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FW: [RC] "mongol " derby - Mike Sherrell

Title: Message
This is certainly horrid, but is there any truth in the story I have heard repeatedly that the Arab was brought to its nearly unchallenged state as the best endurance breed by killing the loosers of oasis-to-oasis races? I have read that they short-rationed the horses before a battle expedition to get the fat off them so they'd be faster and maybe less susceptible to the heat.
 
Regards,
 
Mike Sherrell
Grizzly Analytical (USA)
707 887 2919; fax = 707 887 9834
 


From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of sherman
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 2:56 PM
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [RC] "mongol " derby

Having had a 17 yr old Mongolian foreign exchange student live with us and ride with me, I know what he told me about their 25 mile races. Horses do die, even with their young and very tiny riders on them, sometimes as young as 6 yrs old. The horses are not allowed food and water the day before the race because of fear it will slow them down and make them want to stop to pee, so obviously they don't provide and water on the ride either. Generally speaking, they have little modern or scientific knowledge of the horses' nutritional and metabolic needs and are only following their tradition. While it is shameful for them when one of their horses die, rather than find out why (can't anyway, no vets) they will usually cut off the head and bury it separately, so no one can prove it was their race horse. If it happens on the race course, everyone knows, they can't hide that, but they really don't understand that their practices are killing the horses, they just think they were not in good enough condition. The horses die at the race, but they die at home after the race too.
 
Yes, many horses die in equestrian events in countries other than Mongolia, but from what I was told by a horse lover from Mongolia, this will be a disaster for their little horses. JMHO
 
Kathy