Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 10 hours ago
The three-year-old colt, Ichiban Koji, didn’t seem to be coping well with the demands of racing from such a young age. Or, as it is far too common in racing, he was rushed through the process of being trained to be a racehorse and not given the time and patience he needed to feel safe.
Ichiban Koji, like thousands of other racehorses, was started on the racetrack as a two-year-old. Already at the start of his “career”, his trainer added a harsher than usual lugging bit to his gear, designed to create more pain in the horse’s mouth and thereby increase rider control.
Later, a tongue tie was added as well, to further increase rider control by preventing Ichiban Koji from relieving himself from the pain caused by the bit. Apparently, that wasn’t enough to keep him calm, so they added earplugs to his gear too, so he couldn’t hear the loud, stressful noise at the racetrack.
That wasn’t enough either, though. On the day he died, it was also his first race wearing blinkers, that prohibited him from being able to see anything happening around him.
It is unknown what caused his young heart to give in on that day. What we do know for sure, is that he deserved so much better. You’re free from being forced now, Ichiban Koji. May you rest in peace.
#horseracingkills #YouBetTheyDie #nuptothecup #animalcruelty #racingnsw #LoveHorsesNotRacing #KindnessOverCruelty
The three-year-old colt, Ichiban Koji, didn’t seem to be coping well with the demands of racing from such a young age. Or, as it is far too common in racing, he was rushed through the process of being trained to be a racehorse and not given the time and patience he needed to feel safe.
Ichiban Koji, like thousands of other racehorses, was started on the racetrack as a two-year-old. Already at the start of his “career”, his trainer added a harsher than usual lugging bit to his gear, designed to create more pain in the horse’s mouth and thereby increase rider control.
Later, a tongue tie was added as well, to further increase rider control by preventing Ichiban Koji from relieving himself from the pain caused by the bit. Apparently, that wasn’t enough to keep him calm, so they added earplugs to his gear too, so he couldn’t hear the loud, stressful noise at the racetrack.
That wasn’t enough either, though. On the day he died, it was also his first race wearing blinkers, that prohibited him from being able to see anything happening around him.
It is unknown what caused his young heart to give in on that day. What we do know for sure, is that he deserved so much better. You’re free from being forced now, Ichiban Koji. May you rest in peace.
#horseracingkills #YouBetTheyDie #nuptothecup #animalcruelty #racingnsw #LoveHorsesNotRacing #KindnessOverCruelty
