Betting on racehorses is such an institution in England, that some people are surprised, if anyone suggests perhaps it’s not a good idea. England now only has 19 greyhound racecourses left (due to people waking up to the realities). Yet horse-racing seems to be a bigger nut to crack.
Recognising the Signs of Gambling
We’ll get onto the horse welfare issues in a moment. But England has a huge gambling problem. Often called the ‘secret addiction’, as often it’s only the bookie and the banker that are aware. But betting on horses obviously is mostly destined to lose you money, and make big profits for the betting shops.
The betting shop industry in the UK alone rakes in over £13 billion. Online bookmakers (which thrived during the pandemic) are now making a fortune too. Gambling at worst causes financial loss and family arguments, at worse it causes many suicides.
Most people gamble for a ‘bit of fun’. But of course many faiths (like the Quakers) say that gambling is a mug’s game (they won’t even take National Lottery money, as ‘in order to win, someone poor has to lose’).
If you have debts that are piling up, contact a debt charity like StepChange, rather than put all your money on the horses. Betting also takes up a lot of time (how boring is it to spend your life in betting shops?) Find some new hobbies, and move onto more fun and financial freedom. If you need help, get support from GamCare.
Key Issues in Racehorse Welfare
The main reason to give up betting on horses, is for the welfare of the horses themselves. Although obviously this industry is highly regulated with welfare checks, there are massive areas of concern.
Racing horses is obviously mostly done for profit, and when huge amounts of money are involved, sometimes welfare sufferers. Over-training can lead to injury, stress and burnout, and galloping at fast speed or jumping over steeples is not natural behaviour for horses (grazing together in fields is).
Many Horses Die in Horseracing Industry
Each year many horses die at the Grand National and Cheltenham Racecourse (the only ‘sport’ that lets animals be legally whipped). In November 2024, three horses all died during Cheltenham Race. One was the race winner, who collapsed and died just after the race finished.
League Against Cruel Sports wants races of 4 miles or more (with fences) to be banned (other horses die during training or elective euthanasia). It also wants a reduction on number of horses and making fences easier for tired horses.
Animal Aid wants a government body responsible for racehorse welfare (instead of self-regulating) as 13,000 foals are born into the British and Irish racing industry each year, due to the huge financial benefits of a winning horse. One campaign is for £12 million of prize money to be directed to racehorse aftercare.
Many ex-racehorses become stud horses for breeding, but it’s inevitable that some end up in the abattoir. One way to help is to support sanctuaries (Racehorse Rehoming Centre and Racehorse Rescue).
