I have been able to confirm that Bowies Hero was euthanized yesterday for laminitis. He was six years old, and his final (of 28) race came at Santa Anita January 2 of this year. Now, the racing industry will not count his as a racing death, and he will not show up on the CHRB’s “Equine Fatalities” database. But make no mistake, Bowies is most definitely a horseracing casualty. Most definitely.
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Just like Barbaro was a racing death and not a laminitis death as the racing apologists like to claim. He wouldn’t have developed laminitis if not for the racing injury!
Oh no, I loved this horse…This breaks my heart
Brings back bad memories of poor Kentucky Derby participant Materiality.
All horses and ponies under certain circumstances can get laminitis that have nothing to do with racing. Thank God not all horses and ponies get laminitis!!! With proper care and attention, hopefully it can be prevented from occurring. I can see why the RACING participants use that as an argument, but it is very DISHONEST to SWEEP THIS HORSE EXPLOITED FOR RACING under the proverbial rug!!!! Horseracing injures and kills horses. Refusal to acknowledge this race horse’s life and death, from whatever cause, by any member of the California Horse Racing Board, or any other horse racing commission or association, is unacceptable. Thank you, Patrick and HORSERACING WRONGS, for acknowledging the fact that this horse lived a life of abusive and neglectful servitude for “human entertainment” and “a job” for some. I hope for the day when the wagering handle “dries up” and the people involved in the brutality of exploiting horses for racing is reduced significantly!!!!!!!
Rest In Peace, BOWIES HERO…😔🙏
YOU DID NOT DESERVE THIS HORRIBLE FATE.😿
I understand your thoughts on laminitis. My sister who ‘was’ involved in horse racing industry and breeding farms, stated it is the over graining and it starts at the very beginning. Many foals have poor developed hooves before age of one, and if they don’t get corrected enough to run, are dumped (my sister saved one left at an auction, 4 months, club foot). On top of that it is the stress and considering a horse is a roaming animal, and race horses stand in a box all day, shipped all around, it is more likely horses in the racing industry to develop laminitis. For your reading pleasure: https://www.acvs.org/large-animal/laminitis-horses
Some of the listed causes that stuck out right away: grain overload, intestinal disease, over bearing weight (injury???), high-stress occupation environment, long-distance transportation, poor hoof confirmation.
This is a disgusting, animal abuse sport that should be outlawed.
Thank you Kat!!!!! I loved what you said about STRESS.
Thank you, Kat! I totally agree that horseracing is disgusting animal abuse! It definitely needs to be outlawed!!!!!
Feeding grain to foals, yearlings and two-year-olds is insane! These young horses just need to be turned out in pastures with safe fencing and left alone (by these insane people) to grow up and have a chance to grow and develop in a normal way!!!
SON OF A BITCHES!