The NYS Gaming Commission reports that Copper Forest “collapsed and died while galloping out after breezing” at Finger Lakes Friday – “a suspected cardiovascular event,” they say. Copper Forest was ten – old in the Racing world – and had been put to the whip 59 times in a “career” that began in the George Bush administration. Miserable life. Miserable death. His final trainer was Jeffrey Englehart.
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Can you please direct me to some resources for numbers on horse injuries/deaths in steeplechasing, especially in the US? I’m trying to put together a leaflet that is steeplechase specific. Any resources would be greatly appreciated!
Melissa, it may or may not be of assistance to you – in Australia there were four (4) hurdle deaths last season. The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses’ Death Watch Report for the 2014-2015 season confirms the 4 deaths. You might find some helpful information about deaths in previous seasons. http://www.horseracingkills.com/
Just yesterday another jumps horse FIELDMASTER suffered a sickening death in a hurdle trial https://www.facebook.com/coalitionfortheprotectionofracehorses
Melissa, I know of no resources on that; here at HW I do not break down the kills by racing type. Sorry.
Ii have a retiered race horse I got her at the track as a 4 year old she is great and has a wonderfull life retired race horses make great riders not spooked at all so adopt a racer !
A suspected heart attack – sure comes in handy for the racing industry. If it was a heart attack, then what brought it on? The stress of high speed exercise placed on this animal and the miserable existence COPPER FOREST endured is the most probable answer.
http://offtrackthoroughbreds.com/2013/09/20/big-winner-nearly-dies-on-the-way-to-slaughter This big girl helped to pay for her owners/trainers rent/mortgage, car loan, credit card bills, groceries, vacations, (pick one or more, or add to what I have missed) She carried her Jockey to safety, ensured her groom, pony person, hot walker a job. She was a Queen for so many. And not even that could save her in the end. The time will come, when the racing industry will have it’s day in our court system for animal cruelty, I will be there, hiding no more.
20yr+ the Racing Commissions are nothing more than cover-ups and participants of the ongoing abuse of racehorses.
Indeed, it’s long overdue for many cruelty issues to be brought before the courts.
For heavens sakes, domestic dogs and cats have more protection under the law, currently, then racehorses do because of the bogus commissions.
I will be sitting right there beside you when these issues, such as whipping and beating a racehorse, are tried in court for animal cruelty.
It’s long overdue.
Thank you for sharing this. All of these heartbreaking stories and still there aren’t stricter laws to protect these precious athletes. You can’t just use them and dump them. It’s not right.
Gina- Yes, that day can not come soon enough. Laws need to be in order for whipping, doping, running sore horses, and dumping them to slaughter. Laws put in place that are not overseen by the racing industry. Yes indeed, we will sit together…
So will we! What we have all seen and experienced could fill up entire volumes. We have also had experience starting in 1977 and ending in 2004 after we became thoroughly disgusted with our states lack of oversight.But we still hear of happenings from others still participating in this abusive business including the comments of one owner who said they could not understand how another trainer survives because his horses are the thinnest/ scrawniest on the track.