Horse Racing

[IdahoSpud]

I guess I should be more intersted in horse racing but I am just not that big of a fan of it. I would like it more I guess if the horses were started later and had a better chance of making it a few years and continuing on in a life after their job.

But who knows maybe reform will come some day for the racing industry?

[Canito]

Hi. You touched an important thing: the time that a horse do his ‘job’ at least where he’s practise things for human purpose.
Of course like a human profession, an exhaustive career like commercial, financial or even in sports like soccer, etc. finish quickly. Then, we get retired and try to live as happy as we can, celebrating life doing what we like without stress. But for another jobs the people can maintain for more years without physically and mentally get tired.
I see that problem in horse sports also. And if we try to pick, the racing horses have a fast sport life with adrenalin that maybe others don’t have.
However, for me the big point of this problem is focused, as usual, in the human behaviour with the horses.
I saw owners of horses in other modalities (that should be quiet and long duration) condemning the future of the horse if the results are not so good, sometimes without realize that the horse simply is not good doing that, or maybe doesn’t want to.
In the opposite I know breeders of racing horses that have a lot of old ones in the fields where they have a decent life after “they do their job’ for sometime.
I wish to now if in California you have races and if it’s an important event or how does it works. Can you tell me something about that?

[Xenophon]

Racing is full of problems but at least some owners are taking action on behalf of both the jockey and horse. I agree that the tracks are to short and to fast. As a kid I rode in brush races in OK where the horse might run twice in a day. Breakdowns were uncommon and races were 3 miles or more. The art of the jockey was to know how to pace the horse. It was more of a community gathering than a money sport. Not all states test for drugs and they should. Big time trainers have been caught and banned for the practice while the undertrainers continue on. What should be banned is the small corporations where people can buy a share in a horse. They have no say about the horse and the practice leads to running the horse to death to meet the investment payback of the owners. I could go on and on about the bad side. The good side is the thrill of a race where everyone and animal cross the line safely.

[Canito]

the tracks are to short and to fast

Why not?Some are good at the Marathon and others are good at 100m
I dought the problem is that.

Not all states test for drugs and they should.

I didn't know that.Thanks for your information. It's very bad and i agree 100% with you. In Spain they do the test in all races.

I could go on and on about the bad side.

Me too but in everything related to the relationship between humans and animals not only in racing horses. As i said, in other equestrian modalities i saw bad things and on racing i saw spending thousands and thousands of euros to try to save horses that were already condemned not to race anymore...just to give them a good retirement. May be one of these days i'll put here some examples to show the good side.
I see you too much 'grey' about the racing horses.I hope in the future you can change at least a little your oppinion
I see many good things on racing horses like in other equestrian modalities and i'll write about that also

[Xenophon]

Thoroughbreds are endurance running horses - bred for that. the wear of running almost flat out for a mile takes it's toll on the horse. The shorter the race - the more races you can fit into a day - hence the more money can be bet. The TB blood line is for the most part linebreeding and the maladies of this practice is evident. Is the horse a bleeder? If so then it must be injected with lasix before a race. Other problems arise as well that boarder on psycotic episodes in personality. Drug testing differs from the east coast to the west coast. A common practice in the past was 'milk shaking' a horse. A concoction was mixed that kept muscles from loading up carbon dioxide until the race was over. I have seen horses collapse within an hour after racing from exhaustion.
As to where the direction of racing is going - a large effort is being made to make it more of a family sport. The industry is in flux over what to do and mine is just one opinion of thousands. I do know that to be a family sport - you can't have horses being euthanized on the track in front of the kids. As to short races - the quarter horse is faster and better built to withstand the stress of short track racing. If interested - I can send a link or look up pedigree of any TB dating back to 1600 and give the foundation stallion as well as the inbreeding.

[Canito]

As to where the direction of racing is going - a large effort is being made to make it more of a family sport. The industry is in flux over what to do and mine is just one opinion of thousands. I do know that to be a family sport - you can't have horses being euthanized on the track in front of the kids.

It's hard to be one in a million but at least in this moment it's 3 - you, me and my wife...

About the direction, i agree with you. Is stupid and an "undeveloped civilization fact" to do that in front of everybody. It's antagonic with that family sport direction. I hope this may change in the future.Here they do the same and it's the sufficient to make me abandon the hipodrome

Lasix and that kind of things i thank you for the information because i don't know much about that. I red about but with divergent veterinary oppinions, so i don't have one formed.

[JustHung]

I think the largest problem with racing is the fact that the majority of the equestrian world knows so little about it. I worked for a top trainer (we won the Derby, a BC race, many stakes races, etc) and the only thing I agree with what has been written here is the speed. I would love the races to be 3+ miles, it would save so many horses - unfortunately over the past 100 years thoroughbreds have been bred for speed and it will take some time to change that around. The notion they can fit more races in isn't true - look at national hunt in England they have as many races on the cards.

Racing is trying to achieve that ultimate goal of 100% safety for horses and jockeys - it was thought the poly track was our saving grace but we are all realizing that is not so and I think they are going back to the drawing boards now - hopefully they will look at other angles.

What really caught was someone mention syndicates - I think they are great for racing and allow small time owners to race above the level they can afford. We had a lot of syndicated horses and I think they are great.

If you have any racing questions please feel free to ask me.

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[reiidlynch]

Horse racing is interesting game. It is a sport game which in worldwide. It want a raw of horses which run for win the game and make known as more horse power.

[Bishop]

I like it this is best game and make health fit .
I take a lot enjoyment when i ride on horse. This is best and interesting game.

[anderphillip]

Well trained horses are kept for horse racing. These horse are espically trained for the racing only. In horse race various horse take parts, most of the time accident also take place which is dangerous also.

[rhettricol]

Horse racing game is very popular game in the world. This game is played in many countries and it is really to watching horse racing game. According to me Horse riding is very tough to ride a horse easily because you have to need your body perfect balance and also controll on horse.

[next582]

Hello! Very interesting topic, thank you raised it
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