Royal Ascot starting stalls

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Sandstone1

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Dont know if anyone saw the horse that didnt want to go in the stalls yesterday.
Cant post the clip but the jockey was pulling the horses tail to stop it kicking the stall handlers. The stall handlers more or less carried the horse in.
Really didnt look good.
Anyone else see it?
 
I didn't see it, but normally the jockey pulls on the tail to unbalance the horse and make it harder for it to 'set'.
 
It didnt look nice. Jockey appeared to be pulling very hard on the horses tail with about 4 stall handlers man handling it in to the stalls. I saw it on Facebook lots of comments saying how cruel it was.
 
When I have seen it I do wonder that it doesn't damage the tail/spine. I don't watch flat racing particulary, so am no expert. I agree it makes uncomfortable viewing.
 
I dont watch it usually. Saw it on facebook and didnt think it was very nice for the horse. Ive never seen the jockey pull the tail like that before. Have seen stall handlers hold the tail but not the jockey pulling it.
 
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Surely it would be easier for everyone if they took the time to desensitise it to the gates while it's not racing. I know these things takes time but it would save a lot of heartache in the long run. The tail is an extension of the spine so manhandling it can't be a great idea either.
 
mule said:
Surely it would be easier for everyone if they took the time to desensitise it to the gates while it's not racing. I know these things takes time but it would save a lot of heartache in the long run. The tail is an extension of the spine so manhandling it can't be a great idea either.
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Its certainly not nice to see. Cant be good for the horses back either. You wouldnt think the horse would run well after that although ive no idea of the result.
 
mule said:
Surely it would be easier for everyone if they took the time to desensitise it to the gates while it's not racing. I know these things takes time but it would save a lot of heartache in the long run. The tail is an extension of the spine so manhandling it can't be a great idea either.
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All horses spend a lot of time going through starting stalls. Any that consistantly play up have to go for stalls tests and have to pass before being allowed to race. I agree that they shouldn't have been pulling the tail as much as they were and I dont always agree with how much persistance they go to to put a horse in the stalls. This horse was blindfolded - which is quite common and causes no ill effects. The stalls rugs stop them feeling the cold stalls around them, sometimes it's more of a comfort blanket for the horse than has any real use. The horse was quite calm in the stalls and jumped out quite the thing with the rest of them.

Sandstone1 said:
Its certainly not nice to see. Cant be good for the horses back either. You wouldnt think the horse would run well after that although ive no idea of the result.
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The horse finished a good 3rd in a group race so well worth persisting with.
 
And everyone has slagged Ben Talbot for his actions (me included and quite rightly so) but what action will ever be taken against these people? This level of abuse is just unacceptable. I always hated racing anyway - this is not an unusual or isolated incident.
 
antigone said:
And everyone has slagged Ben Talbot for his actions (me included and quite rightly so) but what action will ever be taken against these people? This level of abuse is just unacceptable. I always hated racing anyway - this is not an unusual or isolated incident.
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Sadly, im getting more and more disillusioned about welfare in horse sports
 
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