Mary Ann Joseph:

I am certainly not Lynx. I have never used a sock puppet in my online life. Your limited grasp of this issue may lead you to believe that only one person could enjoy thoroughbred horse racing but that is not true. Your insults mean nothing to me.

I don't gamble or work for the gambling industry and will never defend them. Gambling is a tax on the mathematically challenged.

If you "stand behind a horse" you WILL get kicked enough times to convince you it is a BAD place to stand. It does not matter if you have a whip or not.

kittyweese:

Prove your point? At first you said horses only run "for two reasons -- they are afraid and running for safety or they are forced". Now you come back and admit that they run naturally. Your education will be more complete if you spend some time around race horses. They LIKE to run. They enjoy it just as any human athlete does. I have my doubts about your experience in this field.

Allie_:

Your 11:49 AM letter is much more in line with my experience than your first. "Race horses do love not just running, but racing" I couldn't have said it better!

I would like to know exactly what drugs you are referring to when you say "shoot 'em full of pain meds".

"Three day eventers take excellent care of the horses - there's a vet looking in every step of the way." Same with race horses at major tracks like Churchill. I don't know what tracks you have been around but my experience with "way racing people treat horses" is about the same as you describe in your world, x-rays and all.

Breathany: Thank YOU!

I like to "see animals being treated humanely, being trained at an appropriate age by qualified individuals, and bred responsibly".

I also like thoroughbred horse racing and, having been around it for most of my life, I think it generally fulfills most of the above requirements. As soon as the article appeared I knew that those with minimal or no knowledge of the sport would start adding their emotional two cents worth.

It is unfortunate that letters receiving an Editor's Choice Star contain such emotional self centered drivel as:

"I know first hand, race people treat horses like shit".

"witnessing horses push themselves beyond their capabilities because someone is on their back whipping the crap out of them"

"We've about reached the limit of what "natural" horses can do"

In all of these cases the writers don't know what they are talking about and/or assume god like abilities to predict the future. IMHO the only worthwhile Editor's Choice is Catling's informed letter about broken legs. There is one worth reading.

Since my last post these choice bits if idiocy have appeared:

"In cases where a horse is to be euthanized after a race, the owner, trainer and jockey must be euthanized along with the horse." Wow - when a car wrecks lets kill everyone in the car. Emotional DRIVEL!

"I have lived with horses for twenty-five years and they run for two reasons -- they are afraid and running for safety or they are forced to run." This person must have been around OLD horses. Young animals (including humans) run for fun. Surely you remember that?

I am not splitting hairs when I call out an idiot letter that chastises "corporate owners" and other nonsense. The NASCAR reference is about the nature of the spectators not the participants. Pointing out the very interesting concept of "repeatedly dying" was an attempt at humor. Sorry you didn't get it.

"Barbaro's owners were of the old guard and loved the horse enough to try to save him. Eight Belle's corporate owners cut their losses and collected their insurance without a second thought."

1. The owners don't always get to decide. The track vet made the call on Eight Belles since she was too injured to be moved off the track.

2. TWO broken front legs is a MUCH more severe injury than one back leg.

It is no fun watching a sport in which the athlete's repeatedly die.

1. NASCAR is wildly popular because it is safe and no one ever dies.

2. How can you "repeatedly die"? That is something I would pay money to see.