They are Never the Winners

In my series “They are Never the Winners” I display the dangerous elements that thoroughbred racing horses endure for human entertainment. A few of the topics I represent in my paintings are broken legs, tied tongues, whipping, accidents, and the selfish role that humans play in the horse racing industry.

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Since my first year as an undergraduate, I had been interested in depicting animal welfare in my artwork and

I knew that my final project had to be on this topic as well. I was inspired to create a series on racing horses because of my inclination to promote animal welfare and because I believe that the horse is a tragic victim of

a multibillion-dollar industry that solely benefits humans. While the horse is the star of the show, the horse doesn’t get anything more than a few extra apples and injuries. The real winners in the industry are the horse owners, trainers, jockeys, and those who bet money on the winning horse. 

 

For this series, I created 3 acrylic paintings that are 18x24in, a triptych of pieces that are also 18x24in, and 3 smaller paintings that are 8x11in. I carefully planned each piece through numerous studies and took inspiration from photographs of real horses displaying pain and discomfort on the track. My ultimate goal with this series is to exhibit the abuse that racehorses suffer and inform more people about this issue. Helping more people realize that there is a dark and abusive side to this sport is one small step towards helping animals and that fills me with determination.