Poor little eight belles

[litlebunnies2]

I saw the race when Barbaro got hurt and after that I couldn't take it anymore. I turned the tv off when the derby started and left the house with a funny feeling. The poor horse who tried so hard and got so hurt. Hopefully she is running free now at the bridge with Barbaro

[Scarlette]

I just heard about it. How very sad.

[luvnature]

Yes it is very sad. It made me sad and mad at the same time.


Dark side of horseracing
http://msn.foxsports.com/horseracing...PHCP&GT1=39002




Taken from article...


Why? Why do we put racehorses at risk for our own amusement? Where do we draw the line? I have done zero polling on this issue, but I suspect most people would agree with this statement:

It's OK to train horses to race but not OK to train dogs to fight, because the frequency of death and pain is much lower in horse racing.

Heck, that's how I have long felt. But what is an acceptable fatality rate? If Churchill Downs goes to an increasingly popular synthetic racing surface, which is believed to reduce injuries, will we feel better because we're doing something?

This is not just about horse racing. It cuts to the heart of our relationship with animals. It is a relationship that, for most of us, is steeped in denial.

[marmilla]

I've never been a fan of races. I find them boring. Did the jockey push her too hard? I don't really know much about horses... Poor gal.

[luvnature]

About the jockeys conduct.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080506/...ight_belles_10

[Jennicat]

The theory now is that her bones were not developed enough in her front legs. They race horses WAY too young. General consensus among responsible horse owners is not to ride a horse until it matures (around 4-5 years old). They run the races at 2-3 years old.

They also breed primarily for speed, and not necessarily for soundness, in many cases.

[rat freak]

Oh how sad!