18th Oct 2017, 4:38 PM – Senate Motions - Racehorses - Damage to horses

The majority voted against a motion asking the Senate to note the cost of horse racing to the horses, in terms of injury, death and general treatment. The motion was introduced by NSW Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon.

Motion text

That the Senate notes that—

(a) the Melbourne Cup is known as the "race that stops the nation";

(b) according to the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses' analysis of stewards' reports, from 1 August 2016 to 31 July 2017, 137 horses were killed on the track;

(c) according to Professor Ray Geor from the University of Michigan, studies show that almost 90 per cent of racehorses suffer exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH), otherwise known as bleeding in the respiratory system, at least once after three races;

(d) a 2005 report, for the Australian Government' s Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, notes EIPH as cause of morbidity and its high prevalence in racing thoroughbreds; and

(e) according to veterinarians Ms Leanne Begg and Mr Chris O' Sullivan, from the Randwick Equine Centre, the prevalence of gastric ulceration, otherwise known as stomach ulcers, in thoroughbred racehorses is reported to be between 66 per cent and 93 per cent, increasing to 80 per cent to 100 per cent as duration in training increases and horses commence racing.