Jockey hospitalized after being kicked by horse

I just started reading some of your posts and wanted say BRAVO to the comments made by Amanda...

While I know that thoroughbreds can do well in other aspects of the horse industry that is NOT what we are discussing. The loss of jobs alone would be DEVESTATING to the economy. Add to that the number of horses that would need a new home, only those that were born with the proverbial silver spoon think we could find all of them good homes. They would be auctioned off, sold to whoever would pay or, if no owner stepped forward, rescued by a last chance organization. When all these options are full, thoroughbred owners would sell their horses for meat or even release them as happened in California when the state tried to make it illegal to sell or ship horses to slaughter. Worse is that with the closure of all but two slaughterhouses in the United States that may process horse meat, those unlucky animals would be forced to be shipped under less than ideal conditions to Mexico and Canada. The average pleasure horse owner, and unless you own a racehorse...you own a 'pleasure horse', is scraping by to keep the one, maybe two horses they do own, most cannot afford to take in more horses, even if they are free. The care of the animals would suffer and thinking about the number of thoroughbreds that would end up with people that are not able to handle them? A disaster waiting to happen, I have rehabilitated more than twenty horses from the track and I am hesitant to do it, I refuse to trust a thoroughbred off the track until they have proved their personality to me over the course of a year. I would NEVER let even one of my intermediate riders work with one until I trusted it. I have seen too many accidents involving novice equestrians who thought their skills better than they were. But this is all besides the intial point. Thoroughbred racing takes excellent care of their athletes, better than and I repeat myself here, 90% of all pleasure horses. There are rules in place that are created in the best interest of the animals and because it is a regulated industry, those rules are better upheld than ANY OTHER EQUESTRIAN INDUSTRY. You have to wake up and think this completely through, not go with gut feelings, but sit down in a quiet place and think of all the people, all the horses and everything else that surrounds this, think through those things to consequences. Consequences being the 'What IF'.

Out of the eight horses I've owned five of them have been thoroughbreds. There are many things they can do besides race. If the tracks shut down, invariably so would the breeding; simple supply and demand. We used to get shipments of rejected track horses, practically weekly, and nurture them into becoming wonderful working horses that did dressage or hunter/jumpers. I also volunteer at a therapeutic riding center and we have a variety of breeds of horses that work with the children. All other sectors of the horse industry have managed to survive without gambling, but I'm not too partial for the tracks survival anyway.

The money spent on the gambling is what keeps the tracks in business. Without that, the tracks go under and so does the thoroughbred racing industry. Without the tracks, without anywhere to race the horses there is no reason to care for the horses and without the money won in purses, which are provided by the tracks, there is no way to pay the trainers, grooms, exercise riders and jockeys as well as all the other support staff needed for this HUGE industry. Without gambling there is nothing, no reason to care for the horses at all, they would be sold to the highest bidder, sent to slaughter or turned loose to create a large, unsustainable herd of feral horses in the United States alone. Money from gambling is the life blood, without it there is nothing. And with that come an even worse fate for the horses bred to race. Most tracks are on the verge of dying as it is, without drawing in casinos and slot machines, most are hanging on the delicate balance of bankruptcy. Pimlico was actually considering and still may be considering getting rid of...or allowing another track to take the Preakness Stakes, simply because they can't afford to run it. Gambling and the money it brings will save the tracks and the horses, losing it will kill the industry and the people and horses that rely on it.

You are completely right about how screwed up the horse industry can be. I've been involved with horses for over 22 years and have seen it all … or at least certainly seen enough. However, what irks me about horseracing is that there's gambling involved. If you eliminated that component of the sport I can't help but think it could possibly lower the death rate. I bet you would lose at least 1/2, if not more, of the spectators. It's a thought.

Thank you, Yolanda for letting me know about the track surface. I must admit I was worried when tracks began to convert to a substrate that was untested over a course of years. I don't believe in miracles. I am now curious about the race itself however, does anyone have a link to a video of it? I'm curious to see what happened leading up to the incident and fall. As to the gaited horse industry...well there are more skeletons still hidden in that industry than any other you might currently find in the entire euestrian world. Though I have dabbled in most industries through the product of growing up and learning about horses, that is one I won't go back to. Watching over half the competitors pack up and leave the show grounds because inspectors showed up to check that the horses weren't being sored to produce the big gaits hurts the heart. You just know that all those people have delibrately caused injury and pain to their horses and that they won't be held accountable, simply disappearing only to return for another show that won't be inspected. But since I seem in the mood to air out closets...why don't we look at the arab show world, which has finally crashed now that their secrets have been exposed. A greedier group of people I have never laid eyes on, importing mediocre animals that look pretty spazzing on the end of a lead rope and claiming they are worth millions simply because they sold it to a friend for $1million only to buy a $1million horse from that same friend a week later, all to pursue the glory of owning 'million dollar horses'. These spastic halter beauties are matched in uselessness only by the true champion of the '60's and '70's. The western halter horse. The question rises...why breed an ungainly creature with a large body and tiny feet that goes lame when you ride it? The answer comes swiftly....because that's what the judges were looking for. A more wasteful use of time and money than thoroughbred racing to be sure, thoroughbreds have to be sound to race. But western horsemanship didn't stop there, taking the criteria of 'smooth, easy to ride gaits' to the extreme they slowed them down to the point of ridiculousness, quarter horses with their noses in the dirt jogging around a ring slower than a person can walk....gee that really makes sense for a 'working ranch'. Again all in the name of the judges, these horses often have their heads tied up high the night before a show so their neck would be tired. They injest anesthetics into the base of their tails so they can't wring their tails and ruin the 'serene' image in the show ring. I've even seen weighted reins used to 'help keep their d*#n head down'. And that is the actual answer I was given when I asked about them. Seems kinda silly that everyone keeps picking on thoroughbred racing now that I think about it. Sadly there is a lot that goes on in the horse world that I still haven't seen here or on anyone elses' posts and I've only been in the horse world for 21 years, I shudder to think what someone who has been here longer than I have seen.

I am a native from del mar, first my prayers are with rafael for a speedy recovery and that he heals phyisically,emotionally,and spirituallyalong withhis familia. 2nd track is synthedic now its poly-track,and I saw the race. Unfortunately horses clip heals and terrible accidents happen. But cruelty to these beautiful animals is not deliberate! Not like what they do to show-horses at birth like "break their tails" so they carry their tails high all for looks with Hackney-ponies,or Standardbreds,Saddlebreds, or Tennesse-Walkers. How about at a year they put"weights around their ankles so when they remove the weights they lift their legs up high. How would you like to haveto where weights around your anklles day in and out to look good and perform for a trophy and ribbon? Ya some of you may need to work with weights,but horses shouldn't ,now thats CRUELTY!
I agree Thorobreds do get better care than alot of humans especially children in this world... So for the ones that don't know check it out sometime.. they get fed,exercised,bathed,cleaned living corders,vitamins,supplements, fresh clean water,shoes, and visits from "The Doc" weekly if needed. The grooms take care of these animals as if they were theeir own kid. The trainers do also and are always on top of their horses. Yes, you have the Jerks that do it only for the $, but beleive me it does catch up to them eventually,and they do pay one way or another. They also get personal attention needs met . Its always truely sad when they put the horse down,but we don't have spells delberately. Thankx

My thoughts are with Bejarano of course, it saddens me that in my...well, I guess I would call it my 'rant' earlier that I had forgotten him. All hope for his complete and speedy recovery of course.

Could anyone please tell me whether DelMar is still a true dirt track or if they use the new synthetic surface? Could it be that the racing industry is suffering from the lack of long term research done on this new 'miracle substrate' that many tracks, especially those out west have converted to?

And by the by...for those of you that say you love horses but condemn horse racing, I wish to leave you with a few thoughts. Including the 'musical medals' played during and just after the last Summer Olympics that changed hands several times due to competitors' horses testing positive for illegal substances. Or about certain riders who have been charged with cruelty to animals suffering simple fines while still being allowed to compete on the horses they abused. Or I could mention that horses die during the equestrian sports of eventing and jumping at a similar rate as thoroughbreds, their deaths not receiving the worldwide coverage simply because the sports themselves do not. What about the number of horses that must be euthanatized every year due to so called 'barnyard accidents'? The number one cause of death of equines, all equines, not just thoroughbreds, is parasite related. Not track accidents, but parasite loads that are PREVENTABLE. So why not focus on making sure your de-worming program is adequate and your vaccinations are up to date before condemning a sport of which you have probably never taken part? I originally wrote my 'rant' in response to the backlash after the death of Eight Belles, I keep it because it is easier to cut, copy and paste it everytime people 'take up the cause' for thoroughbreds. PLEASE, please, before you judge, truly get to know the industry, thoroughbreds receive better treatment than 90% of all pleasure horses. They are not abused or neglected willfully or even ignorantly, save the rare instance of those bad apples. Don't condemn football because Michael Vick was involved in dog fighting, condemn the dog fighting....condemn the bad apples, not the innocent sport which gets its bad name by way of association and sensationalism.

Amanda J. Gensel

Very well said Amanda!!

Karen Johnson, Equine Vet Tech and horse owner.

scottinsd...are you a man? LOL Your comment leaves one to wonder, buddy!!

grow up, nicola...who cares if you want to give Del Mar another chance...horse racing goes on with or without you, sweetie...get over it and yourself!!

I rarely...if ever, comment here, but I feel that now is the time to do so, please forgive the long-ish response. But I AM an Equestrian. And yes, I do love horse racing.

Horse Racing: The Good, the Bad and as long as we're pointing fingers...

Though not all race horses are well treated, most in the United States and other major countries are. This is a billion dollar a year industry, there are rules in place to protect the animals. Not all thoroughbreds are worth millions, but even the lowest level of claimers are loved by someone. Leaving out the bad apples that pop up in every sport, most trainers, grooms, exercise riders, jockeys, etc. treat the animals well, that is not to say they never whip or slap the horses, but most of these animals weigh in excess of 1,000 lbs of the people handling them......if you aren't the boss, you're in the dirt. To be honest the thoroughbred industry has more rules and is better at enforcing those rules than ANY other equine sport. It sounds horrible, but accidents happen, the recent tragic events in racing are heartbreaking, but it is NO REASON to condemn the industry, accidents are just that, accidents...if you don't understand the term, look it up in the dictionary.
These animals are bred to run, they love to run, if they don't love it, then they don't make it to the track, if you ever doubt that thoroughbreds love to run, visit your local thoroughbred nursery and watch yearlings race each other in the pasture, or if you ever get the chance to ride a thoroughbred and have the experience to do so, give them their head and marvel in the feel of a powerful animal in flight. You don't need to give them anything to make them go faster, it is in fact illegal in thoroughbred racing; they simply want to go faster, it is as natural for them as breathing.

Yes, many thoroughbreds are slaughtered every year, but every other equine sport is as much to blame as horse racing, breeding hundreds of thousands of horses each year solely for profit means that hundreds of thousands of horses need homes. If we didn't slaughter, or ship horses to be slaughtered we would end up with millions of feral horses roaming the United States, unfortunate as it is, this is a necessary part of the industry.. The SPCA is forced to put down millions of dogs and cats every year, but no one seems to give a damn when they do it, yet a slaughter plant does it and everyone is up in arms....explain that one to me, both methods are considered HUMANE forms of death.

Racing thoroughbreds young, training and breaking them young provides valuable loading to the bones and joints that actually REDUCES the number of injuries associated with horse racing. Look at broad facts, 100 years ago horses raced more often, over more years, now we race them less and many thoroughbreds are retired by 3 years old...often due to INJURY.

PLEASE don't judge horse racing until you have spent time within the industry. 'Only once you have walked a mile in another man's shoes may you judge him.' Don't remember who said it, but it's true. I may not agree with everything that happens in horse racing, but I love the sport, I love the animals, and I love...well, most of the people I've met.


Amanda J. Gensel

It is very sad that Mi Rey suffered a fatal injury while doing what he loved to do. It is no more sad then the football player that suffers a career ending injury that leaves him / her damaged for life, or the high school student that will have bad knees or ankles for the rest of their lives because they followed what they loved to do and wanted to compete in a game of sport. Sadly, sometimes that game also ends in death to the participants. I am not even going to go into the injuries a race car driver, baseball player, basketball player, boxer, hockey player, or soccer player, etc can sustain while they pursue a career doing what they enjoy. During the 8 years Mi Rey was a race horse he was treated to some of the best care possible. Regular doctors care, food, water, treats, exercise, daily grooming, attention and playing, love and affection. I would say that the care Mi Rey received was heads above what many none racing horse pets receive. He was pampered and allowed to do what he loved and that was being around people, having a safe place to live, and being part of a heard of other horses that were allowed to run like his ancestors in the various blood lines that make up the thoroughbred horse breed. If you really want to feel sorry for animals that are suffering abuse then take a look around your neighborhoods at the dogs and cats that are abused, filthy dirty living conditions, denied medical care, and do something about that. While you are cleaning up your own neighborhood, drive around to the areas in your town where people own and stable horses and take a look at the ones that are not given fresh water and food daily and their ribs are poking through their skin, their coats are dull because no one baths or combs and brushes them, their stable area (if they are lucky enough to have a roof over their heads) hasn’t been cleaned in days, and they are rarely seen by a vet to check blood work, worms, skin condition, dietary needs, and overall health conditions. Ask any of these horses if they would like to change places with a loved, cared for, and respected athlete of a race horse and I am sure many will run you over as they race for the trailer to be moved to the racing stables.

I agree that the world is unfair and that the treatment of humans and animals alike is at many times cruel, but to declare horseracing a sport and to be able to profit off it is disturbing. To compare the breakdown of a horse to a car accident is ridiculous. 19 horses were euthanized in 2006 at Del Mar; seven in the opening week. How many more second chances should I give them? Should we ask the horses how much their life is worth? Just like everything there's a good side and a bad side; unfortunately, I've seen horses beaten, drugged and abused into performing for humans.

it's a sad thing when a horse breaks down, and especially when a jock get's injured. they are paid very well, and love riding. that's part of the game. TO ALL YOU HATERS OUT THERE, who think they should abolish horse racing. SHOULD THEY ABOLISH AUTO RACING, BOXING, DRAG RACING, FOOTBALL, AND ALL SPORTS WHERE YOU MIGHT GET INJURED, OR KILLED. INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT ABOLISHING CERTAIN SPORTS, OR THINGS YOU DON'T APPROVE OF, JUST REMEMBER THIS ONE FACT...*** IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT DON'T LOOK AT IT!!!!!!!!......., AND QUIT TRYING TO RUIN THINGS
FOR THE REST OF US.
hope bejarano gives himself enough time to heal completely before riding again. best of luck R.B.....

The only reason these horses are bred is to race and they are treated like kings compared to a lot of humans. If there is no horse racing there are no horses. Let's start worrying about human beings instead of animals in this country. too much emphasis on killing vicious pit bulls instead and not enough emphasis on a guy who runs someone over drunk and gets 20 days. No protest for that one. WAKE UP!!!

Hey equestrian, hope you're a vegetarian cause if you don't like horse racing you also better avoid the meat section of the supermarket or maybe we should just close down everything that might have something to do with the death of an animal? They're all beautiful aren't they?

these horses were bred to go into horse racing. if it wasnt for horse racing these horses would of never been born in the first place.they are well taken care of.rafaels race was just a very unfortunate accident. my friends wife was driving down the highway in florida a month ago. her tire blew out on her car.the car rolled over 7 or 8 times and threw her from the car.she was only 39 or 40 years old.she died. so my point is for the people that will never go to the track again maybe you should give it a second chance. i mean if someone dies in a car crash on the highway are you going to quit driving a car.no i doubt it. so why not come back to the track again.

These animals are born runners and they receive better care than some individuals in impovershed nations, so get your facts correct before you make incorrect accusations!

Get well soon Rafie :)

Being an avid equestrian and sports enthusiast one would think I would love horse racing; however, you might as well rename the track a slaughterhouse. When will people wake-up and realize that not one ounce of care is given to the animals involved? It is sickening to see people gallivanting around oblivious to the cruelty beset upon these lovely animals for a little bit of money.

It's sad that he fell, he is a very good jockey and 1 of my favroties but this is part of horse racing, i was throw from a horse once and i did not walk for a week.

I had never been to the races until yesterday, and I will never go back. Witnessing the death of a beautiful animal due to the force of being put into racing is one of the most horrible events I have ever been a part of! I DO NOT support the races and will never go back. As for the Jockey I hope he gets better soon, but maybe he should think about his karma! A horse is now dead due to human greed. :(

Jockey injured?? That's your headline?? How about this one - "Horse dies senseless death in barbaric sport that appeals to rich snobs who don't give a rip about these magnificent animals"???

Wake up, people. Horse racing should be abolished.

watch the replay of the race. i thought he was dead.