I agree, Ruth, it will not stop unless it is forced. One way would be if
the public stopped supporting it - but that is so unlikely. I don't deny
the horses love to run - but they can't grasp the risks associated with
their age. And to breed unsound horses just because they can - Well,
that's just STUPID!

Barb C - I'm sure I recall reading - or maybe you said this - that
arabs have the most dense bone of any breed. I know TBs have Arab back
there somewhere. Maybe they need to bring some of that blood back in.

I'm torn - I hate this happening, but I can't help but love to watch
these animals run - I don't know how many times I've play Youtube of
Secretariat winning the Belmont by more than 30 lengths - running each
quarter mile faster than the last - I practically have the announcer's
words memorized: "Secretariat is all alone now - .... 1/16 of a mile in
front of the other horses... Secretariat is running like a tremendous
machine..." What a horse he was.


--
RaeMorrill
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I agree, Ruth, it will not stop unless it is forced. One way would be if
the public stopped supporting it - but that is so unlikely. I don't deny
the horses love to run - but they can't grasp the risks associated with
their age. And to breed unsound horses just because they can - Well,
that's just STUPID!

Barb C - I'm sure I recall reading - or maybe you said this - that
arabs have the most dense bone of any breed. I know TBs have Arab back
there somewhere. Maybe they need to bring some of that blood back in.

I'm torn - I hate this happening, but I can't help but love to watch
these animals run - I don't know how many times I've play Youtube of
Secretariat winning the Belmont by more than 30 lengths - running each
quarter mile faster than the last - I practically have the announcer's
words memorized: "Secretariat is all alone now - .... 1/16 of a mile in
front of the other horses... Secretariat is running like a tremendous
machine..." What a horse he was.


--
RaeMorrill
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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View this thread: http://www.scribera.org/forum/showthread.php?t=6668

Yes, what a horse--and if breeders had bred to him instead of Native
Dancer there might not be so many problems out there. Thoroughbreds have
mostly Arab blood behind them, but bred over a couple of hundred years or
more for more size and speed. I love the Anglo-Arab cross, and have bred
a few of them, off the thoroughbreds I bought off the track. The mare I
rode on the Vermont 100 was a TB. I bought her off the track at 5 and she
was still sound--because she wasn't fast enough! She had sold at the
yearling sales for $4,500, and she won 2 minor races. I bought her for
$100 and put many miles on her. Raised 2 or 3 foals from her, one of
which was a hunter champion in New England.

Barb C.
"RaeMorrill" <RaeMorrill.38yug7 at (no spam) no-mx.forums.yourdomain.com.au> wrote in
message news:RaeMorrill.38yug7 at (no spam) no-mx.forums.yourdomain.com.au...

I agree, Ruth, it will not stop unless it is forced. One way would be if
the public stopped supporting it - but that is so unlikely. I don't deny
the horses love to run - but they can't grasp the risks associated with
their age. And to breed unsound horses just because they can - Well,
that's just STUPID!

Barb C - I'm sure I recall reading - or maybe you said this - that
arabs have the most dense bone of any breed. I know TBs have Arab back
there somewhere. Maybe they need to bring some of that blood back in.

I'm torn - I hate this happening, but I can't help but love to watch
these animals run - I don't know how many times I've play Youtube of
Secretariat winning the Belmont by more than 30 lengths - running each
quarter mile faster than the last - I practically have the announcer's
words memorized: "Secretariat is all alone now - .... 1/16 of a mile in
front of the other horses... Secretariat is running like a tremendous
machine..." What a horse he was.


--
RaeMorrill
------------------------------------------------------------------------
RaeMorrill's Profile: http://www.scribera.org/forum/member.php?userid=982
View this thread: http://www.scribera.org/forum/showthread.php?t=6668

OMG, Sue ,that is horrible. A horse could kill with a bite, that is for
sure - but to die from infection was not so much the horse's fault. I've
always loved them, but having had them in my adult life they have come
to mean much more to me and I've see much more of the heart and soul
behind them. One of the gals on my horse group has a Secretariat
grandson. So does a local friend and someone I have ridden with and
helped train the horse I lost last year. They are truly magestic and
noble creatures with a lot of intelligence and personality.


--
RaeMorrill
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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View this thread: http://www.scribera.org/forum/showthread.php?t=6668

No, the death was by no means the horses fault. It is just I saw it bite
the kid and it was so scary (I was a very naive 12 year old -- may have
been only 11) and it scared me how quick she snapped and she was a bit
skittish. I still think they are beautiful creatures. I remember DH's
sister had one -- a big huge thing -- don't know what kind but the most
gentle horse who absolutely could tell I was afraid and while I rode it
from the stable to the front of the house (just walked on it with DH
holding it and my hand) I was just practically in tears and I swear Sid
was tiptoeing he was so gentle.

--
Sue -- Firefighter mom -- still rabid UW DAWG fan!
"RaeMorrill" <RaeMorrill.38yyqx at (no spam) no-mx.forums.yourdomain.com.au> wrote in
message news:RaeMorrill.38yyqx at (no spam) no-mx.forums.yourdomain.com.au...

OMG, Sue ,that is horrible. A horse could kill with a bite, that is for
sure - but to die from infection was not so much the horse's fault. I've
always loved them, but having had them in my adult life they have come
to mean much more to me and I've see much more of the heart and soul
behind them. One of the gals on my horse group has a Secretariat
grandson. So does a local friend and someone I have ridden with and
helped train the horse I lost last year. They are truly magestic and
noble creatures with a lot of intelligence and personality.


--
RaeMorrill
------------------------------------------------------------------------
RaeMorrill's Profile: http://www.scribera.org/forum/member.php?userid=982
View this thread: http://www.scribera.org/forum/showthread.php?t=6668

Do they race them so young because of the cost to continue to maintain
and train them until they're older?



[Default] On Tue, 6 May 2008 01:31:37 +0000, RMJCMT
RMJCMT.38ytc2 at (no spam) no-mx.forums.yourdomain.com.au> took a break from
reality and said:


Horses are not skeletally or muscularly mature until the age of 5 years.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of young horses age 2 years and younger are
crippled in training each year before they even get to the track.

Sadly, horse racing is a business like any other business. The owners,
trainers, jockeys, and everyone involved is in it for the money. Ergo,
the colts and fillies must be started in training at no less than 2
years of age, some even younger. This is because feeding a horse until
the age of 5 years rather than 2 years is "cost prohibitive."

I am not defending horse racing, quite the opposite. It is criminal to
force mere babies to stress their bones and muscles to the point of
breakdown. Two of the best horses I ever owned were off the track. One
had shin bucked and was turned out to pasture and then quickly sold. The
other chipped a bone in the knee which eventually healed, but the horse
could not race and was sold (actually a carpal bone - a horse's knee is
a human's wrist).

The only solution I can see (it would take a nationwide law) is to
require horses to be no less than 5 years of age before being allowed to
race, and that will never happen. Too much BIG MONEY in horse racing.

~~~~~*****~~~~~*****~~~~~*****

"Democracies don't make great products. You need a competent tyrant."
(Palo Alto venture capitalist Jean-Louis Gasse, former Apple exec.)

Read my blog at www.mtexchange.com
My company web site: www.alphabest.com
Open source style guide for MTs:
http://style.mtreference.com/tiki-index.php
Terminology, anatomy and all kinds of links: www.mtreference.com
Job listings/resume bank: http://www.mtregistry.com

I think that may be one of the reasons, but in my opinion it is not an
excuse. The cost of trying to keep horses with problems running certainly
would exceed the cost of feeding them for another year. However it also
may be that they want to find out which ones are worth putting the money
into training.

In my opinion there is simply no excuse whatsoever for racing
two-year-olds. However there are experienced trainers and horsemen, at
least in the distance riding disciplines, who believe that a if a horse
has not done some serious training/conditioning by the time he is five he
will also be prone to injury and not ever make it to the top. This was
told to me by a distance riding competitor and judge who was also an
equine vet. It is true a horse is not mature until he is 5, but that does
not mean he should not be ridden, and conditioned prior to that age, but
never, never as a two-year-old. Most horsemen begin training 3-year-olds,
begin more strenuous training at 4. Horses competing in dressage, and
even jumping competition are usually at least 6 to 8 years old, and many
are in their teens, especially in dressage.

Barb C.
"JulieW8" <seemysig at (no spam) netscape.net> wrote in message
news:slt024dsg5g1phb7n916oscfrkqt9qm73p at (no spam) 4ax.com...
Do they race them so young because of the cost to continue to maintain
and train them until they're older?



[Default] On Tue, 6 May 2008 01:31:37 +0000, RMJCMT
RMJCMT.38ytc2 at (no spam) no-mx.forums.yourdomain.com.au> took a break from
reality and said:


Horses are not skeletally or muscularly mature until the age of 5 years.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of young horses age 2 years and younger are
crippled in training each year before they even get to the track.

Sadly, horse racing is a business like any other business. The owners,
trainers, jockeys, and everyone involved is in it for the money. Ergo,
the colts and fillies must be started in training at no less than 2
years of age, some even younger. This is because feeding a horse until
the age of 5 years rather than 2 years is "cost prohibitive."

I am not defending horse racing, quite the opposite. It is criminal to
force mere babies to stress their bones and muscles to the point of
breakdown. Two of the best horses I ever owned were off the track. One
had shin bucked and was turned out to pasture and then quickly sold. The
other chipped a bone in the knee which eventually healed, but the horse
could not race and was sold (actually a carpal bone - a horse's knee is
a human's wrist).

The only solution I can see (it would take a nationwide law) is to
require horses to be no less than 5 years of age before being allowed to
race, and that will never happen. Too much BIG MONEY in horse racing.

~~~~~*****~~~~~*****~~~~~*****

"Democracies don't make great products. You need a competent tyrant."
(Palo Alto venture capitalist Jean-Louis Gasse, former Apple exec.)

Read my blog at www.mtexchange.com
My company web site: www.alphabest.com
Open source style guide for MTs:
http://style.mtreference.com/tiki-index.php
Terminology, anatomy and all kinds of links: www.mtreference.com
Job listings/resume bank: http://www.mtregistry.com

I seem to remember that they used to consider all TBs in racing to have
their birthdays on January 1, regardless of when they were actually born.
Do you know whether this is still the case, or was I possibly just
misinformed altogether? If so, then some of those 2-year-olds could
actually be substantially younger than their stated age.

I've always thought it was strange that racehorses went to the track at an
age when many horses in other walks of life aren't even saddle broken yet.

Anne

"Barbara Carlson" <bbcarlson at (no spam) snappydsl.net> wrote in message
news:F92dnRmHWukJHb3VnZ2dnUVZ_sWdnZ2d at (no spam) tampabaydsl.com...
I think that may be one of the reasons, but in my opinion it is not an
excuse. The cost of trying to keep horses with problems running certainly
would exceed the cost of feeding them for another year. However it also
may be that they want to find out which ones are worth putting the money
into training.

In my opinion there is simply no excuse whatsoever for racing
two-year-olds. However there are experienced trainers and horsemen, at
least in the distance riding disciplines, who believe that a if a horse
has not done some serious training/conditioning by the time he is five he
will also be prone to injury and not ever make it to the top. This was
told to me by a distance riding competitor and judge who was also an
equine vet. It is true a horse is not mature until he is 5, but that
does not mean he should not be ridden, and conditioned prior to that age,
but never, never as a two-year-old. Most horsemen begin training
3-year-olds, begin more strenuous training at 4. Horses competing in
dressage, and even jumping competition are usually at least 6 to 8 years
old, and many are in their teens, especially in dressage.

Barb C.
"JulieW8" <seemysig at (no spam) netscape.net> wrote in message
news:slt024dsg5g1phb7n916oscfrkqt9qm73p at (no spam) 4ax.com...
Do they race them so young because of the cost to continue to maintain
and train them until they're older?



[Default] On Tue, 6 May 2008 01:31:37 +0000, RMJCMT
RMJCMT.38ytc2 at (no spam) no-mx.forums.yourdomain.com.au> took a break from
reality and said:


Horses are not skeletally or muscularly mature until the age of 5 years.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of young horses age 2 years and younger are
crippled in training each year before they even get to the track.

Sadly, horse racing is a business like any other business. The owners,
trainers, jockeys, and everyone involved is in it for the money. Ergo,
the colts and fillies must be started in training at no less than 2
years of age, some even younger. This is because feeding a horse until
the age of 5 years rather than 2 years is "cost prohibitive."

I am not defending horse racing, quite the opposite. It is criminal to
force mere babies to stress their bones and muscles to the point of
breakdown. Two of the best horses I ever owned were off the track. One
had shin bucked and was turned out to pasture and then quickly sold. The
other chipped a bone in the knee which eventually healed, but the horse
could not race and was sold (actually a carpal bone - a horse's knee is
a human's wrist).

The only solution I can see (it would take a nationwide law) is to
require horses to be no less than 5 years of age before being allowed to
race, and that will never happen. Too much BIG MONEY in horse racing.

~~~~~*****~~~~~*****~~~~~*****

"Democracies don't make great products. You need a competent tyrant."
(Palo Alto venture capitalist Jean-Louis Gasse, former Apple exec.)

Read my blog at www.mtexchange.com
My company web site: www.alphabest.com
Open source style guide for MTs:
http://style.mtreference.com/tiki-index.php
Terminology, anatomy and all kinds of links: www.mtreference.com
Job listings/resume bank: http://www.mtregistry.com

That is not only true of TBs, but of ALL horses of any breed. They need
an arbitrary number to determine age for competition. Breeders breed for
early foals, which is also not natural (all breeds, not just TBs).
Suggestions have been made for years to select something like a March 1
date for age determination which would correlate with a more natural
breeding season.

Barb C.
"Anne V." <ahvasquez at (no spam) NOSPAMsbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:930Uj.2443$3O7.1865 at (no spam) newssvr19.news.prodigy.net...
I seem to remember that they used to consider all TBs in racing to have
their birthdays on January 1, regardless of when they were actually born.
Do you know whether this is still the case, or was I possibly just
misinformed altogether? If so, then some of those 2-year-olds could
actually be substantially younger than their stated age.

I've always thought it was strange that racehorses went to the track at
an age when many horses in other walks of life aren't even saddle broken
yet.

Anne

"Barbara Carlson" <bbcarlson at (no spam) snappydsl.net> wrote in message
news:F92dnRmHWukJHb3VnZ2dnUVZ_sWdnZ2d at (no spam) tampabaydsl.com...
I think that may be one of the reasons, but in my opinion it is not an
excuse. The cost of trying to keep horses with problems running
certainly would exceed the cost of feeding them for another year.
However it also may be that they want to find out which ones are worth
putting the money into training.

In my opinion there is simply no excuse whatsoever for racing
two-year-olds. However there are experienced trainers and horsemen, at
least in the distance riding disciplines, who believe that a if a horse
has not done some serious training/conditioning by the time he is five
he will also be prone to injury and not ever make it to the top. This
was told to me by a distance riding competitor and judge who was also an
equine vet. It is true a horse is not mature until he is 5, but that
does not mean he should not be ridden, and conditioned prior to that
age, but never, never as a two-year-old. Most horsemen begin training
3-year-olds, begin more strenuous training at 4. Horses competing in
dressage, and even jumping competition are usually at least 6 to 8 years
old, and many are in their teens, especially in dressage.

Barb C.
"JulieW8" <seemysig at (no spam) netscape.net> wrote in message
news:slt024dsg5g1phb7n916oscfrkqt9qm73p at (no spam) 4ax.com...
Do they race them so young because of the cost to continue to maintain
and train them until they're older?



[Default] On Tue, 6 May 2008 01:31:37 +0000, RMJCMT
RMJCMT.38ytc2 at (no spam) no-mx.forums.yourdomain.com.au> took a break from
reality and said:


Horses are not skeletally or muscularly mature until the age of 5
years.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of young horses age 2 years and younger are
crippled in training each year before they even get to the track.

Sadly, horse racing is a business like any other business. The owners,
trainers, jockeys, and everyone involved is in it for the money. Ergo,
the colts and fillies must be started in training at no less than 2
years of age, some even younger. This is because feeding a horse until
the age of 5 years rather than 2 years is "cost prohibitive."

I am not defending horse racing, quite the opposite. It is criminal to
force mere babies to stress their bones and muscles to the point of
breakdown. Two of the best horses I ever owned were off the track. One
had shin bucked and was turned out to pasture and then quickly sold.
The
other chipped a bone in the knee which eventually healed, but the horse
could not race and was sold (actually a carpal bone - a horse's knee is
a human's wrist).

The only solution I can see (it would take a nationwide law) is to
require horses to be no less than 5 years of age before being allowed
to
race, and that will never happen. Too much BIG MONEY in horse racing.

~~~~~*****~~~~~*****~~~~~*****

"Democracies don't make great products. You need a competent tyrant."
(Palo Alto venture capitalist Jean-Louis Gasse, former Apple exec.)

Read my blog at www.mtexchange.com
My company web site: www.alphabest.com
Open source style guide for MTs:
http://style.mtreference.com/tiki-index.php
Terminology, anatomy and all kinds of links: www.mtreference.com
Job listings/resume bank: http://www.mtregistry.com

Horses are not skeletally or muscularly mature until the age of 5
years.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of young horses age 2 years and younger
are
crippled in training each year before they even get to the track.

Sadly, horse racing is a business like any other business. The owners,
trainers, jockeys, and everyone involved is in it for the money. Ergo,
the colts and fillies must be started in training at no less than 2
years of age, some even younger. This is because feeding a horse until
the age of 5 years rather than 2 years is "cost prohibitive."

I am petrified of horses. They know it and are mean to me. :)


I am speechless... well, not quite. HOGWASH. A horse has no idea what
is in a human's mind. There is no such thing as a mean horse! There are
spoiled, unmannered horses the same as there are spoiled brat kids and
untrained dogs.
Dont' blame it on the horses, kids, or dogs. The fault lies in the
owners or parents.


--
RMJCMT
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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View this thread: http://www.scribera.org/forum/showthread.php?t=6668