Eight belles got 2nd in the derby, her last race :(

Yesterday at the Kentucky derby Eight Belles got 2nd place but ended up breaking 2 of her ankles during the race and then was euthanized right after the race was finished. Because the the bone structure of horses it is nearly impossible for them to survive with a broken ankle/leg. Many people thought that it was very curl to put her down as soon as the race was finished, rather than waiting. Whats your take on this?

Tags: derby, horses, racing

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Permalink Reply by Niegel on May 4, 2008 at 11:23am: i think if theres no way it could come back from two ankle breaks...it kind of had to be done. say you didnt put the horse down...what then. also im wondering if they could have done surgery like they did on the horse last year who broke his leg...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Derek on May 4, 2008 at 5:20pm: I read about that. You would think with all our medical knowledge, we could make drugs to calm a horse down long enough to let the legs heal.

Or maybe we need to invent something to protect the horses legs and keep them from breaking during a race?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by cortney on May 4, 2008 at 6:55pm: The main problem is that horse can't lay on their sides for very long, not so much calming them down (i think).

But i think you have the right idea about protecting their legs during the race.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Derek on May 4, 2008 at 8:57pm: Not being funny, but maybe something like the above - but strong enough for a horse.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Niegel on May 4, 2008 at 11:22pm: it was both fronts that broke...how is the horse going to move from left to right in something like that.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Derek on May 5, 2008 at 5:48am: Casters instead of wheels. Like the wheels on the bottoms of chairs.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by I'm sitting in the dark playing with scotch tape. on May 4, 2008 at 10:29pm: not sure if this would work for a race horse...
http://hoofcare.blogspot.com/2008/03/pony-romps-to-new-role-in-life...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by cortney on May 5, 2008 at 7:36am: humm yea, but I don't really see that horse being able to run again :(; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Derek on May 5, 2008 at 1:48pm: Well, which is better? A living non-running horse, or a dead one?

I really don't have an answer to my own question because I am not into horses. Horse POWER yes. Horses - ehhh, not that much. I just thought it was sad event that they had to kill the horse after running a great race and coming in 2nd.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by cortney on May 6, 2008 at 7:41pm: I'm not so much into horses either, it just had a pretty big effect here in Louisville (home of the Kentucky Derby).; ▶ Reply to This