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Veteran
Posts: 122
| I don't endorse PETA but the racetrack stuff is true. When I was young my goal in life was to become a racehorse trainer. Turned 18 and got a job at a farm, it was mainly for yearlings and two-year olds, but even they were over-medicated in my opinion. I did it for 2 years. That was enough, you couldn't pay me enough to get back into it. And when the horses came back from the track for injury or a rest boy did they look like ****. I really felt sorry for the horses. Changed my mind about that career goal and wanted to get back into the rodeo scene. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 297
| This video didn't surprise me. My neighbor is into horse racing and when one dies on the track he has no feelings about it just mad he lost money. Some of the extremes I've seen him go to I know I'll never let him touch my horses. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 557
Location: Kansas and loving it | I am not surprised by the video. I used to watch and get the blood horse magazine. I even went through the annual stud book to see how many horses went back to Northern Dancers, Nearco, and Hyperion. Lukas was the king of 2 and 3 year olds, but he also sent a bunch to the ground. I bet in the 1995 Kentucky Derby, I was silent as the horses went by the stands. Held my breath through the clubhouse turn and started screaming as Thunder Gulch went to the front. I had 20 to win on him, 15 for Texaco Run to place, and talking man to show. Almost had it but Timber Country slipped in. Then the hullabaloo that Stevens used an electric device on the horse and he dropped ittry to give it to pat day. Who knows, but no horse should be shocked for any reason. Plus I have heard some barrel racers talking about getting one. | |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
 
Location: Midwest | Fairweather - 2014-03-22 1:06 PM
dhdqhllc - 2014-03-22 12:29 PM bingo - 2014-03-22 10:42 AM I did watch the whole thing. I found it very sad for the horses. Like I posted earlier... GAMBLING can turn ANYTHING UGLY. As for PETA, if there was no abuse, there would be no PETA. I think that is pretty simple. Most truths are..... that's not true at all.....PETA's end goal is elimination of animals for anything....possibly not even as pets....
So that means no riding, no training, no management because it's making the horse do something they don't want to do.
You said this more eloquently than I was able to.
I realize I did access their site to post the quote above, but I wanted to illustrate the fact that the organization is a bit more extreme in its goal than many people think. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 256
| PokiesTrick - 2014-03-22 2:43 PM
This video didn't surprise me. My neighbor is into horse racing and when one dies on the track he has no feelings about it just mad he lost money. Some of the extremes I've seen him go to I know I'll never let him touch my horses.
It saddens me to think alot of people think that all racehorse owners do not care when one of their horses are hurting or killed, I know that if it happened to any of our track horses I would be devastated not because of any financial loss but because I care about the horses well being. We are not bigtime and are happy if we can break even after the racing season(that is a good year!) We do it for a hobby and the simple love of the racehorse. We had a mare severly injure her back leg in the stall. Would have been cheaper to put her down but she received all the vet work necessary (we assumed she would just be a pasture ornament) Surprised us and is sound again. I think misuse of horses happens in any disciples when it comes to big dollar events, there will be people in it just for the cash and others for the love of the horse. This also can pertain to any livestock event think of champion steers, dog shows, barrel racing, jumping, and the list goes on. When it comes to making a buck or winning a ribbon some people will do whatever it takes to win, So please dont lump all race horse owners and trainers in the same boat | |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | Iwish - 2014-03-22 2:34 PM
I wish every PETA member would go fall off the edge of a cliff. Their dumb enough, just like sheep, the leader goes they all go.
P.S. no I did not watch the video and I won't becuase it is from PETA. There is abuse in EVERY discipline, especially when it involves big money and lots of it.
and that's OK ? | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 557
Location: Kansas and loving it | cristole - 2014-03-22 7:11 PM
PokiesTrick - 2014-03-22 2:43 PM
This video didn't surprise me. My neighbor is into horse racing and when one dies on the track he has no feelings about it just mad he lost money. Some of the extremes I've seen him go to I know I'll never let him touch my horses.
It saddens me to think alot of people think that all racehorse owners do not care when one of their horses are hurting or killed, I know that if it happened to any of our track horses I would be devastated not because of any financial loss but because I care about the horses well being. We are not bigtime and are happy if we can break even after the racing season (that is a good year! ) We do it for a hobby and the simple love of the racehorse. We had a mare severly injure her back leg in the stall. Would have been cheaper to put her down but she received all the vet work necessary (we assumed she would just be a pasture ornament ) Surprised us and is sound again. I think misuse of horses happens in any disciples when it comes to big dollar events, there will be people in it just for the cash and others for the love of the horse. This also can pertain to any livestock event think of champion steers, dog shows, barrel racing, jumping, and the list goes on. When it comes to making a buck or winning a ribbon some people will do whatever it takes to win, So please dont lump all race horse owners and trainers in the same boat
I know that there are good people in racing. John Sheriff's along with the Moss family on how they handled Zenyatta. The great race mare Princess Rooney never was able to settle. They found a niche for her which is baby sitting weanlings. Also really need to give a thumbs up to Sam Houston racetrack and their adoption program. | |
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 Career in Looney Tune Land
Posts: 1717
Location: the high desert | No i never said its ok. Its horrible and terribly sad what happens to these horses all for the sake of money.
*Fixed my original comment*
Edited by Iwish 2014-03-22 8:05 PM
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The Resident Destroyer of Liberal Logic
Location: PNW | I'll start taking PETA seriously when all the members - especially the celebrities - give up their leather handbags, luxury cars with leather seats, leather shoes, silk dresses, etc.
So, basically never. I will never take PETA seriously. I don't need their ridiculous videos to tell me about abuse that I already know exists | |
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 Veteran
Posts: 253
Location: SoCal | barrelracr131 - 2014-03-22 4:24 PM
Fairweather - 2014-03-22 1:06 PM
dhdqhllc - 2014-03-22 12:29 PM bingo - 2014-03-22 10:42 AM I did watch the whole thing. I found it very sad for the horses. Like I posted earlier... GAMBLING can turn ANYTHING UGLY. As for PETA, if there was no abuse, there would be no PETA. I think that is pretty simple. Most truths are..... that's not true at all.....PETA's end goal is elimination of animals for anything....possibly not even as pets....
So that means no riding, no training, no management because it's making the horse do something they don't want to do.
You said this more eloquently than I was able to.
I realize I did access their site to post the quote above, but I wanted to illustrate the fact that the organization is a bit more extreme in its goal than many people think.
I have a teacher who is well respected and worked in vet offices for 25 years. She's been around the block. And she is probably the biggest anti-PETA person I know. She was the one that told me about the quote that was posted from their page. That essentially they don't even want us to have a goldfish. So yeah, I know abuse can happen practically anywhere, and so does she, but I will never be a supporter of PETA. A photo can take so much out of context. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 297
| I wasnt saying all race owners were like that but the one I do know is and thats why the movie didnt shock me. I wish more race people did care about there horses like you do and that goes for every discipline but it doesn't always work out that way. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399
| PETA, ASPCA, HSUS all use graphics to pray on people's emotions. These groups as a whole don't mind one bit exploiting these animals and the abuse factor for their purpose and benefit. For them there is one side to the story and one side only. They more often than not take their plight to extremes and are of the opinion that only theirs is the right one, and the only one. I really don't conform to the "pray on my emotions for its cause" and don't like having a group tell me I have to conform or be cast out. So let's take for example the president of PETA. They work on praying on emotions and will do it at any cost and the woman has the audacty to tell me what I can and cannot eat. It is very clear their group isn't about abuse, it's end all goal is animal liberation and it uses your emotions to get their point across. Please read below.
PETA president and co-founder Ingrid Newkirk has described her group’s overall goal as “total animal liberation.” This means the complete abolition of meat, milk, cheese, eggs, honey, zoos, aquariums, circuses, wool, leather, fur, silk, hunting, fishing, and pet ownership. In a 2003 profile of Newkirk in The New Yorker, author Michael Specter wrote that Newkirk has had at least one seeing-eye dog taken away from its blind owner. PETA is also against all medical research that requires the use of animals, including research aimed at curing AIDS and cancer.
PETA activists regularly target children as young as six years old with anti-meat and anti-milk propaganda, even waiting outside their schools to intercept them without notifying their parents. One piece of kid-targeted PETA literature tells small children: “Your Mommy Kills Animals!” PETA brags that its messages reach over 1.2 million minor children, including 30,000 kids between the ages of 6 and 12, all contacted by e-mail without parental supervision. One PETA vice president told the Fox News Channel’s audience: “Our campaigns are always geared towards children, and they always will be.”
Edited by dk66 2014-03-23 11:13 AM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Florida | A time for rational minds
What does the undercover PETA video really show?
Updated: March 23, 2014, 4:29 AM ET
By Gary West | Special to ESPN.com
A reasonable response would have been that since PETA produced the video it should be ignored. After all, a PETA video could have no credibility but could only be propaganda created for no other purpose than traducing the sport and its competitors. But it's too late for a reasonable response, and the now famous video is too outrageous, too odious and too vile to ignore.
The New York Times, not surprisingly since it habitually dives for every line PETA tosses into the water, was the first to bite; the newspaper allowed itself to be used as a sort of legitimizer for a video that's so deceptive in its distortions it would have been admired by the greatest of propaganda ministers. Various media then picked up the story, and as often happens herd instinct took over. New York and Kentucky promised there would be investigations. And citing those pending investigations, the Hall of Fame, which at this point could do nothing else, tabled the nomination of trainer Steve Asmussen.
So four months of furtive slinking around yielded just nine minutes and 29 seconds of video?
PETA, of course, depends for financing on its ability to incite the small minded into a paroxysm of donating. And the video, thanks to an assist from the Times, will no doubt accomplish just that with its sensational allegations of mistreatment, tossed not just at Asmussen and his top assistant, Scott Blasi, but at the entire horse industry. Given exclusive access, presumably because of its kindred sympathies, the Times didn't bother to let Asmussen or Blasi or anybody respond to the uncorroborated allegations, but instead reported that the video "showed widespread mistreatment of horses." But does it really?
The video is supposedly the work of an undercover investigator who worked as a hot walker for Asmussen for four months in 2013. And so four months of furtive slinking around yielded just nine minutes and 29 seconds of video? That's all? Who among us wouldn't be thrilled if the accumulation of his bad moments added up to less than 2 ? minutes a month?
Actually, the video shows no abuse or mistreatment of horses. Nobody strikes a horse or hurts a horse. Nothing illegal takes place. For the most part, the video shows horses receiving injections, being scoped and examined. It shows, in other words, rather ordinary treatment and nothing sinister. Only somebody who looks with his preconceptions and not his eyes, somebody who gullibly believes -- or desperately wants to believe -- every word from the voiced-over narrator, could mistake this treatment for mistreatment.
The narrator says: "Death and injuries are business as usual …To train and race through all the injuries, exhaustion and pain, horses are subjected to an endless cycle of performance-enhancing medication and pain-masking drugs." And, by the way, this comes from an organization that last year alone reportedly killed 1,792 cats and dogs at its headquarters-shelter in Norfolk, VA, and has killed more than 31,000 since 1998, not irrelevant facts when considered in the context of PETA's motives.
Asmussen is barely present in the video. Most of all, it shows Blasi at his worst, behaving like a high school knucklehead who's so eager to impress that he brags, with an alarmingly vulgar and weak vocabulary, about how tough and bad and smart he is. Sometimes his assertions are just mistakenly wrong. Sometimes he sounds like the same knucklehead boasting in the crudest terms about what may or may not have happened in the backseat of his Chevy. It's not very unlike the hyperbolic boasting and bragging in any other workplace.
Blasi's crude insensitivity and seeming disregard might be the most disturbing aspect of the video. Anybody who abuses horses should be banned from the sport, but that isn't what this video shows. And leaping to any conclusion based on 9 ½ minutes of highly selective and deceptively edited video would be not just unwise but downright dumb. Were there moments during those four months when the undercover agent was slinking around that Asmussen and Blasi expressed or demonstrated their respect and affection for the horses in their care? Almost certainly, but those moments weren't recorded, or at least weren't included. Were there moments when overflowing compassion and admiration moved workers in that barn to gestures of genuine tenderness and kindness? Very possibly, but those moments weren't recorded, or at least weren't included. The video, in other words, makes no attempt to reach any truth.
That's why a reasonable response would have been to ignore it. But it's too late for that. And so there needs to be an investigation -- of PETA.
http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/story/_/id/10655687/rational-minds | |
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Expert
Posts: 3147
| The undercover PETA worker was more than just a hot walker. Hotwalkers don't get invited to fancy dinners with Gary Stevens, D Wayne Lukas and other notables in the TB industry. Look at where some of the clandestinely filmed conversations took place. To me, the most ****ing film was of the conversation about Nehro's feet and the owner's disregard. | |
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Official Butt Slapper
Posts: 11055
Location: guthrie | I am not an Asmussen fan,but PETA isn't after Asmussen,they are after horse racing,rodeo,barrel racing,show horses,etc The undercover PETA person (hotwalker) was "undercover' she was LIVING with Blasi,(do you think just any hotwalker goes to dinner with Lucas and Stevens) There was 7 hours of video after 4 months of undercover, The "drugs" they talked about were lasix and a thyroid med (BOTH legal).Blasi is a potty mouth,arrogant SOB,but I feel bad for him on how quickly Asmussen threw him under the bus (after 18 years)
They have a good lawyer (Clark Brewster ) who also owns race horses,Is horse racing perfect....? no. but there are many that take excellent care of their charges. They are their bread and butter.Horse racing is a 7 day a week,24 hr day,365 days a year commitment.
and PETA is ridiculousHow many animals do they euthanize a year. do your research,before you judge.
This whole deal has worn me out...... Race horses are part of who I am,Love the sport and Love the athletes
Edited by streaknpete 2014-03-23 10:00 PM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1182
Location: Do I hear Banjos? |
Ugh...PETA...They routinely manipulate photos and video to show only what meets their agenda...or so taken out of context that it in no way resembles the reality of a situation. That being said...wherever there are people there will be an element of ignorance, carelessness and yeah...sometimes abuse. But it is far from the norm and far from the actions of a majority of animal owners. And far from anything any of us would condone.
My personal antagonism and disgust for PETA comes from my involvement with the use of animals in life saving biomedical research. PETA has long campaign history of lies and deceit when it comes to the use of animals to save the lives of both people and other animals. Sure I wish we could have humans volunteer to conduct this work...but that isn't going to happen. It's easy for them to say it is "unnecessary"...they don't have a clue what they are talking about...or worse yet...some of them do know the value of the science...they just don't care. And they all sing a different tune when it is their loved one in the hospital praying for the latest treatment to work. I would bet my left toe that every one of them has benefited from advances in medical science.
If they truly had a heart they would use their VAST monetary resources to both fund research and to help ensure funding for the true outside agencies that document and inspect the work being done with animals...to help ensure good science and animal welfare. (I work in research compliance...So this is what I do now. I used to work in the labs as a research scientist...now I'm helping to make sure researchers are educated on the proper ways to handle and care for the animals in their projects, and follow up to be sure they take all necessary care). You can't have good data if the animals are stressed. But they would rather "infiltrate" institutions or sports etc...and try to destroy them entirely through deception...rather than improve the situation.
Their commercials (and those of the HSUS) seek to pull on your emotions so they can get their hands on your cash. They allow you to think that they help animals in local shelters...they don't. I am all for Animal Welfare...I'm guessing ALL of us here want animals to be properly cared for and used humanely. But PETA and HSUS are for Animal Rights...that's a completely different agenda. As others have said...they don't want us "enslaving" animals for our enjoyment any more...period.
Somehow I don't think my little Dachshund wants any part of their "Liberation form Slavery"...she is quite happy to be curled up on the couch at home right now...with a full tummy, clean with no fleas, a chew bone, and no worry about becoming a meal for a predator. And honestly...who is the servant here? I'm the one getting up in the night to take her out when SHE wants to go!
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 316
| There wasn't much in there that many top rodeo competitors wouldn't do to their horses in order to compete. I'm not saying that they would compete on a horse with a bloody foot that was gone, but the injections and "performance" enhancing drugs are a very real part of rodeo. And electricity being used on horses...that's very common in timed event horses, too. I'm not saying any of that is right, but that's the truth. I think what makes the video the worst is just the trainers mouth and the way he talks about those horses.
And PETA is the most ridiculous organization...they will show anything to put horse sports in a bad light.
Edited by GWR 2014-03-24 9:56 AM
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 Shipwrecked and Flat Out Zapped
Posts: 16390
Location: DUMPING CATS AND PIGS IN TEXAS :) | cristole - 2014-03-22 7:11 PM PokiesTrick - 2014-03-22 2:43 PM This video didn't surprise me. My neighbor is into horse racing and when one dies on the track he has no feelings about it just mad he lost money. Some of the extremes I've seen him go to I know I'll never let him touch my horses. It saddens me to think alot of people think that all racehorse owners do not care when one of their horses are hurting or killed, I know that if it happened to any of our track horses I would be devastated not because of any financial loss but because I care about the horses well being. We are not bigtime and are happy if we can break even after the racing season (that is a good year! ) We do it for a hobby and the simple love of the racehorse. We had a mare severly injure her back leg in the stall. Would have been cheaper to put her down but she received all the vet work necessary (we assumed she would just be a pasture ornament ) Surprised us and is sound again. I think misuse of horses happens in any disciples when it comes to big dollar events, there will be people in it just for the cash and others for the love of the horse. This also can pertain to any livestock event think of champion steers, dog shows, barrel racing, jumping, and the list goes on. When it comes to making a buck or winning a ribbon some people will do whatever it takes to win, So please dont lump all race horse owners and trainers in the same boat
Agreed. | |
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 Chatty Kathy
Posts: 6635
Location: In Ky following Barrel Races & Walker hounds. | LRQHS - 2014-03-24 9:59 AM
cristole - 2014-03-22 7:11 PM PokiesTrick - 2014-03-22 2:43 PM This video didn't surprise me. My neighbor is into horse racing and when one dies on the track he has no feelings about it just mad he lost money. Some of the extremes I've seen him go to I know I'll never let him touch my horses. It saddens me to think alot of people think that all racehorse owners do not care when one of their horses are hurting or killed, I know that if it happened to any of our track horses I would be devastated not because of any financial loss but because I care about the horses well being. We are not bigtime and are happy if we can break even after the racing season (that is a good year! ) We do it for a hobby and the simple love of the racehorse. We had a mare severly injure her back leg in the stall. Would have been cheaper to put her down but she received all the vet work necessary (we assumed she would just be a pasture ornament ) Surprised us and is sound again. I think misuse of horses happens in any disciples when it comes to big dollar events, there will be people in it just for the cash and others for the love of the horse. This also can pertain to any livestock event think of champion steers, dog shows, barrel racing, jumping, and the list goes on. When it comes to making a buck or winning a ribbon some people will do whatever it takes to win, So please dont lump all race horse owners and trainers in the same boat
AGREED. As someone who hunts, works in the thoroughbred industry, and is in the horse show/rodeo world, PETA makes me sick. | |
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 Veteran
Posts: 253
Location: EDGE OF INSANITY | GWR - 2014-03-24 10:54 AM
There wasn't much in there that many top rodeo competitors wouldn't do to their horses in order to compete. I'm not saying that they would compete on a horse with a bloody foot that was gone, but the injections and "performance" enhancing drugs are a very real part of rodeo. And electricity being used on horses...that's very common in timed event horses, too. I'm not saying any of that is right, but that's the truth. I think what makes the video the worst is just the trainers mouth and the way he talks about those horses.
And PETA is the most ridiculous organization...they will show anything to put horse sports in a bad light.
I agree. I thought i was going to see some terrible stuff-but all i saw was injections and a scoping being done (which in my opinion, at least they were trying to figure out what was wrong with the horse). However, the mouth on that guy-geez what an a$$ | |
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