BETTING on horse racing is a popular pastime around the world. Even on the Chinese mainland, where betting on horse racing is illegal, people are fascinated with the firsthand experience of the excitement of the races. They know the sound of the hooves hitting the tracks, the looks of determination on the jockeys’ faces, and the overall intensity of the atmosphere on the race days. But what many people do not experience is a behind-the-scenes look into the different aspects of racing, including the most important part by far, the breeds themselves.

In the 8th Chinese traditional Games of Ethnic Nationalities concluded Sunday in Guangzhou, five horses died either during or after the equestrian events. Among these five horses, the 6-year-old Glamor, a British half-blood thoroughbred, died after winning a gold medal in the 10,000-meter race for the Jinlin Team. Two horses died after fierce competitions because of heart and lung failure and two died of digestion problems before the games started.

While people enjoy going to race tracks for the exciting atmosphere, few would ask what happens to horses after their careers are over.

Often, the most successful race horses, if they are not gelded early, will be retired to a stud farm. Yet this doesn’t guarantee a good life for the animal. The life of a stallion can often be lonely and isolated, as stallions often can not be turned out with geldings because they are too aggressive and protective of their mares. The stallions may be kept isolated inside for a majority of the time for this reason.

For horses that are not successful or not kept as a stallion, the prospects can be dubious.

In foreign countries unsuccessful horses are often sold at auction to slaughterhouses for consumption. Others are purchased to be trained for the jumps or for dressage. The horses are known as OTTBs, or off the track thoroughbreds. Retraining a horse that has lived its formative years at a race track can be a daunting task, but many people take on the challenge each year. Many OTTBs do go on to be successful show or family horses.

In China another common end for racing horses is euthanasia. While people argue against horse euthanasia, most Chinese owners and veterinarians will suggest this method of ending the life of a horse if there is no reasonable chance of the horse surviving.

(Song Yingwen)