[wtt0315]

I was watching the fingers lake race 2 yesterday with the 3 horse in the lead cleared by 3 lengths down the stretch and he broke down and hit the rail. He broke his front leg I assumed and was euthonized. Being a horse owner it is really starting to wear me down seeing it. I know its part of racing and always will be there, but I am a huge animal lover and its hard for me to watch it. I didn't watch another race yesterday and I am afraid it is starting to push me away from racing. I own 2 greyhounds now and one of my girls has a permanent limp from a broken hind leg and she has to take pain killers for the remainder of her life. She also had one part of upper ear tore off. My other greyhound had to have a trachenomtry because he got knock into a rail and damanged his throat. Both my dogs have numerous teeth broken because of racing. I havent bet on a greyhound race since i got my first one. I am afraid the horse accidents are starting to push me away also.

[str]

If it ever becomes "no big deal", that's when you should leave the game.
Nobody likes it but as long as there is horse racing, it will be a part of the game. I can't speak to the dog racing as I know nothing at all about that, but the horses , I can.
You are a good guy and a horse owner. I have learned that much from your posts. You have been to the backside I would think and you see how dedicated the people working there are. You also see the high level of care that most horses get.
When a catastrophic breakdown occurs, it is just that. It is terrible! And believe me, some will stay with you a lifetime. I responded to you because when I read your thread, one particular breakdown came flooding back. I was a groom in the 70s and to this day, I remember it vividly. Was even thinking of writing about it because it was a real turning point in my life. Maybe I will.
The bottom line is this. Those horses put there life on the line every day to do what they were born to do. They do it because it is bred into them and most would not have it any other way. As a result of that, the people that have enough sense to realize that, give all they can out of respect to the animal as well as respect to the game. There are many safety nets in place to prevent these things from happening but the best that can be done is to try and minimize it. And while every game will have some idiots within it, most really do try to prevent these types of things.
Don't ever get used to it but don't be pushed away from a game that you love either. It is the worst part of a great game but every game has a worst part.
And be sure to hug the dogs as well. I think that greyhounds are one of the coolest breeds of dog that you could have. Much like Great Danes, so fragile but so loyal. Had a lot of horses like that as well!

[wtt0315]

thanks str. it is hard and it does stick with you. one of the reasons i cant watch quarter horse races much anymore. too much bumping going on. Always holding my breath. str you know the most about horse racing then anyone i have seen and i appreciate the words. Keep up the good work helping people here. I will continue to watch it just gets hard sometimes.

[cecil127]

i saw one fold in Lady Buckeye's Kentucky Sire Stakes elims on sept 1st. luckily 1) LB was 3 lengths clear of Docs Cousin Tami and 2) the Red Mile is a mile track (once around). a t-bred falling is a terrible thing to see but a standardbred who has lost the driver, now going the wrong way into oncoming traffic (1/2 and 5/8's track esp), sulky flailing and all is a whole 'nother kind of terror....
at the risk of sounding lame cause it sure gets to me too as an animal lover: its part of the game.
even though our starting gates are a lil different we're still joe schmoes that love this business and the athletes involved-so dont go anywhere.

[str]

thanks str. it is hard and it does stick with you. one of the reasons i cant watch quarter horse races much anymore. too much bumping going on. Always holding my breath. str you know the most about horse racing then anyone i have seen and i appreciate the words. Keep up the good work helping people here. I will continue to watch it just gets hard sometimes.

Thanks WTT. Very kind words.
I appreciate it.