Eight Belles
May. 3rd, 2008 05:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ksmithSon of a bitch.
Just before it started, I thought just let them all get through the race.
I used to love to watch horse racing, but I'm developing a serious aversion. It just seems like the horses can't take the pounding.
Just before it started, I thought just let them all get through the race.
I used to love to watch horse racing, but I'm developing a serious aversion. It just seems like the horses can't take the pounding.
no subject
Date: 2008-05-04 01:12 am (UTC)The problem with TB racing is they take horses the equivalent of mayb 10-12 kids, feed them up *bigtime* to develop size and muscle, work them enuf to develop some speed, and them turn them loose on the racing circuit.
Many break down or just fail, and most arent racing after the age of 4.
Given the fact that they dont reach full growth til around 5-6 (when the plates over the knee close is the general term for it) its cruel and inhumane.
The good news is in things like dressage and eventing, the horses are at a proper age, often because they have to mature to build up the proper muscle mass to be able to do something other than run flat out, and also the time it takes to train for something like dressage is years.
Charisma, who is a famous eventing horse here who won gold with Mark Todd at least 2 Olympics, and he retired aged 16 after the second gold
no subject
Date: 2008-05-04 01:19 am (UTC)Eight Belles came in second, somehow, then collapsed after she crossed the finish line. She had broken both front legs, and was euthanized on the track.