Wish I had posted part I. This is really interesting:
Very interesting indeed–and very scary.
Here’s part I: http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/restricted/pdf/magazine/Magazine-Drugs%20in%20Racing-Part%20I.pdf?CFID=72873979&CFTOKEN=35090085
Thanks for the article. Mind boggling and depressing.
I think if you hid the identity and the fact that that was a racehorse, the care for A Circuit showhorses wouldn’t look that different (other than Lasix of course).
A non racing barn I was in used to call joint injections “maintenance” and I don’t think we were unique or even particularly heavy duty on meds.
Its one thing to know about drug use, but to see it written down is particularly revolting.
I dont really get it when people who defend racing bring up abuses in other horse sports, but I remember reading the thread about that trainer whose pony dropped dead after she gave it an injection, and the long list of meds given to that pony. Sickening also, but I think main difference is that racehorses are so much at risk for a catastrophic breakdown, where the show horses are just cantering round and round and round and round.
I just dont understand people though, the trainers or the owners or the vets.
Some people just don’t see the use of therapeutic medications (and especially anti inflammatories) for a high performance horse as abusive per se. Being a racehorse is a hard job. OTOH if there was a mepivicaine injection on a horse in training, I’d be the first in line with the pitchfork. Same with any other blockers or stimulants or EPO.
This is not a black and white issue.
hmm. and this bill was dropped yesterday:
By Mr. PITTS (for himself, Mr. Whitfield, Ms.
Schakowsky, and Ms. Eshoo):
H.R. 2012. A bill to improve the integrity and safety of
interstate horseracing, and for other purposes; to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce.
no text yet so i called over there; has to do with testing of horses that race in simulcast races. apparently a follow on to an earlier senate bill, s. 973.
[QUOTE=Pronzini;6981135]
Some people just don’t see the use of therapeutic medications (and especially anti inflammatories) for a high performance horse as abusive per se. Being a racehorse is a hard job. OTOH if there was a mepivicaine injection on a horse in training, I’d be the first in line with the pitchfork. Same with any other blockers or stimulants or EPO.
This is not a black and white issue.[/QUOTE]
Exactly. And if the show horses are REALLY sound and just “cantering around”, why do they need so many injections (including ones that aren’t actually allowed?) Never mind they also work longer over time and as such get as much or more wear and tear than a racehorse who in most cases is five or six when they retire–we’ve seen hunter/jumper people justify the massive amount of “maintenance” injections with “it means they’re able to keep working”? Ie, the old 3’6" horse who instead of being retired gets joint injections and ‘handed down’ to keep campaigning at lower levels (plus the painkillers.) And that doesn’t bring up the extra “calming agents”, testable or not, and the justification “I need to give my horse a good experience, so I give him something to calm him down.”
Racing if anything has less dubious drugging because it involves interstate gaming and gets monitored a lot more. For some other disciplines, the attitude seems to be “It’s okay because this is a hobby/I’m paying a lot of money/it’s not a rated show so no one’s testing.” Lasix for all might be debatable, but joints? If racehorses shouldn’t get it and it’s proof they’re not really sound, what does that say about all the show horses who “need” their joints done to show?
