If the authorities were to cut the number of horses racing down a bit, and rigorously enforce whipping regulation, would there be less of a problem then?
That would help though, the whipping regs are enforced quite well as most of the time they just shake their whip which is allowed, my problem is I am unsure whether this is actually any better as the horses associate the whip with pain/ run from it even when shook; it's like a person being threatened with being beaten all the time.
Though, as I've mentioned, I think a big reform has to come through the whole of the industry, my main problems aren't in the races themselves, they are in the way that racing is run, what goes on behind the scenes. I'm not saying it is the cruelty of the people that manage the yard all I'm saying is the way that a yard has to be run in order for them to compete with the others means that they are forcing the horses into a very damaging and unnatural life. It's not an instant cruelty thing like beating them would be, it's a slow progression so not something that is reported. I have a friend who was very up on racing and was training to be a race yard jockey. She lasted on a yard 2 months or there abouts, she now won't stand to watch races at all despite once wanting to be the first female to win the Grand National, her main reason for leaving was it suddenly hit her hard one day how slowly the horses were damaged which is why horses don't last long in racing, they are soon past their best.
Oh yeah, and the horses are brought up to live like this, they know no/little difference and therefore aren't likely to resist to it much and race horses do VERY frequently fight back to the people working with them
i'm pretty much on the fence here. i am an animal lover, and can see that horses dieing from racing is obviously not a good thing, and i dont think anyone on this thread has said that it is, and if there was a way for them to race without injuring themselves then that would be fantastic.
for the most part though i am pro horse racing, i believe that if a horse is fit enough and well enough prepared the risk of injury is greatly reduced, and anything that could happen to them is more likely to be an accident, than anyone's fault. as for racing not being natural, neither is riding a horse full stop, but horses enjoy it, my horse certainly would hate doing nothing. horses, like people like to have a purpose in life.
on the whole racehorses have a pretty good life, most of them live in the field for the first couple of years, come in, be trained up, race, then if they're not successful either get re homed or put down. so ideally you'd re home all of them, but as a second option trainers are fairly responsible by having them put down, and not passed around.
there's no way anyone's going to stop horse racing, it has too much of a cult following and brings in too much money, all that we can hope is that some of that profit is put back into developing the thoroughbred breed, so that they become better developed for what they do.
& the language of love letters is the same as suicide notes
i see a pattern emerging here, the people for horse racing arnt animal lovers, so they can comment on a sport which involves animals, that says it all, thats all i need to know my discussion here is closed.
I bloody love animals.
I cried when we had to kill a bird the other day ffs.
I'm just not oversensitive about the fact that humans have evolved as the dominant species and are therefor in charge of what goes on.
We are the dominant species and we are better.
To add to that:
If you're gunna make assumptions like that then I can add most "animal lovers" live in inner-city areas and have no proper experience of actual countryside culture.
To add to that:
If you're gunna make assumptions like that then I can add most "animal lovers" live in inner-city areas and have no proper experience of actual countryside culture.
Nope, I hate Inner-city areas and I am VERY much up on countryside culture having worked on many farms over the past few years. I know a lot about what goes on in the racing industry but am actually sad to say I've never worked on a racing ard, I wanted to get experience at one but they said I couldn't as I like to get first hand experience of it. I am not against vivisection and stuff like that and trust me, I know what goes on in a lab, and I'm not an animal rights activist though have very strong views on a lot of things to do with animals. I think it's a bit assumption to make that we have no 'proper experience of countryside culture'. I know both sides of the arguement. When I'm making views up on anything I look at both sides, get knowledgeable on both and talk to farmers, friends, people I know as I shape my views on things. Yes, horses may enjoy the actual race, and the races themselves may not be that dangerous and yes they do spend most of the first couple of years in a field but it's after then that my views mainly come in.
I definatly agree with the fact that if a horse doesn't want to do something then it sure as hell won't!
I can see the point that if we stopped the racing then a few less horses may be killed because of humans, however if racing stopped a lot of jobs would be lost, i bet a lot of the owners of race horses would put them down, or sell them to people that couldn't look after them.
If it was simple to stop racing then yea i would want it to be stopped, but it's not.
Ali xox
With demons dancing off mirror images reflecting all that you wanted.
So far from perfect, onward we will strive.
Take it for what it's worth, this truth that you've realized.
You're not who you thought you were, it's time to see the other side of what you have become.
i dont think racing should be banned but i dont like some of the things that happen before and after races...i heard alot of stories as a boy from here went to jockey school and is getting his jockey license.
Horses love to gallop, certainly thoroughbreds. If they dont want to race then they wont, no matter what you do but usually they will because they will want to follow the other horses.
Alot of jockeys will pull out if they think that their horse wont or cant do it, most will carry on just taking it steady.
Its not cruel, if they banned racing then they'd have to ban showjumping, dressage, cross country etc...
Through the dark, a strand of light, the light continued to get bright, with it came the strength to fight (Gem)
just wanted to add one other thing.
Or maybe it will be more....
I dont think racing should be banned so that makes me hate animals??? i dont think so, see i live and work at a stables and my life is revolved around horses and their welfare. So if im not an animal lover what is an animal lover???
Horses will not be forced to do what they dont want to do. If they dont want a person on their back, they'll have you off. End of.
also, some race horses are kept boxed and fed oats for quick release energy but not all are... i know race horses that are turned out and fed on grass and hay and have some hard feed like sugarbeet and stud nuts because they cant get all the nutrition they need from just grazing.
i hate it that people are saying 'all horses are made to do this.../all horses are mis treated blah blah...'
Horses can break their legs at anytime, they can drop down dead at any time from anything... if they have weak joints/bones then racing wont help but then how do you know they have weak bones??
yeah....
so thats my input.
Through the dark, a strand of light, the light continued to get bright, with it came the strength to fight (Gem)
"Less than three weeks after PETA called for congressional hearings on abuses in the thoroughbred racing industry, the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection has announced that it will hold hearings in the next month and demand answers on injuries, drug use, and breeding. Please join us in asking the subcommittee to focus on the cruelest practices of racing: legal and illegal drug use, track surfaces, whipping, racing horses too young and too often, and sending "used up" thoroughbreds to slaughter."
i HAVE done my research, i WORK with horses, LIVE with horses and WORK with jockeys so please dont tell me to do my research.
You are quite welcome to come and see the thoroughbreds we have. They have been or are used for racing.
(we do have other horses too, we arent a racing yard.)
Racing in the US is different to racing in the UK too.
please stop being so rude and listen to what others are saying and respect other peoples opinions. Just because we say we dont think it should be banned doesnt mean we are cruel.
Yes there are some changes that can be made and yes there are people out there who will be cruel but it doesnt mean EVERYONE is.
I'm not being cruel, i have rescued 3 horses now from the brink of death and we have just had another one arrive so if im 'cruel' why would i do this?
Through the dark, a strand of light, the light continued to get bright, with it came the strength to fight (Gem)
Humm..not sure how a paragraph off of PETAs site announcing "hearings" constitutes research into the situation. Off hand I would like to know more about the steroids that are legal for use on horses in US racing. I know in human sports there are more injuries because the muscles can apply more stress than the ligaments and tendons can handle - maybe something similar can take place with horses.
Somewhat off topic, Big Brown the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner has a cracked hoof. They gouge out the crack and filled it wil epoxy of something. The horse will be running last leg of triple crown at Belmont in a couple weeks.
Horses love to gallop, certainly thoroughbreds. If they dont want to race then they wont, no matter what you do but usually they will because they will want to follow the other horses.
Alot of jockeys will pull out if they think that their horse wont or cant do it, most will carry on just taking it steady.
Its not cruel, if they banned racing then they'd have to ban showjumping, dressage, cross country etc...
Racing in the US is different to racing in the UK too.
OK so that means you know the ins and outs of US racing.
The article was written in relation to an American race and I've said before about me discussing the US situation.
So I will go now as obviously if your in a different part of the world your not allowed to have a discussion with UK as they are more important because this board is set up in the UK, and I thought we could talk about world events.
No do you know what? you told me to try listening to other peoples opinions, I never said PETA was my source of knowledge, I was trying to point out that its a big enough problem for people to want it banned, therefore there is proof of abuse going on, what you think all the investigations and such are fabricated out of lies? why dont you go on that website and tell them they are all wrong because you are the one with greater knowledge than all of them.
why dont you try opening your mind and stop telling me too, so ive fabricated the whole thing up then have I? Im not going to ignore the issue because you tell me to, if you want to be ignorant on animal abuse thats obviously up to you but dont tell me what i can and cant believe in.
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Everyone take a step back and big deep breath.
Raining, there is nothing wrong about talking about US racing, it's just that with the majority of people here being from the UK we will talk more about that. We know more about it, and probably don't (I know I don't really) have the time to look up the ins and outs of US racing.
I didn't really understand your post about "try doing your research", but that was more because it was just a quote from somewhere (don't know where, but know that it references PETA) and had no explanation to go along with it. You didn't say your opinion on it or how it relates to the topic.
Right well Its just that people take offence when Im talking about racing in the US for some reason and telling me im wrong, i have people coming back telling me their friend owns a horse and such which has nothing to do with what i am talking about, if racing regulated in the uk fine but we are allowed to discuss racing outside of the uk as well. I dont know how many times i have to say im talking about A M E R I C A N racing. Jeez
