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Racing at such a young age

20K views 93 replies 24 participants last post by  Lakotababii 
#1 ·
I'm doing a report for english on why race horses should be raced at a older age. So i had some questions..

1. What exactly happens to young horses when raced young? (leg problems, temperment ect.)

2. Why do they race so young?

and any5thing else!
 
#2 ·
The temperament issues that come with OTTBs don't seem to be age related to me. I mean, I don't see a significant difference in late starters compared to early starters. Skeletal problems and muscular problems from having under-developed bodies for such extreme conditions is a big factor. You can also have other problems depending on how the horse has been fed etc.

In terms of why they are raced so young, that is easy. Money. An extra year of keep is a lot of money, with no return.
 
#4 ·
It isn't cheap to keep a racehorse though. That is why it is the "Sport of Kings".

Stud fee's can be a large price if you want to breed to something that has a excellent pedigree, along with a good race record. The better his foals do when they get to the point of racing means his stud fee can increase. A $5000 stud fee is not unheard of, if not more...such as Camluck for $12,500 CDN and Bettors Delight for $14,000 US. Somebeachsomewhere has a fee of $20,000 US. Then you have to care for the mare while she is carrying a foal, plus for the first 6 months of the foals life. There are registration fee's and if the horse is well bred enough, nomination fee's to larger races with bigger purses.

After the baby is weaned, you still have his care to pay for during the next two years, and then a trainer to pay for if you are not starting him yourself. So by the time the baby starts racing, he could have had over $30,000 invested in him at least!

Horse racing is about the money because it is expensive to start with. It is also heart breaking to have all the money you make to be invested into a horse that turns out to not be worth anything at all.

Most breeders in the racing industry will try and have their foals as close to January first as possible so that by the time that they are 2, they really are 2...and not up against "older" horses that were born earlier that year. A few months can make a huge difference in the maturity level and ability to race in a horse.

Race horses can have a lengthy career even if they were started at a young age. It is not about racing them early, but it is about how they are cared for before and after each race.
 
#5 ·
1. I personally think they learn odd habits when they're raced. My mom's old horse named 'Real High' was a race horse until the age of 8 and we couldn't use a bit with him because he got excited and would gnaw on it-even walking down the road he would mess with the bit and get all worked up over nothing..and he was 18 when he got him!

Also, If you have seen the heart breaking stories of Barbaro and EightBelles racehorses have suffered fatal injuries or injuries that make them lame,or pasture horses for the rest of their lives(tendon injuries,knee problems etc). Racing seems like a beautiful sport...but it's sad to see what happpens behind the scenes..:(

2. I'm guessing most horses are raced young because, like Chiilaa and VelvetsAB said, it's because of the money and possibly because young horses are able to get pushed more than older horses are. They could also be high-strung or have a lot of energy that makes them a good racer.

I hope this helps :)
 
#6 ·
Money plain and simple. Racehorses are in investment.

I have 2 OTTB Thoroughbred mares that I'm retraining from off the track.
Actually they are on pasture rest for another few months while i put the weight back on them and let the track meds gradually work their way out of the mares systems.
I've spoken pretty extensivly to Thouroughbred folks about why they race them so young and everyone has told me the same thing. MONEY. most of the big time horse races are for 3 year olds. the Kentucky derby, Preakness and Belmont are all 3 year old races unless I'm mistaken. the trainers and breeders I've spoken with say that horse racing is so expensive that they want to get $$ back from their investment asap. and believe you me they see these young horses as investment first animal 2nd. When y ou figure in stud fees of 5000. to 200,000. plus care for the mare for almost a year plus care feeding and training of a foal, plus fees to keep a horse at the track can range from 60. to 150. EVERY DAY it's easy to see why they start them early. way too early IMO.
 
#7 ·
Unfortunatly, it is mainly about the money.

I was planning on getting into racing with a friend of mine. She was into the riding/ training, I was into the breeding/ raising. We idealized that we could work our horses more natural. I really liked a book by Janet Del Castillo called Backyard Racehorse Home We were planning on following some of her methods but going even more natural. None of our foals were going to be started until well into the summer of thier second year, natual barefoot, lots of pasture time, etc...

Sadly, my friend found she couldn't break away from her current life and chase her dream so as I had already purchased the farm I decided to take a different direction. I really didn't want to just get into the breeding and have no clue where my babies would end up and the training part didn't interest me.

I do not want to see racing end but I would love to see some changes for the benefit of the horses.
 
#8 ·
As far as the anything else part of your question (as the rest has been answered) the only horses I have owned lately have been OTTB (off the track thoroughbreds). There are so many of them, and they are cheap, plus they have so much athletic potential.
 
#9 ·
Futurity and Derby races (racing 2 year olds and 3 year olds) is not the old sport of kings. It is absolutely about money and was created for that. Futurity, from the word "future", but the purpose applies to both.

Originally the sport of racing was the sport of kings because a horse had finished growing before they started racing them (usually over 5 years old). Races were miles long. Up to 4 miles, but that was not a problem for a fully developed horse. There's a lot of money laid out to breed and keep a horse for over 5 years to race and find out if it was a winner.

Solution. Race them younger. Money can start being made on them in 2-3 years.
On a physical level these young horses are still developing. They are young children when they start and still children when their career ends (even if they are one of the few that makes it to 4). They start training hard at about 18 months. At 2-3 years they racing. And yet their joints are still trying to develope as they take a daily pounding either in training or in a race. The vast majority of them break down. Many are destroyed. Almost none have ever reached what would have been their true potential as a racing adult. And I haven't even started on the drugging and torturous life these horses are often subjected to. All in the race to make more money.

Compared them to other horses bred and intended to race, but usually by responcible breeders and owner/riders who have the horses well being at heart. This horse begins its training under the saddle around 3-4 years of age. It's built up slowling with easy, low stress exercises. After 4 years of age it's leg joints are firming up and are finsihing their growth. At some point around 5 years their back has finished firming up. Since they've been worked with in a slow steady progression that has put no undue stress on their developing they are soon ready to race. They might need to build up more, depending on their training, but the point is they are ready. These horses over 60 months old race in the true champion of horse racing. The endurance race. Some ultimately race in races like the Tevis Cup. 100 miles long where the average winners runs it in under 11 hours. These horses have a much rarer instance of breakdown and being put down even though they compete in much larger races. Some of them lasting several days.

If you want read one of the many true tragedies of a horse who had unbelievable potential, only to have racing cut it's life short. Look up the story of the mare, Ruffian.
 
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#10 · (Edited)
TOTALLY about money. How many of us have owned an OTTB or know somebody who has one? I have a friend who is rehabilitating a 4 yo OTTB mare. Her history? She won $14k, then had an injury, was thrown out in a field to fend for herself, then SHE got the horse as a rescue. Super skinny, bad hooves--they shave them into a cup you know for racing!!!--loves to be handled and brushed, I understand, but won't be any kind of a riding horse for months.
I won't even go into the bad inbreeding...
It's just terrible that they are raced the hardest while teenagers, that is, 3 yo's. (Understand this like we think of a dog's life as 7 yo/every year of age, you see.)
 
#11 ·
I won't even go into the bad inbreeding...
There is a difference between in-breeding and line-breeding.

In-breeding is along the lines of a sire-daughter, son-dam, brother-sister matchups.

Line-breeding occurs from grandparents and back, and done correctly, makes some pretty darn good horses.
 
#12 ·
We could split hairs about, but TB's don't have a large genetic pool. On this forum alone there have been posts on breed health problems as a result of both.
As for ME, I prefer a horse or dog that is a cross, because they are more Likely to be healthier than breeding for a registry. It used to be that QH's were known for their health but now line-breeding and in-breeding are producing health problems. Arabians never had problems, but now some have bad hooves, and strong healthy hooves used to be their norm.
RE: bad breeding practices and the resulting health problems--I can an online search for you if you would like. (PM me.)
 
#13 ·
I just spent a day behind the scenes at a racetrack with an equine vet about a week ago at Del Mar. Let me tell you, there are good people and there are bad people. The good people have a hard enough time making money BECAUSE of the vet bills for preventative work. These horses have their temperature taken every morning, multiple vet checks before a race, routine X-rays, medications to support joints/muscles, respiratory work ups. After each horse is raced it gets scoped for any trauma to its nasal cavities/lungs. After each workout the horse gets its walked for 30+ minutes and its legs wrapped in ice and a poultice. The vet I was with pointed out multiple trainers that rarely had any horse go lame. Horses that raced into their 5th years of age without ever going unsound. (The same vet stays with these trainers)

I also saw the bad side, an owner that wanted to run a filly in a claiming race that was roach backed, had stifle problems and was very very sore in both her front feet and she was only a 2yo.

Yes racing that young is bad, but 80% of these horses get treated better than 60% of plain backyard owned horses. These people spend over $200 a day in vet bills for about 20 horses that are 100% healthy. Multiply by 31, $6200 a month, add on the multiple x-rays, tests and other needed vet bills. I was told on average it is about $10000 a month in vet bills for 20 horses. Then add in the grooms wages, the feed, the equipment, the farrier, the everything....These horses get a lot.

The vet said on average out of the hundreds of horses he treats he only puts down about 3-4 a year.
 
#14 ·
Agreed.

The better owners/trainers/breeders realize that they own/run a business. The horses are what make them money. Treat them poorly and they won't run well and then don't make you money, then what's the point?
 
#15 ·
Don't care how you slice it, or what spin you put on what they spend to keep the horse "healthy". Racing a horse or even doing excessively hard training before the age of 4 is unhealthy. And even at 4 it should have limits, because their back hasn't finished it's growth. These horses are finished before they've completed growing.
All the medical attention in the world is not going to change the damage that is done by racing them young, or even possibly the pre racing training they've been put through.
Look at some of the incredible horses that were making big money winning races that suddenly broke down. Almost exclusively from leg problems, because at 3 years old they're still developing, so damage could break them down an anytime. Then or in the future from damage already done.
A few of the more famous examples:
Barbaro
Northern Dancer
Ruffian (an exceedingly horrible story)
War Admiral
Not to mention the 1,000s more that you never hear about.

Taking care of them amounts to the same as starting an 8 year old human in training and at 13 they start working unthinkable hours, under the worst possible conditions, hauling excessive loads of coal on their back all day, but you're giving them proper medical exams. Medication to ease their pain and to increase their ability to work more and treatment for injuries, provided they are profitable with the amount of work they do.
It might be thrilling to watch these equine athletes pounding around the track. Giving it all they've got. Doing what they've been bred and trained to do. But when you're watching it keep in mind that these are leg joints that are still trying to develope, but are being forced to take a pounding and absorb the shock intended for a fully developed horse. Not an equine child who is doing what he's required at a risk to it's life.
If we subjected humans to the same treatment, there would be laws passed and people would be going to prison.
I'm not some PETA activist. I love meat and don't have a problem with animals being killed. However, I don't think any animal should be abused for profit or any other reason.
 
#17 ·
The more I find out the more I lean away from this idea of absolute abuse. I think the problem can be with horse people in general. Many people start riding horses at 2, not just the race world. I myself would never put a horse that young through that kind of work because it is hard on the body. I don't think anyone is going to argue that it is damaging for these horses to work that hard while still developing.

The reason why I take it on such a light note is because I can find a fault with almost EVERY discipline, except light trail riding. Honestly, I have seen many more horses that are being rode lame at my boarding stables then I saw out at the racetrack. (1 lame out of 20 horses) while my stables has around 7 lame horses out of 20. In perspective I see the lame horses on the track getting sent back to the farm on grass pastures while the horses st my stables are still having kids strapped to their backs and limping around the stables. I would choose the race life.

1000s of horses out of millions. Percentage wise its more uncommon then people are led to believe. I see high level cross country just as dangerous to the horse, and I have heard of quite a few being euthanized. There are far less race horses than cross country horses population wise, thats why we always hear about race horses.

I saw only painkillers given to the lame horse that was given strict orders for no exercise until cleared by a vet. The rest of the injections given were to help prevent rupturing blood vessels in the naval cavity, joint supports, and west nile vaccinations.

Most of these horses are not running for their lives. a very small percentage actually goes to slaughter. They all seem rehoming friendly. I heard several times from the trainers who were complaining about slow horses, "what are you going to do with him then?"

"Send him off to be a jumper!"....."He'll be a great kids horse."....."some gamer is going to love her."
^^
I was shocked by how many times I heard this. They have no intentions of sending any of their horses to slaughter.

Honestly I just heard today that kids in school shouldn't carry more than 10% body weight for backpacks, yet most carry over 25%. Kids do work carrying those books around.

I hate sounding like the devils advocate, but everything needs to be seen without blinders. It is far from an ideal situation, but it is no where near the abuse that it gets the rap for. I'm by no means a know how of everything behind the track, but with the vet ride alongs and private tours behind the scenes at both Del Mar and Santa Anita....this is what I have seen and heard first hand.
 
#16 ·
Of course if that young child survives to 18 without breaking down too severely he'll be a Max Baer (you youngsters can look him up :)) ) or Arnold Schwarzenegger (that should give you the idea :)) ) and then he'll be allowed to retire to breed and enjoy what is left of his life (complete with back and joint pain, but no more work to make the condition worse).
 
#18 ·
You just get to see more of the stable horses than you do the racing horses.
If you take a tour you are going to see the "better" sides of it.
Want a true picture? Get the registrations of every horse that has been put into any race. Trace that horses history and where it is now. What you see on a "back stage" tour of racing is going to show you the best picture they can. They are not going to start telling you about the horses that aren't there because the broke down and had be put down unless you happen to be at the right place to witness it. If you see an injured horse on the track they will be treating it and it will look like things are being taken care of. If it's a horse that's never lived up to it's hoped for potential (never placed, etc...), and has an injuring that will take "too long to heal" then it's canned off somewhere. IF it's very lucky it will be adopted. If now, well, it's a business and it's about making money....so do the math.
Still back to the real point. Don't care how you spin it. These horses are being raced hard during their formative physical growth years. Doing damage to there joints.
You might find a larger number of horses outside the racing industry that are damaged or abused, but that's because you have so very many more horses outside that industry (in stables, on farms, etc...). As a percentage, the racing industry damages a much higher percentage of it's animals.
There are more dogs abused, injured, neglected and killed by people who have them as pets then there are injured and killed by people who do illegal dog fighting. But as a perctage the dog fighters do far worse than the rest of the dog pet owning world. The same holds true for race horses vs pet or "non racing" competition or work horses.
 
#22 ·
I can agree that the tour showed me very little of what has gone on behind the scenes. But my ride alongs with the vet? I saw at least 3 horses that had raced the day before, and at least 3 before and after their race on the day of of my visits. Now as helping out as a vet assistant I don't think anything was hidden from me. The vet I worked with was in charge of about 5-6 racing farms on the facility. (Somewhere around 200 horses) If I'm pursuing a career as an equine vet and under the fact that I might be considering working as a track vet, there is not point to hide any bad because I'll see it sooner or later. I was there following the vet on his duties from 7am to 7pm.

Everyone talks about the races as they're happening and what goes on with the horses. I know that the few times I was there I saw NO breakdowns on the track or behind the gates. The worst I heard of was the one horse I explain above, it had raced earlier that week and was all sorts of messed up. But the vet explained that the trainer was known to not take as good care of his horses. I saw a few sore horses that were on rest, but nothing major.

Tons of horses go to horse slaughter, most are heavier riding horses. Honestly the kill buyers don't want race horses as their meat is too tough and not enough of it. I agree that there is a huge overpopulation of racehorses. Way too many horses are bred for racing that will achieve nothing in their lives and will go to slaughter for it. Overpopulation is out of control, and severely needs to be cut down.

Maybe its different outside of southern california, but I'm just saying what I see. I'm a little off topic here, as I agree that racing them young is detrimental to their health. Yet I think the level of damage is one that needs to be considered, its a fuzzy grey zone. It gets this horrid reputation with people screaming about abuse that they have no idea about. I am more inclined to send my efforts to completely stop steeplechasing. I personally dislike all animal activist groups because it is extremely rare for them to actually have correct/relative facts. Most people base their emotional opinions on what is fed by peta and sharkonline.

I guess in that aspect we will have a difference of opinion.

IMO you can't compare dog fighting to horse racing because the horse owners have no intentions of hurting their animals. They are instead risking a high chance of damaging the animal, but it is a chance that they take steps to avoid. Out of all of the animal abuse in the world horse racing would not be high on my personal list to worry about. Now they could avoid a huge majority of the step by raising the racing ages to starting at 4-5yo, but that is going to take years of work if possible.

Its a vicious cycle, people wanted to race young, races for young horses were made, those races became famous with very large purses, people wanted the highest amount of money and must have the horse ready to enter in the high stakes which are mostly reserved for 3 year olds. So now even is people wanted to race later in life, the chances are that they have less chance for growth. There is no kentucky derby similar race for those over 3. We idolize the three year old races.

I hope you don't mind the debate, I understand we have a difference of opinion but I love discussing things through.
 
#19 ·
Sorry, suppose to be trace each horse, not that horse.
I've never had blinders on when it came to horse racing. Spent a number of years in upper VA (A lot of race horse breeding). I've seen what gets left in the wake. I'm not fooled by the show they put on. I understand why and how this industry got started and why it continues. You will find "individuals" in the industry that do care about the horses and are upset when something happens. And usually they know that the horse is still developing while being subjected to this. But they are part of a business and most have been in it for a long time. They will continue on and use whatever argument they can to try and justify it.
It's a lot like politics :)) Tell people what will sound better and show them what looks good. Play a shell game so that things can continue.
 
#23 ·
To say that they don't intend to hurt the horse = they don't know much about horses. You cannot put a 2 and 3 year old horse through what is required in our futurity and derby races without hurting them. Injuries don't have to always show. If the damage done to horses was as visable as what was done to dogs, there wouldn't be anymore futurity or derby racing. In fact much of the damage done to dogs (if they survived) was more cosmetic. Bloody, but quicker to recover from. Major difference is that with dogs it was a blood sport. With horses is clean looking, but no less damaging.

Now, I'm not against racing. I think endurance racing is incredible. The riders I know are overly concerned about the condition of their horses before, during and after. Someday I may compete in them. But these are grown horses (have to be 60 months old the compete in a full endurance race) with vet checks during the actual race, not just before and after. If your horse shows distress, doesn't drop their heart beat in time, does lower it's temperature, or any other items that might be a flag, they are pulled from the race. I've even know riders who pulled their horse out during the race just because they didn't think their mount was feeling right. For some, the win they want is to be in the top 10 with their horse in the best condition of the top 10 horses.
Now that is horse racing as it should be. Grown horses, showing what they are made of. Cost more though.

Even the horses they race too young could run better races after they are full grown. Just cost too much to get them there.
 
#26 ·
To say that they don't intend to hurt the horse = they don't know much about horses. You cannot put a 2 and 3 year old horse through what is required in our futurity and derby races without hurting them. Injuries don't have to always show. If the damage done to horses was as visable as what was done to dogs, there wouldn't be anymore futurity or derby racing. In fact much of the damage done to dogs (if they survived) was more cosmetic. Bloody, but quicker to recover from. Major difference is that with dogs it was a blood sport. With horses is clean looking, but no less damaging.
Hmm, there is a difference between abuse and negligence. What you are explaining is negligence in relative terms. Interacting with animals in general puts them in dangerous situations. Almost every riding horse will get a riding related injury in its lifetime. Jumping a horse has high possibilities for joint damage along with tears to ligaments and tendons, on top of the horse falling and breaking damaging something. Barrel racing is extremely hard on the horses hocks and stifles. Endurance horses have potential for a lot of damage as well from the exhaustion of the miles. The only sport that honestly walks away without further damaging a horse as far as I know is Dressage.

Fighting dogs do so to the death. Two goes in, one comes out. Most horse races, if 8 go in 8 come out. Yes, people get more effected by things they can see over things they can't.

Now, I'm not against racing. I think endurance racing is incredible. The riders I know are overly concerned about the condition of their horses before, during and after. Someday I may compete in them. But these are grown horses (have to be 60 months old the compete in a full endurance race) with vet checks during the actual race, not just before and after. If your horse shows distress, doesn't drop their heart beat in time, does lower it's temperature, or any other items that might be a flag, they are pulled from the race. I've even know riders who pulled their horse out during the race just because they didn't think their mount was feeling right. For some, the win they want is to be in the top 10 with their horse in the best condition of the top 10 horses.
Swelling and limping has always bothered me more than plain cuts. Most injuries do show, and the racing world looks for them. It is now becoming popular to do thermal scanning on racehorses to detect heat in areas that may have pain. They look, and if they find they pull out. If the horse is able to pass two vet checks (Full on lameness tests) and get onto the track the horse won't be barely making it along. If the horse is off after start running, the jockey will pull it up. If the horse hurts itself in gate, the horse will be scratched....these people do not intend to harm their money earners and want them to stay healthy. Race horses go through a very similar process. [/quote]

Now that is horse racing as it should be. Grown horses, showing what they are made of. Cost more though.

Even the horses they race too young could run better races after they are full grown. Just cost too much to get them there.
I agree. But a change in attitude is what is needed to get there. If people run around with signs screaming like children saying 'this is abuse' then we get grouped in with Peta as the animal crazies. I don't know how we do it professionally but that is how it needs to be done. People need to understand what goes on before they can understand exactly what needs to be changed. That is the point I have been poorly trying to make.

People focus so much on thinking that everything is abuse. That these horses are shoved into tiny dark boxes, whipped every time they twist an ear, and never see a vet. They see OMG the jockey is hitting that poor horse with a stick to make it run. Poor horsey.

We have to be able to recognize the attempts, and the good before we can start tearing apart the bad. Otherwise we will see that no one is willing to listen.
 
#24 ·
As for riding with the vet (who's paid by and who's job is tied to this "sport"?).
3 horses? Come on. That's what, about .06% (or .0006) of the 2 and 3 year olds that start racing each year.
 
#28 ·
The vet loved his job, almost cried about the three horses he did have to euthanize this year, and watched him love on many different horses. He really loves those horses and isn't in it for the money. He knew most of the horses personalities, and would randomly grab a horse's head as we walked by to give it a hug and kiss it on the nose. I can't explain the feeling I got, but I could just tell.

I said at least 3 because I was being honest with the least amount of horses. I went with the vet three separate times. If I was on one facility, I didn't get to see tons. But that puts all the race horses I have seen before and after up to around 15. Not tons, but 15/15 I saw were sound, happy and fine before/after their race. For the tracks that are Santa Anita and Del Mar, (Same horses move around the three southern california tracks for the most part.) I'm trying to say what I saw, what I myself has experienced, not some random statistic or other person said.
 
#31 ·
The futurity and derby horse races we have today started as ways of showing rich people who were interested in race horses that the potential of a horse was. So the it could be sold and someone with the big money could take on the cost of finishing raising it to race after it was grown. A bit like buy futures on the maket. Hense "futurity"....future.
These morphed into what we have today, because people soon realized that there was a lot of money to me made. Even in these early races and rather small races (often matches) there was betting and a lot of money changing hands. Eventually it become the industry it is today. Run the young and make whatever money you can (if the horse can win any money). Keep the cost ratio as low as possible. When the ratio reaches a wrong point, the horse is gone.
It didn't start as a bad idea, since it wasn't intended to put the horses what they go through today. It was always about the money, but not on this scale.
I'm not going to keep going, since it's a bit like beating a dead horse. Even if you've never experienced the overall effects from it, there is more than enough information out there.
If you want a test book case of what this has done to some remarkable horses read about Ruffian (died 1975. Always wondered what a Ruffian/Secretariate offspring might have been able to do). She was believed to be fast enough to win triple crown (no small feat for a filly). She fractured a bone racing Foolish Pleasure (from the same farm she was from) in a match race for what was then a track record purse...over $200,000. She was beating him from the start and lengthening the distance as she went until her bone snapped. To put this in perspective of what this represented. Foolish pleasure was the Kentucky Derby winner that year, 2nd at the Preakness and I believe she had him by a length, with the gap widening when she went down. Do so research on her and you'll see why people who race these young horses really do not have the horse interest at heart. I can promise you the cried over Ruffian (she was a real money maker). She had a serious injury the year before and they'd spared no expense to get her better and fully recoverd to race again. Few cry over the other many 1,000 that never win and are disposed of in some form.
 
#32 ·
#33 ·
Watching Ruffian go down turned me OFF of racing. Here's another case:
The Horse | Champion Thoroughbred Beautiful Pleasure Dies
16 yo mare with great care gets laminitis.

I've never understood how anyone who saw that incredible filly go down could think racing horses this way, before they finished growing, was acceptable.

So many animals with so much potential used up or destroyed before they finished growing.

I would love to see ban on racing horses younger than 60 months and racing at the tracks restricted to 6 year olds and above. It would be just as exciting (a fast horse race is still a fast horse race), but less damaging.
 
#34 ·
I totally agree racing 2 year old tbs they are too young

How could we take steps to make that the law? The Ultra rich who contorl the sport would never allow it.... it's too bad.

I have TBs and i totally agree that it burns them up and is hurtful to race them so hard so young.
My friend who is a trainer that has won a lot of stakes races says " Humans will ruin 990 out of every 1000 horses, the other 10 will wind up winning some money."

He complains that the Tb Horse racing industry used to be made up of "HORSE People" now he says its all about the $$ and the people making the decisions about these horses don't know about HORSES they know about making $$. "get them making $$ as quick as you can and as cheap as you can so that you can dump horses that are not performing...... " He says that they hire the cheapest grooms and exercisers possible to save $$ and many times the horse is the one who pays the price. Hes seen a lot of injuries from wrapping their legs too tight, from not giving them water, from feeding them totally inappropriate things, the list goes on and on.....

just my experience and 2 cents I for one would LOVE to set a 4 year old racing limit on these horses. let them grow up. the ONLY people who benefit IMO from racing these horses early is the business people involved that want a quick turn around on thier investment.

and I'm not saying that there are not ppl who love their horses and only want the best for them. their are good trainers/owners and bad but i think we can all agree that racing a 2 year old is not in the horses best interest.
 
#35 ·
There has never been a time when these races were done by people who truly cared about the horse beyond the money to be made. But if someone is about 250 years old they might be able to say they remember a time when some of the people involved in racing really cared about their horses. That far back the big 2 and 3 year old races hadn't yet become the big money races, but it was the eve of these races beginning. The people who got them going called themselves horse people, but it's been about big money and run by money since before the first Kentucky Derby.

This form of racing started in the later half of the 1700's in the UK and the purses then were as high as 1,000+ British pounds (a huge some of money in the late 1700. They started in the US in the early part of the 1800s (prior to 1840). These people bred their horses to be fast, win them money and do it before they reached the age of 4. If they weren't winning by the age of 4 they were history (they were history anyway, because by 4 they were usually finished if they were still sound). In the 1700's it stopped being about showing what a horses potential was so you could sell them. It was about winning big races and making big money while the horses were very young and still growing. Make money with those that could make it before you spent so much on them.

If any of these people had been horse people they wouldn't have been putting their horses through the training and entering these races while their horses bodies were still growing and subject to so much damage from racing.

That it will never change is almost certainly an accurate assessment. The people in this industry don't want it to change. They would lose so much money if it changed. The fact that a horse doesn't finish growing until it's 5 years old doesn't matter to them. The fact that other races require a 60 month age limit (Derby's don't measure age by month, but based on 1 Jan), so that the horses are grown doesn't matter to them.

The fact that a person would subject a 2, 3 or 4 year old horse to this would exclude them from being a person that cared about the horse.
 
#36 ·
I think racing a horse at 4 is a different thing altogether than racing at 2.

since Many 2 years old aren't even really 2.... I was under the impression that their bones or joints or whatever it is are closed up by the age of 4 years.

And I Do think that there ARE caring people in the racing industry. I know my friend is a very caring and VERY knowledgeable person who does not believe in giving drugs of any kind to his horses, despite the fact that many drugs are track legal. He also does not participate in 2 year old horse racing despite the fact that is is the norm. And I know that he is not alone in that. There is a GROWING movement among caring trainers and owners to put thier horses out later as 3 and 4 year olds. Yes it's not the main stream but it does exist.

I'm just saying that we can't make the mistake of painting EVERY SINGLE owner and trainer with that DEMON brush like "They don't care about the horses". Bacause I personally know people who don't fit that profile :) It's just too bad that THEY are not the norm.
 
#37 ·
Horse legs finish up by 4. Backs finish at 5. So if you're racing a horse at 3 there thundering around the track on legs that have not finish solidifying.
Ruffian was 3 when she went down.
People are free to believe what they want. There are vets who morn over horses that are injured in these races, but will patch them up, give them something for the pain and help them heal so they can get out there and race again. Knowing that the horse is still a young, growing animal. There is a reason horse have to be at least 5 to compete in endurance races (4 for the shorter limited race). At 4 the legs should be finished firming up. At 5 the back (last thing to finish growing) should be ready.
You can race at 4, but in the TB Derby racing industry training begains long before they ever race, so if you are going to give the horse the best chance to be completely sound you limit the amount of stress you put on the legs while still forming. That means at 4 whan the legs are ready you can start the hard training. Otherwise, to race them at for you'll have them technically "racing" (watch how these horses are run for training) while they are 3 so they can race at 4.

As for all these wonderful grooms/trainers/vets/handlers/owners, etc.... who love and care for these horses. If I took your horse at the age of 3, provided it loving care and attention. Provided it with a perfect diet. Gave it the best medical attention money could buy.
BUT....I also raced it every day to build up it's muscles and endurance. Pushing it a little harder as it's contioning improved (or perhaps I should say I gave it workouts every day....that sounds better, but pounding around the track as fast as you can has the same effect whether you're racing or training). And when it was old enough (we might have started "training" at 18 months, but we'll be nice and say 24 months), at 3 years old I put your beloved horse in races with other 3 year olds. All still waiting for their legs to finish growing. So for over a year I've subjected your horses legs to as much trauma as I could without making it break down (I have a vet there to check it regularly, after all we want to be able to race). Now I've put your horse on the track and we'll push it to run it's heart out as fast as it's still growing legs will carry it. And as long as your horse holds up and looks like it has potential I'll continue to put it into the races (hopeful of winning some money). Don't lose track of the fact that I'm "love" and "care" about your horse, but I'm putting it's still forming body through a significant amount of stress.
Now, how much do think I really love your horse?
Look at Ruffian. Do think for one minute that all the people connected with that lovely filly didn't love her? This horse that was a proven winner. Setting records (some of which might still be standing) and believed by some to be able to win the big races dominated by the colts. I can assure you there probably wasn't a dry eye among the people connected with Ruffian when she went down and had to be put down. BUT they still raced her, like they do all these horse, at an age when she should not have been raced. And she had not gone down, and had won that race (which I don't think anyone doubts she would have won), they would have kept right on racing her.
I'm not saying none of these are good people. Being a good person doen't mean you truly care about a horse. If it was YOUR 3 year old that they were doing this to, what would you say? How good would they be then, with respect to the well being of your horse? They would never do this to my 3 year old, because they don't have her best interest at heart. It's still about the money for all of them. It's their job, their livelyhood. They depend on it.
 
#38 ·
Look I'm not saying they are GOOD people because they "supposedly care and love their horses".. I'm saying that they care and love their horses and because of that, more and more people don't run them as two or three year olds. I'm only saying that NOT EVERYONE IS THIS INDUSTRY races 2 and 3 year olds and that there is a growing movement in racing to wait to race the horses until they are grown. subscribe to any of the Thoroughbred racing magazines and you will see more and more top trainers and owners opting out of both 2 and three year old races.....
I think to say that everyone in racing trains this way and that way is wrong. There are as many ways to train a race horse as there are owners and trainers out there.
I've been on the periphery of horse racing for many years as I used to buy OTTBs and retrain them for Hunters and Jumpers. I've seen a lot of injuries that horses received from racing, it's a tough sport but so is FOOTBALL, Basketball and Marathon running. it's a sport people get hurt.....

So I want to be part of the solution NOT part of the problem.... what can I DO as a TB owner as a horsewoman out in the world to insure that this sport that many people (including me) love, is as kind as it can be to the horses?? That is my question to you ?? What can we do to improve the current situation??

And to site the example of Ruffian as your proof that it's hard on the horses is a little short sited IMO. Yes it was a tradgidy what happened to her, no one whould deny that... HOWEver SHE IS one HORSE IN A FOAL CROP THAT YEAR OF HOW MANY 35,000? I mean there was recently a post on the board about horses being STRUCK BY LIGHTENING and someone said that her vet says she sees several horses every year struck by lightening, multiply that by every vet in every city in every county in every state and you got a LOTTA horses dying from being struck by lightening. I'm saying that freak accidents can and do occur.....
 
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