You Bet, They Die: Malinello Dies in 2023 Cheltenham Race
The death toll for the Cheltenham Festival continues to rise. Malinello is the first horse to die at this year’s event following a catastrophic injury.
More deaths are likely to follow, as horses used for racing commonly die of fatal injuries such as broken backs or are killed after sustaining broken legs.
Shamefully, as many as four horses died at last year’s event.
It’s vital that spectators realise fatal injuries are inherent in horseracing. Attending these events and betting on races fund this horrific cruelty.
Inherent Cruelty in Racing Horses
Horses bred for speed due to greed are pushed beyond their natural abilities and forced to run at breakneck pace. Those who don’t sustain horrific injuries on the track may suffer from heart attacks, bleed from their lungs, or develop painful ulcers and other health problems caused by being pushed past their breaking point for human entertainment.
In some cases, drugs – both legal and illegal – have been administered by trainers and even veterinarians to make them run faster or to mask pain so that horses who should be recuperating from injuries can be forced to run, making them worse.
‘Life’ After the Race Track
Even those who make it off the track alive are unlikely to live happily ever after. Every year, thousands of horses – including spent Thoroughbreds and those who don’t “make the grade” – are discarded like used betting slips.
They’re abandoned, neglected, or sold for slaughter, their flesh sold as dog or cat food or as “prime cuts” for human consumption in Europe and Asia.
How to Help Horses
Many people who purchase tickets for the Cheltenham Festival – and other events that force horses to race – don’t realise that they are funding the abuse of these animals. Please share this blog on your social media platforms and urge your friends to boycott races involving unwilling participants:
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The Cheltenham Festival is not the only event in which horses are made to suffer. Please take action against the Grand National by urging companies to pull their sponsorship:
