The heart of the problem is in work that is TOO DEMANDING, for a horse that is TOO YOUNG; and yes, it is NOT just in the racehorse industry, but in any number of other breeds/equine pursuits--a few that come immediately to mind are the stock horse breeds-AQHA, APHA, ApHC, for instance; also, from what I've read, in others such as the Walkers and Saddlebreds. I have both seen, and read of, practices in each of these SPECIFICALLY(and I have no doubt there are others....)that plainly DISGUST and SICKEN me-for they are ALL about the money and the 'glory', NOT about a genuine concern for the well-being of the horse--I don't care HOW many times it's claimed to be otherwise! BAH!
As for the death of Eight Belles--it appears to me that the 'spin' is on (I even heard mention on TV this AM that "PETA is very concerned"...something about holding the jockey responsible? I was frankly surprised, because I've observed that PETA often is remarkably silent when it is some activity where big bucks/big celebrity names have an interest-which = HYPOCRISY to me....of course, I admit I have NO USE for PETA.) "Possible" blame is being placed on everything in sight EXCEPT the industry-wide practice of starting, then competing, VERY immature horses. I don't doubt that each of the 'possible culprits'--the dirt track surface,'weak' bloodlines, breeding for speed and not bone/soundness, etc, etc., may WELL be something of a factor---but I'd place money (and I am NOT a gambler!) on how much improvement there could be if the horses were allowed to become (GASP!) a year and a half to two years OLDER before ANY riding was done...and THEN, taking them along very slowly AND carefully.
IMO, if you can't afford to leave a youngster turned out for that much longer, what business do you have being in THAT 'business' to start with?
I also do not at ALL doubt the conditions at most, if not all, 'small time' TB farms/'training facilities', where 'milking' every possible nickel out of every horse often takes precedence over ALL other considerations...including the horses' GENUINE well-being....
Although the horses at Derby qualifier level do probably get the VERY best of physical care-they are STILL BABIES. EVERY horse is different; I do not believe ANY 'blanket statement' can be made about how early 'their knees close' or any such presumed indicator of being 'ready' for the stress of racing. We ALL know that ACCIDENTS can and do happen, no matter the aspect of life--but the frequency of breakdown in race horses (just imagine how many happen at 'backwater' tracks that few people EVER hear about?) screams that there is something basically WRONG happening in the current approach, I strongly believe. You know, "but we've always done this this way" is not much of a justification, anymore.
I do not now, and will not, support ANY of the breeds/practices I've mentioned here with ONE THIN DIME; if enough of the 'public' felt the same, and ACTED on those feelings as I do, I do believe you WOULD see some significant changes being made--when it's 'clean up your act or lose it all', you're more likely to clean it up, don't you think?
I won't be watching the 'big races' anymore, either. Enough is enough.
Margo
