h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I am so excited - I am going racing on Saturday at 'headquarters' or Newmarket to the rest of you. (And no Master B, I know I have big front teeth but I am not competing.)

The reason is Saturday is a special day in racing terms. It is the first time in this country that a race has been restricted to grey horses. Apparently greys only races are quite common in the Southern Hemisphere, but are a new idea over here. I was so excited by this I nagged IanG into taking me along. No doubt he will be retiring to the beer tent.

Racing fans tend to have a soft spot for flying greys - Desert Orchid, One Man, Grey Shot, Call Equiname, Environment Friend and (permanent Grand National bridesmaid) dear old Suny Bay to name a few recent stars. *goes misty eyed*

Any way I am very excited about this, but it is going to look very weird in the paddock. Come to think about this the race will look amazing but very weird.

I wonder if it's possible to rig the race - all we need is one good stallion and several tins of Hammerite.

And this is why Abi is so easy to take the mickey out of...

"And no Master B, I know I have big front teeth but I am not competing."

"...I nagged IanG into taking me along"

QED

B

I hope that you have a great time! And take lots of !

er, I mean photos of the

*giggles at the unintentional pun Clive made*

Um, a rig in horse terms is a male who isn't fully castrated or only has one descended testicle... which is why, if you rig the race and say all you need is gone stallion.

Never mind, no one else will think it funny.

Good even. There go the typing skills...

Have a good time!!

Amy - Do they have races for greys in the States?

Amy's comment does also remind me of a Liff definition

"Belding (n.): The technical name for a stallion after it's first ball has been cut off. Any notice which reads 'Beware of the Belding' should be taken very, very seriously."

B

Q=why can they clone animals
but if a horse breakes its leg it ends up as a prick stick
glueshot/put to sleep

Why cant they fix them

be like blue peter hers one i cloned earlyer

I'm not sure if they have races for greys only here. I've been out of the racing loop so long that they might, though.

They *do* have races for Arabians, QH's, Appalousas, and paints only, though.

I made a funny.

Hi Intern

There is a very good reason why horses that suffer leg injuries cannot always be saved.

I posted this in ask h2g2 a long time ago, but it makes the argument better then I can at the moment.

A horse unlike other quadrupeds such cats and dogs has to put its weight on all four legs at all times (except when moving when it has a moment of suspension). Thus if a horse breaks its leg, it is very difficult to get it to mend with pressure on it. The horse would need to be supported by a sling in a stable and that is not humane for an animal that by its very nature likes to be on move the whole time. A good example of this was the beautiful chestnut hurdler, Mysilv, who returned lame from training one day and was diagnosed with a pelvic injury. She was retired but it was hoped that she could be saved and bred from. She was confined to her box and put in a sling to support her body and prevent her from moving. However, this distressed her to the point where she tried to escape and fatally injured herself in the process.

While it seems very cruel, often it is best for the animal. Is it crueler to humanely destroy the animal or to keep it alive because *we* think that it would be less cruel? Of course it is very sad. It must be very traumatic for the trainer and the stable lass to go back with an empty lorry and I cannot imagine any owner would not give it a second thought.

What is good is that the Jockey Club works very hard with the RSPCA to make sure racing is a safe for horses as it can be. They have several research projects currently underway designed to aid treatments and prevent injury. Currently they are looking at reducing the risk of racecourse injuries, lower leg injuries, skeletal repair and the influence of training regimes and surfaces on injuries in training. Also Cheltenham and Aintree racecourses are funding 3 years of research in steeple chasing falls at Liverpool University. All racecourses have horse ambulances and skilled equine vets on standby.

Actually the amount of fatal injuries is a lot smaller then you think - though any race fan would say the fewer the better and preferably none. David Muir, the RSPCA Equine Consultant said; "The Jockey Club are extremely pro-active in respect to horse welfare issues in racing and I have always found them to be good listeners to constructive dialogue. The open door policy proffered to me clearly demonstrates an organisation that is willing to be accountable to racegoers and public alike." In fact this morning I see the RSPCA are hailing the JC for making shock absorbing whips that mandatory for the coming steeplechasing season.

That was a long anser

Ahh right i see

Have you heard about some one who has made a worm for the makintosh computers ment to hit tonight
Think its what they use at
schools apple makintosh

going sightly off subject

I thought it was supposed to effect Windows machines?

Back on subject - another reason that leg injuries are so serious is that the horse is rather badly designed. Though it looks rather graceful, the huge bulk of muscle is supported by thin, toothpick legs. It's no wonder that legs can easily snap or bend or that tendons get pulled and ripped. With most horses this isn't too big of a problem, but because racehorses are worked so hard from an early age, their legs aren't totally developed and thus they are liable to have far more problems. After all, they're only raced from about age 2 to 4 (approximately 8-18 human years), and they're not considered totally physically mature till four or five years of age. I've ridden a lot of ex-racehorses that have absolutely ed up legs because they were worked too hard when they were young. The Catch-22 here is that horses are their fastest before age five - and so racing would be comparatively boring if horses weren't raced until they were physically "ready" for it.

Personally I'm for the elimination of racing altogether as it's rough on the animals and extraordinarily unnatural. Less racing. More Dressage and reining.

Yeh it dose?

Back on subject again

You think same as me about it should be band along with fox hunting badger.rabbit

They use the whip far to much as well no animal likes been whiped
if i whent into the stables and started whiping jockys there would be murder not to say they wouldent like it

So where do they get off whipping
a horse then

There is to much stress on a horse

I didnt like to say before incase i was riddaculed as a city boy who wouldn`t know a rabbit from a hair

Ban raceing

I might start a campine wanna join

I would agree, except I'm divided myself. (Though I am against fox hunting... but I'm not a British citizen so my opinion is somewhat moot).

I'm entirely against abuse of animals - whether it be horse, dog, cat, frog, or by whip, chain, neglect, or any other means. I own a my family got from a shelter that was definitely abused - we can't get our hands on her half the time and she bites and growls. I also used to ride a horse who was abused by his owner such that you couldn't get into his stall and expect him to pay any mind to you unless you were polite (ie, normally you can just walk in, halter them, and do whatever; with him, you had to wait for him to come to you before you could get your hands on him). I've seen what abuse can do and it's not pretty. Regardless of whether or not the animal can actually feel hatred or depression or sadness (or joy or love), there is no excuse for doing something to hurt an animal intentionally (or a human, for that matter).

To answer your question, whipping a horse is meant as an "encouragement" (I use the term loosely) to get the horse to run faster. It mimics the feeling of a predator's claws or teeth, and equine instinct reacts with more speed. I have heard of some jockeys who "hand ride" - don't use a crop. But I've never actually seen it.

My division on the issue comes from the area of punishment and rebuke - there is a line between actual abuse and a mere rebuke for something the animal did wrong. Horses, particularly, are like small children in that they will try to get away with as much as they can. Sometimes they need to be reminded who's in control at the moment, and in there, the crop (whip) can be useful. Again, like with little kids and spanking, it shouldn't be done violently - just firm enough to remind the animal what they should be doing. Often all that's needed is a tap on the flank or hindquarters. I've only had to use a crop on one horse, and then only because he was a difficult guy and thought he could get his way all the time (ie, not going where and how fast I told him to). However, I only did so once I was sure the problem was him and not me and that he was indeed trying to take advantage of me. Crops can also be used as riders' aids - like the reins, legs, and spurs. They needent become violent objects.

I'm also not against smaking a horse now and then if they're misbehaving... but only if they're misbehaving, and even then it's not a full-out blow to the jaw or anything. Horses are big kids and sometimes need to be treated as such. And much like with children, a disapproving look (direct eye contact and an angry body stance) and a sharp vocal reprimand is normally all that's needed.

Um. That was a rant. I'll be quiet now.

Yes incuragement but you see them
say after the last ferlon or so useing the(crop)whip like a you wouldnt belive that seems as far from incoragement as you could possabley get

I thought they brought a rule out in horse raceing that you can only use your crop somany times otherwise its classed as abuse
One jocky got done for it and got a fine but it has gone by the way

There are two many do gooders in this country.
Those who protested against war in iraq im sorry but sadam was putting people to death they foun
d a hole with about a houndred bodys people been tourcherd becouse of them been a different
religon on creed to him

Do gooders who would flood england with refugees and give them all the benerfits iv lived here worked since i was 16 while i was on ferther education paying the tax man becouse i didnt want to draw a penny becouse i can work.They had a big debaite about
it on t.v and it said that the bigest majoraty speek english 99.09%go to the same gym as me and they dont want to speek english

you set me off now