Another of the converted (she wishes to remain anonymous):
Hi Patrick – I have been reading your Horseracing Wrongs blog for well over a year, but I do not post comments. I greatly appreciate the work that you do to end horse racing, which I view very differently than I originally did some years ago.
When I was a kid I was nuts about horses. I was always drawing [them], and faithfully watched the Kentucky Derby every year and watched Secretariat win his Triple Crown. Then I moved abroad for several years and drifted away from an interest in horses. However, when Barbaro broke down in 2006, that, ironically, pulled me right back into horses because (and in retrospect this seems amazing) I had NEVER heard of such a thing as a horse breaking down. I had to find out more. I read a lot, and then began to go to Emerald Downs.
From 2007 until 2017, I went to the track once or twice a month, and for two years during that period was a member of a racing club at Emerald. My club experience was enjoyable (how could being up close with horses not be?). We had an excellent (now-retired) trainer who really cared for the welfare of her horses. In addition to our trainer, another female trainer at Emerald retired after last year’s meet. Both of them had reputations as being good trainers, but I can’t speak to anything other than what I personally saw. I wonder if they both also recognized the handwriting on the wall for horse racing, and decided to leave before everything fell apart.
My better half once told me, after we had gone to the track together for a couple of years, that there would come a day when I would say, enough. He eventually said he no longer wished to go because he didn’t like what he was seeing. For me, he knew, it was all about the horse. I’d go to the saddling paddock to see them up close, and stand by the finish line to watch them come in. The underdogs had a special place in my heart, the ones who came in at the back of the field, the ones that didn’t really want to race. What will become of them, I wondered – but I knew I couldn’t do anything about them.
After the second year of membership, my interest started to wane – I was reading about more and more things that I did not like. I had seen a few breakdowns, which were always disturbing, but I thought they were anomalies, like Barbaro’s. Now it’s impossible NOT to see, at every level and in every type of race, no matter where it is run.
I can’t pretend that I didn’t enjoy much of the time I spent there, especially being able to visit my horses, and the few people I met. But I can’t look back now and not feel that I should have paid closer attention to some things. Now I would like to see racing end, and I think you are doing a valuable service to help make that happen.
PS – I broke the cardinal rule of ownership: never fall in love with a horse. I did, with all of the ones who raced for our club. How can one not? Having a horse in one’s life is a joy and a privilege. They will never not put a smile on my face.
Great thoughts. Just visit a kill pen where Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds are routinely dumped by their loving owners and trainers. That would be enough to cure just about anybody of going to the races.
Karen – Make The All Owners Pay For The Horses For Retirement After Horse Racing?
The very least they could do is be responsible for rehoming them.
Bob Baffert Destroyed Horse Racing Everyone Thought He Was A Role Model 2022?
The fact that this kind of brutality is still going on in the 21st century, is hard to believe.
Bonnie – Jockeys & Trainers & Owners Are Scared To Tell The Truth About Horse Racing 2022?
You would have thought the species of man would have evolved by NOW. Doesn’t say much for man …. does it?
Thank you, Anonymous, for your beautifully written personal experience with horses and Thoroughbred racing. I’m glad you are feeling compassion for the horses and what the horses go through. It is a relief to know that you are seeing the horses’ side of things.
As always Wanda – Well said. Very well said. And thank you Anonymous. As a former owner, I made the same decision many years ago. Now I’m moving forward with Patrick and this compassionate and determined group of
Horseracing Wrongs followers trying to make the world aware of what ” The Sport of Kings ” is really all about and put an end to this cruelty once and for all.
Yes, I thank the writer as well. Especially the part about recognizing “the handwriting on the wall for horse racing.” The ones who don’t see it (won’t see it) should be the ones feeling the need to remain anonymous, though. (I do understand the letter writer’s desire to keep away from the wrath of many still in the game. Some of them are hyper-defensive about the subject, and downright vicious about protecting their beloved blood sport.)
Kelly,I’m sure you’ve heard about Champion Ca. horse Warren’s Showtime? Beautiful Chestnut
Yes, but devoted racing press “journalist” extraordinaire John Cherwa is assuring readers that the SADT is having a remarkably SAFE meet this year. So her hideous death is probably just a one-off, or something. Right, CHRB?
Anyway, I’m sure Patrick is on it. He just has so much carnage to cover these days. (Imagine how busy he was before they made racing soooooo super-safe for horses.)
She was what this industry likes to call a “hard knocker” she danced every dance. Intense,frequent,high level races, certainly has to take a toll.