Rest in peace Eight Belles

[ancientgirl]

I despise horse racing. Today at the Kentucky Derby there was a tragedy. I just found out because I just read it on a blog of a friend of mine. Eight Belles was a beautiful horse and now she is gone and the last moments of her short life was spent in pain.

I've always hated horse racing. Those legs are so thin and I've always been afraid for them during races. Why do they race? For the all mighty dollar. That makes me sick.

Rest now beautiful girl, and run freely.

[want4rain]

for a creature that was born to run... i can not blame people for racing them. magnificent creatures, Eight Bells among the most beautiful. may she rest in peace.



-ashley

[Rottielover]

I agree, I have ridden thoroughbreds, and let me tell you, they want to run...
Rest in peace little lady, run pain free again..

[ancientgirl]

Oh, believe me, I think the most beautiful thing to watch is a horse running. But not in a race. :sad:

[Love4himies]

I saw that on the news last night, poor horse. They mentioned that so many fractures are happening due to breeding horses that have heavy bodies, with leg bones that are too weak and thin to hold the weight.

That to me is not ethical breeding, don't care how much the horse is worth.:sad:

Eight Belles.

[Frenchy]

It's totally discusting :sad:

I think I heard on the radio about a second horse dying in the same conditions over the week end ?

[ancientgirl]

What gets me is these horse breeders said in the article I did read this morning that they really care for their horses. I just think if they did, they wouldn't put them through racing like that. Their argument is, an accident like this has only happened very few times. Well, I guess that makes it okay then!

I have nothing against letting a horse run and run fast, but on it's own terms. Not because some guy is on his back, beating him/her with a crop so they can win a bunch of money and a trophy.

In the article I read there was some question with if the rider felt anything different in the horse before she fell, or if he just kept hitting her to make her go faster.

I remember when I was a child, I was always torn with wanting to watch races because I loved seeing horses, and not watching because of the fear of them getting hurt. The latter won out and I've never watched a race.

[Jim Hall]

they race them way to young and are breeding them without any diversity
A "2yr old" in racing parlance can acually be only a year and a day old
think about that, would you let a 1 yr old anything run like that ?

[rainbow]

This was so sad and tragic. :sad:

Eight Belles

[rainbow]

Chuckwagon races are another thing that upset me. There are always lots of tragedies there as well. :sad:

[chico2]

I read they breed race-horses to have thin bones,also that the Jockey used the whip excessively to keep Belle from veering in to the fence.
In a perfect world,animals would not be used in any money-making sports,animals versus $$$,the animal will always loose:sad:
beautiful Belle

[ancientgirl]

I did read PETA was asking the second prize to be withdrawn and the jockey () put on suspension or something, because he did overuse the whip on her.

[Lise]

According to some estimates 1.5 career ending injuries occur for every1,000starts that's about 2 per day.If a filly or a proven colt is injured maybe they will try and save them for breeding ,geldings or even most colts will end up at meat here in Canada or the Mexico.The US banned horse slaughter,so they are shipped sometimes injured under horrendous conditions to slaughter.Everytime I hear these owners and trainers say how much they love their horses,I cringe.In front of cameras with their winning horse maybe.In the barn with an injured,slow or older one,I kind of doubt it.I've seen the results of horse racing first hand,fostered and cared for a few that were lucky enough to end up in rescue instead of the slaughter house.