Standardbreds Horse Lovers

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Comment by Lynn on February 21, 2011 at 9:11pm

I have yet to meet a mean standardbred, surely that must be a testament to the way they are treated by their racing owners. They are such gentle and forgiving animals.  I am sure that there are some horror stories, but aren't there horror stories for every breed and discipline. I agree, you can't taint the whole batch with one or two bad apples.

Comment by Lynn on February 19, 2011 at 9:24pm

Gracie is our awesome blossom. So gentle and sweet. Although not as refined and delicate as our thoroughbred, she is the one we gush over.  Everyone loves her as she is such a ham. I will always own a standardbred.

Comment by Rick Bossie on February 19, 2011 at 10:24am

Debra, while your comments are - i feel - somewhat justified in a few cases, albeit very few cases, the number of cases of abuse which I have seen in the racing of Standardbreds during my 20+ years involvement within the sport are nil. You have single handedly made it sound like this is an epidemic found only in the backstretches of all standardbred racing stables. I am very much a promoter and love this sport, and I will continue to promote it till the day I die. Your comments seem to single out ALL standardbred racing stables and I feel this is completely unfair. You mention you are arming yourself with a video camera and for this I applaud you, but you fail to mention that there are many forms of abuse going on out there in other areas of agriculture, and general animal husbandry. For you to make it seem like every Standardbred stable you have visited has some form of abuse being placed on their animals is completely off the wall. Perhaps you have seen the cases you mention, but to generalize the entire industry is uncalled for and just plain ignorant. This is like saying you were at Zehrs the other day and got home to find a bad banana in your groceries, and you publish that all grocery stores are selling bad food. I think your heart is in the right place but you have decided to criticize the entire industry in your comments. Instead of this why not just publish the names of the stables you have found this abuse? This would place the discipline on the individuals not the industry. This industry is struggling with many other issues, the last thing we need is bad press regarding animal abuse. I feel this industry does an outstanding job limitting the number of cases of abuse there is out there, with heavy fines, lifetime suspensions and public ridicule to those FEW individuals that commit such treachery. Your comments extend right from the ORC's lack of action to the SPCA. These animals provide income for these people, I have a hard time believing that the number of cases you have portrayed to us actually exist. I mentioned in opening my involvement of over 20 yrs. and as of yet I have not scene one case of massive abuse that you have eluded to. I feel the bulk of the industry is filled with highly skilled and caring individuals that go to great lengths to care for their animals. These are racehorses, bred to race, love to race, and are born with an instinct to win. If you do not believe that, go to a farm with many newborn foals. Watch how they interact. They are untainted by this "big bad world" - as you describe it - in yet they are competing with each other as soon as they get to their feet. OSAS does a tremendous job in trying to humanely place hundreds of the retirees of this sport each year. Providing them with homes to live out their final days in peace and tranquility. Many of these animals provide a sense of companionship to their "new owners" that these people have never experienced before. These people are eternally grateful to there 4-legged family members and to say that such abuse is placed on them is ridiculous. If comments like this are necessary - direct them at the individuals which you have seen the abuse, with evidence, and I will applaud you. But to give the entire industry a "black eye"" over a few cases you say that you have seen - is uncalled for and damaging to the people that spend countless hours caring for these wonderful creatures. I will not let you slam the entire industry based on a few bad "bananas".   

Comment by KELLY MCLAUGHLIN on February 18, 2011 at 8:44pm

The Standardbred Showcase horse show part of the Ontario Standardbred Show Series willbe held on Sunday July 31 2011 at Grand River Raceway....for more info keep checking our web site www.standardbredshowcase.com

Comment by Debra McDaid on February 18, 2011 at 8:22pm

Fair enough, I don't need to tell the truth in this forum, so I won't bother again with it.  And while there are some good stb horsemen, they are far and few between, and hiding your head in the sand won't change the truth.  What is done with them after they race, the few that get the chance-- is a great, great thing when they fall into loving homes that want to ride, them or just plain enjoy them.  But while there is abuse in all forms of horse sport, the abuse in stb racing is horrific, and very extreme..to the point where I can safely say that they nearly 'corner the market' on abuse as an industry.

so take care, enjoy your standardbred horse, and I won't trouble you again.

 

Debra McDaid

 

  

Comment by KELLY MCLAUGHLIN on February 13, 2011 at 8:31pm

I  r eally dont think this is the correct forum for this discussion. we are trying to give these beautiful animals a use after racing which we succeed at. There is abuse in all disciplines good eggs with bad apples.....for us we give life after the life of racing and not all involved in racing are bad.

Comment by Mary-Joe Figueira on February 13, 2011 at 5:38pm

Wow, I don't know what to say.

Comment by Debra McDaid on February 13, 2011 at 1:08pm

ps.  sorry for the spelling errors, I've been up all night, and my typing is horrible right now! lol

Comment by Debra McDaid on February 13, 2011 at 1:06pm

years later that the same guy dragged a horse when it was exhausted and laid down to the point where it's hide was mostly off, then beat it, then put a hose with running water down it's throat, then shot it in the head with a gun to finish it off that he was stopped.  Some women who tried to stop him and couldn't called the SPCA, and the police.  The only reason the police came... they then called the SPCA who did then come... was that their was a gun involved in city limits.  The fire chief did face a court appearance, he was stopped from owning horses, then the commission under pressure from the press finally did stop him from racing.  He had beatten many many horses in this two year period and many more in his lifetime.  Many people had complained to the commission, but he was to influential for the SPCA or the Commission and they did nothing leading up to this last act.  Only for the gun aspect he would still be in horses. 

The bottom line is that while not all stb horsepeople are cruel, their is an attitude that these horses are throwaways, that people can do what they want since no one is there to stop them.  Most stb horsepeople go into owning stbs and racing as betters who want the inside scoop... there is none... or becuase it is in the family... they don't really like horses... it is just the easy road... or becuase they don't want to work for a living and horses are an easy way out of a reg. job.  Most do not like horses, they will tell you this.

When I see abuse now I simply get my video camera out and let the person know I will film them, then report them with what I video... so now people do not abuse their horses in front of me.  I can't do anything more than this, and so I write in forums such as this one, in the hopes that the more people I tell about what really goes on in stb racing, that something can eventually be done for these horses.

I have no faith in the SPCA, or in the vets, and certianly not the Commission after a lifetime of trying to get their aid, and finding out they don't care except to punish me for trying to save these horses.  They are only interested in window dressing to keep org. like PETA off there backs.

I love all horses, but my heart long ago went out to these amazing horses called standardbreds.  They deserve all the best, and get so little instead from the people who's job it is to care for them and to safe guard them.

Anway, cheers,

 

Deb McDai

Tiocfaidh Ar La Stable

 

Comment by Debra McDaid on February 13, 2011 at 12:52pm

Hi

That is one reason they are put there, but at least in stbs, they do nothing to protect horses, but for window dressing.  Myself and others have called on truly disturbing cases, and we were only castigated for it.  Not openly I might add, but over a period of time.  What was worse, nothing was done, just our crediblity was questioned, or we were just sumerarily dismissed, or as in my case I always (the commission hated my family but they openly knew we were absolutely honest at all times) was told that I needed more proof, or that their 'hands were tied', etc.  Case in point, go to the track on any given day and you will see lame horses.  The vets will not usually do anything as they are the vets for the local area, and usually the horses are living in the local area, these vets want the money that these horsemen will pay.  If they pull the horse for being lame than the owner/trainer might not get them, plus they loose their drinking/hanging around friend.  So then you would say that the commission is there to make sure that if the vet does nothing that they are the final stop to a lame horse racing right?  Wrong.  They do nothing unless they have a grudge against the person who's horse it is, or they have so many complaints that they on the rare occassion do something.  As a rule no matter how lame the horse it is raced, when you here a horse has been scratched late, it is almost always the trainer who has scratched it... agian unless there is a grudge against the trainer/owner, then the vet or judge might act.

Also as to outright abuse, I have seen horses severly abused and when it is so bad that people complain (people in the stands or the odd horse person -- like me and a few others) the person is quietly asked to tone it down if they are favoured by the commission.  The Henry's are a good example of this, as they if a horse (they have trotters) runs they will beat the horse for it openly on the track... nothing is done about this by the powers that be.  Or as in the case of a mare that I know that raced in Sarnia whom Ted Jacobs beat unmersuffully, the complaintents were told that they just didn't understand horseracing, and that it was no big deal.. this was first by the vet, then the commission... that since there was no blood that they were worring for nothing.

As to the SPCA I and my family have called them, as have other horse people on some truely horrible cases.  There answer in the end was that the Commission was too powerful for them to tackel, and that the horses would in the end just be going to the Menonites or for slaughter, at least as race horses they were being housed and fed.  In one case my husband called on what was then the fire chief for the city of London when he beat for an hour a horse that would not go-- the horse was crippled, and exhausted, my husband came on the sceen on the end of the horror, was told what was happening, and he told the guy to stop, he then threatened my husband but did desist.  My husband called as to the wealfare of the horse, there was lots of witnesses that came forward when the SPCA actually finally showed up-- after a lot of discussion from my husband, then outright threats of the press being called.  When they came their answer was that the horse was okay.  The horse was clearly not okay by any humane standards.  They also told my husband that he was just not used to the way stbs are worked, that they weren't like other horses.  First that is a croc, secondly... my husband at that time had had stbs for almost 30 years... so I guess his experience should be enough as a driver, trainer, owner to know what was appropriate for stbs.  The horse was so exhausted that it died a few weeks later, likely directly from this day of abuse one vet admitted off the record.  The truth was that being a stb, being a race horse, and since this was an influential person in London, they did nothing.  Nor did the commission when they were told.  It wasn't until 2

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