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Kentucky Derby

AtlAtty said:
I love watching the horses run but hate how we get to that point with all the deaths, which certifiably makes me wonder why this is a sport besides history and betting.
But what I don’t know and I help someone on here can explain is, why are there so many injuries and deaths in horse racing? Are the horses too young for the stress? Is racing just inherently dangerous? Is that what the trainers give the horses to make them train harder and run faster that is causing the problems?

Put simply, is there a way to have safer horse racing?
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Honestly , No.....
 
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Rickd said:
Yeah ... but the horse should mean something to you. I've ridden maybe 30 different horses in the past 4 years, owned one, rode the others at a friends ranch and a country stable. Wonderful animals. Hate to see them abused.
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I used to date a girl who loved riding horses. It was her passion and to those who do whatever with horses, it's a love. I didn't get it, that's okay.

I personally don't want to see any creature abused. I find it hard to justify pushing any animal to it's breaking point and then just disposing of them. These horses are young as **** too, with many years of life left.

My niece, she show jumps. My brother and I can't stand it, but we're in support of her passion. He and I worry that a serious injury to her could occur. Her mother is all about horses.

Jockeys are crazy, literally fit as ****, but if the horse under them goes down, it could be curtains for either.

I'm in agreement with what you said. To horse people, every horse matters, but I do wonder how little they matter to those with the finances available to afford elite equestrian competitions like this. It certainly matters to the jockeys, trainers, and support staff. Beyond that, the owners, the deaths along the way is a means to an end I suppose. Perhaps I'm incorrect in that.
 
SayWhat said:
I used to date a girl who loved riding horses. It was her passion and to those who do whatever with horses, it's a love. I didn't get it, that's okay.

I personally don't want to see any creature abused. I find it hard to justify pushing any animal to it's breaking point and then just disposing of them. These horses are young as **** too, with many years of life left.

My niece, she show jumps. My brother and I can't stand it, but we're in support of her passion. He and I worry that a serious injury to her could occur. Her mother is all about horses.

Jockeys are crazy, literally fit as ****, but if the horse under them goes down, it could be curtains for either.

I'm in agreement with what you said. To horse people, every horse matters, but I do wonder how little they matter to those with the finances available to afford elite equestrian competitions like this. It certainly matters to the jockeys, trainers, and support staff. Beyond that, the owners, the deaths along the way is a means to an end I suppose. Perhaps I'm incorrect in that.
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Serious injury is a legit concern. I had a skittish mare walk by me, spook, and kicked me and broke my right leg. Bought a horse, had a freak accident, and the horses hoof clipped my right ankle and literally knocked it off the bottom of my leg ... tibia sticking out 6inches. After recovery, same horse spooked unexpectedly and I had to bail, 7 fractured ribs and punctured lung. Started riding at 72 ... not the best time for bouncing off of pastures. The people I know have horses that they ride and even compete with, and then retire them (quarter horses) when they are in their late 20's ... and they live a nice retirement grazing in pastures until their time is up. Most people who are into serious horse racing I don't view as "horse people" or "equestrians", just as opportunist business people.
 
AtlAtty said:
I love watching the horses run but hate how we get to that point with all the deaths, which certifiably makes me wonder why this is a sport besides history and betting.
But what I don’t know and I help someone on here can explain is, why are there so many injuries and deaths in horse racing? Are the horses too young for the stress? Is racing just inherently dangerous? Is that what the trainers give the horses to make them train harder and run faster that is causing the problems?

Put simply, is there a way to have safer horse racing?
Click to expand...
My understanding is that @Empirical Cane has already promised to get “Horse Racing Reform” on the agenda if elected POTUS.

(Maudes, please don’t move this to Townhall).
 
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AtlAtty said:
I love watching the horses run but hate how we get to that point with all the deaths, which certifiably makes me wonder why this is a sport besides history and betting.
But what I don’t know and I help someone on here can explain is, why are there so many injuries and deaths in horse racing? Are the horses too young for the stress? Is racing just inherently dangerous? Is that what the trainers give the horses to make them train harder and run faster that is causing the problems?

Put simply, is there a way to have safer horse racing?
Click to expand...
Empiricalette is a dedicated rider. As the dude who pays the $$$$$ with a hack observer's opinion, race horses are bred unnaturally, trained unnaturally, medicated unnaturally, and run unnaturally.

No surprise they are injured and die at a higher rate that other horses.

Is what it is I suppose.
 
Rickd said:
Serious injury is a legit concern. I had a skittish mare walk by me, spook, and kicked me and broke my right leg. Bought a horse, had a freak accident, and the horses hoof clipped my right ankle and literally knocked it off the bottom of my leg ... tibia sticking out 6inches. After recovery, same horse spooked unexpectedly and I had to bail, 7 fractured ribs and punctured lung. Started riding at 72 ... not the best time for bouncing off of pastures. The people I know have horses that they ride and even compete with, and then retire them (quarter horses) when they are in their late 20's ... and they live a nice retirement grazing in pastures until their time is up. Most people who are into serious horse racing I don't view as "horse people" or "equestrians", just as opportunist business people.
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Were you riding el camino diablo?
 
AtlAtty said:
Put simply, is there a way to have safer horse racing?
Click to expand...


There's a lot that would need to change.

Some of it involves the breeding. Lots of articles have been written on that subject alone over the past few decades.

And there would need to be massive enforcement of rules on various medications and doping.

When I was a kid, those were the days of Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed. We're a long way from that today.
 
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Empirical Cane said:
Empiricalette is a dedicated rider. As the dude who pays the $$$$$ with a hack observer's opinion, race horses are bred unnaturally, trained unnaturally, medicated unnaturally, and run unnaturally.

No surprise they are injured and die at a higher rate that other horses.

Is what it is I suppose.
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Truth.
 
Rickd said:
Serious injury is a legit concern. I had a skittish mare walk by me, spook, and kicked me and broke my right leg. Bought a horse, had a freak accident, and the horses hoof clipped my right ankle and literally knocked it off the bottom of my leg ... tibia sticking out 6inches. After recovery, same horse spooked unexpectedly and I had to bail, 7 fractured ribs and punctured lung. Started riding at 72 ... not the best time for bouncing off of pastures. The people I know have horses that they ride and even compete with, and then retire them (quarter horses) when they are in their late 20's ... and they live a nice retirement grazing in pastures until their time is up. Most people who are into serious horse racing I don't view as "horse people" or "equestrians", just as opportunist business people.
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I'd consider a different hobby. ****.
 
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a client of mine owns a piece of a derby winner. i went to lexington a few years ago to watch the horse breed over a weekend to mares we brought to the stable. it bred 270 times in 3-4 months and they sold each slot for $30k or so. there were scientists present during the breeding and fluffers for the mares. it was well orchestrated. i left the stable disappointed in my life. i felt i had missed my calling.
 
AtlAtty said:
I love watching the horses run but hate how we get to that point with all the deaths, which certifiably makes me wonder why this is a sport besides history and betting.
But what I don’t know and I help someone on here can explain is, why are there so many injuries and deaths in horse racing? Are the horses too young for the stress? Is racing just inherently dangerous? Is that what the trainers give the horses to make them train harder and run faster that is causing the problems?

Put simply, is there a way to have safer horse racing?
Click to expand...
The only way to make horse racing safer is to have officials at the stalls of every race horse, every single day, watching the training and medicating. It’s no different than any other sport, when it comes to doping. Only a portion get caught. And unlike humans when animals are feeling off and pumped with anti inflammatories, they can’t say it out loud.
 
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Rickd said:
Yeah ... but the horse should mean something to you. I've ridden maybe 30 different horses in the past 4 years, owned one, rode the others at a friends ranch and a country stable. Wonderful animals. Hate to see them abused.
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You think if someone is paying 300k for a horse they're abusing it?
 
JgDaCane said:
You think if someone is paying 300k for a horse they're abusing it?
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Many, many in the racing environment are for sure. Trainers have been fired, had licenses suspended by states. Lot of nasty things go on.
 
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