The Delaware Park stewards have finally (the minutes for the day in question were missing for weeks) confirmed the death of Game Lad in the 4th May 27 – officially, “#4 euthanized LF bilateral sesamoid fracture.” Equibase had the 6-year-old as “went wrong,” which almost always means dead. In that same race, Equibase says Lookingforanewhome was “pulled up in distress”; the stewards say, “#6 vanned off (condition unknown).” “Condition unknown”? Really?
In the minutes for the 2nd June 22, Sweetest Yet “was returned to unsaddle crippled.”
“Crippled.”
Vile. Horseracing.
Evil “sport”….this cruelty needs to stop. We will get there.
I have yet to understand why animal welfare groups do not consider horse racing abuse. The number of dead per year alone should be cause for alarm, not to mention the catastrophic injuries these horses incur while technically still babies. No other “sport” has casualties in these numbers, but people are still fighting to keep it going. The Sport of Kings indeed- watching and cheering while their slaves die to amuse them.
Agreed…Stop the torture and abuse and let them live a normal life. To many drugs etc., that’s not natural to their bodies. Its killing them instead. Wake up greedy people, you’re killing a beautiful animal that doesn’t deserve the torture/death. Yes, at 3 or 4 yrs old, they’re still babies.
Reblogged this on Armory of the Revolution.
Surprising that they admitted “crippled”. This industry cripples the majority of its horses, and usually at young ages.It’s not a question of if they are crippled, but how severely. And when it’s severe enough, how they are disposed of.
You bring up an important issue, Peggy.
The “crippled” horses suffer even more and longer than those euthanized on the track. Most just “disappear.” And, yes, many have not even reached maturity. A few of the “crippled” fillies/mares are put up for sale as brood mare prospects. These poor horses are expected to carry foals to term on crippled limbs, another phase of their abuse…..
Animal cruelty is pervasive in this business. The death count is the “visible”part. The full sad story of the racehorse is yet to be told.
But the unmasking has begun.
This business continues to intentionally hide the doping/vet records of these racehorses leading up to either their breakdowns or inability to perform.
Anybody who has rescued one of their disposable commodities and who has properly investigated what’s wrong with them – hundreds if not thousands of vet bills later – usually finds very serious pre-existing conditions from fractures to torn muscles/ligaments to respiratory issues and the emotional stress exhibited by weaving, cribbing or colic is all part of it.
It’s a miracle when a racehorse makes it off the track alive, but most are damaged for life and that’s precisely one of the reasons why this business continues to refuse mandatory contributions for aftercare.
They know damn well what’s going on and they want no part of the racehorse when they are done maiming them
They leave their trash up to everybody else to take care of them in the light of billions in sales and wagering profits, and casino money.
May I remind readers that this industry doesn’t even afford the racehorse a medical record like ALL domestic pets in the U.S. whose records go to the vet so that invasive procedures can be avoided increasing their comfort level.
This entire business to the vile start to the vile end is full of people who are there to exploit racehorses and don’t give a damn about them despite what they say.
It’s time to stop believing their lies because nothing will change the fact that thousands of racehorses are born to die or be maimed in the process.
Is this what you want to support?
Spot on Gina. The off the track horses I have now are the last I will take. I will always continue to support rehoming and rescuing tb’s, but I just can’t afford to keep dealing with the “track jewels” ( the industry gives it such a pretty name – when in reality- it’s INJURIES!!) that all of them seem to come with!
I’ve re-homed 22 in my better days and when I had the proper facilities.
That said, I only support individuals and/or OTTB rescue groups who advocate for the shut down of this business.
It has always intrigued me how anybody continues to support a multi-billion dollar profit business who dumps most of their disposable gambling chips, the racehorses, on people who had nothing to do with the exploitation to begin with.
They have neglected, starving, sore, crippled racehorses staring them in the face plus paying for them.
Yet, they don’t condemn this vile business and the vile people in it.
There has never and will never be enough DECENT homes to facilitate all of these racehorses after they are done squeezing the sweat and every last dime out of them with no remorse, aftercare or accountability.
This is a human problem not the racehorse’s problem.
Then again, it’s tough to refer to horse racing apologists as human because they are the lowest form of life on this planet and animals are more decent than these parasites.
How sad that these race horse who do make it out of the industry alive are left so broken that many people who might otherwise adopt will not do so because of the enormous veterinary bills these horses incur. Speaking personally, there is no way I could afford thousands of dollars even though I would love to be able to adopt a OTTB.
The Veterinary community has blood all over their hands. They took a professional oath to
protect their equine patients from harm. Instead they are controlled by greed $, ego, and fame – the same poison oozing out of the Race Track culture.
This is way beyond athletic doping or steroid enhancing cocktails. This is capitalistic equine genocide for profit.