PETA? Over-Reacting or Right?

Question

I was watching Sports Center last night and saw the segment on PETA. The whole protesting against horse racing and wanted to suspend the jockey of Eight Bells. I think that they are over-reacting and making a fool of themselfs. Does anybody agree with me or do they have a right to say that horse racing should be banned??

Answer 1

Peta is over-reacting for sure.I agree with you.They shouldn't even try to ban horse racing or get the jockey suspended. They are full of hot air.

Answer 2

PeTA is overreacting to get attention and misinformed - and they don't care. The necropsy showed there was NO abnormality in the bone - there was NO physical history or *any* reason to indicate this filly was anything less than 100% sound. They're asking the jockey to look into a crystal ball 'he should have known.' How?

If someone's riding across a field and their horse steps in a hole and breaks a leg are they facing cruelty charges? Where does it end?

Furthermore there's Nicanor. Now I know PeTA in all their wisdom isn't aware of him. He's a 2 year old in training with a fan club. This colt just went to the training center, just started galloping to prepare to race and people are asking for improvement - when's he going to race. So on one hand people are criticizing racing two year olds and on the other they're so eager to see *this* colt on the track never mind with conditioning?

His claim to fame and adoration - he's Barbaro's little brother.

Answer 3

PETA is WAY OVERREACTING- and on top of this, they are behaving in such a way as to cast themselves as ignorant, uneducated IDIOTS who know NOTHING AT ALL about the sport of horse racing, or about the breeding industry which supports it. Making a public scapegoat out of the jockey or trainer will accomplish ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, and as for their attempts to get racing banned, that makes me laugh out loud with disgust. THAT will never happen either, because racing and breeding are multi-BILLION dollar industries that employ MILLIONS of people nationwide and worldwide. NO AMOUNT of ranting or raving on PETA'S part is going to change that- there is just too much money involved, and FAR TOO MANY LIVES are at stake, for that to ever be the case, either now or anytime in the forseeable future.

Apart from all this, the autopsy results are in on Eight Belles, and they show clearly that she had no disease, and no injuries prior to the race, despite what PETA is claiming. Toxicology tests are due in late next week, from the reports I have heard- and in the meantime, the filly's trainer has come out and publically stated that neither he nor anyone who worked for him EVER gave the filly any type of drugs or steroids. The stewards at Churchill Downs have already cleared the jockey, Saez, of any blame for the filly's death- they did that a few days after the race, during their regular weekly meeting last Wednesday afternoon.

No, I do not blame either the jockey or the trainer for Eight Belles' death- it was an accident which was due to her being a baby and not being physically mature. If she had been older, and a mature mare, chances are good she would still be around, and would not have broken down so badly. The idiots who run PETA will never be able to see this, however, and most of them are totally ignorant about horses or the sport and its traditions, many of which have been around for CENTURIES. Have you ever watched or listened to an interview with these people? They have to give scripted, typed answers to questions, because their people are so ignorant and uneducated- and this is from an organization which claims it exists to save and help animals.

In short, I agree with you, the asker. PETA is way out of line to do what they are doing.

Enough said.

BTW: Kudos to Jan ( the answerer above me) about Nicanor. It's interesting that you point out the hypocritical behavior which has become the norm in the racing business these days- on the one hand, people condemn racing 2 year olds because they are too young, but on the other, they want to see this colt race because he's Barbaro's little brother. I have to wonder when they will make up their minds, don't you? ( I live near the Fair Hill Training Center in MD- it's about an hour from my home, and I have been following the career of Nicanor's trainer, Matz, since I was 12 years old- which is well over 30 years now.)

Answer 4

I absolutely think they are not only over-reacting, but publicity seeking.  Everyone who loves horse racing is devastated over the death of Eight Belles and every other horse who loses their life or gets injured.  PETA, on the other hand was nowhere to be seen when when George Washington died at the Breeder's Cup or when Chelokee was injured the day before the Derby.  They only got involved when they knew the public would be paying attention.  While they may believe that they have good intentions, they show their ignorance of the sport by blaming the jockey and trainer, when there is no reason to believe that either one of them did anything wrong.  If they were asking for better breeding practices or different racing surfaces, then I might sympathize with them to some extent, but they obviously have no clue what they are talking about, and it's completely unfair to blame innocent people.

Answer 5

I agree they are over-reacting. I think they are just using this to get into the spotlight.

As far as what would have happened had she not raced, one can only speculate. She could have just as easily had this injury galloping across an open field.

Answer 6

YES, AS ALWAYS

Answer 7

They are way over-reacting and blaming the jockey is absolutely crazy. It was a very tragic accident but that was all it was they're blowing it way out of proportion.

Answer 8

PETA's over-reacting.  The jockey had nothing to do with Eight Belle's accident.  The autopsy (or necropsy, whichever you prefer) showed she had no pre-existing bone abnormalities before the race.  Anyone claiming that the filly was running injured is flat-out wrong.  Her trainer said that Eight Belles would commonly stumble as she was being pulled up after a run.

What happened at the Derby was an accident, plain and simple.  PETA needs to chill out; if they had their way, no one would be able to have a pet.

Answer 9

NOBODY can deny that if Eight Belles had not been FORCED to run that race, she would be eating some oats and enjoying the fresh air and sunshine instead of laying dead on a autopsy table!!!

Thank you Peta! Keep up the good fight.

Stop horse and dog racing!

Answer 10

They train the foals at too young an age so their bones don't have enough time to strengthen and they definatly race them too hard.

I used to love the races but noticed the treatment get worse and worse. I hate it now after going to  a race where they raced a horse that was clearly in no condition. It couldn't catch its breath, kept swaying and its ENTIRE tounge was dangling out of its mouth. They showed him off like he was perfect, raced him and killed him. The poor thing didn't get 25ft out of the gate till it collapsed on the floor dead.

Its an american past time and i don't think it should be banned, but if they are gonna keep it up they need better regulations.

Answer 11

Peta is solely concerned about getting attention.  They know they aren't going to make actual change in any industry that they protest about.  They used to sit in cages and throw red paint around at people and make big scenes in front of stores that sold clothing made of animal products.  They don't care about researching the slightest bit of facts.  They've never watched a horse race in their lives.  All they know is that the news told them that the horse got hurt and now they're gonna hold signs about it.  Anyone who has watched even one horse race knows that Gabriel Saez did nothing wrong.  Calling for his suspension was the most ignorant thing I've seen Peta do (I take that back, making a video about milk in the style of the "Girls Gone Wild" videos was the stupidest thing they've ever done).  Fortunately there were some sensible people protesting with Peta... they were holding signs saying "Peta is ignorant!"