Horse Racing Fractures & Breakdowns - an in depth look 1993

[21Sarabi]

That is true, each horse is different. Some horses reach their peak by 3 and 4. Others age like fine wine!

[TEHFUZZEHONEZ]

The reason why they race them so young is because time, is money. to them its not worth raising a horse to the age of say 4 or 5 and having them be horrible racers. Also, people only breed for speed, not for good bone substance. they want horses that can run. And Racehorses are the most cared for animal... hell they'll have them drink gatorade...

[Earthamaster]

i race qaurter horse at 2 cause they only run 220yards-300yards

my throughabreds i dont run till three and thats only bout 3 times

i never had a breadown

[PrincessAbbieXXX]

racing is an evil sport.

[Dingerz]

Racing is no more evil than horse jumping, or car racing, or marathon running. Death is involved in all of them. To make such a brash statement shows quite extreme lack of knowledge about the sport, and about the horse anatomy.

[PrincessAbbieXXX]

horse jumping, cross country, any other horse sport can be evil in it's own way. dont judge me by a stupid comment, if you have nothing else better to do then i suggest you start looking.

[Dingerz]

Alright, so at least you admit you made a stupid comment. That's fair. ;)

[snchallenged66]

Yeah but with jumping, if you use brain cells and know what you're doing you don't start jumping them when they're only a year old.

[Dingerz]

Horses do not race as one year olds. For those that race at two, they race on average 3-5 times. Not tough stuff at all. Compared to the past, the horses today race FAR less. You didn't see the amount of breakdowns back then and they raced far more. So you're climbing up the wrong tree in your analysis of breakdowns.  Time to do more research I'd say.

[snchallenged66]

Even though they don't race as 1 year olds... why do racehorses, which are started SO young have sooo many breakdowns and/or some kind of crippling injury whereas horses that are started later, if trained properly, usually stay sound? I just think they're raced too young. Their bones are still growing.

[Beatlegirl4eva]

Ya, they are raced a bit young, I disagree with that end of racing, but really, I think breeding may have something to do with breakdowns, becouse horses nowadays seem more brittle than a while back, like, they were raced a ton more then, and there were about the same to less breakdowns then now, and they raced far less now.

[ArtemisHoney]

yeah, i just wish they were raced not so young, give the bones, ligaments, and tendons time to grow and strengthen more. But it is true, many say right now it is the breeding that is causing more issues. Often time speed is favored over strength/heavier conformation.

[Beatlegirl4eva]

Most horses that have had seriouse breakdowns, or continual fractures, quarter cracks, or breaks, normally have a lot of inbeeding, like Big Brown had a lot of problems with his hooves, he had a good bit of inbreeding.

[HorseshoeGirl1]

and you think that the first time they get on their horses is at 2, hopping on and getting into the starting gate and the horse just happens to jump at the bell and listen to the rider and run the race? they have to "train" you know and since all racers b-days are marked as jan. 1st they are often started as young as 12 months.real equine sports were we have a underlying care for the horses don't start training until the horses are horses, not fillies and colts. Time to do more research I'd say.

[109367]

@Dingerz

Jumpers aren't even allowed to race until they're four right?

[Dingerz]

@109367 I'm not really sure about steeplechase horses. Somehow I'd be shocked if they do wait that long, although you might have a point because I know steeplechase horses run at an older age than your typical flat thoroughbred racer. I'd have to look into that. I'm more a flat racing fan than the other forms of racing.

[109367]

@Dingerz

Someone told me they wait until they're four, I'm not sure though

[HorseshoeGirl1]

too true snchallenged66, too true.

[dcddjc]

thank you very much for posting!

[texgroomin]

How about giving these horses some heel?

[musicprincess8241]

wow i dident konw that when a horse runs thats how much wait they put on that one leg

[bbbask]

The structure of a horse's lower leg is dictated be nature, not man. I do wish we could isolate and utilize the gene that controls bone development to possibly improve their resistance to fracture, something.

[HorseshoeGirl1]

not to be rude or anything, but ever think of letting the horses become fully grown before racing them to death? then maybe it wouldn't be to death, it would be like x-country and dressage.. ect. just accidents that nobody could have done anything about. if eight belles hadn't been raced until say five, i'm pretty damn sure she wouldn't have broke both front legs.

[jenkinscrowe]

Right. Because, just as we breed almost all Thoroughbreds from one very fast but very fragile ancester (Native Dancer) and race them at age 2 when they aren't grown up until 4, we build all cars (not just race cars) for the sole purpose of going faster and faster and put them on the road when they are only half built.

Poor analogy.

[JWiehl]

Sure wish a lot more folks would have a look at this to understand more about what a race horse actually is. Every death so suddenly and obviously not painless, hurts to view, but death is a part of life. Thank goodness they spared her more pain by ending her suffering quickly. I'm thankful we saw Belles out run 18 of the boys, and even if she ran the day before, what's to say it might not have happened then? RIP Eight Belles.

[Button428]

Very helpful vid. - thanks for posting.

[jenkinscrowe]

If you stop watching and betting,this will end.

[lovethedead]

and if you stop driving there won't be car crashes. Horses break down everyday during pleasure riding, trail riding, running in the pasture, slipping, ect. Less than 2/10ths of 1% of over 400,000 starters suffered a fatal injury. But good guess, very basic though.

[jenkinscrowe]

Right. Because, just as we breed almost all Thoroughbreds from one very fast but very fragile ancester (Native Dancer) and race them at age 2 when they aren't grown up until 4, we build all cars (not just race cars) for the sole purpose of going faster and faster and put them on the road when they are only half built.

Poor analogy.

[JjGober]

stop watching and betting, and the horses will never even live at all...

[jenkinscrowe]

Considering how many go to slaughter because they aren't fast enough or break down because they are fast enough, I don't have a problem with that. We breed way too many Thoroughbreds. Almost all of them come to horrible ends.