How does a horse manage to break both front legs like Eight Belles did? Is it common?.?

Question

How does a horse manage to break both front legs like Eight Belles did? Is it common?.?

Answer 1

No, it's extremely uncommon.  A horse might have some minor injury in both legs, but for both of her front legs to snap at her ankle at the same time is a really wierd freak accident.  The Churchill vet said he'd never seen something like that in all his years at the track... and I'm sure he's seen some really horrible things.

I like that we got thumbs down for this.  We're clearly not wrong, but someone wants us to say that it's really common... maybe that's what I should say... maybe I need to say "yes, it's very common... 2 of every 3 horses in every race come out with 3 broken legs."

Answer 2

I can not speak for this specific case, but horses die all the time at race tracks. Horrible injuries, insurance fraud, mistreatment, you name it. Look up the Barbaro (sp) he won the Derby, and lost his life. Type in Ruffian, see what you find. Look past the hype and the "this is what these animals are bred for". See this "sport" for what it is, money for blood. Two year old horses may be "bred' for it, but they are not ready to run like that. Their bones and bodies are not developed. Would you ask a human toddler to run around the block, as fast as she could, with a load on her back? Then invite people over to drink juleps and bet on her? How long do you think it would be before you were arrested for child abuse? Yet that is what the racing "fans" condone every time they put on their fancy hats and pay to watch the "Run for the Roses". They should change the name to the "Dash for the Cash", or "The Run for the Coffin", doesn't sound so romantic, does it? Want to watch these magnificent beauties run? Let's do it humanly, let them mature, breed them with the bone to withstand it, and do it realistically, not run them to death!

Answer 3

Very uncommon the Vet. said it was almost unheard of a horse breaking 2 ankles even more so both being on the same set of legs. If she had broken just one there would have been a good chance of saving her, but with 2 broke all they could do was put her down. She did an amazing job, she came in 2nd place in one of the hardest races. I feel for her owners and her trainer.

Answer 4

It is quite uncommon.

Churchill Downs veterinarian Larry Bramlage told reporters that the fracture in Eight Belles' left front ankle opened the skin, and one of her sesamoid bones was broken.

"She didn't have a front leg to stand on to be splinted and hauled off in the ambulance, so she was immediately euthanized," he said to reporters. "In my years in racing, I have never seen this happen at the end of the race or during the race."

Answer 5

Eight Belles' injuries were not common occurrences.

Jockey error may have caused it. I hope it gets investigated properly.

Answer 6

i believe she shattered her 2 front fetlocks, im a racing fan in oz, Can honestly say i have never heard of any horse breaking 2 fetlocks at the same time! although fetlock problems are a frequent problem horse all round the world are humanely destroyed week in week out though you only ever know about it when it happens to a champion

Answer 7

This horse gave everything she had, in part because she was bred to the task, and in part because the jockey was applying his whip to "encourage" her response.  For those of you who blissfully assume that the Kentucky Derby is all about big hats, mint juleps and parties, please take off your rose-colored glasses and realize that these wonderful animals are being used, and sometimes abused, sheerly for profit and our occasional entertainment.  Anyone who has watched the heart-wrenching video on Yahoo of Eight Belles when she stumbled and fell on the track at Churchill Downs, and her valiant attempt to still get on her feet, will question why we put these wonderful animals through this grueling experience.  Some will claim that "these horses are bred for this", to justify this annual event.

I believe that we have an obligation to protect these animals, who are totally at our mercy, from this type of exploitation and the harm that can result from it. Anyone who has made a profit from the event that caused the death of this valiant mare should be ashamed.