Comments on: If Packers Were Ponies http://michaelandjudystouffer.com/judy/blog/2008/05/07/if-packers-were-ponies/ Observations from the wrong side of the toast Sat, 31 Dec 2011 23:44:42 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Dan http://michaelandjudystouffer.com/judy/blog/2008/05/07/if-packers-were-ponies/comment-page-1/#comment-3332 Dan Tue, 13 May 2008 02:25:20 +0000 http://michaelandjudystouffer.com/judy/blog/2008/05/07/if-packers-were-ponies/#comment-3332 Ah! Now that sounds like ideas from someone who knows what they are talking about. Better yet - they sound like reasonable measures. Ah! Now that sounds like ideas from someone who knows what they are talking about. Better yet – they sound like reasonable measures.

]]> By: JAS http://michaelandjudystouffer.com/judy/blog/2008/05/07/if-packers-were-ponies/comment-page-1/#comment-3330 JAS Sat, 10 May 2008 05:08:35 +0000 http://michaelandjudystouffer.com/judy/blog/2008/05/07/if-packers-were-ponies/#comment-3330 <i>Dan, the first thing they could do to change the sport is quit racing babies. A horse's leg bones have growth plates that are still open at the early ages, and stressing them at top competition levels is just asking for damage. They can x-ray to see the plates. Penalizing breeders alone is hard, because it's both the breeding and the training and the demand for faster money for the horses' buyers. Changing the winnings payouts to give huge prizes to older horses rather than young ones might drive the market so that breeders start breeding for horses that have structures that will last. Incentives may work better than penalties. Thirdly, ban the anti-inflammatory drugs that are allowed which mask the animal's pain. A sick/injured horse shouldn't be drugged so it can run injured. Fourth - safer tracks. Those are some of the big things that might make a difference. Fifth, make it part of the industry's costs to re-home horses that can no longer race, the way that Wisconsin law does for racing greyhound dogs. That gives breeders and owners a monetary reason to breed and train responsibly.</i> Dan, the first thing they could do to change the sport is quit racing babies. A horse’s leg bones have growth plates that are still open at the early ages, and stressing them at top competition levels is just asking for damage. They can x-ray to see the plates. Penalizing breeders alone is hard, because it’s both the breeding and the training and the demand for faster money for the horses’ buyers. Changing the winnings payouts to give huge prizes to older horses rather than young ones might drive the market so that breeders start breeding for horses that have structures that will last. Incentives may work better than penalties. Thirdly, ban the anti-inflammatory drugs that are allowed which mask the animal’s pain. A sick/injured horse shouldn’t be drugged so it can run injured. Fourth – safer tracks. Those are some of the big things that might make a difference. Fifth, make it part of the industry’s costs to re-home horses that can no longer race, the way that Wisconsin law does for racing greyhound dogs. That gives breeders and owners a monetary reason to breed and train responsibly.

]]> By: Dan http://michaelandjudystouffer.com/judy/blog/2008/05/07/if-packers-were-ponies/comment-page-1/#comment-3329 Dan Fri, 09 May 2008 20:34:54 +0000 http://michaelandjudystouffer.com/judy/blog/2008/05/07/if-packers-were-ponies/#comment-3329 Wow, that's some interesting statistics. It's sad to see anything suffer (except for Bears fans; we like to see them suffer). As a whole, I think attitudes about animal rights have really changed though. The feelings of the animal in the recent past (some unknown time before I can remember) were usually not considered all that important. Now, well, from what I know, it appears better. An idiot like Michael Vick - the Dog fighting champ who was sent to prison recently, is a good example of how society now takes action on such behavior. Of course, race horses usually were/are treated pretty darn good - so long as they perform. I'm glad to see that now people actually question the brutality to an animal in a sport from a new perspective. It's not enough though and it's too bad that it has to come at Eight Belles expense. So if any changes actually were to happen, how they could change the sport? Could they make some sort of physical that measures bone and muscle size? Maybe penalize breeders who have a high fatality rate? Wow, that’s some interesting statistics.

It’s sad to see anything suffer (except for Bears fans; we like to see them suffer).

As a whole, I think attitudes about animal rights have really changed though. The feelings of the animal in the recent past (some unknown time before I can remember) were usually not considered all that important. Now, well, from what I know, it appears better. An idiot like Michael Vick – the Dog fighting champ who was sent to prison recently, is a good example of how society now takes action on such behavior. Of course, race horses usually were/are treated pretty darn good – so long as they perform. I’m glad to see that now people actually question the brutality to an animal in a sport from a new perspective. It’s not enough though and it’s too bad that it has to come at Eight Belles expense.

So if any changes actually were to happen, how they could change the sport? Could they make some sort of physical that measures bone and muscle size? Maybe penalize breeders who have a high fatality rate?

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