Why did they have to euthanize that horse at the Kentucky Derby?

Question

I think she broke both her ankles, is that right? But even so, why did they have to kill her?

Answer 1

When Barbaro broke his leg in the 2006 Preakness Stakes, the owners did everything possible to try and save him but he still had to be euthanized due to laminitis (affecting connective tissues in the hoof of the remaining feet due to additional weight being placed upon them) in 2007.

Eight Belles broke both of her ankles, it was virtually impossible for her to ever recover. Unlike Barbaro, Eight Belles injuries also broke her skin allowing dirt from the track to infect the wound. Since she would never recover and since she was in extreme pain, she was euthanized.

Answer 2

Horses are such wonderful creatures. They will do anything we ask of them. There was no  hope of saving this courageous filly and they did what was best. What is a travesty is that they are raced at 2 and 3 years old. A Thoroughbred horse is not fully mature until 7 years old. The stress and strain this sport puts on these animials is barbaric at least.

Answer 3

Unfortunately, there was no hope of her ever recovering.  Horses suffocate if they're laying down too long, and can't live in slings for any length of time for the same reason.  Too much pressure on the ribcage makes breathing next to impossible for them.

Better to end her suffering quickly, when there was no hope, only pain, ahead for her.

Answer 4

my heart is so sad for that sweet horse. I'm not a fan of racing, it's too tough on them, at least allow them to mature more before racing them so hard. People should act in the best interest of the animal, plain and simple!

Answer 5

She had compound fractures to both of her ankles. She would never walk again. If a horse cannot stand, they will die due to resperatory failure.

Answer 6

I understand Eight Belles had to be euthanized; sadly, there was no choice. She ran a wonderful race and my heart goes out to her owners/trainers. I am wondering how she would be euthanized -- is it by injection or some other means? How quickly does it work?

Answer 7

She was too skinny to turn into horse steak. YUM!!

Answer 8

Some injuries to the lower leg are just too severe to fix, or even to manage the pain.  In Eight Belles' case, there were complex fractures to BOTH front ankles, and there was no other decent choice but to euthanize her.  Sometimes if it's just one ankle, other choices are available -- but seldom with two. A terrible shame, but unavoidable.  I can guarantee there was no other ethical option available, or her owners would have done it.  Her value just as a brood mare, after being only the 3rd (or 4th) girl to win the Derby in 134 years, was incalculable.  But noone who cared about the horse would put her through that pain, no matter the "profit" involved.  It was absolutely the right, though sad, decision.

She was structurally fine before the race and had been cleared by her own vet, trainer and the track vet. She was apparently fine at the finish line, but had some sort of a misstep ... hard to tell exactly ... and broke both ankles.  It happens sometime just while walking around a paddock, or playing around out in a field.

Horses, particularly Thoroughbreds, have inherently weak ankles -- it's an evolutionary trade-off to give them that instant acceleration and incredible speed, to avoid predators like wolves, coyotes or big cats.  Other, younger breeds, like draft horses or heavy hunters, are "man-made" and, since domestic horses have less to worry about for predators, they can be bred for heavier, stronger orthopaedic structure.

Thoroughbreds have no other modern purpose other than racing, and if racing were banned, this magnificent breed would simply go extinct, except for a few "pet" herds in zoos.

That would be a shame.

Answer 9

They euthanized Eight Belles because she suffered two broken ankles like you said.  The problem is with injuries like that is that horses never heal from that, even enough to just stand.  Killing them in that case is being merciful.

Answer 10

Horses develop all kinds of health problems if they can't run. I always wondered about an induced coma and muscle stim, but as it stands, there is no treatment.

They said she didn't even have enough of a leg to splint, and she broke both ankles. I'll tell you straight up it sounds shady, and I'm sure the insurance investigators will look into it, but the vet on the track had no choice.

Answer 11

because their useless when they break a bone