Omak Suicide Race

True that many more get hurt or die, but those are events that happen all the time every day somewhere in the world. This event happens once a year. Statistics are low when an event is only annual rather than weekly. I imagine if they ran the event every week, they'd soon run out of horses.

I think a good personal way for an individual to address the suicide race is to ask themselves if they would enter their own horse and person, and find their answer as it suits them. I personally would not, nor would I support it.

As for HSUS and their tactics, nothing is new under the Sun. Nathan Winograd, an attorney and genuine animal welfare advocate, has a highly informative and factual blog if anyone is interested in his findings about HSUS, etc:

Blog : Nathan J Winograd

Their are risks in any equestrian sport.
It always seems to me that the people who know the least, object the most.
Posted via Mobile Device

While I agree there are inherent risks in most equestrian events, we can also generalize that there are inherent risks in just about anything in life. As for your latter comment, I think those who care the least, object the most to documented evidence as well as independent professional opinions and eyewitness testimony, and that any equestrian event which puts profits before the well being and safety of an animal is abuse and exploitation of an animal. That is my opinion.

I wouldn't send my own horse for slaughter, doesn't mean I don't agree with it.

Just so I understand...you agree with horse slaughter?
I have no intention of getting into a debate on horse slaughter, but the answer to that question says everything. Those who have no interest in animal welfare will of course see nothing wrong with the suicide race. Perhaps I am on the wrong forum.

The answer to that question says nothing, i'm pretty sure quite a few people on this forum agree with horse slaughter, yet that doesn't mean they do not care for the welfare of animals.
Like what has been mentioned previously, there are accidents and deaths in all fields of equine sports, even in non sporting events there are accidents and deaths, saying the race shouldn't take place because of the accidents is like condemning all other equine sports.

I don't think you can claim that someone who isn't against slaughterhouses has no interest in animal welfare. I've seen too many terribly neglected, starving horses in horrible paddocks to know there are many worse things than a regulated, monitored abbatoir. Such as, being trucked en-masse across a border to unregulated slaughterhouses. I respect your stance, but IMHO it is a more complex issue than that.

Well, then we will have to agree to disagree.
Nothing I say will make you believe that the Omak Suicide Race should be stopped and nothing you say will make me believe that horse slaughter is something to be supported and applauded.
I knew that such thoughts existed, but I never believed to find them here, on a forum that supports the love of horses. Every day I lose a little more faith in humanity. Oh, well. I have to believe that kindness and love will overcome atrocity. I shall take my thoughts on this subject to a different venue.

There is a HUGE difference between the cavalry example BSMS showed and the people riding banks like the hickstead bank.

Firstly, they do no hurl their horses down them at top speed. Their descent is slow and very deliberate. Macabre, have you ever watched the Hickstead bank ridden? Yes, horses sometimes fall, but the speeds and forward momentum are minimal and few bad injuries occur. Even this extremely aggressive rider rode the bank carefully

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xjl...ed-derby_sport

Secondly, these horses are doing these things ALONE. There is no chance of being pounded by other horses who are also being thrown down this hill.

Thirdly, these is just not the same wanton disregard for the health and safety of the horse.

This race is a sad example of just how much some people can forget about their horses health...all for money and ego.