Comments for On the Line

Comment on Will Diving Horses Return to Atlantic City? by Corie Thompson

Corie Thompson — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:03:31 +0000

This is beyond insanity. It’s hard to believe it was still going as recently as 1993. I do hope that we have become better educated and more “human” over that short span of time and can prevent this from happening. No horse in the world should be asked to do this!

Comment on 1 of 27,000 by Monica

Monica — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:34:35 +0000

Everything you say is true. Being a reader of horse racing history, I will second what you said about many good things happening. Compared to what the industry was 100 yrs ago, even 50 yrs ago we’ve come a long way baby! There’s no reason to believe the improvements won’t continue. A big factor in that, I believe, is the increasing number of horse lovers who have taken an interest in the sport. As animal lovers, it’s tempting to turn our backs on the sport for ethical reasons. If we did, the sport would surely continue (bettors would see to that) but who would look out for the horses? I’m proud to say that I am one of many many fans I know who actively support OTTB rescues both large and small.
~ I noticed the 27,000 is down significantly from the 34,000 or more at the height of the TB breeding frenzy. That’s a good thing!

Comment on 1 of 27,000 by Renee

Renee — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:11:53 +0000

I’m not exactly sure what you’re getting at in this article. Are you saying that all Thoroughbreds are only good for racing, because that is far from the truth. I have know many that go on to do other “jobs” well. You seem to imply that all Thoroughbred race horses have to race at the Kentucky Derby level, which is also far from the truth. There are numerous small tracks across the country that race horses that aren’t the caliber of the Curlins or the Barbaros of the world. Also, why do people only hear of the bad in the racing industry, where are the stories of the horses that are treated better than some peolple’s children, the ones that are retired to pasture or better yet the one that go on to other “jobs” that they love? Thoroughbreds are no different than any other horse in this world who deserves to have an owner that takes on the commitment of ownership for life. I have an off-track Thoroughbred that is the biggest baby. He was saved from the “killer” truck which he was put on for a cracked ankle, some sorry SOB didn’t want the hassle of laying him off for 18 months for him to heal; which he has done and now shows no sign of injury. Chester was not born to run, but he has found a “job” that suits him. First, he was trained to be a roping horse, then we got him and now he is my kids’ 4H horse project and he loves it. There are what you call “throwaways” in every area of the horse industry; IE… Barrel horses that can’t cut the corners tight enough, jumpers that can’t jump high enough, ropers that can’t catch the steer, cutters that just don’t cut the mustard, pleasure horses that don’t carry their heads low enough, etc. Just sayin’

Comment on 1 of 27,000 by Michelle Arani

Michelle Arani — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:52:07 +0000

This is exactly the reason we started Take2Ranch – our first ottb was rehab’d and now going to his first show at Thermal – he will be with us forever. I for one can’t save them all but certainly wise these track owners would make the decision to find people like me and give them away if they prove not to be track material! We’d give them everything they could ever possibly want.

Comment on 1 of 27,000 by Linda Kaye

Linda Kaye — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:51:58 +0000

Well stated. Every breeder of every breed needs to ponder this. There’s no more place for “throwaways” to end up “out of sight, out of mind.” The talent of well-bred horses may not lay in the discipline they were bred for but that doesn’t make them throwaways. Just have to look a little farther to find where they’ll shine.

Comment on Year in Review, Part II by #3 Equine ER: It’s a kick — The Friesian Horse

#3 Equine ER: It’s a kick — The Friesian Horse — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:16:26 +0000

[...] to be awarded in the fall of 2012. These awards shall honor Grooms who go above and beyond and … Equine #3 Equine ER: It's a kick The few, the proud, the brave … some of what it's really like bei…-flash" width="425" height="355" [...]

Comment on Rest In Peace. by Coral Chambers

Coral Chambers — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:22:54 +0000

I love u Hickstead. RIP.
Im sorry Eric and his Owners for your lost of a legend.

Comment on A Gloriously Good Read. by Adult Horse books - Page 6

Adult Horse books - Page 6 — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 01:34:14 +0000

[...] ok, I'm gonna do a bit of shameless self-promotion here In case any of you are curious about Blaze of Glory, here's a recent review in Sidelines Magazine (a Palm Beach-based equestrian magazine): A Gloriously Good Read. | On the Line [...]

Comment on Not Ridiculous At All. by Jumpeight

Jumpeight — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 02:24:27 +0000

That house was supposed to have been bought by Madonna two years ago…lots of rumors. And yes there is a code at the gatehouse.

Comment on Not Ridiculous At All. by Jennifer L. Howard

Jennifer L. Howard — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 23:14:19 +0000

The word “ridiculous” -as many semantic debaters may argue- is relative to the word it’s describing or the community the word is being presented in. Is this “semantic relativism”? …well… yes.
Is it ridiculous that the… eh hem, 2nd richest person in the world, has a daughter showing at WEF? Not really. Is it ridiculous that this family supports their daughter’s equestrian passion by moving from the dreary Pacific northwest to beautiful, sunny south Florida for the winter? No, not really.
Is it ridiculous to have a baby zebra as lawn art? YES. I don’t care if you are some low-income redneck out in Idaho or a super-elite WASP living in New York, having an actual living zebra as lawn art is simply trite at best and ostentatious at worst. Bad form.

This is our sport. Show jumping and horses make us tick. Does it come from birth? I think so. And while most of us can only hope to work extremely hard and have the right luck to get to a competitive level that quenches our thirst, others are bankrolled into it. We can’t hate them for that, but the horse world definitely is divided between the have and have-nots. But remember, what makes us similar is what’s most important. Love for and pride in our horses, the chill we get when we hear them nicker, and the welling in our hearts when we watch them run at liberty.

Good luck Jennifer Gates during your season at WEF 2012! And Mr. and Mrs. Gates, call the zoo and on the way home pick up a mini-horse or a sheep or a llama or something, anything else besides a zebra.