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New York, 11:28 AM
Tue Nov 10
73 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/02/09
(Yeah, I know, I'm no fun. But I hate horse racing.)
11/02/09
@Kivrin: #melbournecup
11/02/09
Better question to ask: what about those racehorses who retire sound and are trucked straight off to a slaughter house because their owners are no longer interested? #melbournecup
11/02/09
11/02/09
They do love to run, and they love running with other horses even more.
And horses, like people, need to have jobs to earn their keep. It's up to the trainers and owners to look after them responsibly, and most do.
Crazy whip use (it's considerably more restricted in the UK than the US), breeding from unsound horses and producing more unsound horses, and the use of drugs = major problems.
I dunno, like any other aspect of horses, there are good people who love their horses, and there are bad people. But I've also seen a horse downright refuse to race (just the one), and you cannot shift a half tonne horse that really really doesn't want to go anywhere.
11/02/09
Basically, I have a problem with people maximizing profits at animals' expense. Not just horseracing—factory farming, too. If people could be counted on to "do the right thing" by the animals in their care…but, unfortunately, they can't. And that's what upsets me. #melbournecup
11/02/09
I'm researching some history of horse welfare in the UK, and there's loadsa legislation there. Doesn't stop all the cruelty, but it's getting easier for the authorities to take away abuse cases, and to prosecute. Also, huge restrictions on which horses can be slaughtered for meat, which will save a lot of them.
But there are some US tracks who are taking action against trainers who sell horses to slaughter, and there are rescues that do an amazing job of saving what horses they can and rehabbing them. #melbournecup
11/02/09
Unless it goes to America, and is poisoned there. (Phar Lap reference). But even then, Phar Lap was stuffed, mounted, and brought back to Australia. His heart is in Canberra, and his body is in the Melbourne Museum.
For some reason, Australian culture just seems to venerate our Cup winners. #melbournecup
11/03/09
I love racing, but it really needs to get its house in order. #melbournecup
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10/28/09
For those not of Australian extract, the Melbourne Cup is our most prestigious horse race - and a public holiday for residents of fair Melbourne. But not for me. I am bitter about this, and time and a half is not going to make up for it.
The race is always held at about 3.20pm on the first Tuesday of November, and I swear to the Heavens, the entire country just does nothing between 3pm and 3.30pm. Nothing, except for get to a TV or radio to hear the results. I remember as a kid at school, on Cup Day they'd cut classes short and town kids would either run home, or gather round the TV in the library, while us bus kids would race to our buses, and listen to the radio that the driver turned on.... #changingoftheguard
10/28/09
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10/28/09
I wouldn't try that with most racehorses I've known or you'd risk a broken nose. Usually too high-strung and flighty fom my experience. #changingoftheguard
10/28/09
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10/20/09
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10/20/09
@casi nadie (loves MCC forever): #lolvogue
10/20/09
10/20/09
click! #lolvogue
10/20/09
10/20/09
Click. #lolvogue
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