This is the reason I have really stopped going to the races and/or supporting their actions.

It is so sad to see, and what most people don't take into account is that these horses are born in the first 3 months of the year, but come January 1 of the following year they are being trained to be ridden and by the time they are little more than a year old have a rider on their backs! Their bodies are not mature and neither are their minds. When the racing season starts and the horses prance out onto the track people always comment about how "coltish" they appear. Well HELLO, they are colts (and fillies) and in my opinion have no business being pushed so hard!

We are saddened by all the horses that break down on the track, but what about the ones that break down before they ever reach the track???

I have an acquantance who raises sports horses. Several of her broodmares are off the track mares that have been winners. She always comments that they are retired and (amazingly) retired sound. This should give you an idea how rare that is.

It just seems to me that the industry should stop viewing the horse as a throw-away commodity and put at least another year into them allowing them to mature mentally and physically.

Okay, stepping off of the soap box and putting it away.