A horse death during ‘The Rings of Power’ leads to questions for the industry

Horse welfare in entertainment and sport needs improvement, says Karen Luke.

The recent death of a horse on the set of Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is the latest incident raising questions about how humans use horses for entertainment and sport.

While a statement from producers said the horse’s cardiac arrest occurred before the day’s filming began, animal rights activist organisation PETA used the death to call on all screen producers to replace on-set horses with CGI and mechanical rig alternatives.

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