Dead in NY (Gaming Commission):
5-year-old Yodelmesomemagic, Finger Lakes May 27 (most recently raced April 19) – “found dead in stall…investigation continues.” (trainer/owner, Cody Axmaker)
2-year-old Rose Bern, training at Belmont yesterday morning – snapped a leg “breezing…euthanized on the track.”
And while no longer “competing,” this horse was still being actively used (as a “pony”):
21-year-old Go Go Jo, Belmont June 4 – “found recumbent in stall; rolled multiple times; unable to rise; aggressively medicated w/o improvement…euthanized.”
Shared with NO pleasure. TY PB for all you do. And I did speak to that person again. I think I need to call Braulio again
Gaming commission must be really busy these days. So many deaths, so few feeling guilty for the loss of these horses.
Gaming commission is too busy suspending trainers who smoke marijuana rather than help the horses
These “pony” horses live a miserable existence. GO GO JO suffered an excruciatingly painful death after his years of service to the racing industry and it appears that his well-being was neglected. Just use them up after the stress of racing – make sure you get the last drop of blood out of them.
TWENTY-ONE (21) years of age!
UTTERLY DESPICABLE
Yes it’s disgraceful.
Pony horses have one of the worst jobs on the track.
They are in active servitude for at least 8 hours per day.
Have you ever seen those overweight riders on their back?
It’s horrible.
The pony horses are even exploited for money just like the racehorses.
I’ve seen many examples where the industry boasts about ex-racehorses becoming a pony horse to enjoy their life.
What a bunch of crap.
Yes, most that I’ve seen have been overweight and what really gets to me is that many don’t get off their backs often enough during the race meeting. And not being fed enough, if at all, during all those long hours, they’re trickle feeders which is essential for their health! Some of the riders are quite rough with them, hard hands, jerking them, turning around too quickly, oh it just makes me sick to the stomach. Must admit that once there was a young girl who got off her horse after a race and walked him back and I was able to congratulate her on good horsemanship but the male riders just frowned at me as though I was some sort of an idiot….. the ignorance never ceases to fail me.