Horse Racing on the hottest day of the year?

[OnHolidayInTheLakes]

I'm on holiday in the lakes at the moment and we've just driven past a village called Cartmel. The whole place is cordoned off because of horse racing.

AIBU to think that horses should not be forced to race in this heat?

No it’s irresponsible and unfair to the horses, however much they have fans up and wash them down. And that’s said as a qualified riding instructor. Even travelling them there would be a hot and unpleasant experience (they won’t all be in lovely air conditioned boxes).

I'm not horsey at all but my immediate thought was poor horses.

Yes it's dreadful. But the racing industry is dreadful and can be extremely cruel.

They moved the racing forward to avoid the hottest time of day. It’s over by now.

That’s pretty much any industry that exploits animals. Imagine the poor pigs, cows and chickens that are crammed into trucks off the to slaughter house, half of them won’t even make it in this weather.

Are the races actually happening? Commercial horse transporters can't travel horses today so it seems unlikely, though impossible.

I thought racing was all off but it could just be certain race courses as I only half heard the news article.

It was 26 degrees here by 10am

www.bbc.com/sport/horse-racing/62183236

Racing cancelled at courses in or near the red zone. Other measures for horse welfare such as changing times elsewhere.

Last race is at 3:15, there's Ayr and Ballinrobe left. All other races were called off the other day and there are no greyhounds running today or tomorrow either. I don't think they should be running any either and I work in a bookies!!!!!

26 degrees is not a problem for a fit (possibly clipped) thoroughbred. Horses cope better with hot weather than humans or dogs.

With suitable cool down facilities and stabling (which are mandated by the BHA) horses can race during a normal British summer without difficulty. They race in hotter temperatures abroad but with the benefit of stabling and transport arrangements that are better designed for hot weather than in the UK.

I'm not a racing fan but the Lake District is only at 29c now, and racing finished early to avoid the hottest temperatures. That's not excessive heat for a fit fine coated horse when there are good cooling measures available.

There's a lot of shouting and noise still coming from the race track. And it's 32 degrees.

I'm not horsey at all but my immediate thought was poor horses.

You don't need to be 'horsey' to know without question that your AIBU is clearly not unreasonable.

Last race at Cartmel has just been run - 3.15 start time.

As others have said, racing at all courses in the red zone today and tomorrow was called off on Friday.

I’ve got the racing on in my office (racing office, not just randomly watching it!) and I’ve not seen any horses troubled by the heat. They’re all being given plenty of water to drink as they come in and there’s a hosepipe to wash them all down in the winners enclosure rather than walking them back to the stables first.

I’ve seen plenty of race goers on the tv with jackets on.

Horses at this level are well looked after as pp said. They are probably clipped, have access to water and immediately after the race will be under the hosepipe until they've cooled down.

I've driven past many animals today, some horses in fields with absolutely no shelter, cows laying flat out with no shelter and it's 36 degrees here. Perhaps having a go at those owners/farmers where welfare seems a bit lax might make more sense . . .

They shouldn’t be forced to race at all, ever, and anybody who supports racing is an arsehole.

Don't worry, if there's no racing they wouldn't be born so you won't need to worry about them then.

Whats your point? Do you think it’s better for animals to be born and have a shit life than to not be born at all? Of course it’s not. Stupid comment.

My point is you should worry about something else. Horses who race are very well looked after and treated far better than many humans . . .

Is that you Mark Todd?

Well my horses are out today in two fields joined together. One area is cool and shady with overhanging trees. The other without shade in the bright sunshine. Both have water. It's 36°c out. Guess which field they have chosen to stand in? The one without shade! And they were galloping about earlier! The nutters! Horses tolerate heat a lot better than we do!

You are joking, if they are so well treated why have they had to introduce a limit to the amount of times the jockey can use the whip during a race. Bloody awful "sport" especially if they have to jump fences.

I live in Cartmel. They had racing on Sat too so the horses likely stayed in the visiting stables so didn’t travel today… Not sure 🤔 Do horses run more than one race?

I’m not a big fan. My son goes to Cartmel High School and it can be a nightmare at pick up time. I avoid the village centre at all costs and drive the long way round to work.

It has been flippin hot today here!… Cartmel is much much warmer than the rest of the lakes due to it’s proximity to the coast.

Anyway, it’ll all be over now and all the louts will be getting pissed in the pubs

I’ve heard they wire brush their legs raw so they jump higher

I’m very horsey and have previously been in the racing industry. I don’t think anyone has wire brushed a horse since the 70s, it’s a barbaric and outdated “training” method and never worked. It was also mostly done in showjumping - racehorses are meant to brush fences, jumping higher impedes the speed and ground travel.

YANBU OP. My horses are on their fourth cold shower of the day and are inside a well ventilated barn. Every race meet I know is cancelled this week and I’m going to email the organisers of cartmel to let them know my feelings - I urge everyone on this thread to do the same.