- ‘Hands and heels' series introduced into Australian racing.
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Take action |
Contact the Australian Racing Board
Voice your opposition to whips in racing.
Jake Howard
Racing Executive
Australian Racing Board
P 02 9551 7700
E Email the Australian Racing Board
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Carriage horses
Victorian residents and tourists would be well aware of the inner-city
vendors offering rides in traditional horse and carts. With pressure
applied from the RSPCA, an important first step has been achieved to
protect the welfare of these carriage horses. We do continue to have
ongoing concerns - view detailed carriage horse information and ways you can help stop this cruelty.
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Take action
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Visit our carriage horse section to learn about ways you can take action.
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Brumbies
Brumbies are feral horses that are descended
from domesticated horses but have reverted to living in the wild. They
are an introduced species (i.e. not native to Australia) and are
considered by some to be a pest species in need of control.
RSPCA Victoria acknowledges that it is
sometimes necessary to manage populations of some feral animals to:
• protect the welfare of individual animals
• help conserve a threatened or vulnerable native species
• reduce adverse impacts on human activities or the environment
RSPCA Victoria is opposed to the use of
inhumane methods of controlling or managing wild animal populations and
recognises the need to improve and replace many current control
techniques. We encourage research and development, under government
control programs, of alternative control methods (e.g. fertility
control) which are humane, potentially successful and not detrimental to
the population or ecosystem involved. A totally humane method is one
which does not cause any pain, suffering or distress to target and
non-target animals. For more information on humane methods of
controlling wild animals please see RSPCA Policy E02 Management of
wildlife and RSPCA Policy G1 Humane Killing
Lethal control of feral animals should only
be permitted where no successful, humane, non-lethal method of control
is available and where the management program is supported by scientific
evidence.
RSPCA Victoria is currently working with
Parks Victoria on the development of a feral horse management program
for Barmah National Park.
RSPCA Victoria has concerns about some
methods used to catch brumbies. We believe that special consideration
needs to be given to the welfare of feral horses during muster,
assembly, loading and transport as these are wild animals unaccustomed
to human contact or confinement.’ |
Rodeos
The RSPCA believes rodeos are a cruel form of entertainment. These
events serve no useful purpose for the animal, pose a high risk of
cruelty and subject animals to unnecessary stress.
Did you know?
- Horses and bulls have broken their necks and backs in bucking events.
- Cattle have broken their legs in roping events.
- Calf roping causes severe bruising around the throat.
- Flank straps, spurs and electric prods are used to inflict pain, making animals buck, in turn causing physical distress and injury.
Animal roping, bucking and steer wrestling
events are cruel and bear no traditional relationship to existing
Australian farming practice. Rodeos should not be staged and we are campaigning for a ban in Victoria.
View detailed rodeo information and ways you can help stop this cruelty.
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Visit our rodeo section to learn about ways you can take action.
Take action
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Contact the Department for Environment and Climate Change
Voice your concerns over brumby policy.
The Hon. Ryan
Smith, MP
The Minister for Environment and Climate Change
P 03 9637 8890
W PO Box 500, East
Melbourne, Victoria, 3002.
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Take action
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Help protect horses from cruelty - view ways you can oppose the cruel sports of jumps racing, rodeos, carriage horses and the use of whips in racing.
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Tags: horse, racing, whip, rodeo, carriage, welfare, cruelty
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