Big Brown was perched on the brink of fame and fortune with a win at the Belmont today. Unfortunately, his jockey was more interested in saving his family from the pain of the mob who bet against the sturdy horse to be the first triple crown winner in 20 years.
I died a little today. I have been crying ever since the farce that was the Belmont. I have been a triple crown fan and thoroughbred fan since I was 10. This race like the Belmont in 2004 when Smarty Jones lost was a farce. It was planned that the favorite would lose. You can bank on that. Money was made on betting AGAINST the favorite.
Horses should be raced at five years not three. They should not be inbred. They should live on good soil and not be thought of as commodities. They are intelligent five year olds. They have a sense of humor, they play tricks on the humans who take care of them. I am a massage therapist to abused and neglected horses and I revel in a big horse enjoying my massage by relaxing and farting in my face!
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I’m sorry, Scotia. I don’t follow horse racing, in part for the reasons you mention.
But I love horses – especially naughty horses! They’re so very, very smart and such social critters. I love watching the horses pastured on my land show off when other horses go by. I love walking to my car to go to work in the morning and getting snorted at while they pretend to be eating, in the hopes of attracting my attention and getting a little attention.
They’re beautiful creatures, and we’re truly blessed to have them ( and labradors) (and hound doggies) in our constellation of “family.”
Biscuit,
Wish I could be at your place. In the distant past, horse racing was a noble sport and we took care of the noble beasts. Now, it’s just money.
I actually got to ride one of Bold Forbes’ sons. It was a real treat to feel his power beneath me.
What you say is really true. Horses have such a sense of humor! They are clever and form friendships that last a lifetime.
I’m glad you have that pleasure. (I love doggies, too!) My husband says I’m a horse/dog/fish/bird whisperer. I seem to attract critters like there is no tomorrow!
One of the best things to my eight-year-old mind to happen when my mother re-married (besides getting a wonderful step-father and step-siblings) was that my new step-brother had a HORSE in the back lot! I had taken riding lessons in Mexico, and I love horses.
When we got the farm, first there was Cricket, the retired paint barrel-racing pony, Dusty, the retired cow horse who would happily carry three children to the swimming hole, Beau, the retired Tennessee Walking Horse field trial judge horse…and then Tango, the incredibly evil five-gaited Saddlebred (whose purpose in life was to scrape me off against the side of the practice ring) but whose personality changed into a Star once he stepped into the show ring. Each one of them had distinct personalities, likes and dislikes! Sugar, my step-brother’s horse absolutely hated my mother, and would try to fall on her every time she tried to ride Sugar. A battle of the Alpha females, I suppose.
I have never ridden a Thoroughbred, though I’d love to try it once before I go. Scotia, I’m jealous of your profession!
Dear D,
This is freaking me out. When I was about 12 at my grandparents place in Mississippi, I had a lovely Tennessee Walker called, you guessed it, Tennessee. He was my best bud, we leaned against each other and took loooonnnnggg walks together. I learned to saddle a horse with the big T. I rode into town to my grandfather’s store on Big T. He really strutted his stuff. If I coulda got him in my suitcase he would be in my backyard now!
I don’t know much about horse racing, except from the fact that I have the Sea Biscuit film at home, my girls love it.
AAF,
You would really love the book the movie was based on. “Seabiscuit” by Laura Hillenbrand. She really did alot of research and found some of the people who worked with ‘The Biscuit” to interview. The owner, trainer and jockey were all broken sad people when ‘The Biscuit” came into their lives and he healed them all.
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