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[chadk66]

Originally Posted by Appy

11 years old is not old for a horse, depending on how he has lived them. I think the Planet of the Apes mentality that "horses are a commodity" attitude so prevalent today lends itself to burning horses out mentally and physically by the relatively tender age of 3,4, or 5. If conditional racing and drug laws (and enforcement!) were applied with a horse first mindset, there would be built-in incentive to care for horses in such a way as to optimize elongated equine careers, rather than the "most we can get as fast as we can get it" business model.
When I first began studying to become a trainer I was immediately hit with a barrage of advice, headlined by Rule #1; DO NOT FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR HORSE. In other words, horses are nothing but inventory to turn over. Get whatever you can out of them as quickly as you can, then get some more to ruin. The result of that system is a steady stream of trailer traffic to the killers in Canada and Mexico.


That is why I propose multi-tiered Triple Crown series and trainer barn size limits, among other things, to help change the mindset from people with horses to a horse first attitude.

I have a 26 year old mare who still runs and plays daily just like the youngsters. She once worked as the lead horse for my pack string in the mountains.
Take care of your horse and your horse will take care of you.

there is a ton of truth in what you just posted.