MUMBAI: As many as 21 horses suffered eye injuries during the first two days of the Mumbai season's races held behind closed doors at Pune in the last week of November owing to the poor track condition, forcing horse owners to demand subsidised treatment for their equines.
According to sources, the grass at the Pune racetrack was cut short which resulted in loose soil hitting horses’ eyes through back kicks. Back kicks are a regular feature at the Pune racecourse, but this time, it has increased because racing is being held when the rains have eased off.
Although RWITC, the club overseeing horse races in western India, is yet to respond to TOI on the incidents on November 27 and 29, sources claim that the person responsible for maintaining the racecourse has been sacked and corrective measures are being taken.
Veteran trainer Narendra Lagad, who saw five of his horses suffering eye injuries-—most among the trainers—said: “The injuries are not of any serious nature.”
Another trainer, requesting anonymity, said: “We have been asked to use pacifiers which help horses avoid eye injuries during the race as it covers the eyes without hindering vision.”
However, the race horse owners’ association has demanded that the injured horses' treatment be subsidised at the club’s equine hospital.
Shiven Surendarnath, president of the Western India Race Horse Owners’ Association, said: “The RWITC should preferably give free treatment or at least subsidise it at their equine hospital. But the problem at RWITC is that there is zero accountability for the club’s actions. Why should the club’s hospital make a profit on the treatment from owners for their fault?”
Shivlal Daga, the representative of the Animal Welfare Board of India at RWITC and head of its board of appeal, has asked the club officials to provide details of the incidents. “More than a week ago, I had asked chief stipendiary steward Shujjat Hussain from where they brought the sand for the race track, but have not received any reply,” he said, adding that “it’s not easy to get answers from this club”.