Is Horse Racing Inhumane?
PAMELAANDERSON.COM: A long time ago, Bo Derek made a movie called 10. She still catches your eye, so when Larry King included her on a panel Tuesday night, I gave the remote a rest.
Also on hand were the famously overexposed former Columbus Zoo director Jack Hanna and a spokeswoman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The topic: What to do about horse racing.
In the wake of Barbaro's death, some say the sport is inhumane, that maybe it's not such a good thing to saddle up these beautiful animals and send them galloping around for our wagering pleasure.
The whipping of the horses is what's always struck me, but Derek, who apparently has some expertise on the subject, said it doesn't really hurt ("only stings a little") and that it's mainly just for rhythm. Whatever else she said, it wasn't memorable enough to stick, especially after midnight.
Still, where exactly is the upside of this sport, especially for the horse? It can't spend its winnings. It can't go on Letterman. All it can hope for (can horses hope?) is that one of its spindly legs doesn't snap like a twig under the strain, as Barbaro's did, resulting in his demise.
Can't say I've ever been a big fan of horse racing. I don't want to watch a sport where the winner can't be interviewed. I'm not saying ban it, but Barbaro's tragic end is a fairly compelling reason not to support it.
As the panel discussion droned on, I tended to side with the woman from PETA.
Put it this way: Not that there's anything wrong with attending horse races, but after what happened to Barbaro, I sleep better knowing that I don't.
***
Also on hand were the famously overexposed former Columbus Zoo director Jack Hanna and a spokeswoman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The topic: What to do about horse racing.
In the wake of Barbaro's death, some say the sport is inhumane, that maybe it's not such a good thing to saddle up these beautiful animals and send them galloping around for our wagering pleasure.
The whipping of the horses is what's always struck me, but Derek, who apparently has some expertise on the subject, said it doesn't really hurt ("only stings a little") and that it's mainly just for rhythm. Whatever else she said, it wasn't memorable enough to stick, especially after midnight.
Still, where exactly is the upside of this sport, especially for the horse? It can't spend its winnings. It can't go on Letterman. All it can hope for (can horses hope?) is that one of its spindly legs doesn't snap like a twig under the strain, as Barbaro's did, resulting in his demise.
Can't say I've ever been a big fan of horse racing. I don't want to watch a sport where the winner can't be interviewed. I'm not saying ban it, but Barbaro's tragic end is a fairly compelling reason not to support it.
As the panel discussion droned on, I tended to side with the woman from PETA.
Put it this way: Not that there's anything wrong with attending horse races, but after what happened to Barbaro, I sleep better knowing that I don't.
***
posted by Ronnie Rocket @ 2:16 AM
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