Racehorses are animals too

6 November 2009

What seems to have been lost in this whipping debate is that this issue is actually about the horse. It's about whether or not there is any room in Australian society in 2009 for a horse to be whipped on a race track for sport. The horse is the sole reason the RSPCA is involved.

It's extremely unfortunate that a leading jockey's Melbourne Cup win has been marred by a breach of the whip rules. The RSPCA did not instigate this inquiry but we of course were concerned by it. However, this isn't about one jockey or one race. This case is emblematic of what we see as a major problem in Australian racing - that is the excessive use of whips on race horses. That's the message people should be taking away from this today.

It must be remembered that the new whip rules were initiated by the industry itself because it recognised the need to curb whip use in Australian racing. After much angst from some within the racing fraternity, the rules have been wound back twice. Since then we have seen too many jockeys breaching the very rules they fought for and insisted would be workable. Jockeys adjust how they ride each horse, so they can and do change their behaviour each and every day. Those who seem to be having difficulty adjusting to these rules should be offered remedial training by the various racing bodies.

We also need to quash any suggestion that the whip doesn't hurt the horse. If it didn't, they wouldn't be used. The padded whip certainly hurts less than the whip being used last season, but it still hurts. There is no evidence to suggest that it doesn't.

The RSPCA's primary role is to improve the treatment of animals in Australian Society. We will never walk away from an opportunity to improve the welfare of animals for risk of being unpopular or upsetting people.