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Originally Posted by Hambletonian
I have also never witnessed an Arabian break down. I remember hearing about a fatal incident at I believe Delaware Park and the story bing how devastated the community was since that was such a rare occurrence. Never seen a mule injured either for that matter.
I imagine more than anything it has to do with the simple fact that Arabians are more of a boutique industry. There is less incentive to rush them to the races, or medicate them to the gills and race them in less than optimal physical condition. And a full blooded Arabian has value off the track, probably more so than as a racehorse for the vast majority of them. Not too many thoroughbreds are worth more off the track than on.
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Yes, medication, steroids and performance enhancing drugs are a big part of the problem. It's also a question of anatomy. If you get to see and compare the legs of race horses with pleasure horses or police horses close up you will see what I mean by a big locomotive running on toothpicks at high speeds. Breakdowns are going to be inevitable, unless we do what the German Jockey Club does and not let a horse stand at stud that has not raced soundly without drugs for 2 or 3 seasons. Never happen here, though. Too much money to be made from breeding fast unsound horses.
