I am not necessarily against horse racing, but why race horses at all? I understand that it is exciting for humans to watch, and bet, on the outcome but if we are driving them towards these painful injuries is it really humane to race horses.

I certainly agree with the euthanasia given the alternatives, but isn't it unlikely that the horse would not have injured itself if it hadn't been racing?

Well, yeah, but the horse surely never would have existed if it hadn't been for horse racing.

Horses would have very much existed if it wern't for horse racing, perhaps not this specific genetically engineered individual in discussion of late: (Pure breeding by definition *is* genetic engineering) but horses as a natural species have existed for quite some time. I've heard this devil's advocate made in many forums. It's ironic character is hard to avoid making the assumption that horse racing being the purpose for a horse's existance; is someone's parent's ignorance of contraception being the reason for their existance.

I will start out by saying I am a huge sports fan! But I am really really really against hurting animals (any animal) for the purpose of sports. How would humans feel if the doc came out on the field of a baseball game and "put down" a ball player because he broke a bone? Think about that for a minute.

I cannot believe that you are even comparing horses or animals for that matter ,to humans..... I feel bad that Eight Belles had to be put down..but at least she isn't suffering anymore. Seems to me that animals are much more protected than humans these days...Example, all of the babies that are being aborted...and thrown away. It is a sad, sad world we live in.

Of all the cruelties inflicted by man unto animals, horse racing is probably among the least significant in terms of four-legged suffering and among the more significant in terms of two-legged enjoyment(yes, I'm refering to human beings and not kangaroos)

Not that I'd care to watch it. But apparently people think its a blast.

The idea that we should cease racing horses because a few die/suffer is insane given everything else we use animals for. Keep in mind that a good majority of animals in nature die absolutely horrendous deaths. Come to think of it, so do a good portion of human beings.

Regarding the euthanizing of professional baseball players, you have my full support.

they are not driving the horses toward injuries that is not their intentions at all

they want to win money a million or two million dollar race

betting people win money

and in wrestling humans are driving towards injuries why dont we ban that then?

i would like for some to reply

Komonoway:

Thank you Captain Obvious. Of course I didn't say that horses wouldn't exist without horse racing, I said that the horse (Eight Belles) surely never would have existed if it hadn't been for horse racing. Period. So there wouldn't have been any question of racing Eight Belles or not.

You know what a bunch of crap. Is everything that we have ever done as a culture bad? Hunting, horseracing, playing tag at school? I mean what might be best is for us to raise cattle and horses as pets and let chickens roam around taking a crap every five steps, and just stay in the house because you know the world is coming to an end!!! There should be no enjoying the things granted us as a people for our joy. And if a horse runs and falls down and breaks both ankles maybe if we are not out there watchin it we won't hear the gasps of the crowd and have to go through some sick guilt over some animal doing what he was bred to do-beautifully. Big Brown won the race and now he'll have to win the next to be remembered for a race, where he was bred in like manner along with the rest of the Derby field, somebody did something wrong or were all wrong because today one of them dies in unusual circumstances. Get Free!

Somewhere today a child was aborted, or a mother and father learned that their newborn will not survive a tumor in their brain. There are serious issues going on around us. The death of a horse should never be raised to the level of concern that some seem to think it should.

You must be kidding. To put an animal on the same level as a baseball player is absolutely absurd. This particular animal had a double ankle break...where one of the bones actually perferated the skin and was badly contaminated. In the horse world animals are put down every day. "Hurting" an animal implies some intent to bring about these injuries-like abuse, thus you get animal protection agencies calling for the suspension of the jockey. This is political correctness of the sick sort that is destrying our nation.

There are real serious things going on that need our attention and we need to stop trying to blame everything that happens on someone. Things happen. When animals go down we are sad but we don't get angry at the jockey who rode the horse, or the owner, or our culture or all of mankind. With this kind of thinking going on even a horse is better off when put down.

RIP Eight Belles

you should be euthanized as a favor to the human species. I feel sorry for your children.

No, she wouldn't have existed if not for breeding and horse racing. The implied logic that this justifies abuse is ridiculous. Yes, horse racing is abusive. At least humans have a choice.

...the horse wouldn't have injured herself if she hadn't been racing, and would not therefore have been euthanized.

Unless...she'd been running around a farm field and stepped in a hole and broken her leg. Or gotten a virus or other serious disease...or been attacked by a mountain lion or become too old.

Horses like to race. And as long as reasonable rules are followed and the horses are well-treated, I say let them.

People who seek to avoid all risk in life, for ourselves or animals, are the ones who are TRULY lame....IMO

...they willingly take off and run against one another for the sheer joy of it. The hard part is holding them back, as you can see at the beginning of ANY race.

And of course, no horseman wants to see a horse injured, much less euthanized. They love horses more than most people do.

Absurd 'controversy...'