In its most recently released rulings, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has cited the following harness drivers:
Norman Robbins, “Indiscriminate Use of Whip” – $50 fine, 5-day suspension
Chris Page, “Indiscriminate Use of Whip” – $500 fine, no suspension
Daniel Noble, “Kicking a Horse” – $50 fine, no suspension
Christopher Loney, “Kicking a Horse” (multiple offences) – $100 fine, no suspension
Tyler Shehan, “Kicking a Horse” – $50 fine, no suspension
Chris Page (same one from above?), “Kicking a Horse” – $50 fine, no suspension
Wrist-slaps for whipping and kicking the athletes. This is horseracing.
Here is a sad list for you. The Last Night : Previous Form 2014:
31st May FELL
30th Aug Pulled Up
5th Oct FELL (crashing fall, thought he was dead)
19th Oct FELL and died.
No enquiry. Just a dead horse.
To kick a horse is malicious and intentional injury…these drivers should face heavy fines, suspensions as well as appearances before the courts for their cruelties against horses.
Harness racing is despicable. Decades ago my late father worked very hard to ban the whipping of these horses to no avail. I just cannot watch a harness race. Those poor horses entrapped in all that hideous gear, the horses have to remain in a trot, those vicious whips come out and what is the horse supposed to think – often they come out of the trot because of the pain from the whipping, they are being urged to go faster but they’ve got to stay in the trot. Harness racing is sickeningly cruel. A harness horse was saved by a local pleasure riding business where my daughter worked as a guide and she often rode him and tried so hard to
rehabilitate him, however, she could never get him out of a trot and couldn’t even get him to do a light canter.
She spoilt him rotten and so did i and he was such a beautifully natured horse.
A beautiful standardbred stallion named Teton was just photographed at New Holland, beautifully groomed but suffering a bowed tendon. Hopefully, someone saved him. I’d like to know who and where this body is that rules against drivers for striking the horses. Does anyone know? Is it a governance of the harness association or the bred registration? It is difficult to get unity if the abusers have such a loose system of enforcement, which is part of their strategy to continue the cruelty even against state animal cruelty laws. So . Where to start? Striking these kind willing animals infuriates me. It is bad enough to imprison (bondage) them. I would suffer claustrophobia. But then to attack them physicall is just too much to allow. We have to know from whence these cruel acts receive their strength to operate – .
The rulings came from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
Jan, i can only speak of my experience here in Australia so if it’s of any assistance i can relate the following.
The horse racing industry here is SELF REGULATED and there lies the problem. They have their Rules of Racing and to kick, punch, whip (before or after the race) is a breach of these Rules and when witnessed by a steward or other official on race day action is taken usually a slap on the wrist (reprimand) but if it’s particularly bad a fine is imposed. If it is not noticed by officials then everyone just turns a blind eye. The RSPCA has followed up on a couple of serious incidents. Some years ago a young filly was shockingly whipped by a jockey in trackwork, so bad that fellow riders and trainers (a hardened lot) reported it immediately. The racing authority opened an Inquiry and a Judge presided (there are many members of the legal profession “involved” in racing here). There was a hearing and the racing authority vet said it was the worst case he’d ever seen in his life. Jockey lost his licence for about a year and went back to India. Then came back here and he still rides today on the country circuit, often in breach of the whip rules. If it had’ve gone before a Judge in our civil courts and jockey was charged with animal cruelty i think the outcome would’ve been very different.
Why the racing industry appears to have dispensation from animal cruelty laws is something i just cannot fathom. I am not familiar with the situation in America.
janwindsong, the very last post I’d seen on the 4 y/o STB colt at auction was that he was purchased by men for illegal racing. The rescue group offered at least twice what their winning bid was, but they turned it down. That colt is going to an even more hellish existence. The rescue stated that it’s possible they will see him back at the auction “someday”. One can only imagine the horrors that lay in store for him. I absolutely cannot stand it.
Carolyn McDonald…how sad that the rescued harness horse never “dared” to break into a canter. Their suffering is heartbreaking. But to hear he was lovingly spoiled brings some joy in the midst of all of this overwhelming sadness.
Kicking a horse…maybe they should consider “eye for an eye” for the punishment…ie, kick for a kick. And a well-placed kick at that.
Brutal acts show a brutal mind. Suspensions and fines are a huge joke in the racing world and the “officials” imposing them know that.These sickos will be back doing what they do, torturing horses. Therefore, those setting rules for $50.00 fines and time out are actually complicit in the brutality. The industry does not care about the horse. If these people were serious about stopping the rampant abuse, the abusers would lose their licenses, they would be barred for life, period.
On December 7th, 2013, I witnessed a groom by the name of “Rooster” entering a horse’s stall at Beulah Park and kicking a horse that was down in the stall…Stall 20…I’ll never forget the number. Rooster was employed by Enrique Calderon, a low life “trainer” at Beulah. Rooster was called into the racing office and denied kicking the horse when questioned by the stewards. He admitted he had been drinking, although no alcohol or drugs were permitted on the backside of the track. Rooster was “scolded” for kicking the horse and was instructed to “never do it again”. There was no fine. That is the sorry state of horseracing in this country. By the way, Enrique Calderon is the same guy who destroyed Marsella Delight who was ultimately euthanized due to the severity of her injuries.
Another group fighting to help animals .
The horse Grace had 6,000 Facebook fans when she died in 2011 of malnutrition.
http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2014/08
/animals_can_be_victims_just_li.html#progress
http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2014/08/oregon_supreme_court_rules_in.html#incart_related_stories
http://aldf.org/
http://aldf.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/2013-United-States-Animal-Protection-Laws-Rankings.pdf
http://www.publications.ojd.state.or.us/docs/S060875.pdf
This was the main important part I forgot n the last post..
Animals can be ‘victims’ just like people, Oregon Supreme Court says
http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2014/08/oregon_supreme_court_rules_in.html#incart_related_stories
2013 US Animal Protection Laws Rankings Animal Legal Defense FUnd ranks laws across the country
http://aldf.org/
http://aldf.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/2013-United-States-Animal-Protection-Laws-Rankings.pdf
http://www.publications.ojd.state.or.us/docs/S060875.pdf
Oregon’s trial lawyers can now sentence offenders convicted of felony animal cruelty or neglect to serve prison time