Horse racing probably started when the first man with a horse challenged the second man with a horse. Records that show mankind was racing horses as far back as recorded records.
The first established horse racing in the United States dates back to 1665 when “Newmarket” course opened in Salisbury, New York, on Long Island. The first race was supervised by the colonial governor of New York. The first races were socially and economically enjoyed by the wealthy, but quickly crossed into the poorer classes. It existed in all sections of the country, and through the 1700’s, rules were made by the wealthy owners and breeders, followed the British nobility, and was a high class social affair, mostly for the upper class. At the time, most races were ‘match’ races, with two or three horses pitted against each other in ‘heats’, usually 4 miles long. To ‘win’ a horse had to win two heats. These early races were more about stamina than speed. The first recorded quarter mile race was in 1674 when two horses raced through village streets. This type of racing was instrumental in development of the ‘quarter horse’, a horse that could jump off into a quick start and was fast for that shorter length.
Racing’s popularity depended on the economy and what was going on with the country. From the very first, there was gambling involved with horse racing. With match races, one owner bet his horse against the other, with the winner getting the total. Over time, when races added additional horses, often purses were split with a second or third getting some of the total. And, as expected, persons other than the owners now started betting on the outcomes.
Racing was effected by the Civil War and many anti gambling reformers. However, after the war, status became important and racing became an alliance between powerful men, politicians and wealthy owners. This enabled New York racing to flourish, and included socioeconomic status, and political gain. Needless to say, the sport became embroiled in cheating, corruption, and anti gambling sentiments rose, making most states ban bookmaking.
By the late 1800’s this nearly eliminated horse racing. When pari-mutual betting was established in 1908, racing started to turn around, and flourished until World War II, when it again became unpopular. Horse racing did not start to regain popularity until the establishment of the Triple Crown of races and when horses started winning the three races. Man of War, the first winner of the Triple Crown was directly responsible for the resurgence of horse racing.
Today horse racing is often only popular during the time of the Triple Crown races and mostly if there is a horse that has a chance of winning all three races. In modern times, the sport was most popular during the 1970’s when Secretariat, Seattle Slew and Affirmed won the Triple Crown.
The 1890’s was the high point of horse racing in the US, with 314 race track operating in the country. By 1908 there were only 25. The last major racetrack to open was Meadowlands in New Jersey in 1977, however, it is primarily a harness racing facility (trotters). The oldest operating track is Pleasanton at the Alameda County Fairgrounds, dating back to 1858.
Horse Racing in New England
There are two kinds of horse racing that was offered in Massachusetts. “Harness racing” which is trotting horses, and thoroughbred racing. In Massachusetts, harness racing was more popular than thoroughbred racing.
When Suffolk Downs in East Boston, MA closed in 2014, that marked the final chapter of horse racing in New England. From the 1930’s when 3 New England states legalized parimutuel betting, and into the 1970’s, horse racing was the most popular sport in New England. The general decline in the popularity of thoroughbred racing in North America has seen New England’s tracks plummet from a high of 16 to zero.
The following is a listing of famous tracks in New England:
Rockingham Park in Salem New Hampshire opened in 1906, but gambling was illegal in New Hampshire. It took until 1933 for New Hampshire to allow parimutuel betting, by which time the park had fallen into disrepair. After renovations it reopened in 1933, and continued into the 1970’s when the park again began to wane. A disastrous fire made matters worse, and although new owners tried to revitalize it, out of state tracks with better facilities and casino gambling spelt the end of the park in 2002. There was a brief attempt to host harness racing that failed, today it only hosts simulcasting, and its 170 acres are strewn with empty buildings and deserted stables.
Narragansett Park near Newport RI opened in 1934 right after the state legalized parimutuel betting, and was a playground for the rich and famous in the 1930’s and 1940’s. On Labor Day of that year, it hosted 54,000 attendees, the largest event ever held in Rhode Island. It hosted celebrities such as Babe Ruth, Mickey Rooney and Jimmy Durante. By 1936, it made a profit of over 2 million, making it the most profitable racetrack in the country and it contributed more than 10% of the state’s entire revenue. By the 1950’s the park began to decline. Fires in 1960 and 1976 killed horses and caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage. By the 1970’s it fell on hard times with decreased attendees, and no good horses willing to race there. It closed in 1978 with only 2882 attendees. It was sold the following year to the City of Pawtucket for 5.6 million for commercial and residential development.
The Massachusetts Fair Circuit was called the ‘leaky roof curcuit’ and was notorious for its corruption, yet, in its day, drew crowds. The first to open was the Marshfield Fair, in 1935 after the state allowed wagering. 7 Courses made up the circuit, Berkshire Downs, Brockton Fair, Great Barrington Fair, Marshfield Fair, Middleborough Fair, Northampton Fair and the Weymouth Fair. The runners were slow, prizes were small and results questionable, but the fairs were beloved for their unpredictability. One attendee commented that the fair circuit was where ‘bad race horses go to die.’ In fact, it was common by the end that attendees counted the number of horses that died or were put down during the races. By the turn of the 1980’s the fair tracks faced the same general lack of popularity as other racecourses. One by one they closed, with the final survivor, the Northampton Fair, closing in 2005. Suffolk Downs was the first permanent racetrack in Massachusetts. It opened in July of 1935, just 62 days after the state legalized parimutuel wagering. When it opened it was lauded as one of the most modern in North America. More than 35,000 racegoers watched the inaugural race. It became the stalwart of the Boston sporting social circuit. In the 1960’s, change in ownership prompted a decades of change with updates in the grandstand, clubhouse, paddocks and a major reconstruction of the infield turf course, launching the richest turf race in the world. After attracting a very unremarkable crowd and handle, the race was never held again. In the 1970’s, Suffolk Downs began to struggle as did the other New England racetracks. Racing dates were drastically expanded, yet, with lotteries legalized, Suffolk Downs was feeling the pinch. Numerous ownership did nothing to stabilize the track, and in the mid 1980’s, it was so dogged by bad management, race fixing allegations, low quality horses that it became known as the poorest run thoroughbred venue in America. The track closed in 1989. After infrastructure improvements totally millions of dollars, it reopened in 1992. Slowly, the standard of racing returned, but did not last. The tracks negative reputation of corruption and race fixing stayed with it. In the late 1990’s competition from casinos in neighboring states caused the racecourse to reverse again, and attendees and handles started to decline. In 2014, after an unsuccessful bid to obtain a casino license, the owners of Suffolk Downs (one being Richard Fields of Commonwealth Racing) announced the racetrack would close, and the property was sold for development.
The Down Side of Racing
Where there is gambling, there is cheating and the history of racing it rampant with recurrent race fixing and running ringers. In the 1960’s, there came the widespread use of anti inflammatory and coagulant drugs on horses. Some racing bodies limited the use of such drugs, others did not. Over racing in the United States encouraged their use, and both legal and illegal drug use explains the higher death rate among American racehorses. The US Jockey Club reported 600 horses died in racing related deaths on US racetracks in 2006, a significantly larger number than recorded in any other country. The use of steroids on horses came under particular scrutiny in the late 20th century.
Animal rights organizations have long criticized horse racing, exposed horse doping, instituted a ban on whipping by jockeys, limits the number of races a horse (especially three year olds and younger) can run in a season, and eliminated dirt tracks in favor of safer synthetic surfaces. Two notable tragedies in the early 21st century helped propel calls for reform: the shattering of bones in Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro’s legs just seconds after the start of the Preakness in 2006 and the death of three horses during the production of the TV series ‘Luck’ (2011-2012), a drama about horse racing. The deaths and outcry by viewers led to the abrupt cancellation of the show after one season. These two events, along with changing interests of global sporting public, contributed to further decline in popularity of horse racing.
The thoroughbred breeding industry foals out about 30,000 horses a year. A HUGE number. Every year they take the ‘mature’ horses and train them to race. Like with any sport, the number of horses that actually excel at racing is a small percentage of the total. So what happens to the rest? Some get passed off to ignorant new people who want to get into racing and don’t know what they are getting into. Some get sold into other disciplines, hunter jumpers, dressage, but the vast majority of them are dumped. They dump them into the slaughter pipeline. Anyone can say anything they want, BUT exactly where is there any place for 30,000 horse every year to go? There are no homes for them with people like you and me - see the costs above - and rescues are overrun. These horses go to a horse auction. And the number one buyer of horses at auction are the slaughter buyers.
Horses Racing Today
If you investigate horse racing today in the USA you will find you can bet on all sorts of horse races, many of which are NOT in the United States. 24 states have operating horse racetracks, offering quarter horse, harness and thoroughbred racing. The closest tracks to Massachusetts are in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Some statistics cite about 25 horses die at racetracks per week, because there are less horses racing today than in the past, and because owners and trainers are willing to do whatever they need to, to make sure that a horse is racing and making them money. The testing for drugs is not completely accurate, the number of testing labs is not adequate for the demand, and is always behind the ability to invent a new drug. Where there are billions of dollars, at stake, there will always be corruption.
Horseracing is not just a sport, it is an industry supported by legalized gambling. As gambling has become more accessible, with lotteries and casinos, horse racing has become less popular. Tracks that have added slot machines and casino games are the ones who are doing well. Attendance at racetracks has fallen off because of this, unless propped up by government intervention. This is the reason racetracks still exist, despite the concerns about animal cruelty, gambling addictions and the morality of gambling.
Various animal rights organizations range in their beliefs about racing, but all believe that everything should be done to protect the horses, and object to certain cruel and dangerous practices. One study estimated 3 thoroughbred horses die each day in North America due to injuries from racing. Pushing a horse to its limits and forcing them to run around a racetrack is enough to cause injury. Racing horses under 3 years old when their bones are not strong enough, leads to fractures and death. Drugging horses to keep them competing while injured, whipping horses to make them run faster in the stretch, and racetracks made of hard packed dirt, all cause injuries.
The average horse weights 1000 pounds and is supported by ankles the size of the human wrist. They carry weight on their backs on spines that have not matured, and are forced to run at speeds in excess of 30 mph. It is almost impossible to diagnose hairline fractures or strained tendons. Horses do not handle surgery or anesthesia well. All leading to the death of racehorses.
The worst abuse is one hidden from the public - horse slaughter. As one article in the Orlando Sentinel explains: “To the horse racing industry, the thoroughbred is a lottery ticket. The racing industry breeding thousands of losing tickets while looking for its next champion.” Just as a farmer can not care for a spent egg laying hen, when they get old, racehorse owners are not in the business of feeding and keeping loosing horses. Even winning horses are not spared from the slaughterhouse. Decorated horses like Ferdinand, a Kentucky Derby winner, and Exceller, who won more than $1 million in purses, were retired to stud. After they failed to produce champion offspring, they were sent to slaughter. Horse slaughter is an ugly industry. Horses are shipped in trucks not designed for them and packed into an area that is not designed to accommodate them. They often endure a trip of over 36 hours without rest, food or water. Horses fight each other, and if a fight does happen, and a horse is injured and goes down, there is nothing that will be done to keep the cruelty from getting worse for that injured horse or any others. Horses panic easily, and this is a panic situation for them. At the slaughterhouse, horses are ‘killed’ with the same method they use on cows, which is often not effective on them, and many have their throats slit while fully conscious.
While there are rescue groups and sanctuaries for retired racehorses, there are not enough. There will never be enough places for the thousands of thoroughbreds cast off by the racing industry every year. Horse breeders argue that slaughter is a necessary evil but animals rights groups state it would not be necessary if breeders stopped breeding.
The bottom line, these groups state, horse racing has seen it better days, and is a dying industry that should be allowed to go away, and not be propped up by governments. There is the argument that horse racing supports too many people to be shut down. However, during the pandemic while active racing was shut down, the industry was maintained with many less people. Furthermore, because live racing did not exist, it was replaced by virtual racing which was just as popular and served the purpose.
With online betting, the social interaction that a day at the races used to be is no longer viable. In fact, the entire racing industry in the United States only employed about 21,000 people!
Animal rights activists are often seen at racetracks and have, on many occasions, shut down racing at tracks. No new horse racing facilities have been built in over 40 years. It is clear that this is due to the fact that horse racing is no longer popular, and no longer accepted by the general public.
Horses in Hardwick
There is no official record today of exactly how many horses live in Hardwick, but the author personally only knows of about 20 in town, 3 of which are her own. With the discontinuance of excise tax for farm equipment and farm animals, 2012 was the last year Hardwick counted horses. That year there were: 35 horses and ponies, 3 donkeys and mules.
The following are the statistics from past town reports:
2007: 61 horses and ponies, 4 donkeys & mules
1995: 45 horses, 6 ponies and 5 donkeys
1989: 40 work and saddle horses, 9 ponies, 1 donkey
1978: 35 horses.
1976: 17 horses
1969: 24 horses and 12 ponies
1967: 41 horses
1957: 11 horses
1954: 21 horses
1947: 62 (the inspector stated he visited 89 farms, some only had horses)
1946: 75 horses
1919: The inspector of animals did not list any horses. However, there were 1199 cows and heifers, 57 bulls, 682 ‘young’ cattle and 4 oxen.
In 1919, W. L. Taplin, the Paige Agricultural Fund Demonstration Farm manager, stated In his year end annual report: “Horse breeding in all its branches is fast losing its money value.” Massachusetts has, throughout its history, NOT considered horses to be an accepted agricultural product. They are not considered a farm animal. The breeding of thoroughbred horses has been viturally non existent in the state, and rarely has it been considered viable for raising ‘racehorses.’
Even during the heydays of Suffolk Downs, horse racing has never been anything but a part time pastime in Massachusetts. The industry was never considered a major employer. .
What Does it Cost to Own A Horse?
Like anything, the cost to maintain your pet (yes, a horse is a pet) varies by the conditions you keep them in, or your circumstances. However, I will note here the average cost of keeping one horse in Hardwick today.
Boarding/stabling: $675 per month. This figure is based on an advertisement seen yesterday at the Hardwick Co-op.
Grain: $17.69 for a 50 pound bag. This is for Poulin Grain (A VT company) and price for a bag of what is considered a maintenance feed bought yesterday at the Co-op. A bag of premium feed easily costs twice as much. An average horse can will eat about one bag a week to 10 days.
Salt Block: $11.25 — Yes, they need this to be encouraged to drink water. One 50 pound block will last many months.
Supplements: Depending on what you horse might need, a bucket of any one kind can easily range $50-100 or more. Expect that they will probably go through a bucket every month to 6 weeks.
Hay: $9.00 a bale — Depending on the size of the bale, a horse could eat anywhere from 1/2 to one bale per day.
Average cost to house and feed a horse per year: $12-13,000.00
Vet: Yearly Shots – $500-750 per year. This is assuming there are no emergencies.
Farrier: Trimming of hooves – $75-100
Depending on the horse, this is necessary every 6 to 8 weeks. If the horse has shoes, that figure will double, or may triple.
Vet & Farrier per year: $1400.00 to $2400.00
Equipment: Halter – $30.00 Lead rope – $20 Bridle – $100-250.00
Bit – $35-150.00 Saddle pad – $50-350.00 Saddle – $1000-4000.00
Brushes/blankets/wraps/etc – $300-500.00 Buckets, feeders, water tanks – $300-500 (this is based on BASIC western style equipment. English equipment can often run higher. If your child wants to become a show rider, you will need another set of show equipment which can easily run two to three times the cost of basic items. Granted, if you buy quality equipment, you will not have to replace it yearly, but things break, get lost, etc.
Total cost of equipment: $3000.00 and up.
Optional equipment: Horse Trailer – A NEW two horse trailer/bumper pull will cost you anywhere from $18,000.00 and up, with an average of about $25,000.00.
Truck to pull the trailer: A new truck? Try $40,000-90,000!
Cost to buy a horse? Yes, there are free horses out there - there is a reason they are free. A GOOD trained horse will cost you $5,000 and up to purchase. Let’s not count the price of the horse, or the truck and trailer. Just feeding, housing and keeping your horse healthy will cost you about $13-14,000 per year. If you do the one time purchase of the horse, equipment (Tack) and a trailer, that will cost you another $32,000 - 34,000.00.
See why this is called a rich man’s hobby? Yes, there are ways to cut costs, but honestly folks, horses are expensive, and in today’s economy where it cost you a couple thousand dollars a month to rent an apartment, this is not something the average person can afford. Now you know why horses are called ‘hay burners.'
Horse racing in Hardwick?
With the information given above - do you really think that CEAC is going to run a retirement home for ex racehorses? Even if they buy in bulk, each and every one of those horses is going to cost them a MINIMUM of $8,000-10,000 per year to maintain. Prices were for my tough American Paints, raised on the prairie of South Dakota and not fussed over. They don’t live in a box stall, are not fussy eaters and have strong constitutions. Throughbreds are not my tough Paints. They have sensitive stomachs (special feed and those pricey supplements) they need special protein and sugar levels in their expensive hay (no common hay for them!) They easily colic, (vet bills) and have smaller hooves than mine (extra farrier visits). Do you really think they will have a field full of them so you can look at them as you pass buy? Why waste $100K or more so that it looks pretty for the citizens of Hardwick? You think you will be able to go pet them and feed one a carrot? No, that horse has never seen one, and could get them sick.
Oh, there may be one or two out there to make it look good - but a retirement home for them? NO.
The Rest of the Story
All the information I noted above is fact easily researched on the internet. Regretfully, we are faced with a dilemma. We have big, dark money coming into our town, promising what is essentially a pittance, all for THEIR profit. Yes, they are dangling what seems like a lot of money, but, what they want is for us to sell out our Town and our way of life so they can profit off gambling. They are willing to skirt the law (the property is in APR and the says it CAN NOT be developed), and make promises we will never be able to collect on. A Host Community agreement is useless and unenforceable when the state writes law, and ALL state law overrides whatever we want. PILOT programs (payment in Lieu of taxes) are a VOLUNTARY agreement. It’s not enforceable. If they don’t feel like paying, there is nothing we can do. If, or when, they decide to ignore any agreement they make with us, the only way we will be able to do is legal action. How long will that 500K last when they have millions and billions to fight us?
— Liz Cyran
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