In these week’s harness rulings, along with the usual “excessive whipping” violations, there were these under “Minor Penalties” (along with things like “Failure to Drive When Programmed”):
Jason James Bartlett, Yonkers, Jul 26: Fined $500 for “Kicking a Horse”
Keith Kash Jr., Batavia, Aug 2: Fined $250 for “Kicking a Horse”
Aaron Merriman, Scioto, Aug 26: Fined $300 for “Kicking a Horse”
Yes, “the safety and welfare of our equine athletes is our highest priority.”
How many people know that this is what is going on at the harness racing tracks and that it is being propped up with government subsidies?
My experience has been that it’s more difficult to find information on Standardbred Trotters and Pacers than it is to find information on Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses.
May this cruelty to horses be terminated from government subsidies before “the last racetrack” in existence goes out of business.