Big City Life - Put Down

Sabre Wrote:

---

> Heh, yes, I see we are.
>
> I'm still not sure if I'm explaining the question
> properly because you again refer to the welfare of
> the horse taking precedence.
> I take that as a given. Yes, it was necessary to
> put him down, and it was necessary to do it then,
> there and in that manner.
>
> I just wanted to know why alternative methods are
> not and cannot be used.
> From your detailed replies, I gather that it is
> too risky, too dangerous, too slow and too painful
> to administer some sort of tranquilizer and move
> the horse elsewhere or to use a chemical agent
> instead of a bullet.
>
> You see, the person that asked me this question
> loves animals, has no interest in horse racing,
> and didn't even watch the race. He heard about the
> incident from a vet this morning, then saw the
> picture in the paper, and wanted to know why they
> shoot horses where the public might see/hear it
> instead of using some other method. I can probably
> ease his mind with some of what you have posted.

Having seen horses break legs and being the one that has to hold them when they are shot or injected i would choose the bullet over the injection. Bullet is instant, with most injections it takes a few seconds to work and when it kicks in alot of horses suddenly just throw themselves into the air which isn't fun to watch as you and the vet run for cover.
Shooting the horse right there infront of everyone is bad for PR but the decision was based on what was best for the horse. I did see a horse break its sesamoid bone right infront of the crowd in a country where they value PR alot more than SA does and the vet put splints on the horses legs and taped it up tight, then the horse was given a tranquiliser and 8 people helped hobble the horse into the horse box ( which might i add had hydrolics which enabled it to drop basically level with the ground ) the horsebox was then driven around the corner and the horse was shot. The club thought this was better for their PR and later said they did everything they could for the horse but it had to be put down !

PR ? What a load of bull. Racing is a cruel sport and the reality of the sport is that horses die and get injured all the time. I am addicted to racing but if I were not I'd hate the way the animals live(please don't tell me they have great lives - death-row inmates have more freedom). If you were reincarnated would you choose to come back as a racehorse? Let's not try to hide from reality - I guess 90% of those people that attended the July had some sort of meat to eat on the day so I presume they know that cows get killed daily to provide their protein. The horse was shot to stop suffering - good. Should he have been carted off to a PR friendly area to be destroyed? No. Should the Sunday Tribune have printed the picture - yes as it was newsworthy. Am I a hypocrate to gamble and be a supporter of animal rights- YES YES YES - and for that I'm certain that the laws of Karma will see me reborn as a struggling maiden !! Remember racehorses are not pets but exist solely for human pleasure - as did the circus animals and slaves that made Rome a top holiday destination centuries ago.

Thanks Flaming Rock. What you wrote explains the situation well.

my condolences to the whole Big City Life team & owners..... sad sad news...sorry guys....

Surely a picture of the winners celebrating would be more newsworthy than a picture of a dead horse's hind quarter! Or was that a picture of the editors face? If a rugby player broke his neck in a scrum and died would a picture of him be put on the front page?

Craig Eudey Wrote:

---

> Surely a picture of the winners celebrating would
> be more newsworthy than a picture of a dead
> horse's hind quarter! Or was that a picture of the
> editors face? If a rugby player broke his neck in
> a scrum and died would a picture of him be put on
> the front page?


craig... they did this wen Rabiya was put down too... he gets the front page & the winner is subject to the sports section.... ridiculous is all i can say!!!

I agree with Craig. The picture was small and not really damning to racing. The question what editor thinks thats more newsworthy than a pic say of IGUGU or an aerial view of Greyville with all the people and red umbrella's

I will stop calling it the Rothmans July as Vodacom really did them selves proud this year.

Tribune Editor as Obama says. Jackass.

I was working in the UK then and even heard about Rabiya's photo over there. Both instances were wrong. Contrary to what some poster's think most of us love our horses like our kids and you would not have a dead kid on the front page. You should have seen Glenn after the race. Very upset and so would I have been.

Do they use a silencer on the rifle ?

sadly, it sells more newspapers...the sheer horror

What a loss! Deepest condolences to all affected.

Bizarrely the stipes called for a specimen analysis. It's unclear weather the specimen was taken before or after Big City Life died. Other questions also arise, but at the very least It seems a bit harsh imo considering the heart break at the time. The report is on the NHA's webite in the racing section under 'stipes report'/greyville - 2July 2011. www.horseracingauthority.co.za .

Just spent the last 2 hrs chatting to Raymond and his family and friends and they have just buried BCL and had a wake for him. Shows their thoughts and love for him. He was not just a horse but part of the family.He was not just an animal to them.I respect that very much.