The ugly underside of our favorite sport...

[cj]

Originally Posted by Mulerider

Yes. And the catfighting on social media is beyond ridiculous. I'm still waiting on an industry entity with clout to put the hammer down on Boyd Gaming, whose intransigence on enforcing its own slaughter policy is the source of this mess. Delta management must be thrilled with the Paulick article, since it takes the focus off their own negligence.

Well said. Forgetting all the fighting going on currently, the horses were still cast aside for a nominal fee and were going to be slaughtered.

[Mulerider]

Fourteen days since the end of the Fairgrounds meet, and six FG runners are in Thompson's Kill Lot right now.

[zawaaa]

the ugly underside of our favorite sport, indeed

[Denny]

If you stop to really think.

Between the "Ugly Underside" and the "Ugly Frontside"- like fatal breakdowns right in front of the fans, not to mention all the other stuff going on on the backside, it's somewhat surprising that this "sport" continues to even exist.

[cutchemist42]

Originally Posted by Denny

If you stop to really think.

Between the "Ugly Underside" and the "Ugly Frontside"- like fatal breakdowns right in front of the fans, not to mention all the other stuff going on on the backside, it's somewhat surprising that this "sport" continues to even exist.

I dont think the sport has a future really despite liking it. The same reasons greyhound racing is being phased out applies as equally to horse racing.

Im surprised there doesnt exist a Blackfish-esque documentary yet.

[Fager Fan]

Originally Posted by Mulerider

Fourteen days since the end of the Fairgrounds meet, and six FG runners are in Thompson's Kill Lot right now.

Are you sure they're former FG runners? I looked one up and he didn't race last at FG, and one is a 2yo unraced horse.

This has been the problem with Dina and her fans, a lack of accuracy and accountability. Like Dina tweeting about 3 horses going to some person in Indiana, but no identification of which 3 they are.

What happened to the pretty gray horse that everyone was clamoring over? There is no sign of him, no picture of him in the 29 photos that were supposedly taken of all the horses there just a week or so ago. No announcement of who he went to. Where is the pregnant mare who was supposedly about to give birth in late Feb? The explanation is frankly unbelievable. When pressed on her after the Paulick Report article, she says now that the mare wasn't pregnant after all. Really? How do you possibly confuse a mare about to give birth any day with one not pregnant? What kind of vet care are these horses getting?

Dina really, really needs to post a spreadsheet of every horse she has pulled since she started last November, along with the name (barn name if not registered), and where they currently are.

The lack of proper information from Dina is astounding. Including all money received. And Hal? Why would any rescue who cares about its reputation work with a man who worked with Stanleys, who called them in a FB post "good people" who are "like family?" Hal still posts horses just like he did at Stanleys, that this horse needs someone to bail for X amount else it's going to sale "or worse." So what happened to them? Did he take them to auction for JT or Stanleys to get them or not? Why do none of her fans demand accountability from Dina and Hal?

[Mulerider]

I have spoken to Dina and told her that my best advice to her is to stay on top of things, find good homes for the horses she already has in her possession, and to obtain 501(c)3 status for its requisite transparency.

I intend, barring unforeseen circumstances, to attend the open LRC meeting at Evangeline next Tuesday. I will report back on any discussion of the slaughter issue.

[cutchemist42]

Originally Posted by zawaaa

That's ridiculous.

I do think you can say that she's tackling this problem in a much different way; i'm certainly a big supporter of anybody that's making an effort to help horses in need.



The vast majority of horses end up unwanted; it's the unfortunate nature of this business.

There are no good answers. Contraction's a blessing only in the sense that this not entirely grand-old-game is a little closer to it's demise. Which i suppose is mostly for the best.

Yes, but if we are going to slaughter them, should they not have the better humane standards other livestock have? Look up horse slaughter transportation. Its sickening they are transported in cages designed for other animals.

[onefast99]

Originally Posted by Denny

If you stop to really think.

Between the "Ugly Underside" and the "Ugly Frontside"- like fatal breakdowns right in front of the fans, not to mention all the other stuff going on on the backside, it's somewhat surprising that this "sport" continues to even exist.

Maybe ban NASCAR and NHRA while you are at it! You are good on the kill pens but that one makes no sense at all.

[zawaaa]

Originally Posted by cutchemist42

Yes, but if we are going to slaughter them, should they not have the better humane standards other livestock have? Look up horse slaughter transportation. Its sickening they are transported in cages designed for other animals.

of course it's a travesty how poorly they're treated. the problem is nobody from the industry wants to even talk about it because the issue of unwanted horses reflects so poorly on the "sport" of horse racing.

that there isn't at least some sort of program to discourage owners from putting horses through the horror of having to go through the process of being sent to a slaughterhouse surely is attributable to that lack of dialogue.

anyway it is fatiguing just talking about it, to be honest; but, surely it can't be that hard to make the situation a little less dire.

[Fager Fan]

Originally Posted by Mulerider

I have spoken to Dina and told her that my best advice to her is to stay on top of things, find good homes for the horses she already has in her possession, and to obtain 501(c)3 status for its requisite transparency.

I intend, barring unforeseen circumstances, to attend the open LRC meeting at Evangeline next Tuesday. I will report back on any discussion of the slaughter issue.

Stay on top of things? How about releasing a list of every horse and where it currently is? Why aren't you demanding that? Ask her to account for the gray horse, the pregnant horse? How about the horse that Hal is supposedly raffling off that is one of Dina's. A raffle? Are you kidding me? That's not how you rehome a horse.

And Dina needs to find some competent help. Claudia said she's going to issue "invoices" to everyone who already donated so they can have it be tax deductible. It's a receipt, and it can't be backdated beyond the date the IRS stamps it as received and in process with them. No donation to this point in time is tax deductible and never will be, and it can result in tax fraud if anyone tries. In fact, Dina's in a mess because the $100k or so she raised to her personal account she has to declare as income to the IRS, so what will she owe on that, about $35k?

The more you dig with Dina you find out what a mess her operation really is. She's a smart girl. There can be no explanation of her not releasing the whereabouts of every single horse than she doesn't want to. Now, why would that be? More baffling is anyone who supports her even though she refuses to make this disclosure.

[Denny]

Originally Posted by onefast99

Maybe ban NASCAR and NHRA while you are at it! You are good on the kill pens but that one makes no sense at all.

Horses have no choice.

NASCAR drivers do. They know the risks.

Have you witnessed fatal breakdowns, right in front of you?
It's horrible. Absolutely sickening.

It's one thing I think can turn public sentiment against the sport entirely.

Imagine another one happening in a high profile race like the Kentucky Derby.
Right where everybody sees it.
Captured on camera for for the world to see.

Goodbye Thoroughbred racing.

(Unless people are actually sick enough to be attracted by such a morbid event.)

I think I'm one away from quitting myself.

[Mulerider]

My point in this whole exercise is not to defend Dina, her methods, or her practices. My intent is to expose the utter refusal by Delta/Boyd Gaming to enforce its own policy; its changing of its own policy language via Twitter (!) when the heat is turned up; and its subtle message to Delta connections, by that language change, that essentially warns them that if they're going to dump a horse then they need to have plausible deniability if they're caught.

I have it on pretty good authority today that Delta is now acutely aware that it has been stained by this controversy, and has become more receptive to possible solutions, and I will discuss that with you privately if you wish. If Delta is sincere about that, then I intend to make a couple of suggestions next week at Evangeline.

Say what you will about Dina, good or bad, but it's undeniable that she has brought the slaughter issue to the forefront, where it deserves to be. The older, establishment welfare organizations have been remarkably impotent for years in that regard -- and completely useless to horses already in kill pens.

If Dina is all you say, then she will inevitably crash. But let's hope changes can be made to the Louisiana culture that will make pulling dozens of racehorses from kill pens at a single time unnecessary.

[jay68802]

Originally Posted by Fager Fan

Stay on top of things? How about releasing a list of every horse and where it currently is? Why aren't you demanding that? Ask her to account for the gray horse, the pregnant horse? How about the horse that Hal is supposedly raffling off that is one of Dina's. A raffle? Are you kidding me? That's not how you rehome a horse.

Along with the last owner. The worst thing that can happen to these people is for this information to be published.

[Mulerider]

Originally Posted by jay68802

Along with the last owner. The worst thing that can happen to these people is for this information to be published.

That's pretty much being done already with Equibase screenshots, Jay. One Delta horse was at Dominique's meat auction in Opelousas three days after her last race. I emailed Delta with the horse's name, along with the names of its owner and trainer. Didn't even receive the courtesy of an acknowledgement. So I posted the same information on Delta's Twitter page. Got a bunch of likes - BFD - but no reply from Delta.