I was upset by peta saying that she had to have been injured prior to the race and they ran her anyway, if its anything like when i was a groom for harness racing, they have pre-race vet checks, after race, checks, etc. It brought me to tears that such a wonderful filly was lost, another Ruffian in the making and just as tragic. Congrats to Big Brown (named after UPS , how funny) He seems to be a really nice horse, would love to see a TC winner this year!!
ps. I think PETA pushes things way to far at times going way beyond the rediculous.
TB legs can be perplexing at times. That is very cool that you are going to vet school. I hope you become an awesome vet. Are you going to do Large animal, small animal or both?
You always have to be “on” your horses all the time. Watch them every time they go to the track, walk on the hot walker, walking back from being worked and hope you have a very knowledgeable rider who can tell you IF they feel something. They must also be conditioned.
Last yr at our local track on opening day, there was a horse that snapped both front legs right in front me as he passed the finish line. The track was deep and very tiring and you could see the horse was having a hard time and was very tired by the time he hit the finish line. I ran out to keep the horse’s head down and to keep him from trying to get up in front of everyone till the gate crew arrived and took over. I got yelled at for doing that, but it was just pure instinct to go out and do that. It wasn’t 20 ft away from me and it was just awful. I still picture it in my mind.
In the winter time when my horses were off from the track, I would keep them stalled(after being out in pasture for 2 months) at the local fairgrounds because there was indoor arena to ride in. It is a thrill to gallop around on a TB. Granted I was using a light weight western saddle, but it was still awesome. The mares liked the change and it got them back into condition without all the stress of the track environment.
We miss our girls, but they are doing awesome in their new home getting bred to some very nice Warmbloods. Both stallions are from Iron Springs Farm on the East Coast. Can’t wait to see those babies next yr.
I agree, no more broken leg subjects. Way to sad and depressing 
This is why I have stopped training racehorses and sold all of my TB mares and my racing tack. I have one TB filly that is a yearling and she is supposed to go to Southern California at the end of this yr when I go down to watch Breeder’s Cup. I am “on the fence” as to weather I should keep her and learn english or sell her so she can do what she was bred to do. I am supposed to be bringing back a weanling Tizbud(full little brother to Tiznow) colt that I will keep for a yr and get him broke in the fall and drop him off at Harris Ranch for further training when I go back in 09 for Breeder’s Cup. My partner will keep rotating babies with me and I get to stay involved without doing the race training. But I will still be attached to them after having them each for a yr. So, we’ll see how it goes
How fun with the babies, weanies are my favorite.
Im going into equine exclusive practice when I graduate. Ultimate plan is to do a surgical residency and specialize in equine orthopedic surgery, TB legs will be my life 