Everyone's posting about the triple crown and here I was reading and sharing a DIY on tallow candles (I have pig fat to render and would like to use the lard for candles).
I intended to watch but forgot.
Not that torn up over it...I take issue with the race horse industry.
Did you watch?
Are you a fan of the racing industry?
I have mixed feelings about the horse-racing industry as well, but did watch the race and loved watching this horse run. He has an amazing, stretched-out gait that made him look like his was doing a long, leisurely lope around the track while the others struggled to keep up with him. In the last quarter, he turned it up and just totally blew away everyone. But, you know, if an injury had happened, I'd be cursing the industry for turning out horses with weak legs and tendons. So I admit there are pluses and minuses, and probably lots of room for improvement in many aspects of the industry.
ReplyDeleteHumans have been breeding and racing horses for eons, they are beautiful animals but its for the rich. I am happy this horse won the triple crown, pass me another mint julep
ReplyDeleteHate the industry - they start riding/training when they're yearlings - destroys their legs.
ReplyDeleteMaybe this is a dumb question but a candle made from lard, does it fill your house with the delicious aroma of bacon when you light it? If so this is a million dollar idea and why the hell don't I have one already? (Closes eyes and re-thinks) I really hope I didn't just give someone an idea for their next crappy kickstarter campaign. ..
ReplyDeleteRemember Barbaro? Broke his leg at Preakness after winning get Kentucky Detby. Multiple surgeries but died Jan 2007.
ReplyDeleteBut I live near racetrack (actually in danger of closing due to lack of interest in racing with young peoplr, although more rich people are getting interested in horses --like William Shatner etc, or so I've heard) Don't know enough about it -are thoroughbreds born to run? Or bred to run? The beauty and thrill of seeing them run live is amazing and it's fun to bet based as it is on so many factors. But I'm not sure if the negatives outweigh the positives. Does horseracing affect the image of horses in general and make them more revered?
I agree with anon at 9:21 pm. I used to love watching the Triple Crown on TV as a kid, as I was fascinated with horses. I later learned what a cruel sport it is.
ReplyDeleteMy interest in horse racing is limited to Seabiscuit-- movie and book--- a great underdog story.
ReplyDeleteThoroughbreds are bred to be athletes, and if they were allowed to mature enough that their bodies could handle the physical demands of racing it would be a great sport. As it is, the horses end up dead or completely crippled by the age of 10.
ReplyDeletey'all need to educate yourselves about TBs. They LOVE to run. There are great trainers and great jocks and great horses. get over it. If you ride, you at least have a clue......TBs are great running hearts encased in horseflesh. ...please don't denegrate racing unless you've lived it.
ReplyDeleteHave you worked with or riden of the track TBs? Have you seen them age? If do you would know they are debilitated and crippled long before horses of just about any other breed.
DeleteWhat are your thoughts on the thousands of off the track tbs that end up in the hands of kill buyers and auctions just yo be crammed into trailers and shipped out of the country and cruelly slaughtered. Many of these horses are registered, tattooed, and you look up,and see their race history, breeder, etc.
I've taken the time to email several breeders before their horses were shipped to slaughter. Not one response. They don't care about the horses they care about money.
Have you worked with or riden of the track TBs? Have you seen them age? If do you would know they are debilitated and crippled long before horses of just about any other breed.
DeleteWhat are your thoughts on the thousands of off the track tbs that end up in the hands of kill buyers and auctions just yo be crammed into trailers and shipped out of the country and cruelly slaughtered. Many of these horses are registered, tattooed, and you look up,and see their race history, breeder, etc.
I've taken the time to email several breeders before their horses were shipped to slaughter. Not one response. They don't care about the horses they care about money.
Have you worked with or riden of the track TBs? Have you seen them age? If do you would know they are debilitated and crippled long before horses of just about any other breed.
DeleteWhat are your thoughts on the thousands of off the track tbs that end up in the hands of kill buyers and auctions just yo be crammed into trailers and shipped out of the country and cruelly slaughtered. Many of these horses are registered, tattooed, and you look up,and see their race history, breeder, etc.
I've taken the time to email several breeders before their horses were shipped to slaughter. Not one response. They don't care about the horses they care about money.
Yes I have an OTTB. He first was a 3-day eventer, then I got him.....have had for ten years....he's 17. awesome boy from anon 11:50pm
DeleteJust to lighten the mood here, I want everyone to know my new favorite phrase is " XXX has all the intellect of a retarded squid."
ReplyDeleteGreat horse, great trainer, great rider. I love horses, and I love one that moves as well as American Pharoah. He's a freak like Secretariat was. He shouldn't have been able to lead wire to wire against fresher horses, but he did.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.alexbrownracing.com/2015/06/05/kill-pen-documentary-on-horse-slaughter/
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feelings about horse racing. Yes, I agree the horses are started too young and it is very hard on their legs. Not all owners/trainers are terrible people, and I know MANY OTTB who go on to live very long, productive lives as dressage horses, event horses, or pleasure horses.
ReplyDeleteHorse slaughter is a whole separate issue. OTTB are only a *part* of the horses who are sent for slaughter. There are tons of retired show horses, ranch horses, lesson ponies, Amish horses, and poorly bred "I want to breed my horse but don't have a clue about responsible breeding so this horse is bound to end up at an auction" horses. In my opinion, the US needs to legalize slaughter again so that it can be regulated. These poor horses are being shipped to Canada or Mexico under who-knows-what conditions. Banning slaughter in the US isn't going to stop slaughter, it's just going to make it even more horrible for the horses. Bring it back to the US so we can regulate it and make sure they're treated humanely before slaughter. Until people stop breeding "useless" horses or keep their horses for life, slaughter is not going to go away.
I can't agree that slaughter is good for horses on any level. For one thing, they are just not designed for the kind of mass killing used on cattle. They are highly flighty, they have a tendency to release adrenaline when frightened. They are dangerous for workers. Because of that many slaughterhouse workers are injured, and have a tendency to abuse the horses after that. The equipment used to kill them was designed for cattle and doesn't work on horses over 40% of the time. They have to be shot in the head multiple times, and even then many of them are conscious when they are hung up and skinned. Temple Grandin studied horse slaughter for years and has said she doesn't think horses can be slaughtered humanely because of their nature. Add to that, the most toxic meat you can eat is the American racehorse.
DeleteThere are no easy answers when it comes to horse slaughter. There are many horse rescue organizations in our area that deal with horses that are starved, badly neglected or abandoned since the ban on horse slaughter.
DeleteI am not a horse owner and have no firm opinion on the subject but I do have a question. Do you think the term horse 'slaughter' was used to sway people to support banning it? After all, we don't hear the terms 'cow slaughter' or 'chicken slaughter'.
If a cattle slaughter facility is not suitable for horses, is there any other way to humanely slaughter them?
The pro slaughter people call it "harvest." I call it killing, slaughter or butchering, just like I do cattle and sheep. From what I've heard and seen, the only truly humane way to slaughter them is with a bullet to the head. Even then you have to know what you're doing. You can't let them see the horse in front of them be killed or they freak out. You can't let them step in or smell the blood of other horses. Butchers don't want to bother with all that.
Deleteredhorse, didn't say slaughter is "good" for horses. I simply said it's not going away. We should either regulate slaughter here, or ban any horses from being transported across the US border.
DeleteSince the EU ban on US horses the demand has already gone way down. There hasn't been a plant open in the US for 8 years, and there are bills in the works for a ban on transporting them across the border. As a horse owner, I would like to see that happen. I'm only an hour from the Canadian border, and there are too many stories around here of horses being stolen and never seen again. They can be stolen and killed in 2 to 3 hours.
DeleteI live near Lexington KY...horse country to be sure. There are good stables, good trainers, responsible owners who lavish an unbelievable amount of time, money and energy into their horses. As with any animal operation, there are also crappy stables, abusive trainers, and irresponsible owners who are only out to make a buck, and will ruin a horse in no time in the attempt to win a race. People, please don't generalize. If you know of a stable or operation that doesn't treat their horses right, please do call them out. But don't assume ALL race-horse owners are abusive.
ReplyDeleteIt's abusive to have yearlings get their knees worn down to nothing because they need to start earning their owners money right away. You can lavish all the money and energy in the world on a horse but it doesn't make any difference when they come up permanently lame as a three-year-old.
ReplyDeleteI agree that there is good and bad in horse-keeping. Like there is in all animal husbandry, pet ownership, and human lives. Horse racing brings awareness and appreciation of horses among the millions of people who aren't fortunate enough to be able to interact with them in real-life. The small amount of exposure I've had to thoroughbreds is that they seem to live a better average life than your average backyard horse. Not saying they're all living in nirvana, but I really appreciate the beauty of them in the races on tv this year.
ReplyDeleteTo support the horse industry one must support what happens to the horses when they are done racing.
ReplyDeleteReputable dog breeders are essentially responsible for their dogs for the dogs lifetime. No reputable breeder would allow their dog to knowingly end up in a shelter yet alone euthanized.
Race horse breeders? It is the exception that would buy their horses from a kill buyer or auction and its rare for a breeder to prevent the horses by going there by tracking them through their lives and other sales.
You have piqued my curiosity about racehorses. I heard on the news that American Pharoh will be retired at age 3. Is that typical for race horses? What happens to most race horses after they retire?
ReplyDeleteThey become studs - other horse owners pay to breed their mares to them, and the real money starts rolling in. If you can retire them before they break down, all the better. It's pretty rare you see horses running much past 5 anyway, their bodies can't take it.
DeleteTo support the horse industry one must support what happens to the horses when they are done racing.
ReplyDeleteReputable dog breeders are essentially responsible for their dogs for the dogs lifetime. No reputable breeder would allow their dog to knowingly end up in a shelter yet alone euthanized.
Race horse breeders? It is the exception that would buy their horses from a kill buyer or auction and its rare for a breeder to prevent the horses by going there by tracking them through their lives and other sales.
why do u say everything two or three times?
DeleteWhen I post from my phone it posts multiple times.
DeleteI have mixed feelings about racing. I think it's an incredibly show of athleticism that American Pharaoh was able to achieve the Triple Crown, but it also makes me a little sad. People who just watch for sport don't see the day after...the week after...the year(s) after. I train and rehabilitate OTTBs, so I have a soft spot for them. I suppose in loving them I must love what they did in the sport to make them the strong, driven creatures they are, but I know a horse deserves so much more than a few races to become a money maker at the very real risk of death from injury or illness.
ReplyDelete