‘He’s dead’: Jockey Laura Cheshire’s horror after discovering beloved racehorse killed

Heartbroken Queensland jockey Laura Cheshire desperately tried to find the beloved racehorse she rode for years before discovering he had been brutally killed in a slaughterhouse, as exposed in horrific footage aired last night. WARNING GRAPHIC

WARNING GRAPHIC:

QUEENSLAND jockey Laura Cheshire has revealed she desperately tried to track down a beloved retired racehorse before discovering he was brutally killed in a slaughterhouse, as exposed on the ABC’s 7.30 report last night.

Cheshire - who rode well-known, prize-winning racehorse War Ends for years - took to social media in the wake of the explosive report which showed thousands of healthy thoroughbred racehorses being shipped to their brutal deaths at abattoirs where many are abused before being inhumanely killed for meat consumption.

At one abattoir in southeast Queensland over a 22-day period, more than 300 race horses representing $5 million in prize money won were killed.

“The racing industry is failing racehorses. I have failed a racehorse. My heart is so broken,” Cheshire wrote after watching horrific footage of War Ends - who won more than $400,000 in prizemoney - being brutally abused and killed.

Serious questions have been raised about the welfare of racehorses, with thousands winding up in slaughterhouses.

War Ends is shown being repeatedly abused by an abbatoir worker, who calls the animal a “f***ing stupid c***” before he bolts it and then kicks it in the head while it lays dead on the slaughterhouse floor.

“War Ends I tried to do the best thing for you after you were passed on and on and on. And tonight I watched you get a captive bolt to the head. My heart feels dead,” Cheshire wrote.

“We tried so hard to place you into a good home after you were sold as a beginners horse.

“The lady who had you last told me you were in a forever home. Then she passed you on. I told her to get you back. To give you to me if she couldn’t keep you. You weren’t even mine but I just wanted the best for you.”

Cheshire shared a series of screenshots of messages with the person responsible for rehoming War Ends where she pleads to ‘please let me know’ after the beloved racehorse could not be found at his new home.

Laura Cheshire was heartbroken to discover a racehorse she loved had been brutally killed.

‘He was meant to be in a safe forever home,” she wrote to the person.

“The whole point of you getting the horse from the lady who had him was so that he was safe. Now he is probably dogged.”

The brutal killing of racehorses has rocked the industry.

The recipient of the messages replied: ‘He won’t be dogged I promise, I’m 100% sure I know where he is ... I will get him back I swear on my life’.

In a subsequent message the person claims she had found War Ends and he was safe.

Laura Cheshire's screenshots of messages about War Ends. Photo: Supplied

Laura Cheshire's screenshots of messages about War Ends. Photo: Supplied

Laura Cheshire's screenshots of messages about War Ends. Photo: Supplied

Cheshire was left horrified last night when the footage of War Ends’ horror killing emerged.

She again messaged the person responsible for his rehoming saying ‘Who the f--k did you give this horse too (sic)??? I hope you feel responsible.”

“I told you to give him back to me if you couldn’t keep him. Now he is dead. And it’s all over the television.:

Abattoir workers are seen kicking the horses as they wait slaughter.

In her heartbreaking social media post Cheshire pleaded ‘I can’t take every horse, rescues can’t take every horse. So how do we fix this?’

“For anyone who watched the ABC footage tonight on the abhorrent treatment of racehorses in the dogger yards, I urge you to put complaints in writing to the racing Qld integrity team, on the QRIC website, report something.

War Ends in action. Pic Jono Searle

“Currently there is nothing in place in Qld to protect horses after their career has ended. NSW is TRYING!

“Every racing board across the nation needs to clean up this mess we are creating. The over breeding needs to stop!!”

She goes on to say she is ‘so ashamed’ of her industry.

“Tonight I watched a horse I rode every day for years get a bolt to his head. And so many others get treated in the most disgusting way when all they did was try to please. It hurts!!

“This is hurting a lot of people! Things NEED to change. The racing bodies need to fix this.

“If we are going to breed these horses, there needs to be more in place for their welfare after racing.

“There needs to be higher standards if horses are going to continue to end up in the knackeries.”

Originally published as ‘He’s dead’: Jockey Laura Cheshire’s horror after discovering beloved racehorse killed