PETA Writes to Clinton About Eight Belles

This horse's death is very sad but I would suggest that PETA also protect every stray dog, cat, rabbit, rat, bird squirrel or mouse from any harm by humans.
This radical group is trying to get their 15 minutes of fame and exploit an sad accident.

There is no hard evidence that carelessness caused this horse to go down. Is PETA going to stop soccer, basketball or football because broken bones happen to the players??? This is just another radical group using a accident to advance their agenda. The owner, trainers and others associated with this horse are heart sick but it must be considered an accident. And the Obamaites who think Senator Clinton is at fault has a severe mental/emotional disorder even before Saturday.

Ouch... not good for Hillary. PETA's Ingrid Newkirk is a lunatic in my opinion. She's said one of her goals is working to outlaw people having dogs or cats... any pet.

It's about time the animals did their fair share. When are they going to start working with poor people in the slums to better their lives? I demand that wolves and bears start moving into the inner city and do their part.

All I can say is I am glad that I was not born a poor animal in this selfish human society. I guess if an animal suffers and dies for our pleasure that's ok? Selfish, very selfish. So sad.

55 HORSE DEATHS IN TWO YEARS AT DEL MAR RACE TRACK 2004-2006 So how many other equine deaths are there every year that go unnoticed in a sport that's largely ignored on a day-to-day basis? Let's just take one track, like Del Mar near San Diego: 55 deaths from 2004-06, says the San Diego Union-Tribune

Drew wrote: My family owns 40+ race horses and we have only had 3 or 4 break down over the time of 20 years.

Was it 3? Or was it 4? Gee, it's hard to remember, right? 4 out of 40 would be 10% of your family's horses. Unless there were 49 horses. Then the ratio is a little better. Oh well, give or take, it's either 3 or 4 breakdowns and hey, that's pretty good!

I guess we should all breathe a sigh of relief when told none of these 40 (give or take) horses ended up as dog food. But those are just the stats from the Drew Family stable.

It is really just a horse. THere are so many more animals that suffer injuries like that and no one blinks an eye. I don't see what the all the hype is about.

The horse racing industry is such a money driven industry that I doubt that anything will be done for these wonderful creatures. How sad. Most animals are so willing to please that they always seem happy to do what is expected of them, we, as responsible individuals should do everything possible to protect them. I am sorry that it took another death to open the eyes of the public to what is actually happening.

i have seen a log of comments on both side of the fence, and no one seems to come up with an answer that everyone can live with, I HAVE RAISED BRED AND TRAINED HORSES FOR 30 YEARS, QUARTER HORSES AND ARABS,as for the person who said that these racehorses all live out long useful lives of broodmares or stallions does not understand that this only happens to the cream of the crop, the rest eventually go to other places and for the fient of herar lets just say that it is not in this country, their are 2 really productive things although not cost effective that they could do to stop the majority of this, [no matter what sport there will always be some injuries and a few deaths] to start with STOP RACING BABIES, THESE HORSES ARE NOT MATURE UNTIL AT LEASE 4 AND 5 IS REALLY MORE LIKE IT, THIS IS LIKE PUTTING A 6TH GRADER ON A PRO FOOTBALL FIELD,A HORSE CARRIES THE TITLE OF FILLY OR COLT UNTIL THEY ARE 4 YEARS OF AGE, then they are called mares and stallions, the TB WORLD insistes that all horses of this breed have their birthdays on january 1, this means that a foal born in january will be 1 the following january, but the foal born in december is only l month old is for all intents and purposes 1 year old, the breeders do try to have most foals born in the beginning of the year, but that is nuts, right, almost every horse in the derby was nomanated either before birth or shortly after, that is why you see so many horses that are only there so that the owners can have the best seats, AGE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR, BUT THE TRACK SURFACE COMES A CLOSE SECOND, and they also need to start breeding the legs to go with the bodies, times on the track may suffer but horses will be far better off, as far as PETA demanding that they suspend the jockey, these idiots have got the cart before the horse so to speak, the last person they should blame is the jockey, sometimes jockeys don't meet the horse until the day they ride or the day before, PETA NEEDS TO SLOW DOWN AND STOP WITH THE KNEE JERK REACTION, INVESTIGATE YES BUT SAVE THE BLAME ON THE JOCKEYS, this all lies with the breeders, trainers and vets and most important of all the RULES NEED TO BE CHANGED FOR ALL RACES INCLUDING THE DERBY SO THAT ALL OF THESE CHANGES CAN TAKE PLACE. STOP THE CARNAGE AND STOP RACING BABIES

i have seen a log of comments on both side of the fence, and no one seems to come up with an answer that everyone can live with, I HAVE RAISED BRED AND TRAINED HORSES FOR 30 YEARS, QUARTER HORSES AND ARABS,as for the person who said that these racehorses all live out long useful lives of broodmares or stallions does not understand that this only happens to the cream of the crop, the rest eventually go to other places and for the fient of herar lets just say that it is not in this country, their are 2 really productive things although not cost effective that they could do to stop the majority of this, [no matter what sport there will always be some injuries and a few deaths] to start with STOP RACING BABIES, THESE HORSES ARE NOT MATURE UNTIL AT LEASE 4 AND 5 IS REALLY MORE LIKE IT, THIS IS LIKE PUTTING A 6TH GRADER ON A PRO FOOTBALL FIELD,A HORSE CARRIES THE TITLE OF FILLY OR COLT UNTIL THEY ARE 4 YEARS OF AGE, then they are called mares and stallions, the TB WORLD insistes that all horses of this breed have their birthdays on january 1, this means that a foal born in january will be 1 the following january, but the foal born in december is only l month old is for all intents and purposes 1 year old, the breeders do try to have most foals born in the beginning of the year, but that is nuts, right, almost every horse in the derby was nomanated either before birth or shortly after, that is why you see so many horses that are only there so that the owners can have the best seats, AGE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR, BUT THE TRACK SURFACE COMES A CLOSE SECOND, and they also need to start breeding the legs to go with the bodies, times on the track may suffer but horses will be far better off, as far as PETA demanding that they suspend the jockey, these idiots have got the cart before the horse so to speak, the last person they should blame is the jockey, sometimes jockeys don't meet the horse until the day they ride or the day before, PETA NEEDS TO SLOW DOWN AND STOP WITH THE KNEE JERK REACTION, INVESTIGATE YES BUT SAVE THE BLAME ON THE JOCKEYS, this all lies with the breeders, trainers and vets and most important of all the RULES NEED TO BE CHANGED FOR ALL RACES INCLUDING THE DERBY SO THAT ALL OF THESE CHANGES CAN TAKE PLACE. STOP THE CARNAGE AND STOP RACING BABIES

Regarding where ex-racehorses end up, every year the equivalent of MORE THAN ONE THIRD of the US foal crop is in fact butchered for human consumption, in abattoirs in Mexico and Canada. Some kill-buyers will pick them up at the track (so convenient...); others acquire them at auctions like the one in New Holland, Pennsylvania. The trip, which can be more than 24 hours in a crammed trailer (stallions, pregnant mares, foals) without food, water or rest, is exhausting and debilitating, especially for the TB who was injured to begin with -- the slaughter process is inhumane, especially in Mexico. It is a business fueled only by the desire for profit, and those profits are made by non-US companies.

I commend the breeders, owners and trainers who do retire their horses honorably, instead of grubbing the last couple of hundred $ from their bodies. Thank you -- I pray your good example soon sets the standard in this industry.

As a Clinton supporter I an fine with PETA writing her. But all three senators picked horses so all three should have been written.

PETA is being opportunist in this situation.

Another 15 minutes for them.

This is stupid. First of all, they need to get there facts strait, George Washington was avery old horse that broke down in THE BREEDERS CUP CLASSIC! second they cant tell if the horse was happy if they have only seen the horse once... the trainer that saw that horse every day said she was happy... wouldnt he know best? Are they even a lagitament group because they dont seem to know much about the sport of kings. This was a tragety but it happens, we have to move on... not all horses break down. My family owns 40+ race horses and we have only had 3 or 4 break down over the time of 20 years. And they say that the horses get shiped off to be eaten??? That is so fake. Im from lexington and all the horses go to farms where they breed. This is crap and this group has no good argument to say that horse racing is a cruel sport!

as if I don't agree with PETA. horse racing is a horrible sport. but give me a break. GIVE ME A BREAK.

It's so difficult for the ultra right and the ultra left to see outside their own tiny soap boxes. horse racing is sadly a part of american culture - the derby, triple crown etc. are huge, huge thrills for people. It would be like taking Coke off the shelves. Closing down every McDonalds. Should we do this? Um yes, for the health of this country. Will it happen? No. People care more about their big mac's than they do about Bush keeping us in iraq and raping our economy for decades to come.

PETA should be more focused on the rocky mountain wolves getting shot at random than Hillary betting on a terrific horse. Hello? Priorities?

p.s. Did Obama get a letter?

PETA is using this situation as a teachable moment to promote their concern about the dangers of horse racing. I agree fully

We are forgetting that a beautiful animal has lost it's life. Regardless where you stand in politics, whether you eat meat or hug a tree..no one can dispute the loss of a magnificent animal. How many of us has had to look into the face of one of our animals and watch them take their final breath because of some illness, old age or injury. I am appalled that the jockey could just walk away. That is what I am the most upset about. I am not for or against racing...however I am all in favor of loving the animals we share this Earth with. God created us to have dominion over the animals, but cruelty and turning a blind eye to suffering is not dominion it is selfishness and disgusting. I hope when that jockey takes his final breath in his old age, he has someone to hold his hand and love him. All living beings deserve that from the ones they love and care about. Rest in Peace Eight Belles, you did your job.

Hillary file this letter, put it on your to do list for after.........
WE solve the food crisis.
The terrorist threats
The torture issue at Gitmo and elsewhere.
The Iraq war and the Afghan war.
The gas gouging going on at breakneck speed.
The whipping of the middle class....etc

And this is why despite the fact that I adore animals, I haven't ever been able to, in good faith, contribute to any of the animal-based charities. The preening self-righteousness of such groups serves to make them almost universally reviled as a bunch of wild-eyed crusaders whose goals and aspirations are far divorced from logic.