Protest at the Belmont Stakes! June 9, 2008

Posted by Ryan at June 9, 2008 1:36 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 7 ) | TrackBack

As many of you may have seen on the news, this past weekend was the Belmont Stakes horse race in New York.

There was a lot of discussion before the race about the fact that Big Brown (a horse who was expected to "win" the race) had a quarter hoof split, and was being forced to run anyways. Oftentimes this is where trainers resort to drugging the animals, to mask the pain horses suffer in these competitions. As anybody who looked outside the track realized though... a lot of people weren't too pleased with this kind of abuse.

Photo Credit: Jason Allen Photography

So guess what happened? Big Brown's jockey did the right thing and let him run the way a horse normally would, including becoming tired mid-race. But rather than beating him or pumping him full of steroids (as is usually the case), he sensed that Big Brown didn't have it in him, and he let the "race" end naturally (with Big Brown coming in dead last).

I firmly believe that the day will come when racing these animals will be viewed in the same way we currently see gladiator matches, or any other spectator blood "sports" involving unwilling participants, and this is a HUGE shift in the right direction.

Things are changing, folks. When a multi-million dollar industry like horse racing is faced with thousands of calls and emails from concerned citizens, they have no choice but to change their evil ways.

- Ryan!

Posted by Ryan

Kentucky Derby Horse Races to Death May 5, 2008

Posted by Marta at May 5, 2008 2:35 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 19 ) | TrackBack

Did you guys hear about the death of Eight Belles, one of the horses raced in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday? After breaking both of her front ankles just after crossing the finish line, Eight Belles was euthanized on the track in front of thousands of onlookers. It's hard to believe that not everybody agrees that horse racing is a cruel and outdated form of "entertainment."

Betting on exploitation sure doesn't sound like entertainment to me. It sounds a lot like dog fighting, actually. And for those people who think all race horses end up in green pastures when they retire, think again. Many of them end up in a slaughterhouse.

PETA is calling on the racing industry to suspend the jockey and trainer; bar the owner from racing at the track; stop racing horses on hard tracks and switch to softer, synthetic surfaces to spare horses' bones and joints; permanently ban the use of whips; and, at the very least, stop using young horses who are so susceptible to these types of horrific injuries.

Want to help make racing horses' lives a little better? Join PETA in demanding that the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority institute sweeping reforms that would stop needless, preventable suffering and cruelty in the racing industry.

♥ Marta

Posted by Marta