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Horse racing and other things equine

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Horse racing and other things equine Empty Horse racing and other things equine

Post by Sue Short Sat Jun 09, 2012 10:52 pm



I thought I would open this as a new topic.

I'll have another has tendinitis. He didn't blow, bow or do anything really ugly to his leg. This is a three to
six months lay up. The other thing is that McNeil sent him out for his work at 5.30 am rather 8.30. When you send
a horse out that early it's called daylighting. McNeil didn't want anybody to see if there was anything wrong or not. He
varied his routine. The horse paraded out sound but that doesn't mean he was sound to race.

There is something else going on here. I'll Have Another has a good pedigree but nothing spectaular(sp) the other thing
is that 11 horses were sent out against him. They're not racing for second money. Union Rags has an incredible pedigree.
There are two Triple Crown winners in his fourth generation.
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Post by bpaquet Sun Jun 10, 2012 10:25 am

My heart wants me to think that they pulled him just to consider his comfort. My brain, which is always suspecting the worst, really thinks that they pulled him to increase his breeding value.

Let's face it... A Triple Crown winner is worth SO much in the breeding shed. A horse that breaks down in a race is worth next to nothing. Race horses make their money breeding more race horses. Purses are great. Breeding is their living. Even if he could recover from a race injury -- and they rarely do -- he might not be sound enough to cover enough mares to pay for his treatment.

I really don't blame the trainer for daylighting him. The huge interest in the horse makes anything tiny into HUGE news. He did the right thing scratching the horse no matter what the motives were. I do wonder if the decision not to allow the nose strips played into the decision, but it's a nonissue now.

If we could get the racing industry to run the horses once they've matured rather than as babies, some of these things wouldn't be such issues. Growing horses are more likely to stress tendons and bones because everything isn't set in place. It's something I'll never change, but my problem with racing is the HARD work very immature horses are forced to do. Sigh...
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Post by gbste Sun Jun 10, 2012 2:35 pm

I stopped watching horse racing the year that horse suffered that awful broken leg in the Belmont. The owners tried to save him, but he ended up being put down. That whole thing took the fun out of horse racing for me.
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Post by Sue Short Sun Jun 10, 2012 2:43 pm

I don't disagree with the scratch I have some real problems with the retirement. The horse is still sound all he needed
was rest. Interesting you should mention the Breath Right strips. That's all they are, any way I've seen studies saying that
they are worthless. Still trainers are going for any edge they can get. The quarenten(sp) was one of the more stupid ideas I've
heard in a long time.

I agree with about letting these horses mature, but there is just too much money being spent on yearlings. Owners and trainers
want a quick return on their investment. The other is the drugs that are being given to them. O'Neill has 15 drug violations within
a 14 year span. That speaks volumes. As for his latest suspension that was a joke 45 days and it starts July 1st. The only thing he is
going to miss the opening at Saratoga. Big hairy deal.

Still Union Rags is the one to watch in the late summer and fall races. I understand G, still accidents like that can even happen in the
barn or paddock. Horseman's worst nightmare come to life.
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Post by fluffnstuff Sun Jun 10, 2012 5:09 pm

I never understood what the appeal is about racing horses. From my point of view, the horses never asked to race against each other. I also have the same view about greyhounds.
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Post by Sue Short Sun Jun 10, 2012 5:48 pm



If you watch horses in the pasture, they will race each other. As for dog racing well my view of that is not
printable at least in this forum. Evil or Very Mad
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Post by bpaquet Sun Jun 10, 2012 8:31 pm

Oh yes! Horses do race each other. It's hilarious to watch a herd plowing through the pasture with one leading and then another pulling ahead. It's like a track race but more exciting. Sometimes there's bucking and biting going on too. Laughing

I sill think the horse is worth more in the shed than on the track, so he might as well retire while he's in the limelight. It's business at its best. (???) And, if he doesn't pull in the bucks as a breeder, they can geld him and possibly train him to another discipline. Not likely, but possible.

I don't know if it made the news, but a few years ago, one of the top eveners in the world lost her horse to a paddock accident. The horse was coming across the paddock and slipped. He broke his leg and had to be put down right there. Tragedy.

Barbaro's story was tragic. I am very thankful that he lived as long as he did. He helped veterinary medicine understand recoveries, founders, stress injuries better. It was a terrible loss, but he was heroic in his life and in his death.
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Post by Sue Short Sun Jun 10, 2012 9:15 pm



It is and what's even funnier is to watch the foals when they start up.

Usually what happens is if stallions do not make it in the shed here they are sold overseas and if
they don't make it there, then they are sold to slaughter. That's what happened to Feridand(sp). He
won the Derby with Shoemaker aboard. That was the last Derby that Shoemaker ever rode in.

I remember reading about that. I can't remember if it happened here in the States or in England.

You're right about Barbaro. Makes me glad that Matz hit the jackpot with Union Rags. Did you know
he was in a plane crash in Iowa. It was a United flight and he was instrumental in saving several peoples
lives at the time.
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Post by fiffur Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:52 pm

I mostly stopped watching horse racing when Ruffian broke her leg towards the finish line. Another 'almost triple crown winner'. Even down with bones sticking out of her leg she was still trying to run and made it worse ........they had no choice but to let her cross the bridge on the spot. Heartbreaking. I read about Barbaro, and felt bad for him. His treatment did advance equine medicine quite a bit though, so not in vain even if they couldn't save him in the end.
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Post by fluffnstuff Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:37 pm

I meant was that racing horses as in derby racing. I do know horses run at ranches and what have you.
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Post by Sue Short Mon Jun 11, 2012 4:49 pm



Fif, you are thinking of Go for Wand. Ruffin broke down in a match race and put down a day or so later
when she rebroke the leg thrashing around the stall. Still the sport can be made safer for all around and one
of the ways is by following Europe's lead on drugs. Dutrow who trained Big Brown openly admitted he had the horse
on everything but roller skates. Mad
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Post by bpaquet Mon Jun 11, 2012 9:34 pm

I believe the Europeans also race their horses when they're slightly older. Starting babies at 18 months is just a way to ask for injuries. I understand that business rules require a quick return on your investment, but it still doesn't make the initial investment wise if the horses are almost guaranteed to break down. What it's done in this country is to make TBs a breed known for bad feet, bad attitudes, and poor legs. In reality, they have the biggest hearts and most wonderful minds, but finding one who hasn't been ruined by the suspicious practices at the track is difficult.

We live close to a small-time track. The horses are beautiful, but if they don't win, you can sometimes find them for CHEAP back at the stables. The trainers will sell them before they leave for the day. If no one is there to buy the poor things, they often go to auction. It's sad, but it's the way business works. Rolling Eyes
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Post by Sue Short Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:13 pm



Between inbreeding and drugs the breed is terrible shape. The bad attitudes come from the
steriods. Remember how fractious horses were in the paddock and post parade for the past
let's say thirty years. Also remember how bulked up they were. That was from steriods

Tracks have developed a policy over there years to ban trainers who sell their horses to
slaughter. On paper it's a great idea, the reality of it is appaling(sp) The problem is that they
have bred to many horses, American Quarter Horse is in even worse shape. The registery promotes
slaughter as a way to get rid of unwanted horses. I think other registeries have remained silent on it.

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Post by fiffur Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:50 am

They do need to let them get older first before racing them. How can they expect still developing bones and joints to hold up under racing stresses? No wonder they have too many injuries and breakdowns. Isn't it cheaper for business in the long run to ensure your horses are healthy enough to withstand the strain, instead of having horse after horse break down before your initial investment has paid for itself? I think they've lost sight of that simple fact. What a shame.......and a great waste of good horses.
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Post by Fire Flower Tue Jun 12, 2012 12:50 pm

I don't understand why horses so young have to race. Evil or Very Mad Why can't they wait until the horses are five or six? Horses can live over 30 years. A five or six year old is still very young but stronger than three year old one.

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Post by Sue Short Tue Jun 12, 2012 4:40 pm



It's interest you should say that Chrissy. Steeplechasers, hurdlers are always older horses. They are always
TB's that are too slow for the flat.
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Post by bpaquet Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:54 pm

The problem is money. A lot of these big name horses are a million dollars at purchase. Training, feeding, vet, farrier all add up over the years. If the kid isn't bringing in purse money, he/she is a liability.

The horses are too slow for the flat and the jocks are too big for the flat. But, those horses show all the heart and guts TBs were bred to have. Check out footage of the Grand National in England. (This year's race had a terrible tragedy.) Go to YouTube and search "Grand National 2012." Amazing stuff.
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Post by ARNIgal Thu Jun 14, 2012 5:53 pm

If they race in the pasture, I say let them do that! After Barbaro, I lost my interest in horse races! confused
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Post by bpaquet Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:49 pm

I support racing with reservations. It's an industry like so many other things. But, as in all industries, not all participants are bad. Racing has many, many good owners and trainers. They actually love their horses. Many of them are small players and are in it for the love of racing. They are the ones who really float the business. The big names and questionable training smear the entire industry.
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Post by fiffur Fri Jun 15, 2012 11:20 am

Fire Flower wrote:I don't understand why horses so young have to race. Evil or Very Mad Why can't they wait until the horses are five or six? Horses can live over 30 years. A five or six year old is still very young but stronger than three year old one.

I agree with you wholeheartedly on that point FireFlower. Racing a 2 or 3 year old horse is like asking a 9-10 year old human to run like an adult Olympic sprinter.
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Post by bpaquet Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:41 am

Some places are actually starting to make laws to protect kids from overtraining. People want stars so badly that they push kids beyond what their bodies should do. Unfortunately, animal protection laws lag far behind human protection laws. Once people understand the risks kids take when they overtrain, they will slowly understand what that means for animals. Until then, horses will continue to race as babies. I appreciate that the industry brings lots of research that helps my back yard horses. I appreciate that the bad things in the industry really do lead to safer things for horses in general. I hope that things will get better for the racers -- both human and equine.
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Post by Sue Short Wed May 22, 2013 10:10 pm




I thought I would bring this topic up again. The Derby was fantastic, the Preakness was what makes
horse racing horse racing. I know it was disappointing that Orb lost but the winner is a good horse in
his own right. The sport though is in dire need of reform though.
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Post by bpaquet Wed May 22, 2013 10:21 pm

The jockey made the Preakness beautiful. Smile

I plan to go to our local track a couple times this summer. I don't think reform will come until the money makes the owners/trainers change. So, the way to do that is to support owners/trainers who do things the right way and point out the bad stuff.
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Post by Sue Short Mon Mar 24, 2014 7:57 pm


I thought I would bring this topic up since the Derby is not to far and we have the usual scandal de jour brewing. Naturally it involves drugs, the hiring of illegals, etc. PETA did the undercover so I consider the source tainted. The trainer involved is a nationally ranked trainer and was being considered for Hall of Fame induction.

Asmussen has more than a few drug infractions against him. Then show me a nationally ranked trainer that doesn't. The drugs have to be gotten out of racing NOW!. The don't do in Europe and I follow several pages that are dedicated to racing in England. The other thing that sticks in my craw is Asmussen fired his assistant of eighteen years. As for the PETA claims, will I will take that with a grain of salt. Two reasons, other fact they are frauds is one. At the time this story broke their kill figures for their shelter was just release, it's still 90%+. Also their 990's for 2012/13 has also been release if I read the figures correctly they are down a little over $800,000.00 for the year.

Here endth the rambling rant.
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Post by fiffur Tue Mar 25, 2014 1:10 pm

I wish they'd realize it isn't the horses that want to race.....it's the guys on their backs and everybody who's betting on them. I say: Let THEM race and let the horses watch!
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