2002-06-10 - 11:58 p.m.

Horse racing is dangerous, bad and should most likely be ended.

However, there are just as many abusive practices in other disciplines.

The ONLY time any average american sees a horse it is a race horse. Where would the american horse industry BE without the publicity and funds of racing?

We can never forget that racing in its current inhumane incarnation descends from an average human desire, to race and see whose horse is faster. Ever tried to see if your horse could jump higher then a friends horse? Ever told a story about how great your horse was at his last show? These are the basic impulses that created the monster that horse racing has become.

I don't mean to say all racing breeders and trainers are bad. I think at the upper most levels, because of the money involved trainers are inclined to be more cautious of their horses overall health. Bigger stakes also means bigger risks, longer races etc.

IF racing were to eliminate backyard-substanderd breeding and to change the entire face of racing; to admit the flaws of its system and have more rigerous mandatory x-rays before and after every race- What if no unsound horse could race - if an unsound horse wasn't allowed to win?

What if no horse under the TRUE age of 4 years old ( by birthdate NOT JC age) was allowed to race?

Then, say the people who lives on the blood and chipped bones of these animals, then the excitement would be gone.

I personally don't need that kind of excitement.

But the average person who doesnt know horses just doesnt "get it" It is our priveldge to explain it to them, that they are watching infants sky dive without parachutes, that half of all these horses end up on dinner plates in Europe, that they are shot up with painkillers and hormones and steriods- and they are just BABIES.

That they never get to run in an open field. They never get to nuzzle another horse. They have never seen an natural body of water and will be afraid of puddles for the rest of their lives. These babies will have ulcers eating through their stomachs too- from stress, just like humans.

The average race horse runs in three races in its lifetime. There are at least 20 racetracks in the US (I can;t find the real number, its probabaly closer to 200, maybe 2000) The race tracks have at least 100 races a year. with an average of 8 horses per race.

Do the math. 800 horses per track per year. 16000 horses raced every year. Thats the minimum horses raced each year. in the US.

Now imagine if the race tracks have more then 100 races a year Say 200. or try to calculations with 200 racetracks. And what about QH racing?

That is more horses being worked literally to death, because they can't do anything else and live, then there are people in some small countries.

Say something. Don't just let it happen.

War Emblem? Will walk in pain for the rest of his life.

In the fourth race of the Belmont ( War emblem was in the tenth) two horses died from a pile up. So thats three horses minimum RUINED, wasted in one of the most prestigious races there is. How many die on an average day, at a less known track? Is it more then get sold for meat? IF you care don't spend another dollar on racing.

Donate to a rehab program for the few and lucky horses who escape the last ride to a slaughterhouse. Help to keep buying pain pills for the 4 year old off the track who had both knees blown out when he fell at the last 1/16 pole. Help pay for compassionate training for horses who are afraid of other horses because they lived at a caretrack for 8 years. DOnate your time, donate a wheelbarrow just don't go bet on the ponies. Your bet means at least one of the horses in the race you bet on will be dead within two month.

-bsg-

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