Obituary
I am so sad. I really thought that having come this far he’d be okay. How heartbreaking.
Posted by goddessoftheclassroom
01/29/2007 at 04:17 PM
Another example of why three year olds shouldn’t be raced. Too many injuries…
Posted by armadefoc
01/29/2007 at 07:23 PM
armadefoc - it really depends on more factors than just that - when a thoroughbred is born is a key factor as on Jan 1st they all advance a year - so a dec baby (rare) is 1 at a few days old. Second is when they start training, it use to be no sooner than two (without a rider) now I suspect that it is closer to 1 or 1.5 and then finally it is when they start racing. I suspect that too is going down in age.
It is all about the money. And while money is made after racing - it is the big wins that insures that the money afterward will be bigger - not a good thing at all for the horses. As in reality afterward is a crapshoot. Looking at their life spans, however, show it is going down, not up. Man O’War and Swaps made it to 30, Secretariat and Sham - 19 and 23 respectively. Their life spans should be going up, due to better vet care and feed - yet it is going down. And I think it is because they are products and pushed too hard too fast and that is a shame.
wardmama
Agreed. I understand England has a four yo rule. It is a shame to see these magnificent horses destroyed.
My wife owned one of Northern Dancer’s progeny. He is still enjoying a healthy life and is quite a character.
Posted by armadefoc
01/30/2007 at 10:29 AM
armadefoc - Northern Dancer himself was a character. As were most of the horses (professional) in that time period. Because there grooms saw them as their meal ticket and took a personal interest in them and treated them with care. As I said, now it is simply a product and who wants to take care of horses all their lives? So grooms, walkers and exercise workers come and go - and the horses suffer. I use to love visiting the farms in KY as a teen - but now even they are just a business. Sad
My last guy lived to 30 years old - amazing after I rescued him from certain starvation. The vet wouldn’t even worm him, as he was afraid of killing him. This was a gorgous Arab stallion, when he was 2 and a barely alive (I couldn’t ride him for 6 months) horse at 5. And healthy and devoted to me by 6.
