LIANDRA GRAY CASE

WHIPPED INTO SUBMISSION…

In May 2025, something extraordinary happened in an courtroom. For the first time since padded racing whips were introduced in 2009, a court formally recognized what so many of us have known — and said — for years: Whipping a horse hurts. And hurting a horse is cruelty. The guilty verdict handed down against Tasmanian racehorse trainer Liandra Erin Gray marked a watershed moment in the fight against violence in the racing industry. The case was brought after Gray was recorded on CCTV striking a horse more than 40 times with a padded whip — and the footage spoke volumes.

40 STRIKES. NO MERCY. NO JUSTIFICATION.

The horse, The Bolt, was not misbehaving. He was not resisting commands. He was doing what he was asked — and still, the whip kept coming down. The court heard expert testimony, including from renowned equine behaviourist Professor Paul McGreevy, who stated plainly: “The only thing The Bolt was likely to learn […] was to fear humans.” Magistrate Evan Hughes agreed. In his ruling, he called Gray’s actions: “Unreasonable and unjustifiable” A cause of “pain and suffering” And in violation of the Animal Welfare Act

THE INDUSTRY’S FAVOURITE LIE DESTROYED IN COURT

The whip Gray used wasn’t an old-fashioned leather crop. It was the “modern,” padded whip — the very same type that Racing Australia insists is “harmless.” For years, the industry has argued that padded whips don’t hurt horses — despite studies and the RSPCA warning that they inflict comparable pain to conventional whips. Gray’s case shattered that illusion. In court, it was proven that even a padded whip caused pain, distress, and suffering — enough to meet the legal definition of cruelty. This wasn’t a rogue case. It was business as usual — caught on tape.

WHAT HAPPENS ON THE TRACK – HAPPENS BEHIND THE SCENES TOO

Gray’s defense was chilling in its implication: she claimed she used less force than a jockey during a race. She wasn’t denying the whipping. She was normalizing it.

And she wasn’t wrong.

Jockeys in Australia are currently allowed to whip their horses up to five times before the final 100 metres of a race — and then as often as they like to the finish line.

Let that sink in: after a horse has already given everything, after their lungs are bursting and their legs are burning, they are legally allowed to be whipped endlessly in the final stretch — all for the sake of performance and profit.

THIS IS THE CULTURE OF HORSE RACING

Liandra Gray’s conviction didn’t expose a one-off event.

It revealed an ugly truth about the sport of racing — one where cruelty is normalized, where pain is dismissed, and where horses are pushed to — and beyond — their limits.

And for once, a court said: enough.

Her sentencing is scheduled for July 15, 2025. But no matter what the penalty, the precedent has been set.

From now on, the racing industry can no longer claim ignorance.

They know whipping causes pain.

And if they continue to allow it, they do so with full awareness of the suffering it causes.

THE BOLT IS JUST ONE HORSE BUT HE SPEAKS FOR THOUSANDS

The court saw what so many racegoers refuse to see: that the whip is not a signal — it’s a weapon. And no amount of tradition, profit, or spin can change that fact.

At Meet Our Horse Meat, we are fighting for The Bolt — and for every horse who’s ever been beaten in the name of “sport.”

SUPPORT THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE

This case was a turning point — but our work is far from over. Horses are still being whipped. Still suffering. Still silenced.

Your support helps us:

Expose cruelty and take it public

Support horses at risk or in recovery

Push for bans on whipping in all equestrian sports

Educate the public and demand change

If you believe horses deserve more than pain, donate now.

❤️ Because justice should never depend on who’s watching.

❤️ Because horses need more than hope — they need action.

#MOHM THREATENED?

We’ve been threatened by those in the horse racing industry and those who benefit from horse slaughter more times than we can count.

But we are not going away.

We are going to persist until horse slaughter no longer exists for any purpose within Australia -- and until the horse racing industry makes drastic changes.

We are going to continue our hands-on work to offer lifelong sanctuary to as many horses as possible. We generally have 20 at just one of our locations - at any given time.

We have the acreage to take on more horses as financial support allows.

You do NOT need a PayPal account to contribute.

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