(no subject)

[alonewiththemoon]

Informative blog entry by Alex Waldrop, CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, on how the industry is responding to Saturday's tragedy, and what the industry has already been doing to try to improve things.  As he says, change cannot happen overnight, but it is happening.  I'm particularly heartened to read that strengthening the horses through better breeding practices is an important priority.  That's a change that will take generations of horses to be felt, but it's vital.

edited to add: Julishka alerted me to today's On Point discussion of Thoroughbred racing, and it's very worth listening to. A lot of the kinds of questions on everyone's minds were discussed; maybe not answered, but at least it's a balanced look at the status quo and discussion of facts, as opposed to rumors and urban legend. It was heartening to get the sense from Wayne Pacelle (HSUS president) that he thinks horse racing can be done in a non-abusive way and that it's not inherently evil. PETA has really been pissing me off (what else is new) with their calls for the jockey's suspension and so forth and so I am very glad that there are animal protection groups willing to work with the industry to help it rather than end it. It was also very interesting to hear Jim Squires' view as a breeder; I've read his book Horse of a Different Color, and I wish more were like him--or perhaps that more owners would choose breeders like him.

Comments

fyi

[julishka.livejournal.com]

on point is going to talk about the tragedy in the 11 o'clock hour.

Re: fyi

[sanguineempathy.livejournal.com]

thanks for that fyi - I'll have to listen later when it's archived and I'm not at work :)

small steps

[sanguineempathy.livejournal.com]

that's encouraging ... but I hope some big changes are made in the interim.

[sittingstill.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, I think that improving breeding is outside the scope of what the NTRA can accomplish. That comes down to an economic decision of breeders' willingness to risk unsoundness in the pursuit of speed. I don't think it will ever be definitive enough to take action on--you're not going to be able to, say, approve stallions the way the warmblood folks do, based on conformation and ability. There will always be successful (if fragile, and retired at an early enough age to prove it) colts sent off to stud careers, and mares whose blood trumps their anatomy in a breeder's eyes. And in each case, you can't be sure you'll get a foal with soundness issues, and arguably a smart breeder should be allowed to use either horse if he or she finds a mate whose sturdiness might balance things out.

I can't think of an economic incentive that will make breeders breed for soundness (any more than they do now, given of course that no one intentionally wants to breed a horse that will break down, let alone possibly never race). And the other big issue that won't be addressed is the racing of two-year-olds, and the preparation that goes into the sales of horses in training.

[alonewiththemoon]

Kind of thinking of calling On Point and punting some of these questions to Jim Squires... (who you won't be shocked to hear, if you aren't listening, is totally dominating the conversation any chance he gets ;)

[alonewiththemoon]

Never mind, he got there himself.