Horse races are competitions where horses run over an established course over fixed length, making for one of the oldest sports with a longstanding tradition both within the United States and globally. Bets can be placed both on who wins or places/shows; bettors also often place odds on winner/place/show combinations or winner-place/show combinations. More recently, horse racing has seen technological advances make its sport safer: thermal imaging cameras can detect overheating post-race, while MRI and X-ray technologies are used to diagnose minor/major health conditions while 3D printing provides casts/splints/prosthetics for injured horses.

Racehorses may claim they were “born to run and love to compete,” yet horseracing remains an unnatural act. Horses are bred for high speeds of 15 miles per hour while subjected to terrifying and life-threatening injuries that may even lead to their deaths. Losers in races are frequently euthanised or sent directly to slaughterhouses where their carcasses will become glue or dog food; for anyone interested in betting on other forms of entertainment where animals are treated as willing athletes instead of disposable commodities.

At races, horses’ heartbeats can increase by as much as tenfold from 25 beats per minute to an excessive 250 beats per minute during competition, which often causes total exhaustion and collapse. Common injuries sustained in horse races include pulmonary hemorrhage (bleeding out of the lungs), fractured spines and even legs held together only by skin; others are even killed from being hit by other horses or the track itself.

One in 22 races end with injuries that prevent racehorses from finishing the event, due to breeding and training at too early of an age to prepare them for racing at such high speeds. Many horses also undergo whipping during training or racing, which may add physical and psychological stressors; other sources include veterinary malpractice such as overbleeding and inadequate treatments.

Though horse races have existed for millennia, the industry has come under increased scrutiny regarding animal welfare concerns in recent years. Denise-Marie Ordway outlined numerous studies showing how journalists who focus more on election results or celebrity gossip than policy issues ultimately fail the voters, candidates, and news industry itself. The horse racing industry has come under scrutiny for using underage jockeys and encouraging betting on race outcomes – which has been linked with addiction, crime and violence against horses. The industry also uses various drugs to boost performance of horses and has been accused of illegally administering these substances to racehorses. Unfortunately, these substances can have serious repercussions for both horse and jockey; potentially putting both their health at risk.