Horse racing

[Grant11]

What do you all think of it? Personally I like that it involves horses and that's about it, one of my friends has a lot of race horses and one of them broke its leg in a race recently, and we all know what that means. That's why I hate it, horses are overworked and so many of them either die from some heart thing that's rare, or much more commonly a broken leg. I feel bad for her just as much as anyone who loves horse racing would, but I think it's wrong to put so much stress on them. And then 90% of the ones that don't make a huge sum of money get sent to Mexico to be turned into dog food.

I generally try not to be a hippie, but in this case I kind of am. I don't go around pouring cow blood on people eating beef or anything but I've always been more considerate of animals than most people. I just don't see why people see animals as disposable objects.

Anyway... horse racing, like? dislike? not care?

 

[hounddog]

Huge business. Very old sport/business. Wish they would allow it in Georgia. It makes and brings huge money. What would these animals do without it? Think about it. Its Their JOB in a way. Now I do wish they didn't race two year olds. Not mature in body and mind. Need to be three plus. Hose is not fully mature until five or so. . They are at their peak from 6 to 10.

 

[oggb]

There are many gigantic horse farms in my area - and as hounddog said, it's obvious that there is a LOT of money in the horse racing biz.

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: Grant11
I just don't see why people see animals as disposable objects.

Anyway... horse racing, like? dislike? not care?


Like many things, I guess I am indifferent to it. If someone else enjoys it, who am I to pass judgement? One of my weaknesses I suppose. Of course I care when something goes beyond some level of immorality, but who defines that? I'm indifferent to the American human sports debacle also.

In order not to be hypocritical, I could only agree with your statement if I was a total vegetarian and used no animal products (leather).

Otherwise, how can one put more value on the life of a horse vs. that of a cow, pig, chicken, deer, guinea pig (ask Widman from Bolivia), etc.? Why is it o.k. to eat a Buffalo, but not a horse?

I can answer my question. It's human nature and how one's culture views things (the Disney Bambi syndrome). I do dislike the idea of killing things just for the joy/sport of it, without any reverence for meaning of it all, but that's just my values. I can eat animals, but still be considerate of them and not consider them disposable.

There will never be agreement on this subject, except to agree to disagree. In before the lock.

 

[Grant11]

I buy leather products still even though I try to avoid dead animals as much as I can. I might have one half of a cow worth of leather that I've bought in 20 years. I doubt it's making much of a difference at the rate I'm buying it.

 

[Cristobal]

Around here, only the older people seem interested in it. Go to Santa Anita, and the crowd is almost all Baby Boomers. It is slowly fading away. Younger people think it's boring.

 

[Grant11]

That's because younger people are technology whores that couldn't live 12 hours without their iPhone or an iPad... maybe by the time I become an amazing rider there'll only be a few left to compete with.

 

[salesrep]

I have been to the Derby 6-7 times in my day...what a rush. People interaction and watching at its best, throw in some gambling and fantastic thoroughbreds makes for a great day.
I am going to Ellis Park in Ky in a couple of days for the first time in 10 years, can't wait.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

Thoroughbreds are beautiful animals and the fastest mile runners on the planet.

 

[simple_gifts]

Here is a NYT article on the seedier side of it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/us/dea...f=waltbogdanich

Quote:

On average, 24 horses die each week at racetracks across America. Many are inexpensive horses racing with little regulatory protection in pursuit of bigger and bigger prizes. These deaths often go unexamined, the bodies shipped to rendering plants and landfills rather than to pathologists who might have discovered why the horses broke down.


Fresh Air interview

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/10/152363564/horse-racing-americas-most-dangerous-game

Quote:

Trainers who illegally inject injured horses full of painkillers so they can race are rarely fined or suspended. The pain medications can mask existing injuries, so the horses pass their pre-race inspection and run faster than they otherwise would. Other horses are injected with performance enhancing substances — ranging from cobra venom to blood doping agents — that cannot be detected by labs.

 

[Grant11]

^ Those are the things I'm talking about. There's so much money to be made it's encouraging every average person to buy a horse for cheap and just dump it off if it's not fast enough or pump it full of horsey heroin if it gets hurt.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

I've watched a horse race in person one time in my life, and that was more than enough for me. I found it incredibly boring.

If I'm going to gamble with my money, I'm going to gamble on something which gives me a good chance of a return on my money. I'll leave gambling on horse racing for those who like to lose money rather than make it.

Beyond that, as long as the animals are treated humanely I have no issues with it.

 

[GMBoy]

As a horse owner and lover I dislike the horse racing industry and most other Horse "sports" like Rodeos and such. Too much abuse to the animals.

 

[morepwr]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
I've watched a horse race in person one time in my life, and that was more than enough for me. I found it incredibly boring.

If I'm going to gamble with my money, I'm going to gamble on something which gives me a good chance of a return on my money. I'll leave gambling on horse racing for those who like to lose money rather than make it.

Beyond that, as long as the animals are treated humanely I have no issues with it.



About exactly my take on it too.

 

[simple_gifts]

One thing discussed in the F.A. interview is the reduction in the # of races a horse runs before he is offered up for "other services" Because the value gotten ($$) in those services the trend is to run a few races and then send them to pasture. This, in effect, does not permit enough time to determine if a horse really has good genes; this propagates genetic maladies (thin ankles) and weakens the species as a whole. I believe one of the recent races was sited. Something like all but one horse came from the exact same lineage...

$$ corrupted probably what was a noble and honorable activity at one time. Just add horse racing to the list...

 

[Nick R]

I live in Saratoga county. Every year, this time of year the filthy rich people who vacation up here come up for our race track. Horse racing is huge business up here, and summer tourism because of it accounts for a huge part of our economy. I'm sure a lot of people know about Saratoga NY for our racecourse.

 

[morris]

the two best pieces of advice i ever got from my dad was. dont bet on any game that has a ball that isnt round, and dont bet horse races.

 

[hounddog]

Dog racing is all but totally gone. Young people are into electronic gambling. But horse racing will never die. Its a ancient sport. I have 30 horses give or take. Into Reining,Reined cow competition.A little cutting. I'd get rid of them all if horse racing was brought into Georgia. Quarter racing,Standardbreds,trotters and pacers and Thoroughbreds is where the money is.

 

[widman]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself
Originally Posted By: Grant11
I just don't see why people see animals as disposable objects.

Anyway... horse racing, like? dislike? not care?


Like many things, I guess I am indifferent to it. If someone else enjoys it, who am I to pass judgement? One of my weaknesses I suppose. Of course I care when something goes beyond some level of immorality, but who defines that? I'm indifferent to the American human sports debacle also.

In order not to be hypocritical, I could only agree with your statement if I was a total vegetarian and used no animal products (leather).

Otherwise, how can one put more value on the life of a horse vs. that of a cow, pig, chicken, deer, guinea pig (ask Widman from Bolivia), etc.? Why is it o.k. to eat a Buffalo, but not a horse?

I can answer my question. It's human nature and how one's culture views things (the Disney Bambi syndrome). I do dislike the idea of killing things just for the joy/sport of it, without any reverence for meaning of it all, but that's just my values. I can eat animals, but still be considerate of them and not consider them disposable.

There will never be agreement on this subject, except to agree to disagree. In before the lock.


That's funny. The other night after our car club meeting one member asked over for dinner where he served the pigeons he had shot. Not what I really enjoyed, but better than whatever I was served for lunch at the cement plant a few days later. I was told that was cow stomach.