To the editor:

Two months ago, my two friends and I went to a horse rescue in Chatham, New York, called Equine Advocates. We got a tour of the rescue and we saw all of their equines. The president of the rescue answered all of our questions and told us how all their equines came to be with them.

One of the horse’s names was Press Exclusive. She was a thoroughbred who raced multiple times and birthed nine foals and when she could not get pregnant a tenth time she was sent to be slaughtered. But on her way to slaughter she was trampled by another horse.

When Equine Advocates got her, they did not know whether she would survive. That is what could happen to the horses that might race on the Great Barrington track. They are also whipped in full view of spectators, isolated in a stall for up to 23 hours a day, drugged, and sent to auction where they are bought by kill buyers who send them to slaughterhouses in Canada. Horse racing is so cruel and should be made illegal.

Please help oppose horse racing returning to Great Barrington, Massachusetts. If you live in Great Barrington and want to help, there is going to be a town meeting held on Wednesday, December 11 on this issue.

Fiona Clary

West Stockbridge