NSPCA calls for urgent reforms in horse racing welfare

While recognising that horse racing is a long-standing tradition for many, the NSPCA has called for urgent reforms to protect the welfare of the horses involved, particularly those on the racing circuit who fall under the care of the National Horse Racing Authority (NHRA).

Coinciding with the glamorous Durban July race day, the NSPCA launched “Rein in the Pain”, a national campaign to raise awareness about the suffering racehorses endure in the name of sport and spectacle.

“We understand the legacy tied to this sport, but tradition cannot be used to excuse ongoing cruelty,” NSPCA spokesperson Jacques Peacock said. 

“These magnificent animals are being silenced by a system that too often places profit above their welfare. Window-dressing measures and paltry fines may create the illusion of progress, but they do little to drive meaningful change or hold the industry genuinely accountable.”

Actress and activist Nirvana Nokwe helped launch the campaign in unforgettable fashion at the Durban July, donning a thought-provoking art piece designed to challenge perceptions and spark conversation.

Her red-carpet look served as a haunting tribute to racehorses discarded after injury or poor performance.

“This isn’t just about what happens on race day,” Nokwe said. “It’s about what we don’t see, the tongue-ties, the severe whippings at lesser-known events, the broken bones, strained ligaments, and the bleeding lungs. Fashion can make a statement, and this one says: It's time to change.”

The campaign highlights the often-ignored realities of horse racing, which include tongue-ties which cause discomfort, performance-enhancing drugs which push horses beyond their natural limits, whipping which inflicts pain under the guise of motivation and collapsed lungs, fractured legs, and premature deaths, often resulting from overexertion and unsafe conditions.

The NSPCA also said early racing places strain on young horses before their skeletons are fully developed.

In the interest of reducing cruelty and promoting immediate change, the organisation detailed proposed amendments to the Rules of the NHRA.

The NSPCA is calling on all industry stakeholders, including horse owners, trainers, jockeys, breeders, and racing associations to commit to banning drugs and harmful training aids, ending and banning the use of whipping, phasing out harmful equipment, such as tongue ties, halting the practice of racing horses before full skeletal maturity and providing lifetime welfare, not just track-time care.

The organisation also called for adherence to animal welfare laws and related regulations, and reporting any abuse to the appropriate authorities.

“These proposed amendments to the Rules of the NHRA are a work in progress, and we invite industry stakeholders to engage with us, collaborate, and help shape a more compassionate future for horse racing,” said Peacock.

“Our goal is simple. We want racing stakeholders to acknowledge the cruelty and commit to ending it. With enough public support, we can shift the culture of racing in South Africa towards accountability, compassion, and real reform,” said Peacock.

The NSPCA urged South Africans to stand with them by signing the petition at nspca.co.za/ReinInThePain.

Cape Times