The NYS Gaming Commission reports this for Maajaackkobe at Yonkers Apr 7: “broke his leg during the 5th race,” euthanized. He was 11 years old.
As I’ve often written, the poor Standardbreds may not break down as often as their Thoroughbred cousins, but their length of servitude – and thus, abuse – is, as a rule, much longer. And if they do make it out alive, it’s those same Canadian and Mexican slaughterhouses, with, often, a pounding at the hands of the Amish in between.
The often forgotten standardbred horse enslaved in harness racing. And they have the sweetest nature – that has been my experience.
You are right, Carolyn. The Standardbreds are very sweet natured, easy to handle and so versatile.
Sad to say the auctions and kill pens are filled with this breed. Their lives as racers and then their “retirement” as Amish buggy horses ends in the kill pens as they wait for the cruel trip to face the terror and brutality of slaughter.
This is their “reward” from those they faithfully served and learned to trust !!
It is an indelible stain on the soul of humanity.
Not the quaint image most of us have of a horse and buggy trotting down the road, or a team of Belgians working against a beautiful green backdrop is it?
Even more heartbreaking — more reason to SHUT DOWN this brutal racket — everyone suffers, everyone is tormented, everyone dies — with the EXCEPTION of the depravedly cruel Humans who cash in big time on Horseracing and everything associated with Horseracing.
Perfectly said. Humans, the ones involved and profiting off the abuse of animals …may they rot.
Honestly, the track treats horses better than the Amish do in a lot of cases. I remember seeing a video of a horse hobbling down a paved road with half a front hoof gone while pulling a full buggy.
Also, The emaciated 26yr. old “carriage horse” that collapsed last year in NYC while being forced to pull a carriage was a standardbred.
The driver who put that poor sick (as it turns out) emaciated animal between the shafts should have been prosecuted for animal cruelty. At the very least, his license should have been revoked. I seriously doubt there was any action taken.
The name of the horse was reported as Ryder. A short time later it was said he died at a rescue in upstate NY following a seizure and failing to gain weight. The vet.,the report said, suspected lymphoma.
The people at the NYC Carriage Association are to blame as well for letting a low-life human scum break the age rules. The Association has rules that no horse over a certain age (it’s either 15 years old or 16 years old) can be used as a carriage horse. In addition to that, not only did they let him break the rules, they ALSO used the excuse that he didn’t know how old the horse was WHEN THE HORSE HAD THE RACING STANDARDBRED FREEZE BRAND CLEARLY VISIBLE ON THE SIDE OF HIS NECK. Anyone with a brain (and claiming to be a “horsemen”) could have easily looked it up and found out his age. It’s like they’re all a bunch of f****** idiots!
Like just looking at the horse and his teeth would not be a clue that he is over twenty years old.
There should be no excuse for the people who make up the so-called “governing body” of the carriage Association! How does it look that the woman representing the Association makes excuses for the moron that used and abused a 26-year-old ex-racing STANDARDBRED gelding with a neurological disorder to pull a carriage on the streets of NYC by saying that “he” didn’t know how old the horse was?
Isn’t that just so special?! What a bunch of ******* idiots!!!!!
I totally agree with the comment made by Wanda Diamond. These people involved in the racing of horses who abuse them and make excuses for others who administer the abuses are morons and idiots. The poor horses do not deserve to be treated this way!