Don't bang on me guys, but I actually do agree with irishcas on this one. I am a softy for all animals. I rehabed a couple dove this summer that the dog had got a hold of, and took a raccoon that was caught at one of the barns I shoe at. They were gonna shoot it, so I took and released him. I enjoy and respect all animals. As for humans, well we just won't get into that.

I am a carnivore though. Could never raise something then kill and eat it.
I have 8 dogs, 2 pigs and a bunch of barn cats running around. Not to mention all the homes i try to find for all the animals clients try to get rid of.

Gary Hill wrote:
She's just worried some far sighted Jockey is gonna saddle her up

cowboy_bc in gray

She's just worried some far sighted Jockey is gonna saddle her up

She looks like she wintered good, so she'd probably be happier wearing a collar instead of a saddle.

Another case to prove my point

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMR_pOrsBsE

Kim , I see your point, he moved like he has a set of boots on that are rubbing his coronary ,because his owner is too stubborn to get him shod.

What people don't understand is that our whole economy is agricultural.
Our economy runs the rest of the world, making us a super power in the world.

Every one of us in the entire USA "lives" or makes our wages from the horse racing industry!!

Pennsylvania makes per year 2009 alone an estimated $10 BILLION profit from the horse industry.

People who's jobs depend on US, the horseman, to be able to provide for their families.

Case in point:
It takes a MINIMUM of 4,000 employees to run "one" race track; where is be TB, Harness, Arab, QH, or App racetracks in this country, alone.
This does not include the breeding farms, the show world, or even the back yard family pet.

This industry employs large animal vets and large animal vet hopitals and all of their employees to run that hospital, all the vet schools in the country, and including the colleges that support Equine studies degrees; and the approx: 30,000 farriers, not including the trimmers; farrier supply houses, the large animal repro experts, equine barn managers, trainers including the show trainers, grooms, hotwalkers, ect,; the feed companies; and the fencing and barn builders, the construction crews, the electricians for the barns; plumbers, ect; the farm real estate across the USA; the steel manufactures who make shoes, all the large animal drug companies and the research from the chemistists and biologists; and the managers hired to do the MASSIVE paper work involved in recording all the papers and registries for all these horses; and the equine appraisers, ect.
Also let's not forget the American farmer who makes ALL the hay and straw
for the equine industry.

With out horse racing; there would be no American economy.

ladyblacksmith wrote:Many parts but not the whole.

ladyblacksmith wrote:That and our military power makes us the super power.

ladyblacksmith wrote:With this statement I have to respectfully disagree. While horse race does effect some parts of the economy it is by no means the whole of the economy. Horse raceing could go away and the effect on the economy would be slight.

Gary_Miller wrote:
Sorry dear Gary,
but the effect would be on a grand scale.
read above what I posted. it effects more than people realize.

many towns rely on the racing industry. the negitive effect would be enourmous.

halfmiler wrote:
You are so right, and it was I was trying to say.
Thank you.

ladyblacksmith wrote:
you are quite welcome. i know for one charlestown as a town would roll the carpets up if the track ever closed. schools here would go back to being ****,taxes would go back up..it just would be a disaster. not to mention the nearly 5000 jobs that would be lost.

Tom Stovall, CJF wrote:
Easy keeper for sure.

halfmiler wrote:
People will find other jobs. Someone's livelihood should not rely on another beings being put to inhumane use.

And please before you all start going on and on about animal rights and welfare. Think of how many people's lives are destroyed due to the drugs and gambling that are tied to racing.

It is blood money.

my point is,that if racing was closed there is a sh1tload of towns that WOULD NOT have the revenue to remain,if there is no money,business start to close then what are people gonan do for jobs? many many other business rely on the racing industry just as much as the people that work in the racing industry.

my humble opinion is you need to come back to the real world.

halfmiler wrote:
I'd agree with this and add that in my experience the health of racing tends to be an accurate barometer of the health of the entire horse industry in states that have racing.

Is truly unfortunate that the horse industry is as fragmented as it is but for those few who can see the whole picture the whole thing is interdependent.

Places such as Charles Town WV do indeed depend on it for more than just their horsemen. That whole town is dependent on the track to the point that it would become an old west style ghost town if the track ever closed as recognized by their own state legislature a few years ago.
George