Fractures of the legs in race horses.
Fractures or breaks are often fatal to race horses.
Fractures or breaks on the race track are all too common. A horses leg is so thin, that’s it’s amazing that it can hold up 1200 pounds of horseflesh.
One misstep, one rotten trainer racing his horse who is sore or one that has injected steroids into a horses knee or ankle can come away from the track with a horse that will either be retired from racing, sold to the French for horse meat or at the very worse, be put down in front of thousand of fans as he breaks his leg at the finish line and tries to get up but can’t as part of his hoof sways back and forth under the wraps on his front leg.
It is the saddest thing to see and one can only hope the vet gets there fast so that he can euthanize the horse quickly or give the leg a block so the horse doesn’t feel the pain.
The very worst incident I ever saw was when Go for Wan broke down at the Breeders Cup in front of millions of fans. Her groom went on the the track and held her head in her arms crying, as millions watched their TV’s in mute horror.
What a brave filly to run so hard and have such heart and then be killed that very day. I will never forget that image as long as I live.
|
