Through a FOIA request to the California Horse Racing Board, I have obtained the following details on some of that state’s kills this year.
My Panache, May 29, Golden Gate R
“Horse was coming to receiving barn and flipped: [multiple] skull fractures with traumatic brain injury, marked hemorrhage from left ear, both nostrils – bled out.” Also: “severe chronic ulcers with gastric bleeding.” My Panache was three years old.
Desert Fog, May 30, Golden Gate R
“Horse was behind the gate, reared up, fell, vanned to test barn, collapsed and died from exsanguination [she bled out].” Desert Fog was five years old.
Hong Kong Cowboy, May 30, Golden Gate R
“Catastrophic fetlock breakdown: [multiple] open fractures, [multiple] ligament/tendon ruptures.” Also: “severe osteochondral disease, both forelimbs; gastric ulcers.” Hong Kong Cowboy was seven years old.
Cool Acclaim, Jun 19, Sacramento T
“Catastrophic fetlock breakdown: [multiple] fractures, ligament rupture, severe hemorrhages.” Also: “stomach ulcers.” Cool Acclaim was three years old.
If you were to read the injuries these horses sustained you would think they were struck by a vehicle – or perhaps wandered into a land mine field. In all my years of working with horses I have never seen horses with the types of injuries and the sheer number of catastrophic injuries that are seen at racing barns.
Explanations, apologists?
Sounds like they were in a demolition derby.
Actually, racing is a form of demolition for the horses!!
Recently a horse was injured in a rollover accident on a freeway near here. The driver and passenger were injured and their dog was killed. The horse’s injuries, though significant, were were far less gory than these poor animals in the racing industry!
P.S. The horse is recovering well.
Abuse versus “amazing care” or rather the so-called AMAZING CARE that racehorses receive is ABUSE. Horses are not machines, but who in the horseracing industry cares about the horses for what they are? Horses are sentient beings, not machines.