Filly DOWN in Kentucky Derby

[K9karen]

I hate horseracing too. Poor, poor girl. Run free Eight Belles.

[IRescue452]

Horse racing absolutely makes my blood boil I cannot believe in a country where we've banned dog fighting and even fighting roosters, we still haven't banned horse racing. Running those young horses like that is absolutely cruelty in my mind. Its sick sick sick. And those ridiculous rich people in stupid ugly huge hats that watch the races. Those people that are supposed to be educated. I can't begin to word all the horrible things I wish on these people. They think they have class. I'll give them class. And the Clinton daughter was there waving to the crowd like the smiling buffoon she is. I sure as heck am not voting for a female Clinton anytime in the future, near or far. Grr, horse racing

[BC_MoM]

Ugh. I am sick to my stomach.

[RICHARD]

Race horses are treated better than the jockeys.

Matter of fact, when a jockey 'breaks down' they don't have the luxury of being euthanized.

I saw a couple of documentaries on racing and was shocked at the treatment of the men that ride the horses. Check out the money a jockey makes for a win- I cannot remember the exact amount one Derby jockey got for a win-but it wasn't anywhere near a race purse.

First of all, I am not a betting man. I have been to the track twice and stood at the finish line for a few races. There is nothing more wonderous than seeing and hearing a pack of horses run. I am very interested in anatomy and find that part of horse racing extremely interesting- to me any running animal is stunning.

-----------

I am not a huge fan of horses being used for anything except pulling the Bud wagon- THOSE horses are incredible and spoiled!!!!

I find the horse rides in New York, farms that let horse pull wagons of visitors or animals that are couped up all week until some kid comes out to ride on the weekend as being treated cruelly.



Race horses are so frigging cared for it's not funny.

No, that does not excuse anyone riding a horse into the ground for sport-but when I have seen some of ways people care for their run of the mill horses, I'd rather see a horse be taken and raced at a track. Imagine that. Having the best stall, food, medical treatment, exercise and grooming.

I live near Hansen Dam/Lake View Terrace and the Griffith Park stables-both are horse areas-when my brother was working with horses I saw many people who woiuld punch, whip, kick and mistreat those poor animals way worse than running them on a track.


It wasn't a noble end to that horse's life, but there are far worse cases of animals being beaten, totured and killed. I am sure that there are many horses put down on race tracks all across the world- but our outrage is piqued only when it's on the tube.

One thing that can be said about the race were the people who were really concerned about that horse. The people who were freaking out about the Eight Belles are the same ones who would drive down a street and not even bother to help a human being that was lying on a public road.

[dukedogsmom]

That breaks my heart. I don't care for any animal racing. Run free at the RB, beautiful girl.

[MoonandBean]

So sad...I couldn't believe it when I turned out my computer. My friend was just at a memorial for Barbaro. I don't have the same reaction to horseracing as I do to dog fighting, poorly run "zoo's", etc... I hope the horses actually enjoy racing and I believe they are well carefored. This case though makes me angry...she was too young to be run like this and her little joints just couldn't take it. I hope they will look at this and pass some stricter regulations on when a horse is ready to run at this level.

[Medusa]

Well, at least now Eight Belles is pain free and can romp and run and be free. RIP, Eight Belles.

[JuniorxMyxLove]

Here's a news story on it for those who may be interested:

http://sports.yahoo.com/rah/news?slu...v=ap&type=lgns

[dukedogsmom]

I just wrote this:

Eight Belles in the wind
Beautiful melody that will never end
Running free now without pain
May your death not have been in vain

You ran for the roses with heart and soul
True to your lineage from long ago
With heavy hearts, our tears fall
You shouldn't have died at all

The rainbow bridge is now your home
With never ending pastures to roam
Eight Belles in the wind
Beautiful melody that will never end

[pitc9]

That was beautiful Val!

[cloverfdx]

What a senseless waste of life .

[IRescue452]

Its all so senseless. You know what a filly is, a baby! A baby who hasn't had the chance for hers bones to grow normally before they started racing her. You look at the picture in the first post and tell me that horses legs don't look distorted. I would be in pain if I were a horse running on those legs.

And for all intensive purposes, fighting dogs are pampered too. The ones that win a lot, just like horses, are fed well, trained well, the owners have medical equipment with them in case they need anything, some fighting owners have very nice facilities. And just like in horses, those who don't do well, are disposed of in one way or another.

[RICHARD]

On ESPN they quoted a stat - 700 horses are euthanized each year, around the world. One horse in May is put down and all of a sudden it's a crisis?

----------

Dogs that are bred to fight are bred to die.

To compare a horse owner to a pit dog owner is funny. No comparison. PD owners keep ther dogs alive so they can be killed in a fight-I have yet to hear of a horse owner running a horse just to see it die.

Again, I don't see the purpose of racing horses, but I love to see horses run.

------------

Speaking of dogs being abused---

What is the pupose of Frisbee dogs? I ran into a "frisbee dog" once and was appalled at the condition of it's teeth. The AH that ran the dog was using frisbee golf discs that are made of hard, hard plastic-Why not throw dinner plates for the dog to chase?

I have no problems with running a dog with a soft, nylon dog frisbee... After a few hundred training sessions making an animal chasing Pyrex, what does it have to look forward to?

Cheap soft food and no bones?