What do you think about horse racing?

[Mike 03]

I'm totally ignorant when it comes to horse racing, but I do know one thing: The only time I have heard horse racing make the news is usually when a horse has had to be euthanized, or has had some horrible accident.

Do the "owners" of the horse care about the horse? Or in general, is this just about money?

I admit, I don't know. For all I know, they grieve deeply, painfully, when these horses are injured or killed.

Do the owners of horses care about the horses as "beings", or is this just an exploitation of a beautiful animal?

[Warpy]

1. The trainers care even if the owner is an absentee asshole

who only wants an investment to pay off.

[DrDan]

4. not unlike CEOs and executives of major corporations

the employees are just an investment toward increased profits.

[saltpoint]

2. Many people who work around horses at all levels love the animals but

there's no question that money is a major variable in the high-profile horse races and breeding.

The anonymous person in an anonymous stable caring for a quite unfamous horse might be the person who most loves the animal.

No publicity, no high-income stakes, no gambling, no media hoopla, no mint juleps in the grandstand. Just a woman or man or child caring for an animal in the quiet of a wooden barn, and enjoying the animal's good company.

[Believing Is Art]

3. It depends how involved they are

It would take a sociopath to interact with the horses on a daily basis and not care about them like they were your own children. There are some bad apples, of course, but it's also not the most sure-fire way to make money. You're just as, if not more, likely to lose your life savings - even with the established farms. There was a scandal in Kentucky awhile back where a guy married into a family that had been in the business for a very long time. He ran them into the ground, there was speculation (don't know if it was confirmed) that he killed their prize horse for the insurance money.

[A HERETIC I AM]

25. You're referring to J.T. Lundy and the renowned Calumet Farm. n/t

[Believing Is Art]

26. That's it, thanks so much

I could not remember the name of the farm for the life of me.

Sad story all around.

[dustbunnie]

5. Ask Lisa Druck's dad.

Her beloved, murdered horse was the center piece for the whole "sandman" scandal way back when.

Then she went on to seduce John Edwards.

[Wetzelbill]

6. they care typically

Especially the people work with the horses on a day to day basis. My parents owned two race horses when either right before I was born or very little. The big issue with racing now, especially thoroughbred racing, is the way they are bred etc. As for diet and how they are taken care of, they are treated great. An owner might be detached, but the people who take care of a horse never could be. But horses may be great athletes but still have problems because of history of inbreeding. For example, their muscles, size and strength might be built for speed, but their bones and joints may not be fit to handle it as well as horses in the past could. I can't comment on drug usage, I'm sure that can be a factor in certain instances. The stakes to win are so high that through breeding and other methods, again possibly drug use, that animals might be more susceptible to breaking down now.

[BlooInBloo]

7. I would love to cross-reference horse racing DUer fans with self-proclaimed...

animal rights DUers activists.

Just out of curiosity.

[ThomCat]

16. What would you be fishing for?

You love to hate animal rights activists. You're not looking for information out of casual curiosity.

"Self-proclaimed?" Why would you feel the need to add that qualifier?

[BlooInBloo]

17. I didn't need to. I wanted to. So I did. Why are you trying to censor me? Dissent is patriotic!

:rofl:

[dustbunnie]

18. You're kind of an ass... and I like you!

[BlooInBloo]

21. I get that a lot.

:P

[LWolf]

20. You can put me in both groups. nt

[katmondoo]

8. I love the horses and I love the races

Never bet though, just watch

[KathieG]

9. Some of them care, but others treat the horse like a machine.

I have been involved with horses for years, and I can say that the same goes for most areas of the horse world, whether it's show horses, race horses, rodeo horses, or even "backyard" horses...there are good and bad owners in every discipline. A friend of mine used to breeze race horses for several racing stables and has told me horror stories about some farms...especially when it comes to insurance scams, but I won't go into that right now.

[Donnachaidh]

10. having worked in the business, I think a small percentage of owners are good

SMALL percentage.

Usually those are the folks who have traditionally owned, and bred horses. The *newbie* owners are the worst - they want to bet, and they want to win. At least one of the horses I cared for was *held back* so the owners could pound the bets through when they wanted a win. I cared for horses that made multi-million dollar purses (lifetime) that were treated like absolute shit because they were older and not as good as they were years past.

And not all trainers are great, either. Many of them are in it for the money, and I've seen abuses of horses that never should have happened.

I loved working with my *kids*. And I still miss them, two decades later.

[XOKCowboy]

11. I give you this link about one of the greatest horses of our time

If you're a true horseperson, it's all about the horse. They're magnificent animals. There are many who are only in it for the money but the winners do care about the horse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl-IVl-UGE4

[Arugula Latte]

12. It's brutal on the horses, particularly those that don't "perform" well.

I consider it totally exploitative and cruel. I wish it were banned, along with dog racing and rodeos and circuses that use animals.

Flame away, I don't care.

[northernlights]

13. there are some who care about their horses

and others who are all about ego. It's rarely about real money, since it's usually a money-losing proposition. For the occasional star that rakes in the big bucks, there are many, many more that simply cost every spare cent you've got. They generally are a tax write-off for the uber-wealthy, or a dream-turned-nightmare for the rest.

They are raced too young, too hard, and, in the U.S., on too hard of tracks. There are far more catastrophic injuries in the U.S. than in other countries, due to the "fast" tracks.

Not seen by most, either, are the horses that end up unsound at young ages -- arthritic or with ruined ligaments or tendons before they've even reached middle-age. It used to be that they raced only once every few weeks, with just training and resting between, and with winters off. Nowadays, at the low level tracks they run them into the ground racing weekly during the season, and then ship them south for another season. So they never get a break. I've seen youngsters that have raced 50 and 60 times. They shouldn't be in that many races in a long lifetime, never mind a 4 or 5 year old :(.

I spent a chunk of my teens reschooling youngsters straight off-the-track into general riding horses. No horse is sweeter or more generous of spirit than the thoroughbred. But they are also the most unsound breed out there. They're so overbred for speed here in the U.S. that they don't have the bone density needed to support their weight. English, Irish, Argentinian, and Brazilian thoroughbreds are slower, but much, much sturdier.

[Stinky The Clown]

14. Some dog owners provide a dirty bucket of food and a drafty dog house year round

Some put their dogs in raincoats and booties when it gets cloudy outside. Most dog owners just plain love them.

Horse people are the same way.

Horse owners, too. Some care, some don't.

But ask the hot walker, or the groom, or the mucker. That's who has the most contact with the horses. I just find them incredibly beautiful animals.

And I hug my dogs and talk to them as if they understood me.

[Kablooie]

15. It's a good way to get rich quick. All you have to do is bet on the fastest one.

[LWolf]

19. I think a whole bunch of things about horse racing.

First of all, I'm a lifelong horse owner. My family took thoroughbreds off the track and gave them long, useful lives. My senior mare, lazing happily out in my front pasture, is half tb; her sire was rescued by my family in the 60s when he broke a cannon bone on the track and was due to be euthanized. He was a 3yo.

He was lamed for life, but lived comfortably and happily into his late twenties. I spent a lot of time with him as a kid, and he loved the attention.

Meanwhile, I have his daughter in my front pasture and two of his granddaughters out behind the barn. The daughter is 20 and retired. Still healthy, energetic, and able to be ridden, but the other two take up my time, and she's quite pleased to be groomed, cared for, and allowed to enjoy retirement.

I like spending time with them better than I like spending time with most people, to be honest. I have sacrificed much to ensure that they will live out their lives in safety, security, and never have to worry about being sold.

Horse racing is an industry. It's all about money. Because it is all about money, horses are not always treated well. Owners and trainers both expect horses to come and go. Some "like" their animals; some see them as commodities.

One of the problems with the industry is that horses are large, expensive to maintain, especially the colts, and the "industry" doesn't want to bear the cost of waiting for them to mature. They start them too young, and the wear and tear on bones, hooves, joints, and ligaments means that way too many leave the industry less than sound for other kinds of activities.

Racing is a risky sport. Just like hockey, football, rugby, skiing, rock climbing, etc..

Horses can't be rehabilitated the same way injured human athletes can. Barbaro is a perfect example.

Another problem with the industry is the over-breeding and the use of lasix and other drugs.

Over-specialization in breeding for just one trait...speed...can lead to the breeding of less sound horses. Most race horses aren't going to race for their entire lives; on the upper levels, a few years to establish worth in the breeding barn, and then they are retired to breed. On the mid and lower levels, they may race until they are 8 or 9. They are done at the point that most horses are just reaching their prime. They don't have to be sound for their event for more than a few years.

Allowing drugs also leads to breeding weaker animals. If only those sturdy and strong enough to race without drugs were allowed to race, then only those sturdy and strong enough to do so would be bred for the track.

With all that said, I'm not "against" racing. I like to watch the races. Unfortunately, I'm always aware that I probably like the horses themselves more than their owners, trainers, and most spectators.

I'm FOR regulating the industry to make it more humane, and to improve the breed.

[XOKCowboy]

22. Excellent post..

We've also had horses forever and like you I'd rather spend time with them than most humans. Most people don't know that horses don't mature until they are 5 or 6 years old. Racing them at 2 and 3 yrs old is a travesty. I'll take saddle bred horses anytime.

[LWolf]

27. Thanks.

I'm a fan of quarter horses (foundation) and mustangs, myself. ;)

That's what that rescued tb was bred to; horses with lots of bone and substance.

I spend my time trail riding. I'm happy wandering the hills with my horse and dog.

:hi:

[Obamanaut]

29. That was a good post. Enjoyed it. Thanks. nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

23. It's a really dumb thing to bet on.

[Grey]

24. fairly pointless pastime..

[Obamanaut]

28. NASCAR, horse, greyhound racing - go fast, turn left. Two of these

have potential for abuse/neglect/mistreatment of animals. one does not. That is the only difference in my mind. All three serve no purpose other than entertain the masses.