My Beef With The Racing Industry

In the past I have been on the warpath about our Nation's Wild Mustangs being slaughtered and our Govt's casual way of treating the descendants of America's first horses. Well, tonight I am on the warpath against people of my own kind, horse people. Do not get me wrong, for the most part, we horse people are responsible and loving equine owners but there is always that handful of few that intentionally mistreat thier horses. Today I am putting the horse racing industry in the hot-seat (next week it may be the Saddlebred bunch, so no bashing). I like thoroughbred racing and usually watch the Derby every year, anticipate a Triple Crown winner. My heart rate probably jumps up into stroke mode when the thundering hooves race towards the wire at lightening speed. Horses do not get much more 'competitive' exciting than this scenario to me. But, not all horses are successful at the track. I once owned an appendix registered quarter horse, ole Streak was bred from some real winners, money winners, he ended up in my hands after leaving the track because he was not fast enough, and also after he was trained as a damn good roping horse. A person could head or heel off of him, he was pretty much right on and a bullet outta the box. Ole Streak just inherited the thick bones and cowsense in the teeney bit of quarter horse blood he had in his pedigree. But, he still had that thoroughbred moodiness that could, at times, make him a down right pain in the ass. The only reason I tolerated that was because this horse could work all day long and not tire, literally.
Okay back to the TB (thoroughbred) industry. Many ex-racehorses that arent successful or become injured end up in slaughter. I really hate horses being slaughtered for any reason. Sure, I understand that some horses, for humane reasons, need to be put down. But, I feel slaughtering horses for thier flesh is just plain wrong. Feed your dog chickens, dammit! I copied this from the article I posted below:

The AVMA (American Veterinarian Medical Association) does not classify horses as livestock. Horses are classified as companion animals, just like a dog or cat.
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Heres an opinionated article I found earlier today that puts my feelings into perspective from another horse owner's view, a horse owner who SAVED a good horse from slaughter. Scroll down to the middle. Read it and weep....
http://www.pahrumpvalleytimes.com/2006/03/22/opinion/viewpoints.html


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Somewhere...Somewhere in time's Own Space There must be some sweet pastured place Where creeks sing on and tall trees grow Some Paradise where horses go, For by the love that guides my pen I know great horses live again. ~Stanley Harrison