Horse races are contests of speed between horses ridden or pulled by jockeys and their drivers or pulled behind sulkies and their drivers. Although horse racing has delighted spectators for centuries, its dark side includes injuries, drug use and devastating breakdowns that leave spectators shaken.
Horses used for racing are forced to sprint under threat of whips or illegal electric-shock devices at speeds that often result in fractured legs or broken necks, and may suffer from pulmonary hemorrhage (bleeding out of their lungs). They were not born to run, however; rather they are trained since birth (usually starting around age two), with intense competition occurring before their bones have fully matured.
To maximize their athletic potential, these horses are given cocktails of legal and illegal drugs designed to mask injuries, boost performance and look their best – an increasingly common practice across world racing circuits that has been denounced by animal rights organizations.
Zenyatta, the American champion mare who received an injection of legal steroids prior to competing in both Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes races, stands out as an iconic example. Horse racing should not be taken lightly – its consequences can be extremely severe and it is poorly regulated.
Although risks exist on the track, most horses do not die; instead, they are constantly injured and some will eventually succumb to fatigue and collapse under its strain. Most common is exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage which results from sprinting at such high speeds; more serious ones, like that seen at 2009 Belmont Stakes when one favorite threw up blood before collapsing fatally, have been caused by issues including severe torso injuries to broken legs and spine issues.
Horse racing and the political process share many similarities. Politics often focuses on two candidates jockeying for poll position at the expense of primary contenders and third-party candidates, whereas in horse racing even underdogs can win, providing journalists with lessons about athleticism from horseback. Trump or Cruz may have the edge, but voters should not overlook understanding of all their campaigns’ true costs to gain perspective and understanding on all issues surrounding them.