As you know from this week’s post about our trip to Louisville, I love horses and the sport of horse racing. I love going to Louisville during the derby and watching the extensive race coverage. I love books about horses – Horse Heaven by Jane Smiley, Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand. And movies – Secretariat, Seabiscuit. I love going to Arlington Park in the summer. I grew up going to the races at Ruidoso Downs. And my namesake, Aunt Mollie, had a fondness for betting on the ponies.
I love the beautiful horses and silks and the grounds, and the speed and excitement.
But as animal lover and animal rights advocate, I’m very disturbed by the recent articles and interviews about rampant abuse in racing. I feel very conflicted about supporting this sport. I love horse racing for the reasons I stated, and I hate that it is being marred by these unscrupulous trainers and owners. I feel terrible for the horses and jockeys that are hurt by over-racing, over-medicating, and under-caring.
Walt Bogdanich and Joe Drape were on Fresh Air yesterday discussing the details of their investigation into horse racing in America. Here is their work in The New York Times.
