Two incidents within a single day at Hastings Racecourse left one horse named Lucky Cowboy dead and another named Be Sparky injured.
This is the third death at Hastings this year:
- On May 25, a 3-year-old horse named Lizzie’s Rayne sustained a complete fracture of her left hind leg and was euthanized, less than one month into the racing season.
- On August 9, a 2-year-old horse named Kiki’s Song of Life sustained a compound fracture in his left front leg during a timed workout and was subsequently euthanized.
- On September 6, a 4-year-old horse named Lucky Cowboy suffered a compound fracture to his front leg during a race and was euthanized.
Last year, eleven horses died at B.C.’s two racecourses – eight at Hastings and three at Fraser Downs.
Horse racing puts horses’ lives at risk by using animals who are typically overbred for speed, rather than skeletal strength, in extremely fast-paced events. The industry also puts horses through stress and pain as a result of aversive training and the use of painful tools like whips and bits.
The VHS continues to encourage the public to not attend horse races and to take the pledge to reflect their concern for horses.