Congressional action had to be taken to try to stop the practice of "soring" so-called "big lick" Tennessee Walker show horses. It didn't stop soring, it only drove it underground, and there are other painful methods still used to get the "big lick" high-stepping stride that's so admired.
http://www.fund4horses.org/info.php?id=8鈥?/a>
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/erbe/2008/8/鈥?/a>
http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publicatio鈥?/a>
There have been problems with people showing Quarter Horses using surgery and chemical injections to paralyze the tails of horses shown in the Pleasure classes, because the difference between placing in a big class and being out of the ribbons can be a horse "wringing" its tail when asked for a change of gait. Oh yeah, in the reining classes, it is not unknown for an exhibitor to use piano wire under the cavesson to make sure the horse doesn't open his mouth when the rider puts pressure on the bit to get the horse to perform a "figure 11" sliding stop.
http://shameinthehorseshowring.blogspot.鈥?/a>
http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/sho鈥?/a>
http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx鈥?/a>
With Arabians, the industry has come under fire for the practice of "gingering" to achieve a high tail carriage; and sometimes that nostril-flaring, wide-eyed look of "animation" seen in halter horses is the result of a session with a whip-- or, God forbid, a cattle prod-- behind the barn.
http://www.horsegroomingsupplies.com/hor鈥?/a>
http://www.arabianhorsesource.com/articl鈥?/a>
http://www.arabianhorseowners.org/traini鈥?/a>
My point is that in any ANIMAL industry, where there is money on the line in competitions, you will have people who treat the animals as tools used to generate revenue, with the result that acts of cruelty are committed.
Does that make it okay? Of course not. Does the commission of rehensible acts of cruelty to horses other than racehorses justify anything that goes on in the racing industry? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
The question becomes: what does the industry do to address the acts of cruelty?
I believe the Thoroughbred indsustry is going to extraordinary lengths to assure that racehorses are treated well. The industry is starting to keep a database of catastrophic injuries to try to determine how to reduce injuries. In California, the legislature mandated conversion of dirt tracks to synthetic tracks-- an action which has, by the way, generated a backlash, because it seems not enough is known about the effects of racing over synthetic tracks in the long term, and track superintendents finding that maintenance of synthetic tracksi is not quite as problem-free as the manufacturers have advertised. The point is, information is being gathered and money is being spent-- LOTS of money-- to find the answers to why horses break down and how we can decrease the incidence of breakdowns.
An industry-wide ban on steroids has been implemented; other drugs are under review and bans have or will result, and we are moving closer to a "hay, oats and water" rule of drug use-- which may not be the best thing, because there are therapeutic uses for many drugs and an outright ban might be a disaster for some horses. The point is, action is being taken.
With regards to your specific issues, i.e., two-year-old racing and use of the whip:
First off, understand that the vast majority of owners and trainers use great care in deciding to race a horse as a two-year-old. This is partly because most people in the industry really do care for their horses, and emphatically do not want to see the horses harmed; it is also for cold, economic reasons: a horse that is injured as a two-year-old loses value and loses chances to earn money. A two-year-old that is pushed when it is not mature is not going to be competitive. There is no point in racing a two-year-old that has not achieved a level of maturity capable of standing training.
Statistics show that the average number of starts per two-year-old has been dropping, and that fewer horses are racing as two-year-olds. Most racetracks don't card two-year-old races until late spring, and the races that are carded are two- or three-furlong sprints.
With regard to whip use, of course whips are used during training! Whips are used during training in every single discipline of the horse industry, and are a necessary tool in teaching horses. The whip is used to reinforce an aid that the horse ignores: leg aids to ask for the canter, voice or weight shift to ask for a change of direction or gait or pace. The whip is used to discipline a horse that resists the rider's commands or that stages a disobedience. You cannot let a 1,000-pound animal deciding what commands it will or will not obey. A horse that has decided he's in charge, not his human handler, is dangerous to himself and everyone around him. Further, failure to immediately deal w|||Good post, but I don't think I've ever seen an Arab that needed its tail gingered? I know the gaited people do this - but classic Arabs can only carry their tails UP and to those of us who don't care for the breed it's an undesirable trait. I can't imagine them ever having to accentuate it(?)
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|||They are pushing the horses too far to make money. Its terrible. I dont consider horse racing a sport that way some do and I dont support it by betting on horses or going to horse races.|||they are treated very well
and for the whips people enjoy getting whipped as well |||obviously you have a gripe with racing 2yo's, i suggest you take it up with your local racing club, and breeders asocications! they make the rules, not yahoo answer's! stop antagonizing the people who use this forum with your un-knowledgable mind! do you even have any data that backs your story up? where is it? or did you see a story on the news and decide to jump on a band wagon?
EDIT......
FACT... in australia more horses break down in equestrian events than racing EG: show jumping!
FACT.... in australian racing approximatly 1.6 horse per 10'000 that race break down.......
aus has one of the lowest breakdown rates in the world!
FACT... the state of virginia has the highest breakdown rate with about 3.4 horses per 10,000 that race!
why dont you halfwits make yourselves usefull and go save a whale or a polar-bear!
trucken idiots!
CB are you stupid? just for arguements sake go and have a look at any betting website!
there is plenty of other sports, elections, and even entertainment programs to bet on, gambling does not go hand in hand with horse racing!
and in dubai where they hold the richest race in the world (in prizemoney) they dont even bet, its illegal!
so i sugest before you start ranting, get some facts to back up your statement!|||I entirely agree with Badly Faced Assain. When you get some stats etc to back up your claims we might listen then. But we love the sport and i for one am sick of so many people saying that horse racing is cruel. How bout you just get over it. What about Show Jumping and Eventing they use whips. Dressage seems unnatural, Barrel Racing is tough on the joints along with polo. Although i think that none of these are actually cruel if you thinking racing is cruel well then yeah.
EDIT - Jeez Sez talk about a nature lover. Atleast Karin C has links to back up what he says unlike somebody. Sorry but i think there are more people that love racing than there are that don't because if it was the other way round then we wouldn't have horse racing and it wouldn't be the THIRD LARGEST industry in Australia. Also to work in the industry with the long and early hours you have to love horses.|||Thoroughbred horses are treated better than most people. Not, my opinion, a FACT. They love to run, and they need exercise. As far as whips, any jockey caught for excessive use of the whip are fined, and or suspended. Jeremy Rose, a leadiing jock was recently cited for this. Please learn a little more about the industry.|||they only start racing when there knee are fully close and the wipe just get them to be more aware|||The only reason for horse racing as a sport is to supply the gambling industry with events for people to bet on. The mistreatment of horses does not surprise me as the driver for success is a lot of money. That is why there is also corruption among the owners and riders.
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