My heart just goes out to this beautiful filly that suffered such tragic injuries at the Kentucky Derby. Have you all seen the video?
If not, here is a link that shows a video of Eight Belles Falling after the race.

Eight belles video

Eight Belles was incredibly special for this race, because she was the only Filly to run with the boys. Many (including myself) are questioning if she should have stayed with the girls during the race the day before.

My heart is just breaking for this sweet girl! She was so fast. Watching videos of her just amazes me to see such power in a Filly.

Do you think that horse racing is inhumane? Horses die from this sport, some end up lame for life. I have personally been involved with adoption agencies that are set up country wide for these superb athletes that are either injured and lame from this sport or are not fast enough to make the cut. Then, there are homes to be found for these sweethearts, but not everyone wants a horse that they can only ride at a walk, or not ride at all. The ones who were just not fast enough, very rarely come through the agency, they are usually sold from the owners, but I have seen a few come through that just take your breath away.

I love the sport, but at the same time I just hold my breath at every horse race I view.

Being raised on a ranch all your life, they did the right thing to the horse. Why would you want that horse to suffer anymore? I do not think that horse racing is unethical.

Oh gosh, I so agree with you dobratt. She had to be euthanized. There is no question about it.

I just wonder sometimes if it is inhumane in a way. There are so many horses that need a home that are not ever bred for a sport.

You have these horses that are bred for the sole purpose of possibly being the Triple Crown winner, and when they don't make the cut, they are in need of homes.

On the flip, I have known so many horse owners in the sport that truly LOVE each and every one of their horses and many live on farms in the lap of luxury for the rest of their lives.

I don't think that many owners of horses in this sport, get involved purely for the love of money, but moreso for the love of horses.

I am just wondering, though, if the sport is just too hard on them, and brings too much unnecessary risk.

It was heartbreaking to watch. I attended the Derby several times in the 80's & 90's and was always awed at how magnificent those animals are! One summer, I spent a week driving Kentucky country roads just to look at the farms and also made time to schedule a visit to Calumet Farms for their tour. After that tour, I'm convinced racing is not unethical. The barns were immaculate, each horse had their own feed & water buckets and it was obvious the workers really cared about those horses.

What happened Saturday was a terrible tragedy, but I have no doubt the personnel on hand did everything they could to save her.

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I visited a horse rescue center a few weeks ago... there were 84 horses. Some could hardly walk and were waiting for adoption. There are few people anymore who have wide open pasture land in this area since it is desert and water is more likely to go to humans... it is costly to feed hay, pasture, etc. Many of these horses were injured in the past and then their owners did not want to euthanize them so now, they are unwanted.

If a horse has been raised and trained for racing only and then is so badly injured that s/he can not even walk a step without wincing, I believe that euthanizing is honestly the best solution. Imagine the physical AND emotional pain of a race horse that can not walk. Soooo sad, though, and I haven't and won't watch the video.

I do believe that horse racing as a sport is inhumane (for the most part, I know that there are exceptions) -- I've felt this way since I was a wee girl and my 4-H instructor took us to the races and explained all of it to us. I know that the people that care for them coddle them like babies when they are OFF the track but I honestly believe that 'race day' itself is inhumane.

I read this morning that PETA is inquiring about the suspension of Eight Belles' jockey claiming the philly was "doubtlessly injured before the finish". They are certain that the jockey must have felt something before the finish, but made the horse finish out the race. Eight Belles came in second winning the $400,000 prize money.

I hope this isn't rue, but it is likely that the jockey pressured the horse to keep going since they were nearing the finish line.

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I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!

I having rode horses all my life, that jockey could have thought the horse had stubbled or lost it's footing. PETA as usual is trying to blame someone. I am not a fan of PETA as you can tell.

Dobratt, neither am I (a fan of PETA).

You are right, many times my horse would stumble while we were just walking, let alone running. I make sure she has
her footing, and then we would move on. I didn't get off, check her and then continue on each and every time this would happen.

I watched the race and was just terrible saddened by the news of Eight Belles.

I don't understand how a horse can break BOTH ankles right after finishing a race. Was that poor horse forced to run the end of the race with broken/fractured bones to the point that they became compound fractures? (Bones sticking out of the skin)

I just find it hard to believe that the bones "happened to break" right after the race. That sweet filly probably had some kind of minor fracture, weakness or something like that before the race and they ran her anyway.

I hope they do investigate. I've read of trainers running horses that have been injected with lidocaine, or some other pain killer, just to run a race. Shame on them!

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Mary

I've heard that many thoroghbreds are raced before they are fully mature and their bones are not fully hardened. Not sure how true this is but it makes a bit of sense to me. Up until a few years ago I always watched the derby but no more.

were can you view the horses that are up for adoption,? is there a certain organization.??

Yes, I do think horse racing is inhumane

I am not a fan of horse racing but I do think that animals that are in pain like that should be euthanized. I do think it's interesting that we think euthanizing an animal is humane but euthanizing a human is not (ie: illegal). I've always found that odd...

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Yes! You can do a search on google and place in "Xyour City/StateX Horse Adotion organization" (not X's) and see what comes up. Since I don't know where you live, I can't help you right now.

here is one that you can at least see some that are listed by state:

Equusite.com - Horse rescue and adoption organizations and non-profit charities benefiting horses

Here's another not listed that features Standardbreds and also some race horses
American Standardbred Adoption Program

That's like comparing apples to oranges - Humans to Animals. One has a soul and one does not. JMHO

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Mary

I appreciate your opinion I know my cousin would think you are wrong though LOL Her dog is her baby and I KNOW she thinks that animals have souls but I suppose that's a whole 'nother topic!

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

Hey, I understand...my mom's dogs are her kids too. Thanks for understanding that it was just my opinion and I agree, the topic does not need to be discussed here.

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Mary

I am a horse lover. I honestly do not think she broke her ankles before the race was over. Seeing her collapse the way she did, I don't think she could have continued the race if her ankle was broken. Those jockeys love the horses, I don't think he would have forced her to continue.

But, I don't understand what happened. When she collapsed, she was just doing her slow down gallop. It's so sad.

I really don't think horse racing is unethical, either. People and animals are killed every day in some sort of freak accident. I hate it. I hate seeing it. I especially hate watching those cart races and jumping. But, it's a part of sports, unfortunately. Think about kids who are killed being hit by a baseball or collapsing on a basketball court or in the heat practicing football and stuff like that. Too me, it's the same thing. It's not unethical, it's just a freak accident. I hate that, too.

Just my opinion, here.

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

Yes, I think horse racing is inhumane and yes, I believe animals have souls as much as humans have souls.

I don't think it is inhumane.

I have worked with performance horses all my life. I have trained cutting horses, halter horses, western pleasure, dressage and a few others. I have never trained a race horse but have worked on race horse farms as a exerciser. I can honestly tell you that most of the horses seem to enjoy it. And all the horses I have worked with live better lives than alot of us. Barns with marble floors, air conditioning, heat, daily massages and the best medical care they can get. If a horse doesn't enjoy what it is doing it doesn't perform well the ones that you see do well are the ones waiting for you when it is time to train and actually get excited knowing that it is time to work.

I believe alot of the problems we are seeing now is more breeding than anything. People breed to get better, faster, stronger and in the long run weaken the lines instead of strengthening the lines. You end up with weaker bones, immune systems and nervous systems. If anyone is familiar with Quarter Horses HYPP is a good example of trying to strengthen the line and it back firing on them.

I also agree the jockey probably had no knowledge that anything was wrong until the horse went down. Watching the video I see nothing about her gate that told me she was in pain. When a horse is having pain they gate different and travel different than when they are not in pain. If you are riding the horse 9 times out of 10 you can feel the change especially if it is a horse you ride all of the time. Biggest thing you learn when you learn to ride is to become one with horse you feel the horse and the horse feels you.

Anyways I have been long winded as usual. I feel so saddened by this.

I know that most horses are happy to have a "job". Whether it is a race horse or a lesson horse etc. They are happiest when they are using their bodies and minds. The race horse is a professional athlete. No, they can't say they don't want to race. But usually, trainers can tell which horses will do well, which horses have the "talent and potential" to make it. Those that don't, more than likely, only run 3 or 4 races and their career is over. Once their career is over, people like you and I can get an affordable, well-trained horse to love and ride.

I think she landed wrong while running and a crack started, then hit wrong again while slowing down and the crack just busted the rest of the way

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kellysboymom,

In my experience, usually racehorses or trotters are not good riding horses. At least in my experience, they don't usually know how to "slow down", and are not suitable "as is" for an untrained rider. They need training under the belt for a while before they can even be considered for a novice to ride. We spent $3500 in training on our Quarter Horse that was a trotter just to get her to where we could trail ride her. She didn't want to slow down once she got going!!!!

Keowa, thank you for chiming in! I so enjoyed reading of your experience with horses. What a fun job to have! You captured the spirit of a horse in your words!

Awesome!

I believe race horsing is crulity to animals & I grew up around race horses we actually had them when I was growing up & I never seen it until I was away from it for 10 yrs & then took my kids to a race I said this is not right no one should support this kinda animal cruelity I agree it was the right thing for eight belles to be euthanized but really if thier was no race the horse would still be here more than likely

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mom of 3 greats girls

If there was no racing, the horse probably would not have been born...

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

That's not true Lisa.

The overbreeding that is going on with the horse industry, is outrageous!

So many people are carelessly breeding horses just "because" they either want to make a few bucks, or they are hooked on collecting horses.

With the closure of the Horse Refineriesin the United States, we are at an all time high of unwanted horses that need homes in America. You can practically get a horse for a dime now, because there are so many.

So you have these people that are breeding, with no training behind these horses. The ones that are even so much as "green broke" is easy to find, but harder than you would think, considering how many horses there are available.

This is why we are going to see (if not already) and influx of wild horses again. People are just going to start turning their unwanted horses out into the open because they no longer want, or can afford, to care for their horse.

I am totally against the slaughter houses, but am also really worried about those horses that are in irresponsible hands.

Back to another poster. Funny, but I do believe that horses have a soul.

***Sorry for all of the typing errors, my carpal tunnel is acting up really bad today

So, you think if there was no horseracing (because some think it is unethical & inhumane), they would continue to breed racehorses? Why would they - there would be no demand for racehorses if you couldn't race them.

I see what you're saying about the "backyard" breeding (like dogs and other animals), but I guess I don't understand why racehorses would continue to be bred.

Lisa

We grew up with horses my whole life, but my mom always bought cheap horses she found from friends that they didnt' want anymore for some reason or another. She & my dad used to ride, but are too old (actually more too out of shape - they're 65 & 67) now, but they have an old horse (I'd guess he's around 35) they just feed. They say once he dies, they'd like to get a couple miniatures just because they love having horses.

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

Lisa,

You definitely have a point there!

I feel as though if the horse gets injured, they get euthanized because they are worthless. I'm not into horse racing. I think if the horse gets injured...they should be allowed to heal then placed on a ranch to live out the rest of their years. Euthanize a horse if they have a disabling desease or something but not when they break a bone. They could not even wait to euthanize the horse in an animal hospital. They did it right on the track which makes it worst. Just my opinion.

Remember Barbaro? They tried everything to save that horse. When a horse breaks a leg, it is so difficult to save them. You can't tell a horse to keep its weight off its leg. When they put the cast on and the horse shifts most if it's weight to it's other legs, the other legs get diseased, too. It ruins their tendons. They can't hang the horse for very long or it loses it's muscles. It's sad, but typically they can't save horses when their legs are broken - it's impossible to get them to heal to make it to the pasture you speak of.

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

In all honesty I believe the old work horses who pulled plows, buggys and stage coaches was more inhumane than horse racing is. Those animals were worked to death and not fed quality feeds, didn't have good medical care and so forth. They were just there to work until they could not work anymore. I remember seeing pictures from the ol days of sway back horses with these heavy loads on their backs. I also hate the buggy horses in NYC and other popular tourist spots.

P.S. I believe all animals have souls. Actually I believe all living creatures have some sort of soul.