Oh what a handsome boy! So thankful that you were able to provide him with a soft landing. Fingers crossed that it’s nothing that time and some TLC won’t cure!
enjoytheride - thank you so very much for saving this horse’s life. I will keep my fingers crossed that time and good care will help him!
Judybigredpony and simkie - outstanding posts!!
[QUOTE=judybigredpony;7861409]
I am NOT defending his connections NOR am I condoning his ended up where he was, But the reality is for a sick or chronically unsound horse , or career ending injured ,those racing in the lower end of racing scale are often between a rock and a hard spot. Some have owners who pay so little day rate it’s scary, so many are on Deals.They run the life out of those horses on the way down to just get a start fee. Some frankly just don t care…but there is no place for these horses to go…That’s what is needed…No question asked surrender stalls and organization to deal with those horses …Free or low cost euthanasia…there just isn t enough money or places. When the economy crashed SO many horses were abandoned to trainers who were just stuck with them. Now we are faced with way less TB s being registered and smaller pools of race age horses. That has created another problem for the lower end trainers keeping horses running longer who they would have shifted onto us Before they got this damaged. It’s not so much about drugs or injecting since the restrictions are getting really tough.
Sorry off SoapBox.[/QUOTE]
Well I guess it’s ok then.
I’m well aware of the stakes…my friends bf runs this way - just runs them to get the $400 finish fee. Does not make it right. Still makes me sick.
One of my guys is nicest horse I’ve ever owned…and he in the exact same situation except the groom took him home.
Why can’t a fund be established that trainers/owners HAVE to pay into to assure the horse at least has a peaceful death if that’s the last resort.
I’m so glad you saved him–even if he’s not fixable, putting him down would be far kinder than going to Canada.
He does look neurologic, and the fact that he fell down at the auction is not promising. There are lots of different treatments that aren’t an arm and a leg. Good luck with him.
[QUOTE=Simkie;7861825]
Because sometimes that $200 just isn’t there. So many of these guys run SO lean.
When I took Piggers, his next stop was one of these auctions. Not because his owner wasn’t caring–he bred the horse, he cares with his whole heart–but because he’s not a horse person and the horse was lame and the trainer was done with him. The trainer hadn’t presented options other than to send him to a sale and the owner didn’t have any sort of contacts or even know where to begin finding someone who could board the horse and rehab him or find him someone who would. I wound up with the horse because I made it a habit to say hello to him every weekend…he likely would have shipped the next day.
It’s really a whole different world out there. I certainly don’t condone this at all, but I can understand how a horse winds up at a sale. I imagine sometimes it’s someone just not caring and wanting the $$, but I think far more often, it’s the only option people think they have.
Keep in mind, too, that the owner here likely barely made anything. The sale barn takes their fees, and the horse had to be hauled to the sale. That doesn’t leave much at all in the owner’s pocket.[/QUOTE]
Then maybe economics are about to exclude this kind of “owner” from owning horses. It SHOULD. Talk about irresponsible! That’s about as much “thought” as it takes to leave a broken toy out for the trash pickup. NO animal should be in the hands of people like this!
He looks like a boy that wants to try. Hopefully the vet visit goes well and he is fixable. Jingling away for him.
Thank you for giving him a chance.
Jingles for his health and you have earned a place in heaven for your kindness! I hope the vet report is not too dire. Please keep us updated.
I’m back home now and made a contribution to your effort. He doesn’t even know how lucky he is that you were there. Fingers crossed for an ok vet eval!
I want to be wrong, but I would be willing to bet this guy won’t be willing to cooperate. The horse is in pretty bad shape considering he last ran only six weeks ago. He ran on 8/29 under someone different, so I’d venture a guess he’s had it rough the past few months.
enjoytheride, the thoroughbred world needs more people like you!
[QUOTE=Lady Eboshi;7862202]
Then maybe economics are about to exclude this kind of “owner” from owning horses. It SHOULD. Talk about irresponsible! That’s about as much “thought” as it takes to leave a broken toy out for the trash pickup. NO animal should be in the hands of people like this![/QUOTE]
And many tracks offer low cost/no cost euthanasia.
We actually have people tracking down his last owners and piecing together how he got here. We dont have as much influence since he didnt race here but we will do what we can. He does still have his racing shoes on and they are at about 6 weeks. He is at the vet now and we should know later a little more about his future. His last race appears to be online but i cant see it , can somebody look for me?
The last ottb rescue i was involved in had a happy ending, with the breeding farm being very upset and buying the horse back.
Twin Spires has the race, etr.
Sign up for a free account
Click “live video”
Click “race replays”
Select the track, date and race number
He broke slowly and looks to be weird behind from the start of the race. You can see a horse trotting back at 3:24 that I think is Maybe My Way, looking very off on the left hind.
[QUOTE=jetsmom;7863233]
And many tracks offer low cost/no cost euthanasia.[/QUOTE]
they do? Where? Which tracks?
Jingles for good health for this guy. So glad you were there. Even if only to give him a peaceful, loved, ending. No horse should endure what those going to auctions and slaughter do.
When I decided to retire my mare my younger sister(not a horse person) looked stricken and asked what I was going to do with her. Do with her? I asked. “Are you going to sell her or something?” Blink Nooooo. She’s mine, mine to love, mine to cuddle, mine to be responsible for her wellbeing. She stays with me until the end. She’s a pasture pet now, babysitting whoever gets left behind, and I will love her always, ridable or not.
I understand that not everyone can do this, keep the ones who can’t be useful as anything but pasture ornaments. I know this in my head, doesn’t make my heart hurt less for those who don’t get a happy ending.
Fingers crossed and jingling like mad for this guy.
Thank you so very much for what you’ve done!!
I hugged my two twice today thinking of your guy.
OP - Awesome thing you did. He really lucked out having you there… I don’t know about your area but we have a group here in WA who lists horses that are in the kill pen. Many of the kill buyers will not let the OTTBs be listed - they are shipped to Canada immediately - because they are identifiable via their tattoos. They’ve had drama in the past with purchasers contacting and harassing their former owners. So basically - if they aren’t rescued by a non-KB at auction their fate is sealed.
He looks just awful - but you can see a gem underneath for sure. I hope the prognosis is good - he is going to be gorgeous with some groceries and love.
He just looks lame and weak to me. Not neurological. He collapsed in his rt. stifle probably because it is so weak due to the fact that he hasn’t been using that leg. With the leg that atrophied I can only imagine how weak that stifle is. Maybe he fell at the auction because he stepped a certain way that caused pain and he reacted quickly. I hope it is something that can be healed with time. Love his cute baby face and expression.
Maybe instead of paying out last place finishers - and giving people cash incentives to run used up horses - that money should go to low cost euthanasia and disposal.
[QUOTE=JenJ;7861772]
not sure if I am naive or stupid, but why not spend $200 on vet bill to humanely euthanize rather than “earning” $100 from a kill buyer when you know how horrible that horse’s last few days / weeks will be.
the owner at least owes the horse that much.[/QUOTE]
Because not everyone thinks that way. Auction gives the horse at least a chance at a second career. Even if he goes to the kill buyer, it’s stressful for the horses, but assuming it’s similar to cattle slaughterhouses, not inhumanely so. It’s also stressful for horses to be toted around the country for horse shows & not turned out for months on end, but plenty of people do that.
Worst case scenario at the auction: death & owner gets $100
Best case scenario at the auction: finding a great home & owner gets >$100
Only scenario with euthanasia: death & owner pays $200
I rescued a TB, not from a sale but from a neighbor. He had run last in all but one race. His last race he stopped just outside the gate and refused to go forward.
He was thin but sound when I got him. Ended up doing very well in the Eq and jumper ring but shone as a fox hunter. Unfortunately, he got EPM and two or three years later he had a recurrence. He recovered from this and I gave him to a field master. She said he was doing well but then I didn’t hear anything else.
He had a good 10 years with me and placed in some good sized shows, one a circuit championship in EQ at an “A” rated show and even placed at HITS in a few jumpers classes.
