Time for a not so politically correct post. A lot of the fun was taken out of this Saturday's Kentucky Derby, when Eight Belles, who finished second, had to be put down after breaking both of her front ankles AFTER crossing the finish line.
I'll try to tread lightly here. Horse racing has been around for hundreds of years. It is a worldwide sport, and as beautiful a game as it is, there is a terribly real part of it - horses get hurt racing, and some have to be put to sleep. My dad worked for the NY Racing Association, home of the Belmont Stakes, for 34 years. He was on the track when Ruffian - the greatest filly who ever raced - broke her ankle in a match race in 1977. These things happen, and no one wants it to happen - they just do. Horses, whether on the track or in the field, are made to run, but they have a design flaw that put stress on their hoofs and ankles, and they break, whether running on the track or in the field.
I respect that people like PETA don't approve of horse racing for the danger to the horses, but I get very pissed off when they attack the jockeys for doing their job, and when people lie to make a point. The poor kid riding that horse was in more danger than the horse was when her ankles broke. Almost as many jockeys die every year as horses do, and I guarantee that the kid is more upset than you guys are. Everyone involved are emotionally atttached to the horses the ride, saddle, train or own. There are a few people much more unhappy than you are over this poor horse's death than you. To lie and say that he continued to ride her hard before the race was over was incorrect and a low blow.
As far as whipping a horse, it doesn't hurt the horse. Horse's skin is like leather, it only gets their attention - it doesn't injure them. Why do something that would hurt a horse? It makes no sense.
I don't expect PETA to be very analytical about any issue they get involved in. But when you're wrong, you're wrong. No one liked to see a horse be put down, but it's part of racing,a nd it's part of life. Barbaro was in agony for eight months when the doctors decided to try and overcome nature, but as usual, they lost. Such is life....
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3 comments:
Mikey, PETA is a camera whore like too many others that will predictibly surface if the issue is related to race, RTKBA, church and state, et al.
Do you expect a group that abducts and euthanizes pets to be particularly analytical beyond their own bistro-mathics (q.v. Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy series). Shame on PETA, all the tofu they'd like you to eat kills green plants that provide oxygen for all of God's little furry creatures.
The jockey was whipping the horse to keep it off the wall as this horse had a tendancy to do that. I got three horses in Greeleyville on the farm and sometimes I wish they were all put down. This was sad and the Jockey was certainly hurt by all that took place. He took a good roll also. Peta sucks.
a spokewoman for PETA got shredded on ESPN radio...they asked her three times if that jockey had done something different from others and she kept dodging the question and ultimately had no answer.
they have a good purpose, but constantly go about it the wrong way.
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