I heard about this over the weekend...I was almost in tears!! It's so sad what people do to horses and other animals they force to race, like greyhounds.
Don't the jockies know they look like fools on the horses?
Just to put it out there, I am completely against horse racing. It never used to be this bad, but now more than ever horses are getting hurt and breaking down because the industry is so competitive and pushes them so hard. My only horse is an ex racehorse slaughterhouse rescue, Amber. I saved her when she was 3 years old, and 300 pounds underweight... and I was only 12, I had taken riding lessons for a while but was still concidered a green rider. Now, 4 years later, Amber and I jump 3 feet bareback (since I dont like saddles very much, even my synthetic, just cause they get in the way).
However, i think we have to concider some things here. Im heartbroken about Eight Belles, but before we go pointing fingers, I think we better get some proof that the trainer/jockey/owner were at fault. Yes, their filly broke down, and she was euthenized. Yes, this happens a lot. But im just not sure if it was the individuals fault. I think the main guilty party here is the entire racing industry, for both breeding such fragile horses in the first place and for starting them so young. Im very excited about peta calling for horses to turn 3 before they start serious training for the racetrack, and I think that will do a lot of good. However, these perticular people have followed the same policies as most of the other horse owners and trainers and jockeys out there. I dont think its fair to point fingers at perticular people for doing the same thing the rest of a group is doing unless we can get solid proof that they or any one of them knew she was lame before she broke down. Honestly, I find it hard to believe that the jockey would have known she was lame before she fell, and I think we need to wait for an atopsy and more infromation before making accusations.
The no whip policy may not be in the best intrest of the horses either; crops arent always cruel. Sometimes I carry a crop while riding, but I never hit the horse with it at all. The only reason I use one occasionally is to help with steering her, by blocking her shoulder or somthing; I rub her neck far harder than Id ever touch her with the crop. I can just see horses crashing into eachother and the rail if theres absolutely no crops allowed. I do think that much lighter crops without thin, painful ends could be beneficial. Currently the use of the crop in horse racing should be concidered cruel, and I resent it, however humane use of it or an alternative is necessary if horse racing is to continue.
Also, horse slaughter is near a close. All the slaughterhouses in the United States have been shut down, which may sound good but is actually pretty bad for the horses right now. Since the slaughterhouses have only been shut down due to state laws, the selling of horses for slaughter continues, and horses are now sold to Canada or Mexico for slaughter, which is almost always worse than what would have awaited them here in the United States, where it was more regulated. In Mexico, they often dont even use a captive bolt gun- instead, a dagger is repetedly stabbed into the horses neck until they sever the spinal cord. Longer transportation is also an issue. One of the major ways to prevent racehorses from going to slaughter is to stop slaughter!! We are on the verge of eliminating horse slaughter for good, and only need to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, which was nearly passed in 2006 but never came to the senate for a floor vote. Americas horses wont be safe until this is passed!!
Horse Racing is not like dogfighting at all. The horses don't fight eachother. Those horses get great treatment. You peta people have to realize accidents happen. It wasn't preventable. You can't do anything now. It's over. So you peta members should just get over it. I'm sure a few horses died yesterday along with that one. Are you going to go stop the local horsemen who shot his horse with a .22 when it's leg broke. Do it, see how far it gets you. Just grow up and stop whining. That's all i hear when I read peta stuff is whining.
this is a cruel sport. my horse is an ex-racehorse and i am very blessed to have him in my life. what i would do without him i don't know. he is one of the lucky ones that didn't go to the slaughterhouse.
usually the horses that don't well on the track go to the slaughterhouse and he didn't do well. i am incredilby thankful that his old owners decided to not send him there. he is so sweet.
horse racing is just like dogfighting only it is legal.
the fact that they are raced at such a young age is one of the main reasons that they break down. their bones just can't handle the stress, and they are bred for long, slender legs that are not strong enough to handle the stress of racing on a hard dirt track.
the stress of the Triple Crown also just tires the poor animals out, and that is speaking very lightly.
He screamed and told me to run faster even though I was giving my all.
He finally let me rest and eat. Then scared me by whipping my back. Practicing all week with sore muscles everyday.
He didnt let me sleep again last night
I cried into the night and weeped into the horizon for I knew today was ominous. On the ride to the tracks he kept smiling back at me from the automotive. It wasn't a smile of love.
It was a smile of greed.
We arrived to the tracks. How can one place be filled with hope and worry, shame and pride, fright and excitement all at the same time? They brushed my black hair and dressed me with what they thought was beautiful.
They prepared me for unwanted victory again.
Minutes from terror, I stood behind the gates with individuals like me. Raised a life of torture and explotation to simply impress and rake in cash. I looked back at him and he only looked forward. We were both ready although not for the same fate.
This is heart breaking! I followed what happened but what I don't understand is why they would euthanize her so quickly? I am not a vet but I do realize the injuries were very painful (based on what I read) ... couldn't they have given her something for the pain and taken more time to evaluate the injuries???? Maybe she would still be with us today. It sounds like there may have been a pre-existing conditon. If so, the trainer/vet should have known.
I am a life long fan of racing. I think PETA is over the top on most issues,but in this case I believe they are spot on. I have briefly worked in the industry in the past and have witnessed a track vet at a 2 YO in training sale repeatedly strike horses with his clipboard and foot as well as give the horses a shot of a glowing green liquid in the jug before the under tack preview show to "make them go fast" because at sales they "don't test".
The slaughter of horses has got to stop. You know I watched Real Sports on HBO last night and it was about this very issue. They profiled a couple of horses, showed their last race where they were also rans and then the next morning the "meat man" picked them up. They also profiled a horse named Little Cliff who earned more than 200K on the track, slowed down a little after that and his owner sold him for slaughter for $250. He was lucky he was rescued. His owner did not even think enough of him to humanely put him down for around $60, he apparently thought so little of this multiple winner that he wanted the extra money that would come from slaughter. So I will not attend, wager or watch TVG or HRTV anymore, not until racing dramatically changes.
To Kre the moron who posted a previous comment, you sir are a fool and unless you have been behind the scenes keep your foolish mutterings to yourself
Hi,
I don't know much about horse racing in the USA as I am from England. But the slaughtering of Horses is up to the owners isn't it?
I know a lot about horses as I have grown up with them. Thoroughbreds are "highley strung" which meens the can be quite dangerous and agressive. Which is not an excuse to inject them to calm them down, as its said "the more agressive a racehorse is the more better it races." One thing I have to say though is that horses love to race and I'm not 100% sure but in England you can only whip a horse a certain amount of times. There was a famous jockey that only whipped his boot and not the horse. I think it would be a good idea to introduce that to most jockeys. Seeming as, as soon as the horse sees the whip it goes faster. Horse racing can be fatal but its a fantastic sport when it goes well.
don't you know ANYTHING about horses?
Eight Belles had an EXTREEMELY slim chance of surviving, she broke BOTH front ankles, which is a fatal injury. A horse's legs are very thin and awkwardly proportioned to the rest of their body. and easy to injure. They cannot support their weight on only two back legs. Did you not understand that when this happened to Barbaro? THey tried to keep him alive as long as possible, and give him the best treatment, but he died anyways-From an infection very common when a horse's leg breaks. the same thing would've happened to Eight Belles, so it was best that they euthanized her. and they DID evaluate her injuries, the pictures are enough to show that the injury was fatal. did you see any? I did. Her ankles were bent and twisted backwards. There was NOTHING they could do. she would end up dying from pain or infection anyways. And ther was no pre-existing condition that she had, they just race them young, when their bones are'nt as developed, which is the one thing i don't like about my homes greatest tradtion.
those horses are NOT forced to race. They are BRED to race. Its in their blood. Thoroughbreds are'nt happy if they can't run. They NEED to run. they love it. It's a part of who they are.
It is so funny how peta only relizes stuff after some thing happens.
Come on you act like this is a new thing.
It has been around for ever, and it isn't going way no matter what you do.
No matter how many times you tell people, what you think are the facts
I recently heard that the horses who loose is the Kentucky Derby races got to a man containing a black trailer known as the "meat man" and then they are auctioned off at as low as three hundred to the highest bidder then sent to meat factories to be murdered and processed for those who are sick enough to eat a horse. Is there an act of cruelty in Animal Rights that might stop this sort of madness people keep in mind simply because the horse made no money for the bidders and whatever?
And yeah why do we have to race horses I mean think about having someone on your back running in a circle or oval some couple times around what do you think you would do being spurred on?
They raced her when she wasnt ready. She collapsed because her legs couldnt take it.
The racing industry seems to be intense like this sometimes. They seem to want to get as many horses on the tracks as they can, and as a result they let horses that are too young race.
The death of Eight Belles needs to be remembered and we need to take this instance as a starting point for protest.
In reply to 'shel's comment, yes, horses are bred to race, but they're often sent out on the tracks too early. Just because something is bred for something, does it make it right that they do it? Certain dogs are bred for dog fighting- does it make it right if they fight?
It doesnt matter that the horses are bred for it because they're not always ready for it.
Oh and 'Carly', if all this PETA stuff is whiny..why are you reading it?
You have to understand that, like me, alot of people on this website are against any form of animal exploitation, and that is what horse racing is, it's exploiting animals to make money. It's a greedy, disgusting sport. The thoroughbred horses are born to be owned and exploited. It's as simple as that. It's another instance of us using animals for our own ends.
I learned in an equine studies program that something like 80% of race horses experience pulmonary hemorrhaging after every race. Also, trainers/breeders/whoever, use a device that breaks the cannon bone of young TBs so that the bone grows back stronger. Race horses suffer a wide range of injuries that other horses do not because of what they are forced to do.
In response to Shel's comment on May 16th - horses only need to run if they are in danger. They are fight or flight animals. Horses are met to live freely, grazing, and running if they feel threatened. Thoroughbreds may be more high strung than other horses, partly because of their breed and partly because of their training, but they are still horses, and if they were put out to pasture instead of being driven by a whip around a track, I'm sure they wouldn't be complaining.
Emma, I like what you have to say.
Horse racing is a sick, heartless practice. It's absolutely horrific. As a horse lover, I want to change it. How can I get involved with this issue?
M'kay... First of all I don't think that a lot of animal activists understand this. These horses don't run because they're forced to, they run because they want to. If they didnt, there is nothing anyone could do to make them.
Second...Banning the use of whips? Seriously, you've got to be kidding me...Whips are simply an aid and dont hurt the horses...In fact they may have a role in keeping the horses a bit safer because using a whip make maneuvering through the pack just a bit easier and reduces the chance of collisions.
Slaughter....*sigh* This might upset people a bit but I'm going to say it....The horse industry needs it now. Quite honestly there are too many low end horse being bred that there are more horses than the market can support. If we were to immediately stop slaughter there would be a larger percent of neglect which in my opinion more unacceptable than slaughter. I don't particularly like the idea of slaughter but I think that people should breed more responsibly.
ok all these ppl reall dont get get it ya some horses are bred for racing tht doesnt mean that they should be killed even with a slim chnce of survival anything should be tried to preserve life thats like if the docters could save your mother but there was only a slim chance wouldnt you let them try this is torture ITS NOT RIGHT
The hunter barn that i take lessons at has many ex-race horses that were too slow to get on the track. Thankfully a few of them never got to race at all, and were deemed to slow during training. The horses we have off the track are all loving horses that with a little re-training and some grain to fatten 'em up are now getting blue ribbons in hunter rings.
augh, this is ridiculous.
the only thing that pisses me off more than the event itself is this article.
I love how its the jockey's fault that eight belles died. and the trainer, and the breeder.
the only way they could have known this would happen is if she had done this before, and I promise, she hadn't.
My favorite part is how it has to take a horse racing on the ABSOLUTE BIGGEST RACE of the year for it to get any attention, even from animal activists. This stuff happens all of the time, and only now are you trying to ban it?
There are many ways racing could be a much safer sport, starting with a minimum age for racing. I'll tell you one thing, it wasn't the footing that broke her ankles. It was slightly improper breeding combined with the fact that they started her at 1 1/2 YEARS OLD. To put this into perspective, a healthy, sound horse is started at a MINIMUM of 3 years old.
May I point out one last thing? This may be a little controversial, but hey.
Because greedy trainers and owners want to race the living shit out of their horses, veterinary medicine experiences great development to treat the various injuries of the racehorse, which goes on to help many more horses.
I heard about this over the weekend...I was almost in tears!! It's so sad what people do to horses and other animals they force to race, like greyhounds.
Don't the jockies know they look like fools on the horses?
Posted by: Stephanie | May 5, 2008 8:32 PM
Another PETA comment from an expert on horses! You need to check the facts on this issue. I can understand how ignorant you may be.
Posted by: Art Hogarth | May 5, 2008 10:18 PM
Just to put it out there, I am completely against horse racing. It never used to be this bad, but now more than ever horses are getting hurt and breaking down because the industry is so competitive and pushes them so hard. My only horse is an ex racehorse slaughterhouse rescue, Amber. I saved her when she was 3 years old, and 300 pounds underweight... and I was only 12, I had taken riding lessons for a while but was still concidered a green rider. Now, 4 years later, Amber and I jump 3 feet bareback (since I dont like saddles very much, even my synthetic, just cause they get in the way).
However, i think we have to concider some things here. Im heartbroken about Eight Belles, but before we go pointing fingers, I think we better get some proof that the trainer/jockey/owner were at fault. Yes, their filly broke down, and she was euthenized. Yes, this happens a lot. But im just not sure if it was the individuals fault. I think the main guilty party here is the entire racing industry, for both breeding such fragile horses in the first place and for starting them so young. Im very excited about peta calling for horses to turn 3 before they start serious training for the racetrack, and I think that will do a lot of good. However, these perticular people have followed the same policies as most of the other horse owners and trainers and jockeys out there. I dont think its fair to point fingers at perticular people for doing the same thing the rest of a group is doing unless we can get solid proof that they or any one of them knew she was lame before she broke down. Honestly, I find it hard to believe that the jockey would have known she was lame before she fell, and I think we need to wait for an atopsy and more infromation before making accusations.
The no whip policy may not be in the best intrest of the horses either; crops arent always cruel. Sometimes I carry a crop while riding, but I never hit the horse with it at all. The only reason I use one occasionally is to help with steering her, by blocking her shoulder or somthing; I rub her neck far harder than Id ever touch her with the crop. I can just see horses crashing into eachother and the rail if theres absolutely no crops allowed. I do think that much lighter crops without thin, painful ends could be beneficial. Currently the use of the crop in horse racing should be concidered cruel, and I resent it, however humane use of it or an alternative is necessary if horse racing is to continue.
Also, horse slaughter is near a close. All the slaughterhouses in the United States have been shut down, which may sound good but is actually pretty bad for the horses right now. Since the slaughterhouses have only been shut down due to state laws, the selling of horses for slaughter continues, and horses are now sold to Canada or Mexico for slaughter, which is almost always worse than what would have awaited them here in the United States, where it was more regulated. In Mexico, they often dont even use a captive bolt gun- instead, a dagger is repetedly stabbed into the horses neck until they sever the spinal cord. Longer transportation is also an issue. One of the major ways to prevent racehorses from going to slaughter is to stop slaughter!! We are on the verge of eliminating horse slaughter for good, and only need to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, which was nearly passed in 2006 but never came to the senate for a floor vote. Americas horses wont be safe until this is passed!!
Posted by: Carly | May 5, 2008 10:31 PM
Horse Racing is not like dogfighting at all. The horses don't fight eachother. Those horses get great treatment. You peta people have to realize accidents happen. It wasn't preventable. You can't do anything now. It's over. So you peta members should just get over it. I'm sure a few horses died yesterday along with that one. Are you going to go stop the local horsemen who shot his horse with a .22 when it's leg broke. Do it, see how far it gets you. Just grow up and stop whining. That's all i hear when I read peta stuff is whining.
Posted by: KRE | May 5, 2008 11:28 PM
Please visit the following link from the Lexington Herald Leader (Lexington KY newspaper). It is a guestbook to sign for Eight Belles.
http://www.legacy.com/Kentucky/GB/GuestbookEntry.aspx?&PersonID=108934559
THANK YOU : )
Posted by: Lisa Carree S. | May 5, 2008 11:52 PM
this is a cruel sport. my horse is an ex-racehorse and i am very blessed to have him in my life. what i would do without him i don't know. he is one of the lucky ones that didn't go to the slaughterhouse.
usually the horses that don't well on the track go to the slaughterhouse and he didn't do well. i am incredilby thankful that his old owners decided to not send him there. he is so sweet.
horse racing is just like dogfighting only it is legal.
the fact that they are raced at such a young age is one of the main reasons that they break down. their bones just can't handle the stress, and they are bred for long, slender legs that are not strong enough to handle the stress of racing on a hard dirt track.
the stress of the Triple Crown also just tires the poor animals out, and that is speaking very lightly.
Posted by: erika | May 6, 2008 10:16 AM
Poem by Daphne M:
RIP Eight Belles
I got in the trailer even though I was tired.
He abused me again last night.
He screamed and told me to run faster even though I was giving my all.
He finally let me rest and eat. Then scared me by whipping my back. Practicing all week with sore muscles everyday.
He didnt let me sleep again last night
I cried into the night and weeped into the horizon for I knew today was ominous. On the ride to the tracks he kept smiling back at me from the automotive. It wasn't a smile of love.
It was a smile of greed.
We arrived to the tracks. How can one place be filled with hope and worry, shame and pride, fright and excitement all at the same time? They brushed my black hair and dressed me with what they thought was beautiful.
They prepared me for unwanted victory again.
Minutes from terror, I stood behind the gates with individuals like me. Raised a life of torture and explotation to simply impress and rake in cash. I looked back at him and he only looked forward. We were both ready although not for the same fate.
........To be continued........
Posted by: Daphne | May 6, 2008 11:18 AM
This is heart breaking! I followed what happened but what I don't understand is why they would euthanize her so quickly? I am not a vet but I do realize the injuries were very painful (based on what I read) ... couldn't they have given her something for the pain and taken more time to evaluate the injuries???? Maybe she would still be with us today. It sounds like there may have been a pre-existing conditon. If so, the trainer/vet should have known.
Posted by: animal lover | May 8, 2008 2:48 AM
I am a life long fan of racing. I think PETA is over the top on most issues,but in this case I believe they are spot on. I have briefly worked in the industry in the past and have witnessed a track vet at a 2 YO in training sale repeatedly strike horses with his clipboard and foot as well as give the horses a shot of a glowing green liquid in the jug before the under tack preview show to "make them go fast" because at sales they "don't test".
The slaughter of horses has got to stop. You know I watched Real Sports on HBO last night and it was about this very issue. They profiled a couple of horses, showed their last race where they were also rans and then the next morning the "meat man" picked them up. They also profiled a horse named Little Cliff who earned more than 200K on the track, slowed down a little after that and his owner sold him for slaughter for $250. He was lucky he was rescued. His owner did not even think enough of him to humanely put him down for around $60, he apparently thought so little of this multiple winner that he wanted the extra money that would come from slaughter. So I will not attend, wager or watch TVG or HRTV anymore, not until racing dramatically changes.
To Kre the moron who posted a previous comment, you sir are a fool and unless you have been behind the scenes keep your foolish mutterings to yourself
Posted by: Nashuaruns | May 13, 2008 12:21 PM
Hi,
I don't know much about horse racing in the USA as I am from England. But the slaughtering of Horses is up to the owners isn't it?
I know a lot about horses as I have grown up with them. Thoroughbreds are "highley strung" which meens the can be quite dangerous and agressive. Which is not an excuse to inject them to calm them down, as its said "the more agressive a racehorse is the more better it races." One thing I have to say though is that horses love to race and I'm not 100% sure but in England you can only whip a horse a certain amount of times. There was a famous jockey that only whipped his boot and not the horse. I think it would be a good idea to introduce that to most jockeys. Seeming as, as soon as the horse sees the whip it goes faster. Horse racing can be fatal but its a fantastic sport when it goes well.
Posted by: Michael | May 14, 2008 7:12 AM
Ok for one i dont like horse races... I dont think it is right...
Posted by: Crystal | May 14, 2008 11:29 AM
about animal lovers comment-
don't you know ANYTHING about horses?
Eight Belles had an EXTREEMELY slim chance of surviving, she broke BOTH front ankles, which is a fatal injury. A horse's legs are very thin and awkwardly proportioned to the rest of their body. and easy to injure. They cannot support their weight on only two back legs. Did you not understand that when this happened to Barbaro? THey tried to keep him alive as long as possible, and give him the best treatment, but he died anyways-From an infection very common when a horse's leg breaks. the same thing would've happened to Eight Belles, so it was best that they euthanized her. and they DID evaluate her injuries, the pictures are enough to show that the injury was fatal. did you see any? I did. Her ankles were bent and twisted backwards. There was NOTHING they could do. she would end up dying from pain or infection anyways. And ther was no pre-existing condition that she had, they just race them young, when their bones are'nt as developed, which is the one thing i don't like about my homes greatest tradtion.
Posted by: Shel | May 16, 2008 7:44 PM
in regards to Stephanies comment-
those horses are NOT forced to race. They are BRED to race. Its in their blood. Thoroughbreds are'nt happy if they can't run. They NEED to run. they love it. It's a part of who they are.
Posted by: Shel | May 16, 2008 7:49 PM
It is so funny how peta only relizes stuff after some thing happens.
Come on you act like this is a new thing.
It has been around for ever, and it isn't going way no matter what you do.
No matter how many times you tell people, what you think are the facts
Posted by: SHARI | May 22, 2008 5:18 PM
I recently heard that the horses who loose is the Kentucky Derby races got to a man containing a black trailer known as the "meat man" and then they are auctioned off at as low as three hundred to the highest bidder then sent to meat factories to be murdered and processed for those who are sick enough to eat a horse. Is there an act of cruelty in Animal Rights that might stop this sort of madness people keep in mind simply because the horse made no money for the bidders and whatever?
And yeah why do we have to race horses I mean think about having someone on your back running in a circle or oval some couple times around what do you think you would do being spurred on?
Posted by: Kiki | May 28, 2008 12:33 AM
They raced her when she wasnt ready. She collapsed because her legs couldnt take it.
The racing industry seems to be intense like this sometimes. They seem to want to get as many horses on the tracks as they can, and as a result they let horses that are too young race.
The death of Eight Belles needs to be remembered and we need to take this instance as a starting point for protest.
In reply to 'shel's comment, yes, horses are bred to race, but they're often sent out on the tracks too early. Just because something is bred for something, does it make it right that they do it? Certain dogs are bred for dog fighting- does it make it right if they fight?
It doesnt matter that the horses are bred for it because they're not always ready for it.
Posted by: Emma | May 28, 2008 11:16 AM
Oh and 'Carly', if all this PETA stuff is whiny..why are you reading it?
You have to understand that, like me, alot of people on this website are against any form of animal exploitation, and that is what horse racing is, it's exploiting animals to make money. It's a greedy, disgusting sport. The thoroughbred horses are born to be owned and exploited. It's as simple as that. It's another instance of us using animals for our own ends.
Posted by: Emma | May 28, 2008 11:24 AM
I learned in an equine studies program that something like 80% of race horses experience pulmonary hemorrhaging after every race. Also, trainers/breeders/whoever, use a device that breaks the cannon bone of young TBs so that the bone grows back stronger. Race horses suffer a wide range of injuries that other horses do not because of what they are forced to do.
In response to Shel's comment on May 16th - horses only need to run if they are in danger. They are fight or flight animals. Horses are met to live freely, grazing, and running if they feel threatened. Thoroughbreds may be more high strung than other horses, partly because of their breed and partly because of their training, but they are still horses, and if they were put out to pasture instead of being driven by a whip around a track, I'm sure they wouldn't be complaining.
Emma, I like what you have to say.
Horse racing is a sick, heartless practice. It's absolutely horrific. As a horse lover, I want to change it. How can I get involved with this issue?
Thanks :)
Posted by: Claire Papell | May 29, 2008 10:28 PM
M'kay... First of all I don't think that a lot of animal activists understand this. These horses don't run because they're forced to, they run because they want to. If they didnt, there is nothing anyone could do to make them.
Second...Banning the use of whips? Seriously, you've got to be kidding me...Whips are simply an aid and dont hurt the horses...In fact they may have a role in keeping the horses a bit safer because using a whip make maneuvering through the pack just a bit easier and reduces the chance of collisions.
Slaughter....*sigh* This might upset people a bit but I'm going to say it....The horse industry needs it now. Quite honestly there are too many low end horse being bred that there are more horses than the market can support. If we were to immediately stop slaughter there would be a larger percent of neglect which in my opinion more unacceptable than slaughter. I don't particularly like the idea of slaughter but I think that people should breed more responsibly.
Posted by: Alana | July 5, 2008 5:04 AM
ok all these ppl reall dont get get it ya some horses are bred for racing tht doesnt mean that they should be killed even with a slim chnce of survival anything should be tried to preserve life thats like if the docters could save your mother but there was only a slim chance wouldnt you let them try this is torture ITS NOT RIGHT
Posted by: lil havik | August 30, 2008 11:35 AM
The hunter barn that i take lessons at has many ex-race horses that were too slow to get on the track. Thankfully a few of them never got to race at all, and were deemed to slow during training. The horses we have off the track are all loving horses that with a little re-training and some grain to fatten 'em up are now getting blue ribbons in hunter rings.
Posted by: ally | October 2, 2008 4:58 PM
augh, this is ridiculous.
the only thing that pisses me off more than the event itself is this article.
I love how its the jockey's fault that eight belles died. and the trainer, and the breeder.
the only way they could have known this would happen is if she had done this before, and I promise, she hadn't.
My favorite part is how it has to take a horse racing on the ABSOLUTE BIGGEST RACE of the year for it to get any attention, even from animal activists. This stuff happens all of the time, and only now are you trying to ban it?
There are many ways racing could be a much safer sport, starting with a minimum age for racing. I'll tell you one thing, it wasn't the footing that broke her ankles. It was slightly improper breeding combined with the fact that they started her at 1 1/2 YEARS OLD. To put this into perspective, a healthy, sound horse is started at a MINIMUM of 3 years old.
May I point out one last thing? This may be a little controversial, but hey.
Because greedy trainers and owners want to race the living shit out of their horses, veterinary medicine experiences great development to treat the various injuries of the racehorse, which goes on to help many more horses.
Posted by: licorice | January 21, 2009 9:36 PM