Lexington, Kentucky, is the hub of U.S. Racing – the belly of the beast. But Wednesday, the Lexington Herald-Leader, that city’s (and one of the state’s) largest newspaper, published my op-ed. Progress. Here it is.
Also, we posted this video recently with some of Kentucky’s victims from last year:
Last Chance Corral has posted some pictures and videos on Facebook of some nurse mare foals available for adoption now.
I have a friend who met all the requirements and adopted two foals about 8 years ago. They are thriving. See Last Chance Corral – Nurse Mare Foal Rescue, Athens, Ohio. Adoption of these foals is a huge investment of time, money, and emotion as are each horse ownership or should be.
From athlete to meat is the ugly truth about so many horses in this industry.
Another ugly truth is that broodmares and foals are separated from each other when the foals very much need their mothers.
Two pairs of mother and baby are separated from each other shortly after birth; the Thoroughbred mare and her biological foal and a nurse mare of a different breed and her biological foal. The nurse mare foals are left with no mother and some of them are rescued by people who care and have the wherewithal to keep them safe and bottle fed.
It would seem to me that if anyone was keeping track of the mental health of horses, that these foals would have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Elizabeth, your quote from the former exercise rider really highlights the absolutely surreal fact that there are people who participate in a form of entertainment where it’s a good day when nobody is killed!!! It is simply beyond understanding.
Excellent venue for your op/ed! This will be widely read by those not in the choir. Hoping many will choose not to ignore it.
Elizabeth Banicki, former exercise rider: “When a day in the sport concludes without death there is a collective sigh of relief. What a grim reality.” What a “sport!”