For instance, we have donkey basketball in our high school here, which I do not love, but generally it isn’t our trainers who run it. Actually, it tends to be the pleasure riders.
[QUOTE=OneGrayPony;7001929]
I suspect that the people who participate in the wild horse race and the actual trainers at the track are different people. Don’t you?[/QUOTE]
No idea, but I would not be so sure. My point is that Miles City runs these wild horse races, so I’m not sure that someone’s assessment of this as a fun weekend event is particularly accurate.
You really don’t find it odd and a bit unsettling that a “jockey/trainer” saw a horse standing in a field and decided to ask the owner if they could race it? And odder yet that the owner said to that apparent stranger, “Yeah, sure, that sounds good!”
If some random stranger stopped by and asked you if they could race your horse that was standing in a field, would you be on board with that?
I mean, holy heck, this doesn’t raise at least a few red flags for you?
OneGrayPony is going to stick to the logic of:
All racehorses can race well into their teens, except for those that breakdown. The racetrack is no different than any other training program.
And that is all that poster will accept. I guess that kind of thinking allows for the attendance at bush tracks and racing horses until they breakdown.
Oh for heaven’s sakes stolen. I was pointing out that many do and that it was not necessarily an OMGAWFULFREAKOUT situation. Not that every horse should.
I do find it odd, and if it happened in Pennsylvania or VA I’d find it really suspicious, but again, we’re talking about Montana, not the east coast, where the rules of engagement are a little different. And a small town, to boot. I can imagine that happening pretty easily in the small town I grew up in where strangers weren’t really strangers, particularly since they are saying that racing is struggling a bit there.
From rustbreeches previous posts, I trust her judgement. She’s not a random poster to me. If it had been someone whose posts I hadn’t read in the past, I’d be more suspicious. And while that could be wrong, I know a few people IRL from COTH and all have turned out as advertised. Despite my username, I’ve been here a long time.
I also googled the track and read things about racing there. So I wouldn’t consider myself entirely uninformed.
[QUOTE=OneGrayPony;7001821]
So you believe that racing is inherently bad.
Which is fine, but it is NOT a belief that all of us share.
So again, anecdotal evidence from one horse who had crappy hay.
As long as we’re going there - I picked up a pleasure horse from an owner who had burdock in her tail from dock to the bottom, was eating moldy cow hay, and had untreated wounds on her patterns. Guess I should say that all pleasure homes are bad and it just isn’t right.
I’d never say that, because it isn’t the case.
I had a TB who raced as a claimer (before I got him). The trainer loved him. Fed him well and took care of him. I saw nothing inherently abusive in his environment. Do bad eggs exist? Yes. They exist in every discipline.
Is racing dangerous? Yes. Is it very dangerous? Yes. No one is debating that fact.
I just don’t think it is inherently cruel to an animal to participate in it.[/QUOTE]
Interesting spin using one line from my post. Let me clarify: No, it’s not inherently bad at all. I am not experienced enough to take a horse to the track and I know a fair bit. But this person, the OP, admits to knowing nothing about TB’s, yet sends it off with godknowswho and allows it to be raced. My point: too many asshats at bush tracks. Now there’s at least one more.
I love horse racing. I love good trainers and horsemen. I hate to see people give horse racing (or barrel racing or hunters or drill team, whatever) on a whim, without any forethought or mentors. Maybe the mystery trainer and jockey who showed up at her door are good…but I’ve never heard of that tactic for finding a horse to race so I’m going with hill-jacks who think they know horses. If that story is even true.
I wish the horse the best.
[QUOTE=FineAlready;7002005]
No idea, but I would not be so sure. My point is that Miles City runs these wild horse races, so I’m not sure that someone’s assessment of this as a fun weekend event is particularly accurate.
You really don’t find it odd and a bit unsettling that a “jockey/trainer” saw a horse standing in a field and decided to ask the owner if they could race it? And odder yet that the owner said to that apparent stranger, “Yeah, sure, that sounds good!”
If some random stranger stopped by and asked you if they could race your horse that was standing in a field, would you be on board with that?
I mean, holy heck, this doesn’t raise at least a few red flags for you?[/QUOTE]
Seriously! But OGP seems about as cavalier as the OP, so we will get nowhere.
If someone came to my door inquiring about one of my horses I’d start locking my stuff up. I guess I don’t live in a world where jockey and trainers need to cruise the countryside for mounts.
This rodeo-race event sounds like about as appealing as the chuckwagon races. Also hell for used up racehorses :(…
My question to anyone who thinks that it’s a good idea for the horse to still be running (after fading out of contention at “real” tracks) is when is she used-up and done if not then? When she can’t win at these backwoods places anymore, but is able to break even by running every 10 days and finishing mid-pack, is she still not done? If she can’t do that anymore, if the guys that race horses at dusk down the turn rows of fields can make money off of her, is she still not used up? I mean, she’s a racehorse and winning, so…?
No horse should end up at one of these tracks. The horse care is cut rate, the track footing and maintenance is often downright dangerous, and the pre-race vetting of the horses is laughable. You get trainers and jockeys who can’t cut it in the real world. It is not a good place. It is where racehorses go to die, literally or figuratively.
This is all aside from the first issue which is that the former owner gave the horse away to be a pleasure animal, not for this. Maybe the owner was 2 steps from sending the horse to the meat truck…who knows. But I am pretty sure they’d be pissed if they knew someone was gaming the horse for money after giving the illusion that they were retiring the mare.
She said she bought the horse, and must have been given the papers too. Unless the former owners stated that the horse was never to be raced again she has free rein to do whatever she wants to do.
I’m not saying this is the best situation for this horse, there are lot’s of horses that run everyday (even at the bigger tracks) that should be retired, however the owners and trainers have the say so as to what happens to them. Always have, always will.
Just because it happens everyday, doesn’t mean it’s right, and doesn’t mean people can’t voice their opinion about it.
Of course people can voice their opinions about it, but we should stick to the facts. We don’t know the reasons this mare was sold, and running a few bad races doesnt always mean a horse is “used” up.
I think people are arguing many reasons why it’s unsettling. The fact is that she could very well be used up is because she raced over 40 times and is 6 years old. Now she’s at a crap track with gypsy trainer and Jockey and, well…we can assume because of all of the red flags and because it’s not even close to being normal. More than anything I’d love for the OP to prove us wrong. What are the odds of that happening (and being true)?
[QUOTE=hundredacres;7002468]
I think people are arguing many reasons why it’s unsettling. The fact is that she could very well be used up is because she raced over 40 times and is 6 years old. Now she’s at a crap track with gypsy trainer and Jockey and, well…we can assume because of all of the red flags and because it’s not even close to being normal. More than anything I’d love for the OP to prove us wrong. What are the odds of that happening (and being true)?[/QUOTE]
Zero.
Well, I guess I just don’t believe in crucifying people when I don’t have all of the facts.
The personal attacks are pretty low. Not sure whose character that says more about.
So - moving forward - which of you is offering money for the mare?
I’ve got two in my pasture that came in in bad shape (both from private homes), and are currently being rehabbed. An additional one that lost her home, and is hopefully going to be restarted when the ring is completed. Guess that’s just my cavalier attitude.
Who here is going to put their money where their mouth is? Or are you all going to just continue to be outraged on the Internet?
And actually, let’s assume that you are correct. Maresie is now in mortal danger. Who here actually thinks that spouting off outrage is going to help anything?
I’ll raise my hand and say - give you $20 if that horse owner comes back and says - OMG you are right, I’ve been an awful person, here, take the mare.
I guess I’ve just lived long enough to know that doesn’t work. Best of luck to you - will someone do the honors of letting me know when they’ve got the mare and their vitriol convinced anyone to do anything?
Saying nothing and encouraging delusional behavior should be a crime. So glad that you have lived long enough to know what works. Me, I just call it as I see it and hope that some of it sinks in…
[QUOTE=hundredacres;7002468]
I think people are arguing many reasons why it’s unsettling. The fact is that she could very well be used up is because she raced over 40 times and is 6 years old. Now she’s at a crap track with gypsy trainer and Jockey and, well…we can assume because of all of the red flags and because it’s not even close to being normal. More than anything I’d love for the OP to prove us wrong. What are the odds of that happening (and being true)?[/QUOTE]
…and the horse is 7. She has not won a real race since 2011. She ran 11-12 time a year until last year when she only ran 7 times, which makes me think something may be going off the rails soundness wise.
[QUOTE=CrowneDragon;7002696]
…and the horse is 7. She has not won a real race since 2011. She ran 11-12 time a year until last year when she only ran 7 times, which makes me think something may be going off the rails soundness wise.[/QUOTE]
Or she just didn’t have it against that company. Lucky was perfectly sound when he retired at seven, he just couldn’t win enough to make it worth his trainer’s while. (Which is what happens when you have a sprinter who’s useless over five furlongs and doesn’t like dirt or synthetic, just grass. No conditions for him against company he could beat as there’s not much in the way of turf sprinting in the US to begin with.) He wasn’t lame, just didn’t make enough money to make it worth feeding him. He’s done more to hurt himself being an idiot in deep snow than he did running about once a month/six weeks.
As for what to do if she can’t win there, I probably wouldn’t spend the money to ship her to a GOOD TB stallion, but I for one don’t mind TB/QH crosses. (And here I’m biased because the only reason I’d buy a mare in the first place is to breed it as I don’t especially like dealing with them.)
When the OP comes on to clarify…
Did I miss that the mare is for sale?
By all means, breed the mare because she has a tattoo, there aren’t enough TB’s in the world.
[QUOTE=OneGrayPony;7002562]
Well, I guess I just don’t believe in crucifying people when I don’t have all of the facts.
The personal attacks are pretty low. Not sure whose character that says more about.
So - moving forward - which of you is offering money for the mare?
I’ve got two in my pasture that came in in bad shape (both from private homes), and are currently being rehabbed. An additional one that lost her home, and is hopefully going to be restarted when the ring is completed. Guess that’s just my cavalier attitude.
Who here is going to put their money where their mouth is? Or are you all going to just continue to be outraged on the Internet?
And actually, let’s assume that you are correct. Maresie is now in mortal danger. Who here actually thinks that spouting off outrage is going to help anything?
I’ll raise my hand and say - give you $20 if that horse owner comes back and says - OMG you are right, I’ve been an awful person, here, take the mare.
I guess I’ve just lived long enough to know that doesn’t work. Best of luck to you - will someone do the honors of letting me know when they’ve got the mare and their vitriol convinced anyone to do anything?[/QUOTE]
Well, personally, I won’t own more horses than I can afford to take exceptional care of, so, no, I am not offering to take the mare. Not to mention, she is nowhere near me. However, if I did live in the area, I would be more than happy to help this woman learn how to restart the horse for a new career.
And, yeah, I AM hoping she perhaps will read this thread and get a clue that racing this mare into the ground and then breeding her is not the way to go. But there is very little chance of that now, with so many of you supporting that horrible decision. I hope you guys feel awesome about that. Poor mare.
[QUOTE=hundredacres;7002975]
When the OP comes on to clarify…
Did I miss that the mare is for sale?
By all means, breed the mare because she has a tattoo, there aren’t enough TB’s in the world.[/QUOTE]
Actually based on her record 47 starts and just under 115k won with a good pedigree in the hands of the right breeder even perhaps a sport horse breeder(she has a lovely pedigree for eventing) She IS a mare that perhaps is worthy to pass on foals. 47 starts is nothing to shake a stick at …I’d be more aghast if she was some handful of starts broke so lets breed her mare.
[QUOTE=FineAlready;7003051]
And, yeah, I AM hoping she perhaps will read this thread and get a clue that racing this mare into the ground and then breeding her is not the way to go. But there is very little chance of that now, with so many of you supporting that horrible decision. I hope you guys feel awesome about that. Poor mare.[/QUOTE]
I didn’t see anyone supporting a horrible decision. I saw a few people rationally pointing out that the OP provided very little information in her posts, and that there was no reason to vilify her on that basis.
From what I have seen, OTTBs are very often “hot potatoes” that people give away or sell for short money to starry eyed romantics just to stop the financial bleeding. The OP had very little invested in time, money or attachment to this mare. If the original owner gave her up to an inappropriate home was it now the OP’s moral obligation to care for that horse to the bitter end?
Whether it is because the OTTB is unsound or temperamentally unsuited for a second career, I have found them to be the cause of altogether too much heartbreak. I’m certainly not sure that it is the OP who should be ultimately responsible for this situation.
