how i feel, i only voiced my opinion like they all know they have a right to, regretting having an opinion and standing up for animal welfare. theres only so many i can debate against on my own, well im broken, congratulations.
how i feel, i only voiced my opinion like they all know they have a right to, regretting having an opinion and standing up for animal welfare. theres only so many i can debate against on my own, well im broken, congratulations.
I'm sorry. that comment wasn't aimed at you....or anyone for that matter.
I was just thinking how there are some very strong opinions in this thread and I didnt want to upset or offend anyone.
pisses me off when people get really OTT about animals
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'm sorry. that comment wasn't aimed at you....or anyone for that matter.
I was just thinking how there are some very strong opinions in this thread and I didnt want to upset or offend anyone.
I've not read the rest of the thread but I just wanted to add my comment.
I personally hate Racing. Many horses die from it either due to fractured bones, exhaustion, burst blood vessels, consolidation in their lungs, need i go on...
Aswell as that, many die as a result of racing and not actually in a race, therefore it's what people don't hear about.
Horses in racing are forced to live a very unnataural, hardly having time out in a paddock to act like horses, this is something they need for their behaviour. Because of this, many racehorses develop poor behaviour patterns (AKA stereotypical behaviours) such as weaving from one side of their door to another for hours. Racing yards solution; we'll but a grid on the door, then they can't do it rather than solving the solution behind it. Box walking is another where a horse continuosly walks around its stable for hours on end, even all day when they aren't being trained which is caused by stress and boredom and can cause problems on their joints due to the tight turns they have to make/ wear and tear on their joints. Wind-sucking is another which they often do which is where they bite some wood/ object and swallow air that comes in. This is very dangerous causing damage to their teeth, oesophagus, and stomach--> huge problems with eating.
As well as this, they are on a diet which is high in fat/energy and low in forage/fibre which is a horses natural diet and what they really need. This diet along with the stress of life in the yard causes them to develop stomach ulcers and problems with their teeth and digestion as a whole which can lead to SEVERE pain, colicking and even death. This is seen to a lesser extent in most competition horses yard. Is it fair?
Also, horses are forced to jump over jumps that are too high which often lead to falls and having other horses landing on top of them.
They are also often trained and backed from an age which is too young for them. Horses should ideally not be ridden/ have anyone on thier back at all before 4 years old, bigger breeds/ heavier Cobs don't fully skeletally mature until they are 5 so it is believed by some that they should be left alone until then. If you back these too early it causes a lot of damage to their joints in their legs and can cause deformities to the spine --> pain, reduced quality of life and the horse not being able to have a normal, happy life.
As well, being brought into work so early can cause them a lot of psychological problems as they are not allowed to behaviourally mature in a field along with other horses like they should be at that age and so they don't really know that they are horses to some extent.
Along with this, I don't agree that animals should be used for betting as they don't have a choice not to be used in this way and I find that really unfair that they are forced through all of this through no fault of their own.
If there were to be changes in how racing was set up then I would re-evaluate my thoughts but right now they are sticking like that
They get to be injured doing something they enjoy. Horses will run around and jump of their own free will, it comes naturally to them.
Horses actually don't jump in the wild unless it is necessary, that's why, with jumps, horses actually always aim for the smallest bit if there is one and they are allowed to
And all the statements of "animals flee from predators in the wild" so it's like a race and so because theydo it in the wild sort of thing kind of has a flaw. Yes, they flee in the wild from predators, but would you enjoy being chased? I know this is different and they are not being predated but you cannot prove in a lot of cases that they enjoy it
It depends on what the sport is. I personally would not ban them all, I would change the lifestyles of whihc the animals are brought up in, I would ban use of horses in sport before 4yrs of age and I would make all of the stuff that they are asked to do easier and have less racing at once.
Seeing them jump from one field to the next does happen, I agree but it doesn't mean jumping to them is a normal behaviour, being separated by fences isn't and so yes, they may do that but there may be reasons for it such as the type of grass, whether food is available and hormonal effects. It's not a straight forward black and white thing as with any issues involving animals
Nothing is black and white. I don't agree with animals being deliberately mistreated, but I'm not going to stop watching a sport because some of the animals get mistreated. There aren't many who don't watch gymnastics because they are doing it from a young age and it has been proven that punishment and abuse occurs with some.
But with gymnasts...they do have the opportunity to say "enough is enough" when they reach a certain age.
Horses and other animals can't.
You can't compare human sports to animal sports
Nothing is black and white. I don't agree with animals being deliberately mistreated, but I'm not going to stop watching a sport because some of the animals get mistreated. There aren't many who don't watch gymnastics because they are doing it from a young age and it has been proven that punishment and abuse occurs with some.
Abuse has been linked with gymnastics, such as keeping females prepubescent so that they stay slim enough to compete to a very high standard and i'm sure the girls are at times put under a lot of pressure. However, for the most part humans have freedom of choice when competing in a sport. We don't give the animals this freedom. To some extent horses may enjoy racing and that's all fine and dandy but to overcrowd the races and do other things that put their safety in jepordy is irresponsible and should be stopped.
I would end horse racing, definitely. Not just horse racing, c-ock (it won't let me wirte the word! lol) fights, dog fights, bull racing and all other "sports" in which animals are abused, injured, killed or otherwise used. If only I could.
"...that incremental suicide of turning your life into a dream, to make being awake as similar to sleep as possible. Drowsily, lazily, dry-mouth your way through the day's ceremonies, fumble your way back into the dew-bather you never really left, draped in brown, brown now all around, the haze!" - Russell Brand on drug addiction.
"Si ma êkh gûndo piyiamásko...ándo bírto barruno. Bírto, bírto barruno."
and yes there are a few trainers owners that give the spot a bad name but there is good and bad in all
with the amount of races held then no doubt you are going to have a few horses breaking legs
but it isn't like they don't break them else where it is just noted more in horse racing people cause people watch it not many people sit out and watch horse running around in a field
Abuse has been linked with gymnastics, such as keeping females prepubescent so that they stay slim enough to compete to a very high standard and i'm sure the girls are at times put under a lot of pressure. However, for the most part humans have freedom of choice when competing in a sport. We don't give the animals this freedom. To some extent horses may enjoy racing and that's all fine and dandy but to overcrowd the races and do other things that put their safety in jepordy is irresponsible and should be stopped.
A two or three year old child (and even younger in some cases) being forced to sit bent over, stretching out whilst their trainer practically sits on their back cannot say they don't want to do it. Yes, they cry but those cries are either ignored or punished. Also, some children (ones with pushy parents) don't feel like they can say no once they get to an age where they can speak up for themselves. They feel guilty that their parents have invested huge amounts of time, money and effort into their pursuit. A horse has more chance of not doing something it doesn't want to do than a small child.
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?
