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Horses killed at Calgary Stampede
#1
It seems like every year some horses are killed at the Calgary Stampede. It is usually during the Chuck Wagon Races. A horse death or any other animal's death used to be a rare occurrence. Now it seems to happen every year. I don't know if they are taking more chances or the track is different.
It just doesn't seem worth it to have beautiful animals die because of a horse race.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/3-...-1.1223479

Even after watching the video twice, I can't see why the horses fell.
Something in the conditions is just not safe enough.

The statistics are very bad, 50 horses dead in 20 years.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/ca...-1.3138906
Something needs to be changed.
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Catherine

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#2
50 horses in 20 years! That's terrible.

I noted this part of the article:

' "We love those horses," he said, his voice breaking with emotion. "The outriding horse is an 18-year-old horse, I've had him for 13 years. He's part of our family, he's supposed to be my kid's horse."

Speaking of his right lead horse, which helped Harden win the 2009 Calgary Stampede, he said the horse was irreplaceable.

"They're just like humans, they're our family," he said. "It's just devastating for our whole family. It's hard to take." '

I do not doubt for a moment this man's sincerity and severe sense of regret. However, if these horses were like members of his family, why risk their lives in a race with a terrible track record?

Unlike the Grand National, where horses are almost always euthanised after injury for insurance reasons, I'm very relieved to read that one horse in this race which was not critically injured has had an operation and "will live".

As I have said on other threads, I have no objection to humans engaging in any sort of dangerous sport or activity, if that is their own conscious choice. But animals don't get the choice. They are entered for a race by humans. It is therefore those same humans who bear the responsibility for the deaths.
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#3
(07-07-2015, 10:20 PM)LPC Wrote: "They're just like humans, they're our family," he said. "It's just devastating for our whole family. It's hard to take." '

I do not doubt for a moment this man's sincerity and severe sense of regret. However, if these horses were like members of his family, why risk their lives in a race with a terrible track record?

Absolutely. Then to race them is a form of hypocrisy. For the sake of money.
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#4
The Chuck Wagon races have been going on for years. In the early days and even when I lived in Calgary, I never heard of a horse being killed. It was a total shock when it happened. Now they almost expect it.

I think they push the race much harder now and it is more dangerous. I also don't think the used actual race horses in the old days. They were supposed to be ranch horses at the Stampede. Race horses are fast, but the are not up to the type of race this is. For one thing, they are pulling a wagon with other horses. It is a difficult race.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/nati...cle587078/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuckwagon_racing

To give the history.

2007--3 horses died
2009--4 horses died
2010--6 horses died
2011--2 horses died

1986-2013--approximately 50 horse deaths

Isn't that worse than the Grand National?
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Catherine

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#5
I haven't got the precise figures, but this seems far, far worse than the Grand National for fatalities.
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#6
Just found GN figures here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_eq...d_National
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#7
A second horse has died in the chuck wagon races.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/ca...-1.3142676

There are a number of chuck wagon races each year. Is there only one Grand National race per year? I think per race the Grand National might be worse, but I think the Chuck wagon races have lost more actual horses over a certain number of years.

In reality, both races are too dangerous. Way too many horses have died. They either need to change the races and make them safer or they need to stop them all together.
Fifty dead horses is fifty too many!
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Catherine

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