Question:
Alta-Chuckwagon-Accident

INDEX: Sports, Environment

EDMONTON -- An animal rights group is sinking its teeth into chuckwagon races.
Voice for Animals claims a chuckwagon accident this week in Edmonton that resulted in the deaths of four horses demonstrates why the sport should be banned.
Tove Reece feels chuckwagon races and rodeos are animal abuse.
But the owner of three of the dead horses denies the accusation of abuse, saying it was an unforseeable accident.
Grande Prairie's Rick Fraser says he has no use for animal-rights activists because, in his view, they have no idea what they're talking about.
Tuesday's accident at Edmonton's Northlands Park was caused by a break in the main steering mechanism.
That made the spooked horses difficult to control and the wagon collided with a single horse being led to the barns.
The four horses had to be destroyed.
(Edmonton Sun)
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IT
This is so tragic. I wonder if such events should just be scrapped?


Answer:
i think it depends....any time an animal competes in anything there is risk...
harness racing of any kind, with wagons, surreys, anything, makes things even more dangerous because you don't just have horse and rider any more but horse, rider, and equipment
personally, i think that bronc riding, wild horse riding, and racing that pits animals against each other and encourages people to start animals under saddle before they are physically mature should be stopped...racing with things like wagons and harness should really be checked out and make sure that the equipment is safe as possible, but accidents still happen...


Answer:
If we were to value horses as humans, say, then how is this different from a race car accident in which a few drivers are killed? Should racing be banned?
You may argue that perhaps if given the choice the horses would not want to race, but I've known quite a few horses that "love" what they do for a living. Some of those were race horses, others were show jumpers. So, depriving such horses of their pastime might be the same as denying a human their hobbies.
Yes, things that are unnecessarily dangerous should be banned, or at least looked into more carefully. But other than that, I say, let them race.


Answer:
Racing is pure cruelty.
Animals get NOTHING out of it. Horses DO NOT enjoy racing.
I have rescued 5 horses now from meat auctions because they were either done there term or didnt make it. They are sold for meat.
More thorughbreds make it to safe homes, but standardbreds are hard to get to bend properly and prep for riding. They are beaten if the go past a pace.
ITs disgusting. People make money off the horse, then often sell it for meat.
Sure, there are people who keep the horse after. But it has NO advantage to the horse.
Sorry, Im done


Answer:
Originally Posted by Ninja
Animals get NOTHING out of it. Horses DO NOT enjoy racing.
Perhaps if the races are extremely competitive it would appear so. However, here, because Vancouver is not known for it's racing community (they're even having trouble generating a lot of interest in horse racing right now), the horses get treated with much more respect. I have met a few race horses here, and I would say they love what they do, because their jockeys are decent people and don't whip the sh*t out of them, nor are the horses treated poorly before or after races. These horses love going as fast as they can and it's obvious in the way they run. They aren't laboured or down trodden, they are "happy" horses.
JMHO, but I would say that your statement is an overgeneralization (a little bit of a pet peeve of mine). Yes, there are horses that get treated poorly, and there isn't much for them after their peak is over, and yes, as Jami has pointed out in another thread, race horses are often saddle-broke too early on in life. However there are many other stories of horses that are not treated this way.
However, this thread is about Chuckwagon racing, which is considerably different.


Answer:
right, there is a huge number of horses that are abused and treated horribly in the racing industry...i abhor any sport that encourages or requires putting an adult person on a horse's back before they are at least two and pref 3 years old
but, horses CAN enjoy it...some of them have that competitive spirit..if they are allowed to enjoy it.
it's definately not an all or none scenario, but i would love to see thoroughbred racing done in, and most harness racing too for that matter...unless they change the rules and crack down on abuse


Answer:
Change the rules & crack down on abuse? Based on what I've seen working w/ racehorses @ Woodbine, it ain't likely.
And everyone wants to race 2 year olds because they want to recoup some of the megabucks they spent @ the Yearling sales, plus there's that hefty stakes money for the babies.... It's no wonder so many break down & retire @ 3 or younger.


Answer:
You are right, There are many, many who treat them fairly. But the only way to help the ones treated poor is to shut down the racing industry. People can do it for fun, not for the money.
THe abuse is mostly the pre-race set up.
But I completely agree on your views. There are a many who care for their horses. But I think its at least equal of a number who dont. So why keep the "sport" alive.
Its for money. People can do it for fun if they want.
Ive seen more of the pacing side though. Another "sport" that can be done for fun. The people who do it for the experience and fun arent the ones who will abuse their animals because they have a passion for it. Its not just a way to earn money.
Sorry to go off track.


Answer:
Originally Posted by Ninja
Racing is pure cruelty.
Animals get NOTHING out of it. Horses DO NOT enjoy racing.
I have rescued 5 horses now from meat auctions because they were either done there term or didnt make it. They are sold for meat.
More thorughbreds make it to safe homes, but standardbreds are hard to get to bend properly and prep for riding. They are beaten if the go past a pace.
ITs disgusting. People make money off the horse, then often sell it for meat.
Sure, there are people who keep the horse after. But it has NO advantage to the horse.
Sorry, Im done
Well said!!!


Answer:
Ninja wrote:
Horses DO NOT enjoy racing
Sorry, have to disagree with you here. I'm sure there are *some* horses who do not enjoy racing, but many DO. I used to work at a barn that bred and trained throughbreds for the track and I was involved with starting the younger horses. They absolutely LOVED everything we did. My own horse is an off the track throughbred, and when I'm riding her and let her run, she loves it.