DOUBLE STANDARDS

Moses followers gambled when he parted the red sea

I have to say I really don't get this, as a couple have said already it is brought out all too frequently. Taking a slightly different angle and thinking outside of the box for a moment... why is it that we worry so much about horses and not other animals? Without sounding callous, what is the difference between a horse dying after jumping a fence and a chicken dying after we chop its head off because we want to eat it. Sadly both are dead. Some say because one is sport and we should not get entertainment out of another creature's suffering. Blox. You don't enjoy that lekker braai??? And again as some have said, I have absolutely no doubt that 98% of trainers, jockeys, owners genuinely care about the horses and no-one feels it more than they when a tragedy happens. None of us like to see a horse in difficulty, I shirk many times watching racing, whether it be flat or jumps. The world is what the world is and I entirely agree that if we are going to knock jump racing only then that really is the double standard. Craig, in truth I am not quite sure of the intent of your comment but to me the principal remains the same whether it is 8 or 800. Surely it is also not natural or good for a horse to be blitzing along at a 1000kms per hour?! Now, the way I think and I appreciate others may not, and going back to the original comparison, but to me a death to an animal is a death to an animal and given the choice I think I would much rather be a horse jumping over fences taking my chances (doing something I think they at least enjoy to some extent) and being cared for as they are than poor headless Miss Chicken. Nope, I am not a vegetarian. Nope, I am no great animal lover. Yes, I do hate seeing an animal suffer. No, I don't criticise SA racing when a meeting is called off because of what they consider dangerous conditions (though I think jockeys and trainers/owners quite often disagree on when it is actually dangerous). I will blame them though when it is called off because the course is in the apparent condition than Clairwood was in recently etc. I also don't quite understand why they don't get all-weather tracks, though I am sure there are good reasons for this and I guess its another subject all together... :S

We should worry about our Rhino in South Africa, 20 years from now there will be fark all left the way poaching is terminating this animal.....:X ... sorry bit off the subject...

GB - sorry guys but just to answer this slightly off the subject comment - I do agree that when we know about an animal's situation etc we must do more but do a google search on the number of species that become extinct every year, it is our ignorance that causes many simply to disappear from this planet. If people really want to do something about animal's suffering etc then its a great place to start...!

I am really glad to see that this very relevant topic has not - as is sometimes the case - deteriorated into a slanging match. We all have our opinions and we all have sensitivity issues as well as areas where we are blind to suffering.

But as long as we are active in any sort of equine sport ( sic ) we have to accept that the life of one of these creatures is characterised as follows :

You are born with hoplessly skew legs. Unsaleable. Probable outcome ? Bullett.

You are a yearling being 'prepared' for sale. Lovely politically correct term! Probable treatment? Steroids. Fact. And if you won't accept that then you also believe that there are no buy backs at auctions - an issue which industry insiders hotly denied for many, many years.

You are consigned to sale. Not sold. Returned to farm. Probable outcome ? Bullett unless there is a good chance you can be placed privately or be consigned to a later sale.

You go into training. Now you are put into solitary confinement for 23 hours a day. If you are unlucky you are 'broken in' by a stable hand. You experience all the fun of bridles, saddles and strange people sitting on your back.

Your diet now becomes a strange concoction of cubes and concentrates. If you are unlucky you will suffer a bout of colic. It may kill you or you may have to undergo surgery. Colic is virtually unknown in a natural environment.

Whenever you are 'treated' for anything important a switch will be fitted. It's so painful you dare not move.

Chances are you are being pumped up with steroids in your formative years.

You develope heat on the knee. In goes the cortisone. No time for rest now.

Your first few runs are poor. Here comes the switch again and there go your balls.

Everytime your stable door opens you wonder - What pain and discomfort awaits me know?

Raceday - you are shoe horned into a compartment for a bumpy ride to the racecourse. There a really restrictive bit may be fitted. At the start your tongue could be tied down. It's like when a human goes to the dentist and tries to hold a conversation with a mouth full of foreign bodies.

The race itself is mercifully short but you will be beaten for trying your best. Now you associate the crowds and excitement with an almost certain flogging.

You're no good as a racehorse so you get moved. Your new owner is initially kind but the food is not as plentiful and you are worked only occasionally.

Suddenly you are moved again. This time you are pulling a cart. Minimal food. No stabling. Regular beatings. No veterinary care. No shoes. It's all a living hell and a long way from the winner's blanket in the Vodacom July.

Let's be real - it's a milder variation on what humans have done for centuries to both their own and animals. Use, abuse, abandon. It's entertainment. Perform or die. In most cases perform and then die. There is little or no reason to breed these horses other than as playthings for those who can afford them. It's a global system masquerading as something relevant. Simple truth.

And we all know what eventually happens when we grow tired of our toys............

Garrick - as harsh as it may sound it is very true....We (me included) complain about jump racing but are our flat race horses that better off? Depends with which eye one looks....

I would just like to see it become safer for the horses in work and in races. We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg which is on tv. What about the injuries in work? In flat racing training we have far more injuries in the build up to racing than in the races themselves so I do not see why jump racing should be any different. I just wonder why there are so many deaths at these festivals. There are far too many for anyone to brush over it. As I have said before is it not that some owners are wanting to see their horses at these festivals and many are not good enough for the size of the jumps? That is the reason I was given when questioned the huge difference in the number of deaths in comparison to flat racing. Is it the courses, as I have been involved closely with the SA Cross Country Championships at our club which is the biggest Equestrian club in Sa for years and even in the top events with huge fixed jumps I cannot remember more than1 horse being put down.

Brilliant Garrick, and so true but oh so sad !!!!

I would love to have dog racing here but it's banned but why don't we consider jumps (hurdles) for our excess horses that are not performing well on the flat? I am sure I seen a couple of races from the Cape a few years back?

scotia Wrote:

---

> I would love to have dog racing here but it's
> banned but why don't we consider jumps (hurdles)
> for our excess horses that are not performing well
> on the flat? I am sure I seen a couple of races
> from the Cape a few years back?


Those races where at Port Elizabeth. Sky Rocket reigned supreme in those events.

2005-10-21 Arlington 3000 ? 68.0*0.0 A - 5 1 -0.10 *SAINT PHILIPPI Lezeanne Fenwick 214.30 Good Race 9 - R 19500 - ASCOT STUD HURDLE STAKES Over brush fences
2005-12-09 Fairview 2800 ? 54.0*1.5 A - 5 1 -0.50 *EAST AND WEST Devin Habib 178.81 16-1 25-1 Good Race 5 - R 53000 - MR 89 HANDICAP Open
2005-12-16 Arlington 3200 ? 69.5*0.0 A - 2 1 -1.00 *GOLDEN HOOVES (ZIM) L Makabela 219.00 Good Race 9 - R30K - HURDLE STAKES Over brush fences
2006-01-04 Fairview 2000 57.0*2.5 A - 8 8 5.75 EAST AND WEST G GREGOROWSKI 126.24 Race 5 - - MR 84 HANDICAP Open
2006-02-17 Arlington 1800 50.0*4.0 A - 2 6 5.05 ASPREY K Minnie 112.35 Race 6 - R66K - MR 100 HANDICAPOpen
2006-03-03 Fairview 2400 51.5*4.0 A - 8 9 6.75 ALIBAMA K Minnie 159.37 Race 4 - OPEN MR 95 HANDICAP Open
2006-03-17 Fairview 3200 71.0*0.0 A - 5 1 -12.00 *GOLDEN HOOVES (ZIM) L MAGABELA 213.56 Race 9 - HURDLE STAKES

Txs Naresh

If i was not an addict I would detest racing in all forms - cruelty is cruelty and if there is reincarnation then rather a half breed dog than a TB - Garrick has it down 100% -