Horse racing is a world-renowned sport steeped in tradition and pageantry. From the elegant hats and dresses of attendees at events like Royal Ascot to the mint juleps and thoroughbreds on the track, horse races are an integral part of human culture and history that capture the imagination. However, while horse racing may captivate crowds, it does not come without a cost to the animals that make the sport possible.

As more and more people attend horse races, there is increased pressure for racing authorities to ensure the horses are well taken care of, resulting in a shift from an exploitative industry to a welfare-based sport. The shift has been a complicated one, with both the industry and animal advocacy groups arguing their respective positions on how to best protect the welfare of the thoroughbred.

This article will explore the underlying themes of how both parties perceive and understand the impact on the horses of the various activities that occur in the racecourse environment, using the hermeneutic approach to research outlined in Section 4.5.2. It will also discuss the impact of the exploitation discourse on the horse-human relationship, as well as how the welfare discourse has been framed and presented to the public.

The overall impression that all the informants gave was that, despite the apparent physical and psychological benefits of the sport, it was not a natural activity for the horse. They argued that grazing, being with other horses and running, in general, were more natural. They also noted that the horse was being “worked hard,” i.e., was being forced to perform and to be quick. They viewed the use of equipment and training methods as detrimental to the horse’s naturalness, stating that the horses were not “happy with what they are doing” and that this was causing them stress and discomfort.

The horse-human relationship was also a major theme that dominated the discussions of both the industry and the animal advocacy informants. They both pointed to the use of the bit and the tongue-tie as causing the horse considerable discomfort, as well as other equipment that was being used in the course of training and racing. They also emphasized the visual problem of the horse’s appearance, with the animal advocacy informants stressing that they saw a lot of swollen cheek pieces, tight throat lashes and strained ears. The industry informants, on the other hand, focused mainly on the appearance of the horse as happy and healthy. They viewed the swollen cheek piece as a sign that the horse was being pushed too hard, but did not see the other issues as significant. They did, however, stress the importance of a happy horse for its performance. This is a complex issue that will require further discussion. A number of recommendations are offered to address this issue. This includes the need for more research on the welfare impacts of the different types of horse race. This is particularly important as more races are being run over distances that will test the horses’ endurance as well as their speed.