At 14:19:55 on 10.10.11, Sadie Ann wrote:
What is your take on horse racing and the industry surrounding it?

At 15:48:00 on 11.10.11, WannaHorse wrote:
I don't like it. And stuffs that happen around it are just horrible. Horses are ridden waay to young (Even if the riders aren't heavy and all they have to do is run, I don't think they're emotinally ready) and foals have to be perfect or they end up in slaughter houses. :( Also, all the rider wants is to win the race. If to do that it takes to totally beat up the horse, he'll do so.

At 16:51:52 on 11.10.11, Sadie Ann wrote:
This is a very hard topic for me. I live in Lexington Kentucky where TB racing is VERY important to the local economy, culture, and psyche. There are hundreds of TB farms all around this area (called "the bluegrass") and many important races, including the Kentucky Derby, are held right here. We have the Kentucky Horse Park, Rolex, FEI Games last year, and the Keenland/Tattersall's yearling sale. No casinos are allowed in Kentucky so racing/sporting events are the only way to gamble. The following information is what I have gleaned from my time around the track and from reading up, visiting farms, etc...I don't know if any of this is TRUE, but it is what I have gathered. In the middle of Kentucky there is a certain type of calcium-rich granite that deposits mineral stores into the grass on which the horses graze. This allows their bone structure to mature earlier than other horses elsewhere. Horses are raced as 2 year olds because owners want to make money as soon as possible, everyone else is doing it, and a 2 year old is considered in the prime condition of its whole life. The horses are raced if they show promise or not and it is soon apparent which horses have the drive to win and the talent to do so. A TB racehorse is bred with a drive for winning and speed. Their heart is for the race and will perform to the best of their ability when so inclined. Some horses are magnificent at this and become legends. It is an honor to know a great racehorse because they do something we can never do and achieve something we can never achieve. Because of money, mares and stallions are important but geldings are not as they cannot breed even if they do win a purse. The glory and sheer magnificence of this breed in action is amazing to behold and causes people's hearts to soar. It is not just about the money. To see a racehorse reach its full potential is awe-inspiring, arguably more than any other equine sport. The TBs' power is undeniable. So, jockeys and trainers can be found that are good and bad, just like in other equine disciplines and the ratio is about the same as the other disciplines. I have heard rumors of unearnable horses being sent to slaughter, especially in Japan, but I do not know to what extent this is popular as the farms I have visited keep all of their horses regardless. They can afford too. Maybe some of the smaller farms who need to make ends meet do this? Mares are treated with the utmost respect and stallions always do live cover so they are pretty happy. Most racehorses are put out to pasture on retirement and never ridden again as they were trained for nothing but racing. Sometimes the retired TBs are sold out to "resuce" societies but they were not in danger of being killed, just of being unused out in the paddock. Using the whip as an aid in racing is important because the horse needs to focus and the jockey cannot signal with his legs because they are too high up (for maximum speed and wind etc...). I am sure that some jockeys are cruel but of course some are kind, just like in any field. The racing industry has received a very bad rap and I am not sure that it is deserved. TB breeders down here take much pride in their horses and treat them with the utmost care as their lively hood is riding on them. It is easy to assume that because horse racing is backed by gambling and money it is corrupt and mean to the horses, but horse racing has been around since the beginning of time, and I venture to say that it is very natural for horse and rider to race.

At 22:55:32 on 12.10.11, JessAndGrenville123 wrote:
Race horses don't end up in slaughter houses if they are no good, they get brought to yards like mine, brought on and sold as either a competition horse or a all rounder (pleasure horse). I LOVE racing... Have you watches slaughter videos for horses? Not all are TB's there are lots of pony types and lightweight cobs these seem to make up the majority along with quarter horses but instead of going after racing go after slaughter they are in the wrong. If it wasn't for racing i wouldn't have my gorgeous boy grenville now

At 09:44:53 on 23.10.11, jellyb wrote:
racing is all about the riders they don't care about the riders only the money!!!! my sisters friend brought a retierd race horse bt something was not right when she rode him the vet said he was fine bt when she sold him the new owners found a bit enloged in his tounge!!!!!!!!!!!! when the horse was in the stables the bridel or saddel was not taken off this led to the bit in his tounge!!! the race horses r relly not properly cared for and hardley get rewared for all thier hard work!!!

At 23:24:50 on 23.10.11, JessAndGrenville123 wrote:
Ok that is one racehorse, i know 4 people who work at 3 different race yards one has been a jockey and one is training to be a jockey, i have been on race yards personally looked after them and rode them and they are treat well, there is a odd trainer who is aweful but there are odd eventers who are aweful to their horses. My horse is an exracer and has arthritis in 3 legs from a very physical career racing on all types of ground but he is one of about 5 ex racers on my yard and he is the only one with the problems. As for rewarding they get lots of treats off the people who work at the race yard, extra carrots are always available after good work. People say they don't get turn out, they get at least 3 hours a day out in a field. I love racing and this whip rule is going to lose us some good jockeys, ruby walsh is threatening to stop riding over here after a 5 day ban for hitting the horse 1 more time than allowed. Here is the article, i agree with him, it is silly for people to say it is abuse etc, the horses are forced to run it is like i would LOVE someone who says they are forced to get on one of the racehorses and see if they could stop them galloping off on the gallops, i would expect they would struggle!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/horse_racing/15424723.stm

At 12:37:18 on 24.10.11, Flicka wrote:
Jess I'm afraid that not all racehorses get turned out for at least 3 hours a day, some hardly ever do, but then neither do a lot of top competition horses in other disciplines. Also a lot of race horses don't get treats and if you get an ex-racehorse and offer them a treat they won't know what to do with it! Also many ex-racehorses do end up being put down and yes a lot of people are taking them on and re-training them but most race horses need to go to an experienced home-if they end up in the wrong hands is that any better than death? I'm also still to be convinced that horses are physically mature enough at 2 years old to race. Having said that I think there are a lot of good things about the racing industry and some of my biggest equine heroes are race horses. Thanks for the link-will read it in a mo. By the way does anyone have a proper racing whip? We need a video of someone trying it out on another person's backside and giving us a verdict lol

At 15:44:10 on 24.10.11, Dazzle wrote:
I have worked in several racing yards and the only one that turned horses out for 2 hours a day was a Permit Holder rather than a licenced Trainer. Certainly they were all grazed in hand everyday. Because the Jockey Club is so strict on banned substances, we even had to be careful what shampoos we used, treats were a defo no, no incase they tested positive for something banned. I have to say that I never saw any cruelty, these horses are worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. They lived in total luxury and no expense was spared. The lads and lasses do get a small percentage of the prize money but their living wage is not huge and to do this job Jellyb takes great skill and dedication.

At 20:39:48 on 24.10.11, JessAndGrenville123 wrote:
Grenville definately knows what to do with treats hehe wasn't fussy at all, none of the racers on my yard are and treats are just carrots on the race yard or a apple nothing fancy but they get lots of love from the regular stable hands and us when we go up on a odd day to fill in for someone, also flicka i know 2 people with racing whips (the ex jockey and the jockey-to-be lol) i have tested them and can hardly feel it on my leg when hit with quite a bit of force, compared it with my riding crop i use in general riding and mine hurt alot more, i would rather 10 hits with the racing one than 1 hit of my regular crop and i can say that with a hand on my heart, i am NOT posting a vid of me getting hit on the backside with it though! hahaha

At 21:25:48 on 03.01.12, OffTheTrack wrote:
Racing happens all over the world and the world is full of diversity in the people and therefore diversity in the way racehorses are treat. Personally, I can't say I'm one way or the other, because there are many horses that have good owners and a good career, one of our ex steeplechasers 'Golden Hello' fractured his hip and even though he was no good for racing, his owner paid the huge vet bills to have him fixed and we have horses sold on to riding schools or retired to pasture like Merlin. However, we have more than enough cruelty cases. 'From the Ashes' was close to death with neglect, 'Light of Aragon' aggressive and defensive beyond comprehension, 'Champagne All Day' had scars across his flanks from the whip and scars across his mind that drove him insane with fear. Because of the two faces of racing, the great and the gruesome, we can't really judge. We're here to give them a new start into retirement, or rescue them from the pits of cruelty, overall, give them a better 'Life Past the Post' x