Do you agree with horse racing????

[Giselle]

For those who mentioned Barbaro, there is speculation that Barbaro had an underlying genetic problem that contributed to the weakness in his bones. The horse people I've talked to were concerned about the preservation of his semen exactly for this reason. They worry that Barbaro's weakness could very likely be genetic. I know it's just speculation, but Barbaro received state-of-the-art care. That's not abuse at all. Athletes get injured and race horses are athletes. I guess I agree with horse racing. I just like to keep an open mind as I understand it's not fair when a few bad sheep cast a dark shadow over the entire sport.

[Alysser]

I guess I agree with horse racing. I just like to keep an open mind as I understand it's not fair when a few bad sheep cast a dark shadow over the entire sport.

I agree with you 110%.

Same thing goes for dog racing. If there is ANY kind of abuse, even the smallest hit for correction, I'm against it. Otherwise, I agree with horse racing.

[K9soul]

Like greyhound racing and like anything involving animals and people, there are good and bad elements to it. There are good and bad owners.

For those who mentioned Barbaro, there is speculation that Barbaro had an underlying genetic problem that contributed to the weakness in his bones. The horse people I've talked to were concerned about the preservation of his semen exactly for this reason. They worry that Barbaro's weakness could very likely be genetic.

That sheer speculation by a few people and none of it that I've seen on actual racing threads, there is no basis for it whatsoever. There are breakdowns, unfortunately quite frequently, however the Preakness was in the public eye more which led to such speculation. Barbaro's pedigree was flawless, his father and mother are solid horses, his siblings and half siblings have been solid. If you said that of every horse that has broken or cracked a bone on the track there'd be hundreds with genetically flawed bones. Fleet Indian, the horse who won an Eclipse award, had a leg injury from her last race. Pine Island stumbled and broke her leg badly in the Breeder's Cup and had to be euthanized. St. Liam (retired horse of the year winner) was playing and cavorting and fell this summer, smashing his leg and had to be euthanized. All of this is THE driving force behind making track surfaces safer with PolyTrack.

Anyone can take a misstep, I'm sure most people have stumbled before? However when you combine speed and power and the weight of a horse, stumbling is much more catastrophic. There was absolutely no evidence that his bones were "weak." Something like that can easily be determined by a bone density test.

As far as preserving his semen, they are again wrong. That was never even a consideration since AI is not allowed in the TB racing industry, period. There was never even a question of the possibility of it.

One issue Jackson cleared up is that no sperm was taken from Barbaro before he was euthanized. Precise rules have been established that thoroughbreds must breed with mares naturally.

So here's another, more realistic conjecture going on about the accident. Another horse, Brother Derek, may have slightly nicked Barbaro's back leg, causing the stumble. Read through this. It is MUCH more likely than the weak bone theory. A tiny nick of contact wouldn't necessarily even be felt by the jockey.

Did Brother Derek Cause Barbaro Injury?

Barbaro trainer Michael Matz said Pimlico officials said that their frame-by-frame study of the race shows that Barbaro was struck by Brother Derek just before the accident, Bloodhorse.com said.

The reviewers were 80% certain some contact was made.

[Argranade]

No I don't,

No animal should be made to run on purpose even if there not tired,

I dout any of you would like to be forced to run around a feild over & over.

They go too fast and I don't like hearing about all these poor horses that are getting injured .. maybe it's not commen but there is infact a chance of a horse getting injured no matter what!

It's one of the most stupid things humans came up with!

Racing animals pffttt .....

[CathyBogart]

Our Jeffrey at school was a racehorse. He was on the cover of Equus magazine as a five year old. Unfortunately, so much racing so young damaged his front feet badly. They both developed laminitis and are now deformed.

He's a pampered boy living out in our field with no obligations and hundreds of people to love on him, but he requires constant attention and frequent pain management as his feet still hurt him at times.

I'm not against horse racing as a rule, I've seen how much those horses LOVE TO RUN, but I do wish it were managed in a way that put the horses well being first.

[buttercup132]

No animal should be made to run on purpose even if there not tired,

Horses that are bred for racing have those genetics and most of them LOVE to run. If they didn't want to I'm pretty sure the thousand pound horse could stop and not do it. If done cntrollably and a horse isn't put in race after race it's fine. My old horse used to love to run with the race horses.

[Vela]

I agree 100% with K9Soul's post, from beginning to end.

There is good and bad in horse racing, but there is good and bad in ANY sport, including those with humans as the atheletes, and there is good and bad in owning any animal period. There are humans in all aspects of animal ownership who don't take proper care of their animals. I owned an off the track thoroughbred, she had no physical problems at all, and was always sound from the day I got her. Some of these replies indicate a complete lack of knowledge of horse racing in general, and make a lot of assumptions. Many of these horses live better than many humans, in fact a good majority of them do. I am disgusted by owners and trainers who don't do right by their animals, but that is an exception rather than a rule in racing.

[Suki Wingy]

St. Liam (retired horse of the year winner) was playing and cavorting and fell this summer, smashing his leg and had to be euthanized.

What, how come I didn't hear that!

If they didn't want to I'm pretty sure the thousand pound horse could stop and not do it.

My Player did. He stopped, turned around, and jumped over the railing. That's why he was sold so cheap as a colt with his pedigree. By Fast Play out of Leading Ballerina (by Moscow Ballet)

[mike001]

Suki----yes, I agree some are very lucky. I guess being a horse lover it just hurts to see what happens with these horses when their luck runs out. And yes, some go on to be super hunter jumpers.

[Miss Z]

I've never been too keen on the concept of horse-racing myself. Horse racing wasn't invented for the love of horses, but for gambling, profit, and fancy dress.

Yes, the lucky few racehorses are well treated and lead wonderful lives, but not all horses are Red Rum and Desert Orchid. These horses are broken is as COLTS and FILLIES, with their bones not nearly developed for carrying a person on its back no matter how light it is. They are raced at ages of 2 and can be retired at the age of 4, as someone here mentioned. At four years old a horse has just stopped growing! This is why so many have underdeveloped or wonky joints, as their soft bones were damaged during strenuous exercise.

I don't believe that thoroughbred horses weren't born to run. Horses naturally run together in herds and they have enough stamina to run the races. I see no cruelty in that.

Of course, once the racehorse is of no use anymore that's when problems begin. Most end up in cans of dog and cat food. There isn't a great market for ex-racehorses as they can be hot-headed and it takes a patient and experienced person to retrain them, so they're simply gobbled up by the slaughterhouse.

I've also found it a curious fact that, generally, the racehorses that do lead good lives due to their extensive wins never seem to live over much over 20.

So, I think racing horses as a sport is fine, but, as always, you always get those who overly-exploit in the profits involved in it.

[Giselle]

K9soul, I read something that said you could preserve TB semen according to foreign rules. It was some odd loophole/finer print thing that I never really paid attention to. Of course, I'm not a horse racing person so I was just posting what the consensus was by the majority of the people I talked to. Now, greyhound racing is an issue I am well versed in, but I digress.

[CathyBogart]

Hehe, his hot-headed, stubborn, crabby temperament is what makes Jeffrey such a valuble teaching horse for us at school! Once we've successfully worked with Jeffrey for awhile, we are far better prepared to work with crabby horses our clients might need looked at.

More colleges should take on ex-racers! *laughs*

[Argranade]

Horses that are bred for racing have those genetics and most of them LOVE to run. If they didn't want to I'm pretty sure the thousand pound horse could stop and not do it. If done cntrollably and a horse isn't put in race after race it's fine. My old horse used to love to run with the race horses.

I don't mind when pet horses go on trails with there fellow humans or run around in a feild a few times for fun, because then there's no other horses around to smash into each other that are going at full speed, it's even dangerous for the humans .. I mean what if they fall off the horse because it's going too fast and get trampled on?

Some horses are indeed happy when racing, they love running as fast as they can but I have seen some races with small whips .. they hit the horses neck or side so it keeps going, a whipe is another stupid invention for horses .. some people just care about winning and not the animal there hurting.

Some racing is okay .. as long as there's no record of injury or abuse.

[CathyBogart]

It's quite possible for a horse to get injured plodding down a trail or running around a field. ANYONE can take a misstep.

[critter crazy]

It's quite possible for a horse to get injured plodding down a trail or running around a field. ANYONE can take a misstep.

exactly, not to mention just being in a pasture, they can get seriously injured! happens all the time. I think the only thing that needs to change about racing, is the age they start traing, and racing. Other than that, i think it is just fine.