Horse Question? Opinions Please?

Question

I know many of you, since you who answer these questions obiously love hoeses as much as I do, so I;m sure that most, or all of you have heard about Eight Belles, and the rumors surrounding the fact that she was put down after she finnished the Kentucky Derby second. As most of you probably know, the reason that she was put down was because both of her front ankles snapped, and she couldn't move off the track.

Anyway, many people have differnt opinions on why she fell, but the one that I personally think that the most reasonable one is that she being a descendant of Native Dancer (all of the horses were distantly related to him, but she was the most related with three of her grandparents easily traced back to Native Dancer), just like Barbaro. true, she has more of ND's genes then he did, but the same general thing happend to him.

I'm just wondering if anyone else agrees with this logic, or has their own opion?

And, finally, does anyone think that horses shouldn't be allowed to race until they haev reached at at least three years of age? If you do post and tell me here, and I will post a link, which will enable you to send a email to the Chairman of the Kentucky Derby.

Answer 1

I'm going to defer to the people who actually knew the horse and the experts in the field.

8 Belles trainer said he thinks she just tripped over her own feet because she was bad about stumbling while pulling up.  He trained her for a year, so his opinion carries a lot more weight than mine, yours or anybody else that never knew the horse.  

I have yet to hear one expert say that age has anything to do with racehorses getting hurt.  Just the opposite, all of the experts I've read or seen on TV have said that racing as 2 year olds helps with bone development and that there's no evidence that 2 or 3 year olds breakdown any more than older horses.

It's true that PETA is making claims that age is one of the causes for horses breaking down, but PETA is not my version of expert and to my knowledge they don't even bother to quote experts.  

I'm pretty sure the Chairman of the Kentucky Derby is going to defer to experts and people who actually knew the horse, too.

Answer 2

No way

your reaching for straws

stop about eight belles already

And why was this the only time when everyone was watching the race?

gess let it be

it happens all the time

read about the first horse ever to earn a million  and broke both ankles at the finish line TOWN POLICY

HE WAS NINE YRS OLD

Answer 3

right on ! its in the genes! about your last question; my opinion is 8 belles was not only a filly running with the colts but a very young horse...there in lies the problem. she should of run on friday...

Answer 4

Personally, I believe that she was put down because, well, her ankles snapped, so it's obvious that if she did survive she would have a horrible life and she would die later anyway. I was very sad to hear about this, but that is life. I don't think her ankles snapped because it happened to one of her ancestors. It was probably just a coincidence. Her genes are traced way to far. If anything she might have had weak ankles just like Native Dancer. If the owners knew about what happened to Native Dancer, and Eight Belles had weak ankles like him, then, they never should've pushed her so far.

I think that the owners knew all this, but they made some mistakes.  If Eight Belles's ankles were fine then who knows what could've happened, but I don't think they would just snap. I hope this helped. Check out my question, PLEASE! Its kind of stupid because I am an advanced horseback-rider, but I keep forgeting which leg and stuff like that. Well, Bye!

Answer 5

I think it was some kind of freaky accident.

She survived the race; she galloped out freely afterwards with her ears pricked; she was sound and feeling no pain.  

Then she went down.  I don't know what happened, but I'm not going to blame Native Dancer and I'm not going to blame the breeders, trainer, owner, or jockey.

We stress kids in gymnastics from early ages.  Eight Belles was more mature than they are; she was the right age for racing.  If 10 year olds were faster than 3 year olds, they'd race them, but they're not.    The peak of athletic prowess in any species is the teenage to early adulthood years, and that's where Eight Belles was.

If Native Dancer's offspring were weak boned, there wouldn't be so many of them!  They are exceptionally athletic horses doing what they were bred for, what they love, and occasionally one breaks down.  Why should that d**n the whole lineage?

It was a tragic accident, not a conspiracy.

Answer 6

These horses that run in the races your talking about are 3 year olds.  Eight Belles was a three year old horse.  Granted these horses start training before they are three years old.  So are you asking should they not start training until they have reached 3 years old?  Genetically these horses are closely related your right.  They all trace back to lots of original TB's.  But so do your quarter horses, paints, apps, ect ect.... They all started basically the same and they were inbred and Line bred.  This is somthing that has gone on for years and will continue to go on, until and unless the Registering bodies change it.  The American Quarter Horse Association is doing something about the Impressive Bred horses.  I don't follow QH so am not really sure what it is.  They all have some sort of genetic defect if you will going on.  People just have to do something themselves in there own breeding programs in order to change it.  But as long as there is money to be made in the horse business people are going breed these horse for the single purpose and thats where the in breeding and line breeding come in.

Answer 7

I don't believe it had any thing to do with pedigree.Horses are perfectly fine racing at two years of age. When you email the chairman of the Kentucky derby tell him he's doing a fine job.