Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Breeders' Cup Keeneland 2022 Failing the Horse

Breeders’ Cup Keeneland 2022, coda

Medication remains intense--Breakdowns continue

 








 

I attended this year’s Breeders’ Cup to celebrate the revival of the American game, to finally—after half a century of advocacy—enjoy racing where horses were not intravenously injected with furosemide prior to going to the saddling paddock. When I arrived Sunday and read the permissive medication rules still in place in the Breeders’ Cup Horsemen’s Guidebook, I could feel the trouble coming. We were all hoping for an injury free event. The Europeans came through, but the Americans did not. Two of their horses did not make it across the finish line.


Monday morning, seeking more information, hoping to ally my fears, I accompanied a prominent Kentucky attending veterinarian as he made his rounds through the Breeders’ Cup barns. He picked me up as I was making the daybreak walk from the frontside where the media shuttle dropped us off each morning, to the stable area, a good mile hike. The Kentucky gentleman noticed my gimp, stopped his car, and took me in as he passed by on his way to work. It was Monday, so time was soft. We visited about trainers and racehorses, Europeans and Americans, the differences therein. We visited openly and extensively. Call it professional courtesy, call it ‘birds of a feather,’ we talked vet talk. We listened to each other. He, having read all of my New York Times racehorse advocacy articles, and I, knowing his honorable reputation, got on fine. We had met briefly at the Run Happy Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland in 2015. As our conversation narrowed to the horses at hand, he explicated all of the impending American medication scenarios, hiding nothing from me, knowing nothing could be hidden from my seasoned eyes:

The majority of American Breeders’ Cup runners would be injected with Lasix 24 hours before loading into the gate. This potent diuretic alters the metabolism and pharmacodynamics of previously injected medications (masking). This is one reason the permitted 24-hour drug is given, as its ability to manage pulmonary fragility and prevent EIPH is by and large absent by race time. Lasix to flush. The good doctor noted that Mr Baffert’s recent problematic post-race positives in Kentucky from horses medicated in California took place in stakes races where raceday furosemide was not allowed. Sophisticated doping strategies falter when Lasix is no longer part of the formula.

Most of the treated American Cup horses received 10cc IV, the maximum allowable. Furosemide is showing up in the post-race blood and urine samples as you read this. Thresholds have been set somewhere, although they were notably absent from the Breeders’ Cup Horseman Guide that stated that 24-hour Lasix was permitted, while the thresholds for all the other drugs were published, an interesting omission, I thought, one still missing, I might add. If the Breeders’ Cup post-race Lasix positives are below established furosemide thresholds, nothing will be said. I personally received this information from the Breeders’ Cup and Kentucky regulatory veterinarians. After we finished our ride around the Smith barns, my attending veterinary friend introduced me to the examining veterinarians who were hard at work. In all, I visited with 11 regulatory veterinarians and 2 attending veterinarians during the week preceding Domestic Spending and Epicenter’s feature race fractures. Drugs and regulators were plentiful.





 

Ultimately, regulation failed as regulation does in permitted pre-race drug jurisdications. In the Classic, the all-time leading American trainer’s horse suffered a fetlock fracture. Out went the ambulance in the most anticipated race of the century. I watched with glasses four floors up. Epicenter faltered badly when asked to move through horses on the backstretch, nearly going down. Joel Rosario, no stranger to leg-fracture spills, kept him afoot, and pulled him up deftly and professionally, saving two lives. 

The outriders and ambulance crew restrained and manhandled Epicenter to keep him upright and off the fractured canon bone. Veterinarians alongside, the uncentered horse hopped three-legged into the ambulance. He rhythmically threw his head as he moved toward the ambulance to lessen the weight bearing of his right front, that catastrophic gait that still makes me shudder. 

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to me, Flightline galloped. 

The ambulance sat stopped for a few minutes after Asmussen’s horse was loaded, a worrisome sign to me. I am an extensively-experienced track veterinarian who has been in ambulances with three-legged horses more than once. The impact of those experiences runs deep, especially when a jockey is being loaded into the other ambulance. The stopped ambulance likely allowed the outriders and veterinarians to suspend Epicenter in a hydraulic squeeze device—taking weight off the broken leg—where it was safe for them to draw blood, medicate pain, soothe excitement, and secure the splint. Pain managed, stability provided, the ambulance departed. Epicenter was transported to Rood and Riddle, a primary sponsor of the Breeders’ Cup, to undergo orthopedic surgery.

Epicenter’s fracture has been screwed back in place and it is said he is being syndicated to stud to perpetuate the cycle of breeding horses whose legs do not hold up to racing. Neither laws of the state nor laws of genetics nor morals nor equine welfare concerns impede American owners, breeders, and trainers. Drug free solutions as to how to prevent these tragedies were put on full display by the foreigners at this year’s Cup. Despite readily available training strategies that enhance soundness of wind and limb, Americans continue to rely on drugs to train horses. 

The results of the American trainer affair with drugs are tragically apparent. Americans cannot get away from unnecessarily locking their horses down requiring a heavy dependence on medication. Overly-confined horses become fragile of limb and wind, and a perceived need for medication follows. This medication cycle exacerbates racehorse vulnerability to injury and subsequently imperils jockey safety. 

Confinement and medication are the downfall of American racing. Rather than a drug-free Flightline celebration, this year’s Breeders’ Cup became a tragedy rivalling Eight Belles bilateral breakdown in the Kentucky Derby. This year’s breakdowns were made all the more tragic for me considering all the time that has passed since that first Saturday in May. Why can lessons in animal welfare not be learned by Americans? Unlike the Eight Belles breakdown—and to their credit—the Kentucky regulatory veterinarians kept all of the horses on their feet despite the fractures, thus sparing the jockeys’ injury. 

The Euros and Asians demonstrated how to race safely. 


Knowing better but refusing to adapt, drug-dependent US trainers continue to break down horses and unnecessarily endanger the lives of jockeys. Mr Brown’s Domestic Spending fractured his pelvis, racing from gate 14 in the BC Mile after a 440 day layoff from an injury. Chad medicated the horse and raced, two weeks earlier claiming to be omniscient regarding all of his horses’ soundness’. Domestic Spending fractures his under-conditioned pelvis, and the horse is vanned off with a major injury. At the starting gate, the horse made it clear he was not ready to race, yet they made him run. 

American trainers continue on with their medication charades that make horses vulnerable to injury, despite simple labor-intensive, medication-free solutions that fulfill and favor the racehorse. Easily-employed enrichment strategies sustain and enhance soundness of wind and limb. Medication does not. Breakdowns and bleeding are largely preventable with appropriate breeding, development, sensitivity to behavioral need, and conditioning that fulfills and enhances the horses’ long-evolved speed and strength. 

The American confinement and training methods remain horse-insensitive, unprofitable, unethical, and ineffectual. The trainer is responsible for the condition of his horse. Not the attending vet, owner, or regulatory vet—the trainer. American trainers continue to send their horses to races medicated and in a condition unfit to race as Brown and Asmussen demonstrated in the Breeders’ Cup. Their horses were not ready, and as a result they were seriously injured in the running and vanned off.  The Euro and Japanese horses were ready, drug-free and ready, sound of wind and limb. All of them returned sound and safe, many of them won easy.



Horses in America continue to break down at an unacceptable rate. Any break down in the Breeders’ Cup is disturbing, and here we had two, further reflection the American horseracing culture continues at its worst—humans failing the horse. Drugs continue to flow into inadequately stabled horses, and injuries and fatalities unnecessarily continue. When the drugs stop, the injuries will dissipate, as has been demonstrated time and again everywhere other than America.

The solution for safe flat racing has been effectively employed across continents and throughout the world by restricting drugs. The foreign horsemanship specialists not only brought their charm and beauty, they displayed sophisticated training strategies that favor the horse’s health and well-being. Holistic therapies, and keen attention to the horse’s long-evolved behavioral needs resulted in winners, winners all around wherever they finished. All made it home sounder of wind and limb than when they arrived to showcase their talent. Their trainers make stabling, training, and racing a good deal for their horses. In return, their horses make racing a good deal for them. If only Americans would embrace these winning strategies that make racing safer and horses and owners happier. All of the Euro and Asian horses returned safely. In fact, their horses returned sounder of wind and limb, a sophisticated display of preparation that Americans must soon emulate if they expect the sport to survive here, much less thrive. 

Two American-trained horses sustained racing-fractures on the biggest day of racing. As well, some of the American horses bled, while the Europeans and Japanese remained sound of both wind and limb. No bleeding, no fractured bones in those horses trained and conditioned with the horses’ best interests in mind. And winners, yes, win after win.

 

Permitted medication perpetuates substandard horsemanship. Drug-free racing favors the horse. America has a choice. Drug-free runners win and come home sound as demonstrated by the Europeans. Look, see: Drugged racehorses are more apt to break their legs. Permitted pre-race drugs do not favor the horse. Too many medicated horses do not finish, exemplified by the American breakdown endemic still in play at the Breeders’ Cup.   

As it turns out, horses do not need drugs to race. NSAIDs and cortisone joint injections potentiate breakdowns by masking inflammation, allowing horses to race and train with pathology present. At times, trainers have had their veterinarians add local anesthetics to the cortisone injections to facilitate a good hard preparatory work. Many of these blocking agents do not test, but both Baffert and Asmussen have had local anesthetic positives in the not-so-distant past. Hall of Fame trainers. Baffert’s horse Messier bled, and Asmussen’s classic runner broke down. 

All drugs and any drug deteriorate safety when utilized to mask pain and inflammation to facilitate training when pathology is present, especially local anesthetics such as lidocaine or mepivacaine. Rest and rehab are indicated when pathology is present, rather than drugs to ease the pain so as to train. Furthermore, drugs and failure to properly develop and condition their horses likely incited the pathology that had them call for more drugs to get their horse to the next race. Claiming trainer tactics taken to the top of the game, to the Breeders’ Cup. 

The American permitted pre-race drug experiment has failed. Permitted drug use led to unpermitted drug use, doping a billion dollar industry, horses the victims. Americans continue to fail their horses on the biggest stage of all. America’s horrid breakdown endemic will not stop until the drugging stops. In Europe and China, drugs are forbidden two to four weeks before horses race. Breakdowns and epistaxis are rare. Their horses fly over here and win easy, and safely.

At Keeneland, where local horses continue to breakdown and bleed, BC runners can receive IV phenylbutazone 48 hours before loading into the gate, and, unfortunately, they can be doped with Lasix 24 hours before they race. None of the Europeans I interviewed planned to partake in the Lasix, considering it more likely to stiff the horse than help. But according to the Kentucky attending veterinarians I rode and visited with, many, if not most, of the Americans are fulfilling their racing drug addiction at the Breeders’ Cup, and having their horses injected with Lasix the day before, and IV Bute two days before. Disgraceful. Unethical. Ineffective. Heartbreaking. Leg-breaking.

 

I observed nearly all of the Breeders’ Cup horses in the barn area and on the training and main tracks. The differences in stabling, training, and care are significant and remarkable. The foreign horses walked, jogged, and conditioned together in herds. Miles and miles of locomotion to enhance the soundness of wind, limb, and mind. Hour upon hours of socialization. If not with other horses, with hands on grooming and grazing care. I estimate Chain of Love spent 10 hours out of her stall day in and day out, accompanied by her pony horse. I visited her most every day. Her pre and post exercise routines were well over an hour long. Rubbing and brushing before, bathing, massaging, and walking after. More massages, more walks, physical connection horses need. A typical conditioning day included two to three trips around the smaller training track with her pony horse, followed by one or two trips around the main. This was in addition to abundant walking to and from the stable, and within the isolation compound.

Likewise, the Euros provided their horses with abundant daily locomotion and socialization. They successfully re-created natural for their horses, rewarded by  how safely and successfully they raced, and how happily they returned. Limb health, lung health, metabolic health, hoof health, digestive health, and mental health are all dependent on miles and miles of daily walking. It was a joy to see trainers putting the horse first, a joy to witness the happy horses loving their track lives. If only the Americans could learn to appreciate the happiness and soundness appropriate husbandry brings. If they do not learn, and learn soon, the American game will continue its decline.

As the Euro horses walked, jogged, galloped through the morning, the American horses were back in their stalls by 9am. Many remained there the rest of the day, Tyler’s Tribe among them as far as I could tell, their lungs withering, legs weakening, veterinary drugs flowing into them, and Lasix flowing them out. Meanwhile, Chain of Love walks clean. Mishriff jogs clean. The Appleby herd whinny together as one.

Beyond the USDA quarantine, I observe the covey of attending veterinarians go from American barn to American barn medicating horses all afternoon, every afternoon during the days preceding the Breeders’ Cup. As counterbalance, the examining veterinarians examine. I witness all of this. I have an eye for medicating-veterinarians and medicated horses. I, too, was once an attending veterinarian. I know their game.  From a distance, I watch the horsedoctors carefully select and load the medications, syringe after syringe. They color the fluids with vitamins and whatever else they can sneak in that will slip by the testing lab. Off they march with their tray of medications into the shuttered stalls. Two days before, the day before. 

As the Friday races went off, the veterinarians with horses in Saturday went to work. The Saturday runners received their intravenous Lasix, urinating the weight away, flushing other drugs along. Lasix imbalances equid electrolytes, drawing the horse up, pulling calcium out of bone. At one stable, I observed the water buckets set out Friday evening, seemingly withholding water, I am not sure. In the quarantine barn, the lads were changing water, cleaning pails, rubbing their horses, walking in communal circles, providing abundant locomotion in the most restricted spaces.

The untoward injuries on Saturday were reflective of the inappropriate American veterinary approach of medicating horses to race rather than walking them. Meanwhile, the drug-free hydrated, enriched and fulfilled Euros ran to win. You’d think winning would be enough incentive for Americans to do right by the horse, but our culture has not yet embraced the welfare of the horse like it needs to. I am sorry to report that as long as the drugs are permitted, American racehorse drugging will continue along with the substandard horsemanship the drugs facilitate. Bleeding and breakdowns will follow at unacceptable rates, and the game will fade away, or be forced to stop. 

 

If and when all of the medications to race are restricted as they are in Europe and Asia where happy racehorses graze, walk, socialize, and race together, Horseracing in America will have a chance, a last chance to help the horses prevail in fashions that favor the horse, rather than fail her. 

 

 

 




Dr Gustafson graduated from Washington State University as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1979. He is a practicing veterinarian, animal welfare journalist, equine behavior educator, and novelist. The application of behavioral science to the husbandry of horses enhances optimal health, performance, soundness, contentment, and longevity. Behavioral, social, locomotory, and nutritional strategies enhance the prosperity, vigor, and health of stabled horses. Sid offers veterinary care, training, husbandry, and conditioning from the horse's perspective to achieve willing and winning equine partnerships with humans.

Thursday, November 3, 2022

Keeneland Equine Welfare Concerns

Keeneland Yearling Sale: equine welfare concerns

 

 

Keeneland in September is the home of horses and money, where yearling thoroughbreds preside: Bidabidabidabidabidamoneymoneymoneymoneymoney, 950, now 1 million it is, do I hear 1 million fifty, bida bida bida bida bida, now one million one hundred thousand, bidabidabidamoneymoneymoneymoneymoney, 1.1, now 2, one hundred more, 1.2 now 3, here we go, moneymoneymoneymoneymoney, 4 bidabida now 5, …and thus goes the auctioneer selling each horse swiftly. Going once, twice, thrice, gone… sold $1.6 million. Men in green, Keeneland green. The blood; blue, the money; green. Out steps 1.6, handed to his groom in waiting at the exit to a strange new world and on the other side of the ring, in steps the next blueblood, this prize, a filly led in by her groom, handed to the ringmaster with shiny black shoes. A brief intro, sire, mare, family money-winning accomplishments, bold-type ancestors noted, half-sibling accomplishments, a smooth-talking personality presenting brief avails, and again, here we go, people sifting about in the hallway that encircles the seats that encircle the elevated ring, many of the inadequately prepared yearlings are fearful. The sales ring setting is poorly designed, the gauntlet to get there is a disgrace, and does not favor the horse. Sedation and chains are prevalent, their vibrissae are clipped, terrifying the youngsters. Temple Grandin would cry for the horses; Here now sir, what do you want to give for this fine filly? bidabidabidabidayomoneymoneymoney 10, now 20, 50 now 75, 100,000 dollars, now 125 bidabidabidabidabidupsomemoremoneynowifyouwantthis runner…






 

A man’s world, a game painted money green, a dozen or so yearlings going for over a million in session one, more million-dollar blueblood babes to follow. Historically, a quarter of the $1 million horses will never make it to the track, nearly a third will never win a race. How many yearlings are mishandled at this fragile formative age is part of the reason so many fail to ever win a race. The sale process takes the heart out of some of them at their formative stage of racehorse life; no heart, no running by and through horses at speed in tight company. Keeneland green. A horse mill. 

Beyond pedigree, conformation is important, anatomical maintenance of soundness. Bloodstock agents appreciate conformation conducive to durability, trainers look for bone. Most seek trending blood, looks and behavior aside, thus the low success percentages. I can see the horses who have been whip broke, and those that have not. One wants the have nots, as the chain-broke are unlikely to prevail. You can see some are broken by the look in their eye. More than a few are sedated, a tolerated practice.

I watch, beautiful horses all, but so many unnecessarily troubled. Unprepared, lip-chain broke and drugged as a shortcut for half-baked Kentucky horsemanship. In Ireland, the horses come through the ring relaxed and prepared, whiskered, softly handled to display their true grace. Halters without chains, soft eyes, beautiful vibrissae with a high potential to become willing partners, unlike most American sales candidates. More troubled horses than not at Keeneland, Kentucky. Their dignity dishonored with the vibrissae clipping and chained restraint. Drugs to sedate, the doping starts when they are a year old. This tolerated medication carries with them to the track, and the drugging needs to stop here, as the American medication mentality needs nipped in the bud.

After a horse passes the content eye, and soft ear criteria suggesting a willing partnership, I scrutinize bone and throat. I seek short thick canons for my clients, a body-balanced hip, with an extended gaskin, thick hocks... true-angled pasterns resting on big hooves, supple coat and not heavy, yet none of these charms matter if the mind is not willing. 

I seek horses grown up with a well-tended mind, a mind of flight with an eager tendency to willingly join the herd of man, behaviorist me. I want a horseshoe is taught by other horses how to be a horse, herd-raised stock, yearlings taught the confidence to run by and through horses running at speed by running with horses at speed in tight company. I look for vibrissae, and so many have been savaged. I eye their ears and eyes, their carriage, the ease or unease of their relationship with their handler. 

I watch for cooperative gestures. Relaxed by observant, attached to their handler, but free to express their state of mind. I seek potential willing partners, horses brought up surrounded by nature, nurtured in herd settings. Only other horses can teach a horse to win. Humans are simply passengers in this game, needing to re-create natural for the growing runners. It is the mare who provides the winning foundation, the mare and her herd, the cohort foals and yearlings, the huge rolling pastures. Horses teach young horses to run, and they teach them well. Lead changes become automatic, communication with others in the herd is intense and constant.

Watch that yearling walk, watch her perceive her new world. If the money talks and she walks on to a new life, will she be willing to listen, to prevail, to stay sound and healthy under duress, to run by and through horses at speed with confidence and finesse? Not an exact science, but it is clear some of yearlings fighting lip chains and shown into the ring reluctantly chained and medicated are unlikely to be winners. Fillies handled roughly often bail on everything, refusing to fall in and train after feeling what the humans may do to them. 

Back in the day, horsemanship and the art of handling youngsters prevailed at sales, today it is face shaving, chains and drugs. Already horseracing is in public disfavor for substandard welfare, and its presence at Keeneland is disturbing to equine behaviorists..   


Amateur horsemen have prepared most of these young thoroughbreds. Nearly all of the yearlings’ faces have been clipped clean, much like many the American Breeders’ Cup runners faces. The Jockey Club breeders and Breeders Cup trainers remain a bastion of amateur horsemanship, some of the sorriest on the planet, I am sorry to report. 

Clipping vibrissae is abusive, inhumane, unnecessary, and counterproductive. It is contrary to the development of a willing partnership. The Keeneland sale was a display of horsefolk diminishing the dignity of the horse. "In addition to the harm that a lack of vibrissae can bring about; the act of removing them is not done with complicity and adds unnecessary stress to the animal." Here is the scientific research:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02213989 





Pharmaceutical sedation of the yearlings remains prevalent, drugs continuing to replace horsemanship in the racing industry. Disappointingly, the public drugging begins at the yearling sales, prevalent and tolerated by the sale managers, obvious but unnecessary had proper horsemanship preparation been in place. A third, or so, of the yearlings express postures and behaviors suggestive of tranquilization, droopy glazed eyes, sagging lower lip, dropped penises. Inattentive. I know sedation when I see it. 

When questioned, some of the breeders admitted to tranquilization use, "a shot of ace in the oats this morning."  Injections, 'yeah, doc stopped by early and popped 'em with the stuff that lasts all day.’ Others were in denial. Most didn’t have much to say when confronted about the abusive practice of clipping vibrissae. 9 of 10 facial lacerations I have sewn up through time were on horses with clipped vibrissae. The percentage of yearlings at Keeneland with facial trauma was significant, one after the other with beat up heads because the vibrissae are clipped, their monitors to avoid head trauma when locked in tight places. Vibrissae are utilized for spatial safety. A horse uses her wiskers to protect her eyes, face, and nostrils. With these sensory structures removed, the yearlings are bashing their heads about in the stalls because they have been abusively deprived of sensation by Jockey Club Breeders.

After having their vibrissae clipped, many stalled horses stop drinking and eating, sometimes for days. This leads to colic and sometimes death due to deprivation of the most important horse nutrient, water, because the sensory structures to assess the water have been amputated by the Jockey club breeder. Clipping vibrissae and poor horsemanship are the primary cause of facial trauma in Keeneland yearlings. You should have seen all the banged-up heads, and those were the ones that made it through the  trauma inspections. 

 








By my estimate, 98% of the horses has their vibrissae clipped, with men doing 98% of the bidding on the naked-faced babies. A covey of male auctioneers sell the horses, prompted by green-suited bid spotters, all men. Men, men, men in green, money money money, green money, old money, plenty of money, SOLD. Whiskerless thoroughbreds, confused and dismayed at being whiskerless, abusively chain-shanked and drugged. 

A number of international equestrian organisations have banned the trimming of a horse's whiskers. Since 1st July 2021, horses are prohibited from competing in any FEI competitions internationally if their “sensory hairs have been clipped and/or shaven or in any other way removed”. Keeneland needs to follow suit, and now. The United States Equestrian Foundation has banned the disrespectful practice. Kentucky horsemen appear to be the most horse-disrespectful horsemen around. Vibrissae clipping is punishable by law in France, Germany, Switzerland, and some of the Nordic countries.



Perhaps this excerpt will help the Kentucky breeders understand the horse, and their role with horses.

Dignity is each animal’s inherent worth that humans must uphold in their relationships with that animal. This means that we must respect each animal for himself or herself (including individual particularities, behaviours, and prefer- ences). We must therefore take that unique worth into account and hold each animal in high moral regard, independent of our own impressions, opinions, and experiences. As such, animals’ inherent worth should not be tied to their instrumental usefulness, nor to their sentimental, heritage, or market value. 

Strain is a physical or psychological action by a human being to impose a benefit. In extreme cases, the term also includes any violence applied to animals to force them to do something against their will or to prevent them from doing what they want. The definition also covers the negative consequences of such actions. Strain always affects dignity. Dignity is only comprised, however, if overriding interests cannot justify it. This is the case, for example, when animals are subjected to pain, suffering, or harm, or exposed to anxiety or humiliation, or undergo interventions that profoundly alter their appearance or abilities, or are excessively objectified as instruments, also known as instrumentalization (Art. 3 AniWA). 

The AniWA (art. 4) prohibits the unjustified 1and unnecessary imposition of strains on animals (injury, pain, stress, restriction of freedom, violation of dignity, overwork, etc.). Implicit in this standard is the need to weigh the different interests of the parties involved (humans, animals, and the environment) to determine whether the strain is justified. If its impact on the horse outweighs the interests of the other parties, the strain in question is abusive and amounts to a contempt of dignity. 

The concepts of pain, suffering, and harm are not easy to distinguish, but understanding them helps to clarify any impairments to welfare. Pain is characterised by an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with real or suspected tissue damage (lameness, colic). It is noted that donkeys do not show pain as blatantly as horses do; they remain more stoic. Animals experience suffering as negative emotions that affect their quality of life and impair their welfare. Suffering is expressed through abnormal behaviour and body language (facial expressions, ear position, postures, etc.). Harm is manifested by loss of functionality or behavioural disorders, such as limited responsiveness to stimuli. It appears when animals are pushed to extreme levels of adaptation."

from https://www.cofichev.ch/Htdocs/Files/v/6125.pdf/Publications-cofichev/COFiCHEV_Ethique_Resume_EN_DEF_20220427.pdf



Nearly every face laceration and eye injury I have sutured and treated was on a stalled horse with recently clipped vibrissae. i have treated many colics that occurred subsequent to vibrissae clipping, as the whiskers are essential eating and drinking organs, leave the vibrissae alone.



Through the ring the yearlings go, chained and shanked, vibrissae abusively shorn, a sorry affair altogether when viewed from the horse’s perspective, and mine, but few others. In addition to inadequate preparation, much of the unwelcome behaviors when being handled are due to the sensory deprivation. Horses with clipped whiskers become confused and frustrated, they bash their heads into the stall walls and thresholds as evidenced by all the apparent head trauma on many of them, all unnecessary, all due to the deplorable amateur Kentucky brand of sensory deprivation followed by forceful horsemanship. 



Vibrissae are essential sensory structures that allow horses to race safely at speed in close company, spatial locators of not only their position, but other horses’ shifting spatial positions surroudning them. Their whiskers can feel the rail, sense the going, know the acceleration of others approaching or departing, and so much more that we do not know. The amount of brain tissue to which vibrissae deliver information is considerable, informing neurologists of the critical survival and protection functions of horses’ treasured facial hairs.




Banning the vibrissae-clipping practice would save the sale breeders millions of dollars and alleviate some the public concern with horse abuse in the racing industry, yet the incompetent breeders continue abusing the horses so they look clean. The horses may look clean, but they are confused without the full array of sensory organs. And if I am not able to put a stop to the yearling-abusive practice, you know who will be swooping in next, and that will be another black eye for the industry and game, more lost millions if not billions because of a lack of integrity of the breeders. The Keeneland breeders are doping with sedatives, clipping vibrissae to serious detrimental psychological and physical affect, and then lead their horses to the ring with their horses abusive chain shanked. 

 

 


To be fair, a few of the yearlings had vibrissae intact, and notably, they had no obvious head injuries like too many of the whiskerless. As well, at least one of the ring handlers is female, beautiful hair flowing down her back, pinned down so as not be grabbed a hold of easily by a frustrated sales candidate. Perhaps a thir  of the incoming grooms with the horse’s last day at hand, are women with hair tied up. 

The auctioneer drone is incessant, sales wear on, thousands of horses, thousands of chain shanks, bidda, biddahererightnow, bidda here, twenty thousand, now 30... lots of withdrawals due to injury and infirmity. Relatives win big races, and value skyrockets. The full sibling to Authentic sells, or was it to Audible? Blue blood, and thick. Money, money, the tempo unfading, stock moving through, live stock, an introduction for each yearling, most unnamed, known by their sire, and dam’s sire, pedigreed bloodstock, bluebloods going for green, flesh disguised as money. Walking money, walk that talk, Mr Auctioneer, Yes, sir.  What’ll you give for this fine filly, sir, 50,000? 50,000 is it, now 100, one now two, 300,000, now 350, forty, and a bidabidabidabidabidabida … money flying off chins, fingers, ear taps, computer clicks, cap tips, eyeglass cues, and nods… sweeps of paper, high-handed salutes bidabida, half the action online, it seems. 

Chains, the yearlings are brought in seized with lip chains and nose chains, shanks and rubbers, nerve lines and war bridles of all sorts. Despicable handling, and at a critical behavioral development phase. The sales trauma ruins many minds. 

Kentucky horsemanship is not dead altogether, but if things don't change soon, it will be. A few arrive with the kinder European style bitted halters, which are preferable, effective, and less harsh. Some horses travel through the ring adequately prepared, much like nearly every yearling at Tattersalls across the pond, all of them whiskered, no obvious sedation, and no harsh shank handling. 

Let me make it clear it should not be about effective restraint, but effective preparation, the horses should be prepared for behavioral contemned in hand, rather than fear of punishment. Where sedation is prevalent, amateur horsemanship both precedes and follows the sale. The less prepared, the more chains and drugs, the less likely the yearling is to train up willingly. Keeneland: Shaved whiskers, chains, and sedatives—a poor reflection on the human/animal bond in Kentucky. An ineffectual way to win any future race at all.

Inadequate horsemanship remains perseverant at Keeneland, tolerated and accepted, bidabidamoneymoneynow 50, 100, 150-2, now 250—3. Bida bidabidabidaabidaba 4 resonates, ringing loud as I arrive to restructure the thoroughbred culture conscience, to menace their abuse. Here we go, yet again, first racing drugs, now sales drugs, a lot of pharmaceutically-sedated yearlings. Keeneland sale drug-use of behavior modification drugs goes on without apparent restriction. The post sale drug tests do not offer sedation testing. The yearlings can also be treated before the sale with NSAIDs, masking injury and lameness. 

I have a veterinary eye for pharmaceutically-induced behaviors. It is disappointing to see that a significant percentage of the Keeneland yearlings are doped, sedated to manage their lack of appropriate preparation. The clipped vibrissae create varying levels of distress, inciting the perceived need for sedation by so many of the breeders. 

Of course, as my readers and students and teachers know, my horse-care criticisms are unbounded. The most significant issue this time is the shaving and clipping of vibrissae, removing the facial whiskers with malice aforethought, amputation of essential sensory organs, which elicits much of the perceived need to sedate and shank the young-minded yearlings, ruining many of them.

 The vibrissae clipping must stop, such an egregious outright abuse of yearling thoroughbreds by Kentuckians who should know better. More criticism will follow if it not restricted. Such a simple thing not to do. Behavior would be much more manageable if the vibrissae were present. 

Now that we have raceday Lasix use restricted, a practice which engendered and normalized drug use at every stage. Just as horses can be adequately prepared to minimize EIPH incidence, the yearlings could be adequately prepared to avoid undignified drugs and painful chains. 

Equine behaviorists are insisting the vibrissae remain intact all through a horse's life. I aim to make the world a better place for horses, the yearlings in particular. The vibrissae clipping, drugging, and chaining of the Keeneland yearlings must be regulated for their sake, and I'd be happy to be the regulator via education of breeders and trainers on the nature and needs of the horse.

 

 

Sid Gustafson DVM 


Below are the supporting and referenced scientific articles and recommended reading.


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7509108/


https://drdavidmarlin.com/fei-moves-to-ban-clipping-shaving-of-sensory-hairs/


https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02213989 


 https://www.animallaw.info/statute/germany-cruelty-german-animal-welfare-act









More reference links and suggested reading




 https://www.animallaw.info/sites/default/files/lralvol9_p159.pdf

 

Dignity is each animal’s inherent worth that humans must uphold in their relationships with that animal. This means that we must respect each animal for himself or herself (including individual particularities, behaviours, and prefer- ences). We must therefore take that unique worth into account and hold each animal in high moral regard, independent of our own impressions, opinions, and experiences. As such, animals’ inherent worth should not be tied to their instrumental usefulness, nor to their sentimental, heritage, or market value. 

Strain is a physical or psychological action by a human being to impose a benefit. In extreme cases, the term also includes any violence applied to animals to force them to do something against their will or to prevent them from doing what they want. The definition also covers the negative consequences of such actions. Strain always affects dignity. Dignity is only comprised, however, if overriding interests cannot justify it. This is the case, for example, when animals are subjected to pain, suffering, or harm, or exposed to anxiety or humiliation, or undergo interventions that profoundly alter their appearance or abilities, or are excessively objectified as instruments, also known as instrumentalization (Art. 3 AniWA). 

The AniWA (art. 4) prohibits the unjustified 1and unnecessary imposition of strains on animals (injury, pain, stress, restriction of freedom, violation of dignity, overwork, etc.). Implicit in this standard is the need to weigh the different interests of the parties involved (humans, animals, and the environment) to determine whether the strain is justified. If its impact on the horse outweighs the interests of the other parties, the strain in question is abusive and amounts to a contempt of dignity. 

The concepts of pain, suffering, and harm are not easy to distinguish, but understanding them helps to clarify any impairments to welfare. Pain is characterised by an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with real or suspected tissue damage (lameness, colic). It is noted that donkeys do not show pain as blatantly as horses do; they remain more stoic. Animals experience suffering as negative emotions that affect their quality of life and impair their welfare. Suffering is expressed through abnormal behaviour and body language (facial expressions, ear position, postures, etc.). Harm is manifested by loss of functionality or behavioural disorders, such as limited responsiveness to stimuli. It appears when animals are pushed to extreme levels of adaptation."

from https://www.cofichev.ch/Htdocs/Files/v/6125.pdf/Publications-cofichev/COFiCHEV_Ethique_Resume_EN_DEF_20220427.pdf

British law forbidding tail docking from 1949:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo6/12-13-14/70

 

 



Dr Gustafson graduated from Washington State University as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1979. He is a practicing veterinarian, animal welfare journalist, equine behavior educator, and novelist. The application of behavioral science to the husbandry of horses enhances optimal health, performance, soundness, contentment, and longevity. Behavioral, social, locomotory, and nutritional strategies enhance the prosperity, vigor, and health of stabled horses. Sid offers veterinary care, training, husbandry, and conditioning from the horse's perspective to achieve willing and winning equine partnerships with humans.