Looking for thoughts on Eight Belles especially from you horse people.

I have to agree with everyone else...the race horses are started way too young. They have to be three or younger to compete in that race. The horses bones are not completely developed until about age 4. Its amazing...when I go to buy horses off the track to retrain, there are 3-6 year olds who have already been broken--artheritis, bone chips, tendons, everything you can imagine. They just start them young to make the most money they can and then get rid of them to reduce their cost.

I thought I wanted to see the Kentucky Derby once in my life. Now, I know I don't. It is such a shame. It made me cry too when I heard about it. Horses are beautiful animals.

Having been in the "racing scene" for but a short time, I THOROUGHLY AGREE that these horses are started tooooo young (around 14 months old) to begin their racing careers by the age of 2 years old. The knees do not properly develop until a horse reaches at least 3 years old (hence the terms Colts and Fillies, and their bones have not matured. Another factor that needs to be looked at is the fact that the original Thoroughbred came from a couple of Arabian stallions and English mares. They became very sleek, fast, and stately. Some bloodlines were preferred over others, so fillies were bred back to their own Sires or or Dam's sire. If anyone has heard of Impressive (World Champion Halter Horse) he passed down a gene defiency that has caused a real uproar in the horse industry. Enough from me. Racing is CRUEL no matter how ya look at it!!!

Money seems to be the only thing that counts in horse racing. I
have not watched a race since the Ruffian tragedy and I never
will. This filly should never have been raced. I was totally
saddened when I learned that most people at the track went right
on celebrating, even when they knew that Eight Belles was suffering and about to be put down. They should be ashamed of
themselves; they have NO HEART. Just what profit and fun they
can have; they don't care about these gorgeous, loyal horses.
I truly hope she did not die in vain; that this tragedy will
bring more response to the problems of horse racing and race-
tracks. I have two horses of my own. I am so very, very sad
about what happened. Animal lover, Pam

I think the problem is they race them to much starting at such a young age. Those race tracks can be very strenuous for these young horses. They should be racing them once every 4 or 5 months and take it easy on their training and workouts. The horses that do survive usually develop arthritis in their legs and end up be euthanized at a young age...even after they have been retired from racing.