Grand National and Racing Yards

Mrs D123 - why on earth do you think I object to stable staff enjoying their work?

My overall question, I thought was a fairly straightforward one.

I think you would be surprised at how many owners 'walk away' from ownership of a racehorse - chuck enough money at some problems and they disappear.

Does anyone have a figure on how many thoroughbreds are produced/bred each year as fodder for the racing industry?
 
pip6 said:
Welfare of horses is frequently compromised when driven by money & the need to win. Look as the rolkur debate, group vii countries abusing endurance horses, training techniques in sj such as rapping, glass in boots etc. It doesn't mean all yards are bad, & it's good you acknowledge that. We are currently in discussion with a trainer about possibly buying one of their failures at only 4 years old. They have come across as very honest, caring people with only the horses interests driving their decision. To be frank we are very impressed with them. They are not a big name, but are very genuine.
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I'm so pleased that there are plenty of 'good news' stories out there. I know that there are some very genuine and kind trainers and producers of horses.

And yes, we can point an accusing finger at ALL horse sports, especially where big prize money and stud fees are concerned. I suppose my main 'gribble' is within racing there seems to be a huge number of horses bred for the job, but so many of them, if not successful, just disappear off the radar. It appears to me, at times to be a rather 'chew em up, and spit em out' sort of attitude. Hey ho.
 
I know just a couple of racehorse trainers, one whom I would term 'ruthless' in his attitude to failed racehorse, HOWEVER I suppose that responsibility lies ultimately with the owner. I agree that trainers can get a bad name through the actions of their owners.
The other trainer I know is lovely, both he and his wife care hugely for the horses in their charge and have no qualms about telling the owners when they feel their horses shouldn't run, no matter how keen the owners are to go ahead.
I also have had 4 ex racehorse from different trainers. Without exception I can say that these horses came to us in beautiful condition and with lovely kind happy dispositions. 2 in particular have a real kind and trusting disposition and a genuine love of humans that can only have come from the very best of handling.
 
Everyone is entitled to their opinion but as soon as I read the OP, I did just think are you here to start a forum rant!
 
OP, I understand your concerns, I really do. Well done for taking responsibility for his life after racing. I'm on my third ex-racer - they can make wonderful riding horses. I adore mine.
But I bought my current horse from a nice yard where the staff were great and I didn't see anything to be concerned about when I went to the yard. In fact all three of mine have come to me straight from the trainers and they have all been good yards, well run with nice staff. However I'm sure, like all equestrian establishments, there are some bad ones and it sounds like you managed to find one. But it's important to remember that they're not all like that. What activities do you do with your horse now?
 
littleshetland said:
Mrs D123 - why on earth do you think I object to stable staff enjoying their work?

Does anyone have a figure on how many thoroughbreds are produced/bred each year as fodder for the racing industry?
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Your quote: "those that enjoy or have enjoyed the cosy, cliquey bonhomie that working on these yards rewards you with. Yes, of course the yard you worked on was great, of course the horses you cared for wanted for nothing... " unquote
............. what is so bad that people who know something about racing enjoy it and work as a team?
1] your comment about cliques and so on, "fodder for the racing industry, comments like these show a fair degree of antagonism but little reasoning.
2] Yes there are figures produced for animal registered at Weatherby's, there are more stats for racehorses than for anything else.
3] fodder for racehorses is grass, hay, and oats, just like your horse eats.
4] It is an industry which employs up to 22 thousand people in the UK. Science and research funded by the racing industry is disseminated to all horse owners via various channels. It is among the biggest industries in the UK and horses bred here are sent all over the world. I am really not sure why you are so antagonistic towards the people involved.
There will be bad apples in every barrel, nobody denies that, but there are more controls and channels for complaint than for the fly grazing travellers cobs irresponsibly bred, or hammered at speed on illegal road races, why don't you complain about them?

http://www.britishhorseracing.com/i...Impact_of_British_Racing_Study_(26.05.06).pdf
 
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We have two in training and see them at the yard at least twice a week - as an owner you have the ultimate responsibility of placing your horse in a yard which takes care of them properly - that you failed your horse by sticking it in a crap yard, and then rescued it and left presumably a yard full without taking action just demonstrates your own poor judgement and decision making. Your reference to PETA as a justification for your argument is very telling...
 
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Mrs D123 -
What is so bad about people who work in the racing industry and enjoy it ? I have no problem with it at all - I know from personal experience (worked in a racing yard) how cliquey and close it is. I have been there. I have no problem with that - how you interpret my words is up to you, but as this is a public forum I feel compelled to clarify my earlier statement.

Yes - I know Weatherby's have all the stats - I'm very pleased you know that too.

I'm so glad you pointed out to me that horses eat grass, hay and oats - thank you.

I certainly agree with you that the overbreeding of 'gypsy cobs', fly grazing, neglect etc is a problem., I believe that has been discussed (and will be discussed) on this forum, probably on a different thread and under the appropriate heading.

I was under the impression that this forum was a place for measured debate where we can exchange points of view, ideas and experiences. I'm sorry you find an opposing view point to your own so disagreeable.

You are quite right - there certainly are bad apples in every barrel.
 
I hate these threads as you get a op spouting about racing but never mentions who their horse was trained by, if they feel that strongly they should put a complaint to the BHA about the trainer and stating why. And most trainers get tarnish with the same brush from some people on here. Racehorses like most horses are not angels, just horses, some tolerate or thrive on their daily routine, some do not. Mine like a regular routine. And justabob your ex racer is bootiful. :D
 
Echo Bravo said:
I hate these threads as you get a op spouting about racing but never mentions who their horse was trained by, if they feel that strongly they should put a complaint to the BHA about the trainer and stating why. And most trainers get tarnish with the same brush from some people on here. Racehorses like most horses are not angels, just horses, some tolerate or thrive on their daily routine, some do not. Mine like a regular routine. And justabob your ex racer is bootiful. :D
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Thank you EB, completely agree with your post. If there is an issue report it, whinging on here is not helping other horses in the yard that the OP has described.
 
Him_Indoors said:
Have a quick look at this folks ......

http://blog.peta.org.uk/2014/04/the-grand-national-8-things-they-dont-tell-you-about-horse-racing/
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Them again! They are the biggest sensationalists around. The information they spout is not substantiated. Many horses die every day in paddock accidents. A friend recently lost hers when it crashed the fence goofing around in his paddock.

Firstly can I ask to what extent is your equine knowledge? It sounds as if you may have limited knowledge.

Over the years I've worked in quite a few racing yards and have never seen horses deliberately I'll treated. Some of the places they have lived in leave much to be desired in that they aren't the pretty stable blocks you sometimes see. The horses have been well fed, rugged, carefully trained after all being a business the trainer doesn't want to lose clients, he wants the horses to give their best when racing.

Going back to the PETA list. Jockeys are limited as to how many times they may use the whip, here in NZ the whip is short and padded. That movie strip is extremely old, like well over 100 years.

They are NOT full of drugs, only an idiot would drug the horse as winners are drug tested!

Many leisure horses also become food either dog food or for human consumption. Depends where/who they land up with.

I do agree with you that racehorses ten to be ridden too young, but many are not adversely affected by this work. Research shows that bone density increases with work, and when reading posts on this forum there are many young horses that suffer from problems despite just living in their paddocks growing. There are also many elderly racehorses (20yrs) or more. I had several in their 20's in my riding school.

Horses receive veterinary care the moment it is needed, they are too valuable to be neglected.

It's good that you have retired your horse but be aware your horse could be racing around the paddock tomorrow and crash into the fence, or slip over in the paddock and break a leg.

To be honest I see more horses suffering from inexperienced handling and excessive feeding.
 
I haven't read all the replies so this is a reply to the OP.

I work in racing and I have to agree that some yards are horrible to their horses, though I haven't worked in one (all trainers, bar one, I've worked for have loved their horses and they've been looked after extremely well and I have seen people sacked for being mean to the horses) I have seen a lot of things out on the heath. I currently work in a small yard where it's just me, the trainer, his wife and a girl who helps one weekday and weekends and the horses are spoilt rotten. They get everything they could want! Unlimited amounts of mints, carrots, cuddles and kisses! They all come home from the gallops bucking and bouncing around, we don't tell them off (obviously unless they get a bit too silly) they're just happy and allowed to show it :) Even as our yard gets bigger I can't ever see that changing, we all love every horse here and are always getting comments from owners and other people about how well they look and how happy they are. They always run well and come back bouncing after their runs, we've only had a handful of winners in small races but you'd think we'd won the Grand National every time everyone was so happy!

To be honest there are a lot more yards like this than people think but there are the few that shouldn't be allowed to have horses. When we're out riding on the heath we see a lot of other trainers horses out and if ever we see someone being horrible to a horse my boss makes it known that they're being out of order. He's even shouted at a fair few people who he doesn't even know for being nasty to a horse and generally the person being horrible gets embarrassed and stops it. I've seen other people do it too, not just my boss, so there are people who stick up for and care about the horses, even the ones they don't know.
 
OP as far as I can see you have still not answered the question of whether you have reported the trainer and your concerns to the appropriate authorities?
If you haven't you should perhaps spend some time doing that rather than making vague and pointless accusations about the world of racing on here!
 
For what its worth, the horse that won yesterday has a fantastic life, I know the trainer and have visited the yard and all his go out in the field all day every day, in fact he has two in full training who live out 24/7 as they are happier there. They are all happy well mannered horses and he makes absolutely sure they go to lovely homes when they retire. Ive seen a lot of what Id call neglect of horses but they have all been in livery yards. I can't stand this sort of sweeping generalisation of racing/racing yards being in some way cruel.
 
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