Through a FOIA request to the California Horse Racing Board, I have obtained the following details on some of that state’s kills last year (previous installments here).
Fearless King, May 23, Los Alamitos S
“Found dead in stall – body [was] in severe rigor mortis state.” Necropsy: “This horse had a volvulus associated with a twist deep into the mesenteric root that involved most of the jejunum.” And: “skin abrasions with hematomas over the eye sockets and temples; pneumonia; gastric ulcers.” Fearless was just two years old – “found dead in stall.”
Zees Empire, May 30, Los Alamitos S
“Collision [after] multiple horses got loose: catastrophic humeral fracture – complete, displaced, comminuted; torn muscles; extensive hemorrhage.” And: “deep stomach ulcers [listed as ‘incidental’]; myriad 1-2 cm in length, white to pink, live (with undulant movement) worms free in the stomach contents as well as attached to the mucosa.” Zees was seven years old. That poor, poor boy.
Jayarebe, Nov 2, Del Mar R
“Horse pulled up, became ataxic, collapsed, and died spontaneously – cause not determined.” Also: “osteochondral disease [three of four limbs]; history of RH lameness; moderate number of stomach ulcers [listed as ‘incidental’].” Jayarebe was three years old.
To PSM: If you’re deaf in one ear and can’t hear out of the other and blind in one eye and can’t see out of the other and you needed someone to explain everything to you, then that might be an excuse to say you can’t detect any signs of neglect of the extremely young and underdeveloped colt, FEARLESS KING, found dead in his stall.
Hint: Racehorses are locked up in box stalls of 144 square feet for twenty-three hours per day, seven days a week where they are easily found. It isn’t like you have to drive twenty miles or so and then go on a hike for another five miles or so to find the horse. It’s very obvious that the colt was left to suffer and die IN HIS STALL without being taken care of by a qualified veterinarian. This is just one aspect of the neglect of FEARLESS KING.
See this: https://horseracingwrongs.org/2021/04/10/racehorses-and-colic-laminitis-and-pleuropneumonia/.
Have you seen what happens with a horse that has colic or intestinal torsion? Do you understand that it is EXTREMELY PAINFUL, not necessarily CAUSED by human action. Horses will struggle, kick the walls, rear, pacing, writhe in the stall! The abrasions may be stall injury. They scream and tend to be very vocal.
I don’t see anything stating the horse found in the stall in severe rigor mortis was maltreated or neglected. I am not sure you can attribute this to just racing. It can happen to the very best maintained, prized, pampered horses.
If it goes on more than a few hours, and blood flow to the intestines is compromised, there is only ONE SOLUTION! Humane Euthanasia. That animal is beyond any treatment and is certain to die.
There are many factors in the care and training of equines. I see statements here that may indicate a horse had some undiagnosed issues. Worms among them. Prophylactic deworming should be routine, and we don’t have a medical history which a racing trainer would normally keep to share with racing authorities and veterinarian ls either.
It is easy to see the death of an animal and search for blame or cause. It is a leap of logic to pin it all on the racing industry when the very same things can happen to a pasture pony the grandkids ride!
That is blatant neglect! How can a horse be in severe rigour mortis is not blatant neglect? Also pneumonia, skin abrasions and ulcers! Will there be criminal charges brought?
Looking at the necropsy report on Fearless King I find it incredible that the trainer Monty Arrossa and owners Andrea and Eddie Jensen are not being investigated for animal cruelty and neglect.
His maiden was on 11 May and on 23 May he was found dead in the stall in “sever rigor mortis state”-
His necropsy report reeks of obscene cruel neglect.
The abrasions and hematomas were probably the result of the poor, poor creature writhing in unspeakable pain from the extensively twisted gut. And if that is not bad enough throw in pneumonia and gastric ulcers…
The veterinarian(s) who performed the necropsy know how this 2yr old was horribly neglected and in a civilized country a cruelty case should be brought against the perpetrators.
But of course the racing world is 3rd world and worse for the horses, period!
Beyond outrageous.
RIP
Said PERFECTLY Wanda
The level of care of these horses sounds absolutely deplorable. They suffered more than anyone can ever know. The abuse and the neglect of these horses by their owners and trainers as well as the whole community of so-called horsemen is detestable.
The level of abuse and the level of neglect of these horses is an obvious indicator that you don’t have to know all that much about horses to be a trainer of racehorses.
#HorseracingIsAnimalCruelty