I Am Sporticus

I feel that I must weigh in on the Eight Belles tragedy at the Kentucky Derby. Sure, the practice of euthanizing race horses has been going on for centuries and there is not much one can do about it.

From what I have read, healing broken ankles for horses is nearly impossible. The animals have a natural instinct to stand, and healing requires a long period of immobilization and no-weight. (If you haven’t noticed, horses are huge animals standing on ankles not much larger than your own). Additionally, suspending them in air is impossible because the weight of the animal will cause breathing difficulties.

While the process seems abhorrent to me, I am not sure what the alternative is. There is a legitimate question as to whether putting a human on the back of these animals causes undue stress and increases the likelihood of a break - but I would imagine that the life of a race horse that is spent eating the best foods, running on safe, flattened courses under constant doctor supervision counters these additional stresses.

Regardless, I have attached a video of the events unfolding, but I warn you that it is a very sad ordeal to take in.