July 24, 2005

Why they have to kill the horses?

Meanwhile, top non-claiming apprentice Paul Francis escaped serious injury when his five-year-old chestnut mare, La Chica Bonita, broke her right fore leg and fell awkwardly near to the inner rails, five lengths from the winning post, while leading the field comfortably as the 2-1 second favourite

The above was taken from the Sunday Observer. On the back page of the newspaper, there is a large picture of the horse falling. The caption of the picture says that the horse had to be euthanaised (probably spelt wrong!).

So I called a friend who is a vet who works out at the racing place (Caymanas) why they have to put down the horse just because it broke a foot. Can't it go in a cast and heal?


Have you ever seen the size of a horse?
Yes, I say. It's huge.
Have you ever seen the size of its foot?
It's tiny?
The horse's foot is about as big as my forearm (he's a skinny dude). When a foot is broken, it places pressure on the other three skinny feet and then the horse gets an infection beginning with L which can kill it. So the decent thing to do is introduce it to a bullet.

Poor horsey. I wonder how many of them are taken from this life in that way?

Posted by yamfoot at July 24, 2005 12:48 PM
Comments

Well, the practice is well known... you never used to watch cowboy movies? I would guess that plenty-plenty horses meet their maker that way. Still, there must be a way around this, IMHO. If they even were to fashion a sling under the horse in its stall. Feed it... let it out to walk on the three legs for half an hour a day until the broken leg is healed...
Where there is a will, their must be a way, I think!

Posted by: Mad Bull at July 24, 2005 04:16 PM

Many have gone this way. I would think if it could be avoided, they would have invented the technology already...but I suppose time will tell.

I do remember as a yute thinking it was horrible when I first learned of it though.

Posted by: Dr. D. at July 24, 2005 06:03 PM

I myself cringed when I read the story. I am always sorry for horses that have to go that way. But If you can fathom the weight of a horse and the fact that you need to "encourage" it not to put pressure on the bad leg while still standing up...No technology can get around that yet I suppose. Still I shed a tear for La Chica Bonita myself!

Posted by: LMT at July 26, 2005 01:36 PM