Sir, - The RTÉ Investigates documentary highlighted the fate that can await all types of horses and ponies but the racing industry cannot hide from the fact that of the 2,406 horses slaughtered between January 1st 2023 and February 28th 2024, 72% (1,721) were registered thoroughbreds. Some 842 were named thoroughbreds and, of that number, 424 had a racing record.

The documentary was lazy in its handling of that data in that they didn’t show how many of those horses were still within the umbrella of the racing/bloodstock industry when they were sent for slaughter.

But however great or small that number might be, Horse Racing Ireland and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board could be far more direct with trainers and owners about what is considered an acceptable end of life scenario for thoroughbreds.

It would be very easy for IHRB and HRI (along with the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association and the Assocation of Irish Racehorse Owners) to put out a definitive statement, direct to members and publicly, that it is not considered acceptable for any thoroughbred still within the industry to end its days in a slaughterhouse.

There is a more humane option - euthanasia at home - and it should be made clear that this is the expected best practice within the industry.

IHRB are happy to regulate against all sorts of other things that would be legal outside of racing so why not this? Racing is a club, it has its own rules and euthanasia at home should be one of those rules.

It would be a small step in the right direction.- Yours etc.,

Debby Ewing,

New Ross,

Co Wexford