SIR - Simon Knapp’s unconvincing response ‘Horse injury rate has decreased’ to Fiona Pereira’s recent letter (T&A, June 12) was simply the rhetoric of the racing industry. It was a feeble attempt to erode the strong argument by Ms Pereira in favour of replacing the British Horseracing Authority in its role as race horse welfare regulator.
Quoting the meaningless figure of an ‘injury rate… decreased by over one third’ with no mention of what the actual figure is, and not stating how many horses are killed due to racing each year (actually hundreds), he made a poor effort to play down the extent of the welfare problems.
Many horses are brutally beaten with whips, others break their necks or legs when falling in races and lay dead or helpless. ‘Slow’ horses may be sold off to slaughterhouses.
Dene Stansall, horse racing consultant, Animal Aid
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