They shoot horses, don't they?

national | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis Sunday April 06, 2008 15:23 by Roger Yates

The casualties of slave racing grow. Irish numbers unknown.

174 horses have died on British race tracks in one year. Three deaths at the latest "Grand" National Race. This does not include those killed away from the racing arena. It is not clear how many Irish horses are killed every year.

The horse named McKelvey suffered an injury at the 20th fence of this year's "Grand" National and was killed - or in racing ideology, "humanely put to sleep."

Emphasising the appropriateness of the winner's name, Comply Or Die, McKelvey, Time to Sell and In the High Grass died this year. According to animal protectionists, Animal Aid, 174 horses have now died in British horse races since March last year. Of course, in deeply speciesist societies nonhuman slaves will be made to race, and in such circumstances, we should expect casualties.

Perhaps now, however, it is time to think again about those "harmless flutters" on the races?

Dr Roger Yates
UCD