Sorry if you see this twice :)

[socraticomatic]

If you're not familiar with jumps racing, it's a blood sport within the horse racing industry in which horses are made to jump metre (3.3') high fences at high speed, and in which the fatal injury of horses is not only a regular occurrence, but is expected and accepted.

During the Warrnambool racing carnival (Victoria, Australia) last week three

Comments

[ilikerivers]

Did you read that the trainer 'Butch' is being charged?

I really hope the ban stays, it's so cruel, it's even crueller than racing. Apparently the horses won't be able to be re-habbed (due to how they are trained: out of control, rushing fences, they will mostly be too dangerous to be ridden and/or have too many injuries) but homes are being found through a race-horse re-homing organisation. I can look it up if you like? I've been following this pretty closely.

[socraticomatic]

No, who is Butch? (I'm not good with news in general lately, unless I happen to catch it on AM radio.)

I keep reading letters-to-the-editor and that sort of thing from people who work in the industry, syaing that what needs to happen is to make the fences HIGHER. So that horses run more slowly towards them. Nevermind the jockeys who are coaxing the horses to go faster higher faster.

[ilikerivers]

Butch is the trainer who threatened to get someone to shoot his horses and then send their heads to the Racing Commission(?). I don't watch news either but follow the equestrian communities and a Vic horse forum and it was there

[ilikerivers]

http://www.standard.net.au/news/local/news/general/trainer-must-explain-horse-head-threat/1508977.aspx

http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2009/05/078.shtml

http://www.standard.net.au/news/local/news/general/trainer-charged-over-angry-horse-head-carnival-outburst/1510111.aspx

http://www.standard.net.au/news/local/news/general/trainer-must-explain-horse-head-threat/1508977.aspx

http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2009/05/086.shtml