Into the Fire

I spent many years in Thoroughbred horse racing. There seem to be two opinions on the sport from those who've never been up close and personal within the industry. One opinion focuses on the inhumanity of making horses compete coupled with the dark stories of cruelty and injuries to the animals. The other opinion is that of whimsical admiration and the fairytale mystique of observing magnificent steeds race each other. I won't lie to you: both of these elemental observations have merit, and both can be exaggerated by those who don't have insider knowledge.

The best solution for the first of these is to address the problems by instituting reasonable investigations into abuses. Like any other business in this fallen world, politics enter into the problem-solving process. And like any other business those who live by corruption tend to stay one step ahead of those who pursue truth and punishment. In the horse racing industry "designer drugs" are those created to pass the required testing of equine racing athletes. As soon as one illegal drug is identified and detected, the pharmacological crooks are quick to manufacture another which can't be found in testing.

The objective of course is to produce a stronger, faster, able-to-ignore injuries race horse. This of course can perpetuate more injuries. The politics issue enters when the position of the trainer in the heirarchy of racing is the primary consideration for justice. If he's well-known and "respected" as a major player, the powers-that-be don't like bringing down a suspension or lengthy penalty. Attorneys get involved and all kinds of hypotheticals intermingle with reality and sometimes, like in any other courtroom, justice is not served.

Those inside racing who truly appreciate the equine athletes in their care do everything within their abilities to perpetuate the careers of those horses. Sometimes it's not enough. Like with any athlete, some careers come to a startling end. Heartbreaking tragedies do occur but breathtaking rewards also happen.

Addressing the serious problems in horse racing honestly and with integrity can do much to sustain these amazing athletes as increasing research into nutrition, medicine, and technology continues to make life potentially better for the race horse.

As to the opinion of whimsical admiration and the fairytale mystique of observing magnificent steeds race each other? I see no remedy for this. Nor do I see a need for one.

Father, please continue to convict hearts regarding any form of cruelty. Please continue to seek racetrackers. Please continue to bless those who do everything they can to do it right. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.