Drug Use on Horses in Racetracks
Drug use on horses in racetracks is a prevalent phenomenon, Wendt states that the billion-dollar horse racing industry is facing a national crisis due to the pervasive use of drugs in the racetracks. Following these claims, many organizations including the senate judiciary committee consider the implementation of strict drug measures in horseracing. Drugs on horses in racetracks have profound effects that affect the jockeys, the horses, and the economy at large. Stringent drug regulations ensure that the violators of the rules get penalties and reduce the incompetence in racetracks. Thus, it is essential to impose stronger drug testing regulations on racetracks to minimize the effects of the use of drugs.
The Performance-Altering Effects of Drugs on Horses
Dr. George Maylin, the director of New York College of Veterinary Medicine, affirmed that the drugs administered on horses profoundly alter the performance of the horses (Voss). Drug misuse is prevalent because the existing regulations and drug testing programs are not effective in controlling the disparities in drug use. The rules and regulations are not rigorous enough to punish offenders and effectively reduce the regular abuse of drugs on a horse. Additionally, the United States is the only country that permits medicating horses before the races begin (Voss). Drug abuse on the racetrack is prevalent in the United States since medication of horses before runs have allowed abuse of illegal narcotics and permitted drugs on the runways. The practice has not only affected the economic aspect of the horseracing but also increased the severity and the number of jockeys and horses injured during races.
The Controversial Use of Class 4 NSAID Drugs
Even though some drugs used in the racetracks aid in heightening the performance levels if the horses some of them have adverse effects. Today, the class 4 NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory Drugs) drugs are common in racetracks they include the Lasix and the Corticosteroids. These drugs have attracted controversies concerning their legality and effects on horses. According to Goldberg different surgeons and researchers, the use of Lasix, Cortisone, and other medications have the long-term impact on horses. Continuous use of such drugs makes horses vulnerable and causes breakdowns. Corticosteroids are famous medication in the racing industries that treat inflammation and swelling of the horse joints. However, Goldberg argues that most veterinaries administer the drug wrongly. He states that most people administer the drugs 48-72 hours before the race, sometimes they inject on multiple joints on a weekly basis. For the effective therapeutic benefit of the drug, the horses should have an injection seven days before a race in low doses. Non-stringent rules on drug regulations have perpetrated the improper use of the drugs leading to a host of complications for the horses. For example, higher doses of the drugs lead to chronic arthritis, cartilage inflammations, and delay in the healing of the tissues like tendons and ligaments. The drugs contribute to the numerous instances that horse's breakdown during a race leading to fatalities for the jockeys and the horses.
Addiction Problems and Misuse of Drugs on Horses
Some of the drugs that the veterinaries administer to the horses lead to addiction problems. Most veterinaries and horse owners give drugs to the horses to keep them on the racetracks even when they should not race. Such methods lead to overworking and drug dependence for the horses to perform. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals states that today it is difficult to finds a horse trained anciently and takes water oats and hay. Different drugs are used in different states as their legality varies from state to state. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals asserts that Kentucky is the most lenient state that allows veterinaries to use an array of drugs on the horses. A horse trainer form Kentucky Derby, Rick Dutrow, in 2008 openly confirmed that he gave his horses an illegal drug banned in close to ten states in the United States (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). The veterinaries stated that without the drugs, the horse could not function and they need to ensure that the horses keep up the pace and a race two to three weeks in a month. The horses become accustomed to the drugs and require regular doses of drugs to function. Horses need to have time off the tracks to recover from fatigue, injuries, and illnesses. Drugs only increase their potential for shorter periods and when they get used to either the drugs they will need stronger drugs to function, or they become incompetent in the racetracks.
Compromised Integrity and Need for Stronger Regulations
Drugs on the racetrack compromise the integrity of the competition leading to cheating, serious lawsuits if the key stakeholders find out there was evidence in cheating allegations and sometimes disqualification of the competitors leading to losses. Blood-Horse affirms that there are flaws in the Coalition for horse racing integrity that allows drugs that compromise the veracity of the competitions. The current system in drug testing regulations is quite slow, and rectification in different states takes several years before they implement the laws. Today the system in place to regulate drug testing relies on outdated procedures. First, the laboratory standards across the state are not consistently leading to discrepancies of drug testing rules and procedures in different countries. The organization has conducted insufficient research about available drugs that affect horses. Blood-Horse affirms that there is un-coordination and underfunding of regulations on drug testing form state to state. The insufficiency affects the ability of the industry to control the use of illegal and legal drugs on horses thus impacting the integrity of the industry.
The Reckless Attitude and Spread of Drug Misuse Practice
The habit of using illegal drugs and misusing legal drugs on horses has become rampant over the years. Cohen posits that the spread of the practice is because of the reckless attitude of the state regulators and the law of uniformity in racing jurisdictions. People who create and advance performance-enhancing drugs are always a step ahead of the regulation officers (Cohen). They find loopholes in the regulations and find ways to still administer medications within the lacuna.
The Need for Strong Rules and Regulations
The effects of drugs and the spread of the drug misuse practice call for urgency in the creation of new strong rules and regulations in the drug testing practices for a horse in the racetrack. The stringent rules and regulations ensure that the perpetrators, veterinaries, and horse owners face legal repercussions of their actions. The laws will ensure that people caught in the misuse of drugs on a horse either pay hefty fines to ensure they do not repeat such actions and possible jail term to reduce the spread of these actions.
Guaranteeing Horse Fitness and Fair Competitions
Stronger rules on drug testing will guarantee that horses are fit before they participate in any races. Most racing horses that depend on drugs for performance cause severe injuries and sometimes death to the jockeys. The horses also suffer severe illness and sometimes break down and die on the racetracks. Strict regulations will ensure that the jockeys, the veterinaries, trainers, and horse owners operate within the proposed guidelines in the management and the training of the horses. Observing the rules will reduce the fatal injuries that happen on the racetrack and ensure safe competitions for the horses and the jockeys.
Consistency and Uniformity Across States and Countries
Additionally, a strong set of laws will ascertain that there is consistency and uniformity across the states and countries to ensure that all states operate within the same jurisdictions. The regulations will ensure that the laboratories in different states get enough funding, conduct sufficient research, and get contemporary equipment that will detect even the minute traces of drugs present in horses. The veterinaries will have to perform the study and submit their diagnosis to a medical board before administering any drugs on the horses. After a review and verification, the Medical board will beware of the drug that horses receive, their doses, and the number of times they get the drugs. Such measures will reduce abuse of legal drugs like the Corticosteroids necessary for treatment of horses.
Restoring the Integrity of Horse Racing Competitions
Finally, the policies will restore the integrity of the horse racing competitions. People will have faith in the winners and will not question the performance of individual horses, hence reducing lawsuits and ensuring that the income the jockeys receive is honest. The horse racing industry is in dire need of reforms in the strictness on drug racing regulations to restore sanity in the racetracks.
Works Cited
Blood Horse. "Coalition for Horse Racing Integrity Letter to Congress." BloodHorse.com, 16 July 2018, www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/228560/coalition-for-horse-racing-integrity-letter-to-congress.
Cohen, Andrew. "The Ugly Truth About Horse Racing." The Atlantic, 2014, www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/03/the-ugly-truth-about-horse-racing/284594/.
Goldberg, Ryan. TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions, 2013, www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/pdf/magazine/Magazine-Drugs%20in%20Racing-Part%20II.pdf.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. "The Horseracing Industry: Drugs, Deception and Death." PETA, 2018, www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/animals-used-entertainment-factsheets/horseracing-industry-drugs-deception-death/.
Voss, Nataliee. "New York's Drug Testing Program Has Its Own 'Style'." Horse Racing News | Paulick Report, 13 Nov. 2015, www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/new-yorks-drug-testing-program-has-its-own-style/.
Wendt, John T. "Horse Racing in the United States: A Call for a Harmonized Approach to Anti- Doping Regulation." Journal of Legal Aspects of Sport 25.2 (2015): 176-188.
