This Could Help Clean Up Racing

Originally Posted by ELA

I agree -- 1000%! I understand that your motivation is not that of being judgemental. However, we of course cannot say the same thing about everyone else.

You have made excellent points, and I think the answer -- whatever it may be -- might be a "medium" between many of the so called soltutions that have been offered here and throughout the industry. The judgemental aspect, as you say, may not be avoided. Yes, I agree with that as well.

Being owners, and not trainers, yes, we all know there are various legitimate ways to improve a horse, their respective performance, etc. And we would all be very naive to ignore the fact that there are illegitimate and illegal ways as well. Like you said, in the case of an owner believing the former, then the selection is what it is. However, it's very easy for others to critisize and belittle that belief or selection.


However, your other point IMO is very much exactly on point -- if an owner thought, or as you say, even worse knew it was the latter -- then yes, the owner has responsibility in that. As I have said, you cannot have it both ways and use that as a shield and as a sword.

Thank you again.

Eric

Eric I agree with just about everything you have to say on the subject, and am not living in fantasyland and realize that we have a lot to clean up.
But you touch upon legal ways to move horses up, and there are many that not everyone can afford right now, which gives the edge to the bigger barns and owners who CAN afford to use these methods. I'm sure as an owner you have seen the bills for constant regimens of things like Adequan, Legend, Gastrogard, Glutial injections, injecting hocks and stifles, etc. Its not cheap, to say the least.
I have to laugh at those who label everyone who is successful right now as "cheating" except their favorite guys who they declare great and say they aren't cheating.
Its quite simple really, if you say that so and so is a GREAT trainer, you are saying that he posesses skills in his training regimen and knowledge of horses that supercedes that of his rivals, thus acknowledging that some guys are just better than others at training. This, I wholheartedly agree with.
But if you acknowledge that some trainers DO HAVE more skill than others, yet scoff at the notion that certain trainers don't have this talent and are juicing, you make yourself look like a first rate idiot of the highest order.
What you do when paint that picture is say that YOU KNOW what great trainers do, and how they do it, because in order to say that you KNOW that so and so isn't any good and must be juicing you must first have some knowledge of what GOOD trainers(in your own opinion) actually do that makes them good!!!!!
I'd like to hear these guys tell me what their philosophies are in regards to what good trainers actually do, how often to work, what distance progression to use in building up a horse, how long and often they should gallop each day, work and/or gallop and breeze in sets or alone, etc etc etc.
In other words, how do these "almighty and all knowing" geniuses KNOW who is juicing without knowing what a good trainer does to make them good? Is this so illogical?

[sumitas]

Some of the drugs do have therapeutic benefits. The idea is not to abuse them. Ray Paulik writes a sensible piece in bloodhorse.

http://opinions.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=36700

[Danzig]

isn't it ironic that euros decry the amount of meds given over here, yet as soon as the plane lands, they're calling the vet?!

a lot of one-time bleeders in australia are sent elsewhere after that first offense, as a repeat offense means a life-time ban. very, very stringent rules. also, go check out for yourselves how popular racing is over there!! a connection?! they get crowds we can only dream of, japan as well.