19/08/2024
Not good enough. Poor horse.
Black Caviar — one of Australia's most famous horses — has died.
She was 17 years old, and been 'retired' from racing since 2013. But there was no rest for the 'champion' mare.
Her only reward for winning millions of gambling dollars for her owners was to then be treated like a breeding machine for the rest of her life. In 10 years, Black Caviar was impregnated — a process involving applying a restraint device to her face that was tightened if she protested — an exhausting nine times, so that her foals could be used for racing and breeding.
It is reported that she developed mastitis — an infection unique to breastfeeding mothers — while pregnant with her ninth foal. She then developed a severe and extremely painful condition known as laminitis. She was killed soon after giving birth. Tragically, her foal has also since passed away.
While we and so many others mourn the loss of this beautiful horse, we also remember the many others who 'disappear' every year without fanfare or recognition. The horses and foals who are too slow, old, sick, injured or otherwise 'unviable' for racing, who we will never hear about. They all deserve to be mourned, to be known, and remembered. They all deserve to be loved for who they are, not only valued by how much gambling money their bodies can generate.
No longer a 'racehorse'. No longer a 'broodmare'. No longer a commodity. Black Caviar was a thinking, feeling individual who was worth so much more than gambling money.
And now, she is finally free.
