. . . .Covert cameras were installed by campaign group Animal Aid at the abattoir with footage from four days at the end of 2019 and the start of 2020.
Animal Aid spokesman Dene Stansall said: "When we looked at the footage we were absolutely astounded at the sheer volume of young thoroughbreds."
Footage showed dozens of former racehorses being slaughtered, with most of them majority of young horses from Ireland, the BBC reports.
Some of the horses shot in the abattoir had previous illustrious racing careers, winning thousands of pounds.
Mr Elliott told Panorama none of the three animals allegedly trained by him in Ireland in the past were sent to the abattoir by him.
They were retired from racing after being injured and weren't under his care when they were killed, he told the BBC.
Two were sent to a horse dealer "to be rehomed if possible, and if not, to be humanely euthanised" in accordance with regulations, the told the broadcaster.
He said he gave a third horse to another rider as requested by its owner and was unaware what happened to them until Panorama contacted him.
. . . Prof Daniel Mills, a veterinary behavioural specialist from the University of Lincoln, who saw the footage, said: "A gunshot going off is going to be startling.
"Seeing another horse suddenly drop, these are all going to be very distressing for a horse in this situation."
In 91 incidents, horses were shot from a distance instead of close up, the BBC reports.
Commenting on one killing, Prof Mills added: "It doesn't look like the horse is even stunned.
"You can see it's turning its head. It seems to have got some control actually over its head and neck.
"If that's representative of how they're being killed, then we've got a really serious problem."
A spokesman for the abattoir said it takes "great care to maintain high welfare conditions and do not accept any form of animal abuse".
All horses are "humanely destroyed'' and the abattoir takes ''swift action to review and rectify" any issues, the spokesman said.
Mr Elliott told the BBC: "None of those animals were sent by me to the abattoir."
I watched that programme last night. Truly shocking and I have absolutely no connection to Horses or the Equine Industry.Published by: Joe Duggan, The SUN, on 19 Jul 2021.
THOUSANDS of racehorses are killed in slaughterhouses in the UK and Ireland each year, it's reported.
A BBC Panorama report claims more than 4,000 horses - some previously owned and trained by the sport's biggest names - were slaughtered since 2019.
Undercover recordings allegedly show how rules to protect horses from a cruel death appeared to be regularly ignored at one of Britain's largest abattoirs, tonight's investigation The Dark Side of Horse Racing claims.
The abattoir, Drury and Sons in Swindon - which has a licence to kill horses - told the BBC it didn't accept any form of animal abuse.
Three of the horses allegedly shot in the abattoir were reportedly trained by three-time Grand National-winning coach Gordon Elliot .
HORSE SLAUGHTER . . . .
In March, Elliott was axed by Betfair and suspended from racing after he sparked fury when he was photographed sitting on a dead horse.
'STARTLING' . . . .
Regulations say horses shouldn't be slaughtered within sight of each other, with every effort made to ensure a quick death.
The footage taken by Animal Aid's cameras showed horses being shot 26 times.
Sun Online has contacted Drury and Sons and Gordon Elliott for comment.
View attachment 590254[photo: Undercover footage an an abattoir allegedly shows rules on killing horses are regularly ignored. Credit: Animal Aid].
Thousands of racehorses killed in slaughterhouses in UK & Ireland each year
THOUSANDS of racehorses are killed in slaughterhouses in the UK and Ireland each year, it’s reported. A BBC Panorama report claims more than 4,000 horses – some previously owned and tra…www.thesun.co.uk
Follow link for PANORAMA video.
I didn't watch the program, so cannot comment on the behaviour of the slaughtermen.Published by: John Simpson, The TIMES, on Monday 19 July 2021.
‘Cruel’ deaths of racehorses shown in BBC Panorama film from abattoir.
Thousands of racehorses — often young thoroughbreds — are killed in slaughterhouses in the UK and Ireland every year, an investigation has found.
More than 4,000 racehorses have been slaughtered in abattoirs since 2019, an investigation by the BBC’s Panorama has found. Evidence has emerged of failures to prevent the animals dying unnecessarily cruel deaths.
The programme, The Dark Side of Horse Racing, to be broadcast tonight, shows covert video from one of the UK’s biggest abattoirs exposing apparently inhumane practices. Some of the horses shot dead in the abattoir had enjoyed illustrious careers, winning thousands of pounds. They were associated with some of the biggest names in Irish racing . . .
[DAMN PAYWALL]
View attachment 590252[photo: Animal Aid used secret cameras to record the horses’ final moments at the abbatoir in Swindon. BBC ].
‘Cruel’ deaths of racehorses shown in BBC Panorama film from abattoir
Thousands of racehorses — often young thoroughbreds — are killed in slaughterhouses in the UK and Ireland every year, an investigation has found.More than 4,000www.thetimes.co.uk
Not just thoroughbreds, it's prevalent through most breeds, particularly natives and cobs.I didn't watch the program, so cannot comment on the behaviour of the slaughtermen.
However, the over production of racehorses has been going on for a very long time, and that is why there are so many being shot. Too many breeders breed from substandard mares, or from one's with compromised conformation, whose offspring are thus similarly afflicted, and thus of no use a a racehorse, and unlikely to find employment as a a riding horse given the oversupply.
I would like to see thoroughbred mares barred from having their progeny registered in the Stud Book, and thus unable to race, unless they have attained an lifetime rating of a certain value, and have retired sound in eyes, wind and action.
Retraining of racehorses as eventers, hunters and so on does go on, and the success stories are many, indeed, in the 70s one of the best horses my father trained ended up as one of the best police horses in the Met. This doesn't solve the problem of their being too many substandard, and thus unwanted thoroughbreds.
As I recall the French have a very regulated equine industry, something the UK could learn from.Not just thoroughbreds, it's prevalent through most breeds, particularly natives and cobs.
I really think breeding should be licensed.
A few years ago now, before it became popular and trendy, I used to pick up failed racers from sales or trainers and reschool and sell them on. No ROR in those days. It had to fit in with my own horses and work, so it was very much one at a time and only a couple a year.
This was my first one, at his first hunter trial. He was sharp to put it mildly and could get quite distraught at the sight of a pole on the ground, let alone anything actually jumpable.
He took 9 months of slow, patient steady work and went on to be a brilliant Riding Club horse for a 16 year old girl.
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