Kentucky Derby Heart Break

I think almost everyone that knows me knows that I was a dedicated equestrian at one time. I hope that that will be a large part of my life at some point in the future. For that reason, I don't usually watch horse racing. I've always felt it was cruel to the horses. Thoroughbred horses bones do not fully develop until they are 5 years old and they are run from a young age. Most are retired at the age of 3 years-old. Many more are forced into retirement even earlier due to injury.

Today Dennis put the TV on the Kentucky Derby so I watched it. I was heart broken at the end of the big race when the filly, Eight Belles, that came in second broke both of her front two legs (compound fractures at that) and had to be put down on the spot. How can people continue to celebrate? Sure they won a lot of money, but a horse had to be put down. I was hoping they would show a fall so maybe I could see an accident instead of a horse that was just pushed too hard, but they didn't. To make matters worse, this was a horse that they had done a highlight story on earlier in the programming. She had one a big race the day before. She looked fine at the end of the race but when the camera was following the winner walking back down the track they passed her laying in the middle of the track. My heart was truly breaking for this poor beautiful animal. I really do not think that I will ever understand how people could get so much joy out of such a sport.