One final thought

I know that I vehemently got my point across last night, but I read something on the Daily Racing Form last night that I felt was worth sharing. Someone reposted this from a comment made on PETA's website:

"I work in the racehorse industry. I am a groom. My job is to do everything I can to make the horses happy. I feed, water, clean, keep there stalls spotless, brush - and do everything they might need to be as happy as possible. This is a very tough job with long hours, I get up a 4:30 every morning and don't get to bed until 10 that night. 7 days a week. I sleep in a tack room no bigger than 7 by 7 feet.The wages are very low, 400 dollars a week. Many people would never do such a job, but I do it out of my love for animals. I'm not the only one, there are many hard working grooms dedicating there life to horse racing for low wages and hard working conditions. When you call it a dirty business only associated with wealthy owners you are insulting me and basically spitting in my face. The rage I feel toward your organization cannot be put into words. I would invite you do follow me around for one day to see the hard labor I do to make sure these horses are happy before you write such harsh words about the racing industry."

Yes, there are things wrong in the horse racing industry. I will tell anyone that steroid use and breeding for speed, not stamina absolutely need to be corrected; these are things that the industry is starting to address. But there are things right with the industry too- if not, people like the groom above would have found new jobs long ago.

I don't want to devote any more of my attention to PETA, because upsetting people is one of their goals and I refuse to play that game. However, there is a rumor circulating that during the Preakness Stakes, PETA members are considering storming the field as they race over the track. That goes beyond ignorance; it takes real stupidity not to realize that such an attack is a million times more dangerous to the horses and jockeys than to the protesters. Imagine the terror of those horses if they were to see people running at them on the track. They will spook, jump sideways and crash into each other. The chain reaction would likely take multiple horses down, killing or seriously injuring them or their jockeys. And to accomplish what? I guarantee that the jockeys will not bail off their horses to save themselves- they will put their own lives in danger to safely pull up and protect their horse. The only cruelty seen in that moment will be from the protesters who would put the horses and their riders at such a terrible risk. I'll never agree, but go ahead and protest all you want to- this is America, and it is our rite- but keep it peaceful, respectful and above all safe!