At Parx yesterday afternoon, 10-year-old Dream Maestro “broke down in his right front and was humanely euthanized [Equibase].” It was his 71st race. Later in the day out at Del Mar, 5-year-old Rush In (below) broke down and was also euthanized. That’s two dead in two days at the California track – “cool as ever.”
I received this from a witness to Rush In’s death:
“I was in the infield, a few yards beyond the finish line, and saw it all. I didn’t see the jockey go off, but watched as track officials unsaddled him, and then the green screen went up, but I could still see him in full view from where I stood. He was clearly struggling as he tried to walk. The van backed up and he was loaded on and taken away. It was very upsetting to watch – I could see him tossing his head through the van’s window, and my heart sank.”
This is horseracing.
In the wild, horses do break their legs. If the break is in a femur, unless the horse can somehow manage to regain its feet, death comes. If though, the horse can regain its footing, horses do survive breaks. They can never run as they once did and because their feeding is cut back their exuberant strength is diminished and they naturally convalesce. Some die from infection if the break exposed the bone. Some do. Horses don’t die as a matter of fact due to a broken leg, they do heal. The laws of survival wrest the final say. Of course, with the horrible mustanging going on – the chance for observation of a natural horse is disappearing.
My point is this: killing a horse for suffering what the responsible humans knows is a probability is unethical. If we are going to strut around wearing the hat of God, deciding who shall live, how they shall live and who shall die, I think we might also hold these cowards to the higher standard of healers.
Just love this comment Janwindsong! Spot on as always, thank you. Your comments are ALWAYS interesting.
This horse shouldn’t have run. He was acting up in the paddock. I saw him going out to the track. He acted up twice tossing his rider. Clearly the horse was sending a message. My point the Vet. didn’t do his job properly.
You are so very right Jenn. My research on horse behaviour pre-race reveals behaviour as you have witnessed. Many horses suffer trauma and stress pre-race, especially when they have a pre-existing injury/condition that is troubling them but they have no voice. He was trying to communicate the only way he could. It is just so heartbreaking. The vets don’t give a damn!
The observations of the horse being trained and run was always the sign of an excellent horseman. The horses always had time on their side. Their character and time to heal after injuries or recuperate after a strenuous trip or race was allowed. I know.
By the handlers Ignoring the language of the horse – they have given us our last sign that the horses are exposed to ruthless handling and we must step in.
Racing as it has become is criminal. Business has become too big for its pants.