It would appear that 5 horses had to be put down at the above race, after legs of the horses were broken or hairline fractures were found. Cannot these broken limbs be healed?. You don’t put a dog down if it has a broken leg. Is it all about the cost of having the animal treated?.
H.B.O. In the U.S.A. who were making a seiries relating to a horse called “LUCK”, and starring Dustin Hoffman, has been cancelled, after 3 horses had to be put down,due to breaking their legs.during filming.
What do members think regarding these race courses which seem to me to be death leaps for these lovely animals?.And do they HAVE to be shot on the spot?.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Moggy C - 19th March 2012 at 07:51
No, and niether should horses expect that treatment.
Jim, I hate to break this to you but they don’t
This anthropomorphism is just that and has no place in the discussion.
Moggy
By: Creaking Door - 19th March 2012 at 01:16
No, the sooner they look at healing those broken limbs rather than use the horse as a money making machine the better.
I’m sorry but horses, all horses, are just that ‘money making machines’; I’ll grant you that they are also extremely beautiful animals but in their contact with man, horses will always come-off second-best. The reality is that most horses probably end their life by being destroyed, not just injured racehorses; when they get too old and can’t be ridden, horses are killed.
We only hear about racehorses because it is ‘newsworthy’ but I did hear that my local vet had to destroy twenty horses in one day recently because their diet hadn’t been controlled carefully; I don’t know enough about it but apparently if you’re not very careful with what horses eat their stomachs can be easily damaged. It didn’t make the TV news though.
I agree with you that a racehorse shouldn’t be shot on purely economic grounds if its leg could be healed but the reality is that in many cases it just isn’t possible and there are also the practical issues to consider. How do you move a horse with a broken leg?
The only real solution is to stop breeding racehorses.
By: Lincoln 7 - 17th March 2012 at 10:31
Horses still break legs during flat races and one of the horses that you mentioned that died during the making of the TV series died after it reared-up while being walked to the paddock…
Warren, Yes I did read that, but with all due respect to both you and Moggy, it’s rubbish what you say.
You and he were born with legs, ergo, why did you ever need a pushbike, and later on, a motor vehicle,
You have legs, so why do you need any other form of transport. And if you break a leg falling off your pushbike, should you wish to be shot on the spot?.
No, and niether should horses expect that treatment.
Just look at those large brown eyes, of a horse standing next to you, and hand on heart, could you honestly tell me you could put a bolt from a humane killer between those eyes as it looks at you and pull that trigger?.just because it has a broken leg?.
No, the sooner they look at healing those broken limbs rather than use the horse as a money making machine the better.
Now, if a horse broke it’s leg, and it could be healed and put out to pasture, what a wonderful world it would be.Man owes a lot to horses, Kev can tell you what horses did for our soldiers in WW1, it’s about time we did something for them, we owe them that at least.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Lincoln 7 - 17th March 2012 at 10:15
But Rob, broken limbs aren’t usually (or otherwise) considered sufficient reason for termination. Shouldn’t there be some obligation to the horse? You can’t race, you can’t live is such an extreme view.
Well Robbo, this topic you must feel strongly about, as it’s not often a topic draws you out:)
But I whole heartedly agree with what you say, Thanks.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Lincoln 7 - 17th March 2012 at 10:13
My life has not been plain sailing. But on balance I would rather have been through the ups and downs than to have not existed at all
Ahhhh, Moggs, Had you NOT existed though, you would have no idea that your life would have had it’s ups and downs, perchance you may have been born with a set of silver spoons in your mouth. And just because they exist, don’t mean they have to be shot if they break a leg. It’s as bad as saying, when YOU were 6 or 7 yrs old, you stole a sweet from a shop. and was sentenced to a lifetime prison sentance, so, your “Should I have existed or not” don’t hold water. No, they are absolutely fabulous animals, and my own view, is that they are just money makers as I have stated prior,for those who just want to earn big bucks.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Robbo - 17th March 2012 at 02:16
But Rob, broken limbs aren’t usually (or otherwise) considered sufficient reason for termination. Shouldn’t there be some obligation to the horse? You can’t race, you can’t live is such an extreme view.
By: Moggy C - 17th March 2012 at 01:59
An interesting discussion topic
If racing (and its hazards) did not exist, then neither would the racehorses.
So would it have been better for the horses put down to have never existed at all?
My life has not been plain sailing. But on balance I would rather have been through the ups and downs than to have not existed at all
And if I had the choice of a humane killer between the eyes and what probably awaits me I think I know which I would choose.
Nobody keeps a racehorse as a pet. Without the sport they would never have been born
Moggy
By: Creaking Door - 16th March 2012 at 23:52
In an ideal world, there would be NO obsticles, the race on the flat should suffice.
Horses still break legs during flat races and one of the horses that you mentioned that died during the making of the TV series died after it reared-up while being walked to the paddock…
…sorry, but the only way to ensure no horses have to be destroyed is to stop breeding horses.
By: Lincoln 7 - 16th March 2012 at 23:37
[QUOTE=Al;1869016]You’re right about money talking Jim. A bit off-topic, but it’s the same with the shooting estates around here – the number of times I complained to SEPA about moorland being set alight to provide the precious young grouse with new growth to eat, leaving smoke trails hundreds of miles long, easily visible on satellite images
The trouble is Al, is that many estates, as you know own perhaps 30.000 Acres and some, even more, when you have that sort of money, you can employ the best QC on the planet against anyone who tries to take you on.
Still, no point in GROUSING about it, (Sorry, just had to get that in:)) as the likes of you or I will never make a difference.Unfortunately.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: longshot - 16th March 2012 at 22:31
I imagine the horse would never race again even if a fractured leg healed so unless homes or societies exist to ‘adopt’ injured racehorses their future must be bleak. I have a book about dog-racing (does it still go on?) by an Oxford graduate who happened to come from a dog-racing family and it portrayed the breeders as quite ruthless in putting down dogs which underperform (let alone get injured!)
By: Al - 16th March 2012 at 22:30
You’re right about money talking Jim. A bit off-topic, but it’s the same with the shooting estates around here – the number of times I complained to SEPA about moorland being set alight to provide the precious young grouse with new growth to eat, leaving smoke trails hundreds of miles long, easily visible on satellite images.
SEPA never even replied to my complaints, despite me giving them proof of the amount of pollution the estates pump into the atmosphere…
By: Lincoln 7 - 16th March 2012 at 21:17
[QUOTE=Flygirl;1868962]:)
Ann, I take it to mean that it’s the owners, jockeys, and punters who enjoy the challenge.
Certainly, definitely, most certainly NOT the horse.
Don’t often see eye to eye with Kev, but I do on this one.
If I had my way, I would set a limit on the height of the jumps these animals have to jump, after all it’s a race, and should never be classed as a race over an obstical course.In an ideal world, there would be NO obsticles, the race on the flat should suffice.
Al I agree with you on that the RSPCA should take a stance on, but has failed dismaly on this. As usual, it all boils down to those with money, Makes you wonder if the RCPCA, (I don’t like to say it) but turn a blind eye, if the donation is large enough, regardless of how many horses are put down.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Flygirl - 16th March 2012 at 20:09
Sporting Life:)
By: Robbo - 16th March 2012 at 20:03
Yep, poor old dobbin was having a lovely time right up to the point where he fell over and the vet shot him.
By: Flygirl - 16th March 2012 at 19:31
The Grand National is a bit challenging? As in Everest is a little bit steep?
Regards,
kev35
🙂 Maybe ! but some like the challenge 🙂 Horses for courses !
By: kev35 - 16th March 2012 at 19:15
The Grand National is a bit challenging? As in Everest is a little bit steep?
Regards,
kev35
By: Flygirl - 16th March 2012 at 19:09
The RSPCA should be much more vociferous at the suffering caused by these ‘sporting’ events, but they are curiously quiet, just as they were when foxhunting was legal.
Surely the jumps could be redesigned to be less brutal?
The jumps are not brutal ! horses have a very good instinct, it is down to the rider to set the horse up on the right fore ! OK The Grand National is a bit challenging .
By: Al - 16th March 2012 at 19:01
The RSPCA should be much more vociferous at the suffering caused by these ‘sporting’ events, but they are curiously quiet, just as they were when foxhunting was legal.
Surely the jumps could be redesigned to be less brutal?
By: Flygirl - 16th March 2012 at 18:57
My racehorse The Tempest had a broken leg ! The queens vet Peter Scott Dunn managed to save him 🙂 cost rather alot mind, and a number of years ago.
By: Lincoln 7 - 16th March 2012 at 13:07
[QUOTE=Creaking Door;1868775]Interesting article on Wikipedia about an attempt to save a racehorse with a broken leg:
Warren, yes, I did read that article prior to posting, and YES Arthure your right, as it would seem it takes so long to heal a broken leg, that it puts too much strain not only on the other 3 legs, but internal organs also.
There must be a way to save these animals, someday, somewon may come up with an answer as to how to.It would be interesting to know if any research is being carried out in that area.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
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March 15, 2012 at 11:20 am