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Re: stall running



In a message dated 98-11-27 15:56:07 EST, you write:

<< I am surprised at you Heidi??????? I would have expected more from
 someone who states that they have around (practiced on the track) and
 understands the racetrack vernacular. One that knows the business knows
 that only healthy horses win (make money for their owners) and that
 unhealthy horses only cost their owners money. According to class of the
 horse and where he/she is running can a horse win if they are below
 100%. Tom didn't say what class this horse was in or what class they
 expected him/her to be racing in.If this horse is an allowance horse and
 is running for 10K claiming then he/she needs to be fixed,but if the
 horse is an allowance horse and is winning in allowance company
 ,,,,,,what are you going to fix!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 Carl >>

On the contrary, Carl, I saw many horses at the track (and have also seen them
in endurance) who were quite capable of winning for awhile but obviously had
problems.  The so-called economics of the track caused those out for the quick
buck to go ahead and get what they could from these horses, regardless of the
consequences to their future health or even to their future races.  One
particular heartbreaker to me  was a big, talented two-year-old that I groomed
who showed a great turn of speed but just didn't have the mental maturity to
be a racehorse yet--there was so much pressure to "break his maiden" that he
was jammed and jabbed with every legal substance to hype him up to the point
that he was just about crazy.  He won all right, and never amounted to a hill
of beans afterward.  Have seen scrawny, overconditioned endurance horses die
from adrenal insufficiency just because "he's run for three seasons, he's
really ok, doc, we just need to go a few more rides for a) his x-thousand mile
medallion, b) my x-thousand mile patch, c) the few more points we need for the
whatz-it award."  All I can say about endurance is the above scenario is not
common, and that such things are limited to just a few individual riders.  As
Tom stated, abuse occurs in all sports--the difference between racing and
endurance is that racing is closer to the top of the abuse spectrum, and
endurance is closer to the bottom end.  I would have to agree.  Sorry, but the
short-term economic view on the track is the crutch that has been used all too
many years to turn a blind eye to all manner of ills.  Who knows--if race
horses received care necessary for long-term success instead of just this race
or just this season, the long-term economic view might be completely
different!  From what Tom has told us, this horse is not normal--kudos to Tom
for trying to solve this horse's problems despite the fact that he is winning.

Heidi



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