Horse racing events kick in adrenaline, not only in the beasts who participate in the sport but also in the viewers. However, sometimes, for the sake of entertainment and personal gain, trainers and other individuals involved with the animals may go too far, forgetting that these creatures are living, breathing beings just like us, which can lead to horse cruelty.

Once an equine’s purpose concludes, their owners no longer provide the same treatment and simply abandon them. It might sound horrifying, but it happens often in the industry that sugarcoats a lot of tragic updates of animals that aren’t seen on track anymore. Recently, a rescue agency found an unnamed horse lying deceased in a territory where racing is popular, and the internet community was just left heartbroken after seeing the condition of this poor animal, who was left to decay in the open.

These details are spine-chilling

“GRAPHIC VIDEO” is what My Lovely Horse Rescue’s X profile wrote before uploading a video that broke a lot of hearts. At Ballinascorney, Brittas, on a lonely road in the middle of nowhere, MLHR Volunteers witnessed a horrifying scene of a dead horse dumped right beside the highway. According to a volunteer, they have witnessed similar instances of horse cruelty before, but the lack of communication in this area leads to the dumping of many animals.

“This is what Ireland has become, a nation of humans that just don’t care. So many cruel humans in this country its actually scary! What’s going to be done?? Most likely nothing, no chip, no accountability. Someone knows something, this poor young girl did not deserve to be dumped like rubbish,” MLHR furiously stated in their social media caption. The Irish horse racing scene is indeed popular, but does it matter if these animals are treated and thrown in the middle of nowhere to decay?

People involved in the industry and those who pay to watch these animals compete have numerous questions about this particular situation. No fan would ever want to see a popular horse, or any horse on the grid, end up like this. MLHR also made a request, stating, “We have a new government coming in soon. We need to all demand better welfare for animals. RIP you poor girl, we are so so sorry.” The video, showcasing the gruesome details of this decaying body, quickly captured the attention of online fans, leaving them speechless.

Equine community in shambles due to horse cruelty

It is all fun and games when it comes to the sporting aspect of horse racing, but once a fatality happens, it just leaves everyone wondering about the gruesome details that happen with these animals. Despite its popularity, this fan now despises the Irish horse racing scene, stating, “The absolute SHAME on this country!!!!” Another fan was horrified, stating, “Absolutely  horrific….give it away to someone if you can’t/won’t look after the poor beast.” Another fan was left confused, as they stated, “I just don’t understand how people can be so cruel”

Let’s dig into the statistics. Back in 2023, the Irish horse racing scene garnered significant attention, particularly due to concerns over horse cruelty following fatalities at their racecourses. Indeed, the reported deaths totaled 111, but additional reports indicated that these figures did not include at least 130 additional deaths. Furthermore, the aftercare of retired horses came into the spotlight. While some horses were just abandoned right after their duty was over, some were even sent to slaughterhouses.

As if these concerns didn’t panic the community, watching a dead horse left to decay raised nothing but the call for horse cruelty. One fan stated, “This is just so horrible!” Another user was equally disgusted, as they stated, “wtf is wrong with people.” This fan wants a direct answer from the horse racing scene, stating, “Like i always say, racing has its issues, but my god there is much worse cruelty in the world.”

While the details aren’t much to determine the name of the deceased horse, it was still an animal that had an owner. Indeed, this raises both concerns and questions for humanity. Was this really the fate of this poor animal? Did it deserve to die and then decay in the middle of nowhere? And the answer is a resounding NO.