Has ne1 else been sukt in2 the horse-racing world?

[Smoke]

The reason why I ask is because I'm sitting here with a really sore groin (all sexual inuendos stop here!!!).

My dad trains pacers and hes got me doing beach work riding them in the water.

I've got a 2-year-old filly and I rode her for the first time two days ago, and my groin is still suffering from the grip I had on her!!

Anyway, just thought I'd ask!

[~Dani~]

The place I go horse riding also trains thoroughbreds. Thoroughbreds are really pretty

[Cat-Eyes]

i've never been horse-riding I WANT TO! My cousin owns and rides a couple of horses, she's won some comps that I know of... I've only ever done that stupid sitting on a pony while someone leads it around. It wasn't that interesting...

Cat

[Raineth]

Well I know the pain your talking about my advice is to keep riding everyday, but you probably know that anyway. I have a warmblood gelding who is gorgeous and lovely to ride and most other horses I've ridden feel like they have three legs in comparison. I did work experience at a racing stables and rode some of the thoroughbreds there which was fun and painful because I had just the day before been kicked by my own horse on the hip. It had split the skin and you could see my bone beneath this clear film of whatever it is that covers your bones. Iwas in agony but I tried to limp as little as possible because it was the second time he'd kicked me and I knew Dad would probably send him to the knackery for it. So I told them I was just feeling unusually stiff. It was lucky it was only a half hearted kick or I wouldn't have been able to hide it.
Riding on the beach sounds like so much fun I've always wanted to do that. I didn't even know that you rode pacers, I though you just taught them to "pace". Sounds very interesting.


Raineth

[MajiKat]

hah! i love a flutter on the gee-gee's!!

are we talking gambling? or the rest?

nah, my dad has been involved in horses for as long as i can remember and me and my brother and sister were dragged all over country NSW to race meetings when we were little! dad has always had shares in horses so we went to watch them race!

i got to ride one once when they had him in the water, training for fitness. it was great! horses are good swimmers. the best thing was he couldn't touch the ground so he couldn't buck me off ;D

the best race meet i ever went to was in brissie at the doomben track, to watch dads horse run. she did really well (placed i think) and had one a big race there about two months before. i wanted to back her but dad wouldn't let me gamble cause i was only 16 but if i had of i would have won lots of money!! she drew an outside barrier, was carrying heaps of weight, and had odds of 50/1. and she won!!! there were many rich people in my little town after that race!

i love it! i love the races! it is one of my dreams to go to the melbourne cup!!

all dads ex-racehorses become work horses on the farm, and they are the best! i love thoroughbreds, but i love all horses! there is something so wild and fiercely powerful and beautiful in a horse.

[Raineth]

My parents would put a bet on for me. They used to have shares in racehorses too. I've been to Rosehill and watched Octagonal, which was great! But I haven't been to any apart from that. At school we used to watch the saturday races and try to pick the winning horse. That was fun too.



Raineth

[Ashta]

I love horse ridding, but I think that horse racing is cruel. So many horses are mentally damaged from spending time in stalls and the such, they are far too intelligent for such treatment. They display the same problem solving skills as dolphins, chimps and infant humans. And when racing so many animals run the risk of injury and are shot because they are useless.

I'm sorry for this rant, but I think horses are beautiful, intelligent creatures and I think that horse racing is wrong. Sorry for this activism speech, but if I'm wrong on any points, please correct me!

-Much luv,
Ashta

[MajiKat]

i do agree with you Ashta. so many trainers and owners treat their horses poorly, but i am happy to say all my dads horses have been very well treated and looked after! They are worth so much money and he can't afford to have them mistreated.

and any of his that get injured or break down on the track find new homes - most of them on the farm, where they are happy and make great farm horses. they really love stock work! they are such beautiful animals and my dad loves them so much - they get treated like royalty on the farm - they have the full run of the place and he has about 8 horses all up so they all get a chance to have a good rest and not get worked too hard. and my dad is getting too old and stiff and sore to ride much anymore. so they hang out and get fat ;D

[Raineth]

I don't think Horse racing is cruel. Ofcourse there are some people who do cruel things to the horses but unfortunately that can be found anywhere with any animal. Most people in racing love the horses. also most of them only spend the night in a stall and have a yard for the day. They have a strapper who is dedicated to their care and spends about 12 hours a day with them and they often have balls or things hanging from their stable ceiling for them to play with.
One more thing is you have a creature who weighs around 500-600 kg. If he doesn't want to do something you can't make him do it. Those horses love to gallop, they have been bred not only to be good at galloping but to love it. Because if they don't enjoy it they don't do very well. Some horses do get tired of it and thats when they spell them or retire them.
My horse is a pretty tricky to handle (he's broken my foot, liquified my thigh muscle and kicked me in the hip and had quite a few near misses.) But he loves to be ridden and he is a dream to ride, he'll do anything I tell him and is as willing as can be. I know that if he really doesn't want to do something I can't make him. He weighs over 600 kilos there is no way I could make him. So I use gentleness and rewards and a firm voice and with time and patience I ususally get there. From what I've seen most horse people do the same in those situations because it works. Hitting and yelling doesn't work so apart from the moral issues of that it just doesn't make sense to do it. Unhappy horses don't perform very well so they try to make them as happy as possible Because ultimately they want them to race and race as fast as possible.



Raineth