READING global racing publications this year, it would be impossible not to be somewhat alarmed as we became more aware of the threats to racing in California, mainly due to the deaths of horses on the track at Santa Anita.

Australia, too, featured in very negative images of racehorses being ill-treated with a high profile investigation into the welfare of former racehorses that were sent to slaughterhouses.

While the ‘welfare’ debate on this side of the world so far revolves more around use of the whip, and that should be easier to defend than deaths, we should be alert to all areas of attack on our sport.

Much of the defence and keeping all the positives highlighted needs to be through education and the best means of that is on social media, where virtually everyone has some presence these days.

Use the ‘show, don’t tell’ method... a picture paints a thousand words.

A welcome new initiative is Thoroughbred Tales, a social media account which will aim to promote racing to a wider audience through the people actually working behind the scenes in the racing and breeding industry and the horses in their care.

“It will be a case of sharing posts on the care of thoroughbreds behind the scenes and providing a link to industry professionals for people who want to educate themselves more about racing rather than just believe the negative posts that appear around the time of big meetings. We need to all come together to fight for racing’s future before we come under attack like the greyhound racing industry has recently,” broadcaster Sally Ann Grassick is to the fore in its creation.

The people who can best showcase the dedication to the care of horses are the staff in all areas of our industry.

And it’s not about big names and star horses. Look at the interest the daily goings on of @LifeOfBean and @Roy_Rocket. We need to embrace and create stories similar to those like former Melbourne Cup winner Subzero in Australia.

More and more people are sharing their vidoes of their horses and the pleasure they give and the more the merrier.

Thoroughbred Tales is intended to be a global social media project. It is primarily a Twitter account but there will also be posts on Facebook and Instagram. The farming community is already doing similar here.

Sally Ann acknowledges: “This project will only work with the support of the industry, so we need more followers in order to spread our message and we welcome all offers to guest host the accounts no matter what area of racing and breeding people are working in. Now is your chance to influence the future of racing!”

Participation is needed, share the equine love!

Twitter: @ThoroughbrdTale

Facebook: @ThoroughbredTales

Instagram: @ThoroughbredTales