Two sides to every story, the only difference is, you keybard warriors have not ever been involved in any of the causes you take up. For a bit of perspective, here is Leanne Owens Dear Racing Industry - thank you for being responsible for producing some of the most beautiful horses in the world. Thank you for the stunning Thoroughbreds that retire from the track and become the great hacks in the show ring, the Garryowen winners, the Royal Champions, the dressage mounts, the eventers and jumpers and loved riding horses of tens of thousands of people. Thank you for all the tens of thousands of beautiful broodmares that are used in breeding Anglo Arabians, Warmbloods, Quarter Horses, Paints, Appaloosas and so many other breeds that recognise the benefits of having Thoroughbred blood. Thank you for the stud books that go back 600 years so that we have been able to learn about colour genetics and traits long before DNA testing was available. Thank you for taking such good care of the vast majority of your horses when so many non-racehorses are starving, suffering from worm burdens, not getting veterinary care when they need it, being abused and not being cared for properly. Thank you for giving your horses such a good life compared to so many others we see around - as I drive around seeing neglected horses and ponies of so many breeds, it is a pleasure to go past a Thoroughbred stud or racing stable or race track and see superbly cared for horses in the hands of people who know horses, understand horses, love horses and look after them properly. I know two horses died after the Melbourne Cup yesterday, but all around Australia on the same day, probably 50 non-racehorses died of colic after owners fed them the wrong thing or ignored early signs of illness and didnt want to call a vet, probably 100 or 200 or more brumbies starved to death and maybe an equal number died from thirst, probably 50 or more non-racehorses died from injuries that could have been treated successfully if a vet had been called but the owners didnt want that expense. Yesterday, all around Australia, horses will have died of snake bite and infection and broken legs and a lot of other reasons, and a lot of those had miserable lives before death took them. The racehorses lived in comfort and care and had the best of veterinary attention before dying - and they were loved by their people. Yes, a lot of racehorses and harness horses end up as pet food, but so do horses and ponies from backyard breeders and from owners who can no longer afford to feed them. Tens of thousands of ex-racehorses end up in great homes where they are loved and cared for, and so many of our great show horses and performance horses are ex-racehorses. For those that do end up as pet food, well, I still think its better for a horse to have a good life, well cared for and well fed and then die humanely than to have a life of hunger and neglect and die slowly and painfully, so ending up at the doggers is not the worst thing to happen to a horse. Thank you, Racing Industry, for so much. I wish a tenth of the effort that is being spent to discredit you would be spent on helping all those non-racehorses that are not cared for as well as your horses. signed: Leanne Owens (P.S. I have been involved in horses all my life, as well as the racing industry - my wedding ring is made from the gold nugget that was awarded as part of the prize in The Gold Nugget race of decades ago; many of our show horses and polocrosse horses were ex-racehorses; I trained picnic racehorses; my stepfather and mother had racehorses including Lord Penn, Abbejurrah and other metropolitan winners; many of the broodmares that come to stud to be bred to our Quarter Horse stallions are Thoroughbreds [ex-racehorses]; my husband and his family used Thoroughbred stallions on their stations to breed great work horses. I know and love horses and I am disappointed that so many people are attacking an industry where the horses are so well cared for after two accidental deaths yesterday, meanwhile, they ignore the plight of so many horses that genuinely are suffering... go help some of the drought affected farmers feed their starving horses if you really want to help horses.)
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 01:26:02 +0000