Thoroughbred Racing is Playing it Stupid

Horse racing needs to change before it's forced to change. Right now, they're playing it stupid, racing too-young horses that have been bred for speed at the expense of soundness. Eight Belles was three-years old and 17 hands high. The average amateur, like me, wouldn't even start jumping her until she was five because her bones haven't finished developing. Am I smarter than the megabuck owners and trainers? I'd have to say "yes." Just look at the outcome

Here Eight Belles was on national TV, running her heart out at the Kentucky Derby, but her legs couldn't take it. Not one ankle broke, but both. A tragedy and a spectacle -- and ample justification in the minds of those who would like horse racing outlawed.

The Jockey Club may as well be sending multi-million dollar donations to PETA. How stupid can they get? Ruffian, Barbaro and now Eight Belles breaking down in the middle of high profile races.

I got Lucy, my fat Thoroughbred who flunked out of racehorse training when she was two, on the New Year's weekend when she turned three. I treated her like a baby. She was a baby and didn't finish growing until she was past five. I didn't start jumping her until she was five. This is considered common sense.

I caught a snippet of Glenn Beck's program this morning (I don't care for him as he's just too angry and loud for me). He was talking about how horses don't want to run, that the only reason that they run is that the jockeys beat them every day, and that every horse he's ever seen in a pasture is standing there eating. He's never seen a horse run so therefore horses don't like to run. (He should come here on a chilly morning if he'd like to see a performance. Or we could put him on a TB at the back of the hunting field and see how hard it is to keep the horse from catching up.) Glenn Beck is obviously ignorant, but that doesn't keep him from talking. And he's not the only one.

The way for horse racing to fix this public outcry is .... drumroll .... to fix this situation. Breed for soundness and speed. Race horses when they're older. That's the choice. Fix it -- or be shut down by people who know less about horses but seem to care more about them than the industry.

Here's a more informed and interesting article here.

And here's what my horses like to do in their pasture just to scare me (these are not my horses -- I run out to stop them before they commit suicide rather than run out with my camera to catch them at it).

Comments

[Molly]

I've been emailing back and forth since the end of this sad race. All of us know that 2 year olds aren't physically ready for this much stress. Eight Bells ran several races before she turned 3 in January, and likely had hidden issues. 17 hands! We are all broken hearted.

[ranchette]

hear hear. I love racing, but the industry needs to clean up it's act before it gets cleaned up for them.

[photogchic]

Good post Anne. I have had strong feelings about his for along time, never knowing where to start in pushing for change, but watching Eight Belles I am inspired to do the work. Growing up on the track, I have seen everthing there is to see. I have a lot of ideas and opinions and just need to figure out how to campaign against what is going on on tracks around the country.

[Beckz]

A really interesting point to note, is that Eight Belles had 3 grandparents descended from Raise a Native, a horse known to carry two recessive genes that cause weak ankles. This is a well known fact, but they still chose to linebred the dam of this filly back to a Raise a Native family. Awesome, so she is fast as chips, but her chances of weak ankles where pretty extreme.

American TBs are also incredibly inbred to Phalaris. Yes they are raced too early, and know one is breeding for longevity, they only want speed and they want it now. It's really quite sad eh. American TBs are so petite compared the TBs you see here, not that TB racing in NZ doesn't have its problems.

[Grey Horse Matters]

It was so windy here the other morning I could have taken that picture at the bottom, but I was too busy breaking it up. The ignorant radio fellow, should see horses on a windy, cold day for a real show and change of opinion.
You are right about racing them too early, that's my theory too, they need time for their bones to form. I had a warmblood and he was left to mature before he learned to jump also. This is the difference between owners who love their horses and owners who exploit their horses for money. Something has got to be done with the entire horse industry, to make it more humane.

[Val]

I totally agree! My thoroughbred had a short racing career before we bought him off the track. He was sound (at the time) and full of spunk. It wouldn't be until years later that we learned he had a torn suspensory (spelling?) muscle that most likely ended his career. He was a great horse!

Later we purchases a Morgan from a woman that believed all horses should be turned out until the age of 5, then start their training. She was probably the most sound horse I ever owned.

It certainly goes to show that horses need that time to develop. To let their bones grow and harden. They are like children....we wouldn't think about letting out 3 year old run a 5K, would we?

[kathyc]

Very well written Anne. Having a colt on our property has made me become more knowledgable about growth in horses. Fillies take longer to develop, and the idea to push young horses for greed is insane.

[risingrainbow]

I got an email about this too. Makes you wonder how they can do a recall but not tell anyone.