curious Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 Just came across this again from TDN. A very good letter I thought and another issue that NZTR has not had the kahunas to deal with. Drop the Crop: Letter to the Editor, by Dr. David Ranson Sunday, September 3, 2023 at 4:57 pm | Back to: Shared News Updated: September 4, 2023 at 11:03 am Sarah Andrew photo We have all been affected by the recent tragedies that have occurred in the racing industry. Whether reading of, heartbreakingly witnessing these horrors on national television, or while sitting with our friends at an event, we have all begun with breathless engagement in the grand spectacle of poetry in motion. We watch in admiration and awe as living, breathing works of art slice through the wind in full flight only to often sadly witness events that cannot be unseen; events that may haunt the recesses of our minds, creating fodder for nightmares to come. How many of us bite our lips when the full flight of competitors turns the corner at the quarter pole hoping and praying that they cross the wire safely, not having to be destroyed for the sake of entertainment or for gamblers to experience another hit or miss? Upon witnessing these events, people walk away during watch parties, quickly change the channel, walk out of the racecourse on what purported to be a beautiful day at the races and eventually, walk away from the sport. With no substantial uniform national rules, creating and sustaining entertainment value for a whole new and different culture is one of the many challenges of thoroughbred racing. We have had way too many deaths, irregularities and misinterpretation of rules which contributed to the prolonged delay of naming a Kentucky Derby winner as well as the conviction and possible imprisonment of a celebrated trainer winning an international event for cheating that involved veterinarians as well. Sadly, this is becoming the face of our sport. With decreasing foal numbers and closing of racing venues over the years, it is no secret that we are not growing. In fact, we are dying as a celebrated sport and as a source of livelihood for thousands. The industry is in the trauma bay, and we need all hands on deck to survive and perhaps be able to again thrive. Allow me to introduce myself and also offer a possible lifeline to the sport and industry: a lifeline based on physiologic fact that will perhaps quell the rising tsunami that threatens our very existence by supplying a palpable, visual solution while also serving as a public relations tool. I am a human surgeon by training and a third-generation horseman by choice. My undergraduate degree is in animal and veterinary science which prepared me to enter vet school but I chose medical school and surgery as my primary profession. I have been competing in equine sport my entire life. I have a show horse background and have worked with and for trainers in different disciplines and have achieved world-championship status during my show career. I have been involved in the thoroughbred industry as an owner, principal of a racing LLC, creator of racing and sales syndicates, horse farmer and pinhooker for over 15 years. I have an intimate knowledge of these athletes, how they work and the physiologic machine that allows them to perform at peak levels. Catastrophic breakdowns and efforts to decrease them are nothing new to the sport . We have traditionally looked at multiple racing surfaces by trying to find the culprit in the infrastructure, and content of the surface on which we run. However, we have not discussed PROPRIOCEPTION…. what it is and how it works in both the human body and equine athlete. Proprioception permits horses to sense pressures, discomforts, tension and location of their bodies and limbs. It is an automatic feedback mechanism through sophisticated neurological pathways generated by bone and sinew all the while telling the animal where its body parts are in relation to the environment. Equine sport places unusually steep demands on both horse and rider. Proprioception allows the horse to sense joint angles, muscle length, tendon tension and postural balance. These proprioceptors are nerves that can pick up .002 percent of muscle length and send that information to the horse's brain allowing him or her to make adjustments for gait and ultimately, survival. Enter the crop. The crop is an age-old tool that has many purposes in equine sport and has been modified on several occasions. But let's face it, it is primarily used as an accelerator. Granted, it causes very little harm to the horse and on most occasions just strikes the saddlecloth. But it is an accelerator for all to see coming down the stretch. Now consider the physiologic framework of proprioception and the horse's natural competitiveness combined with the concomitant use of the accelerator. Could the accelerator (crop) be a participant in the horse surpassing and overriding his natural proprioceptors, thus causing him/her to extend themselves past the point of bone and sinew? If so, wouldn't it be prudent to omit this piece of equipment to protect the horse from over extending and instead winning the race with his own heart, determination, conditioning, and riders urging, all the while demonstrating to the public that thoroughbred racing takes action, thus easing the ever present threatening public relations issue. Now may be the time to” Drop the Crop.” David W Ranson, MD, Principal of Equivest Racing LLC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 The biggest flaw in his argument is that most good horses will go beyond their pain barrier regardless. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billy connolly Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 Aside from those who aren't good enough, the majority of horses who aren't putting in are either mentally or physically tired and any trainer worth their salt should know this and shouldn't need to consult a half baked veterinary surgeon to tell them so, just as any decent jockey should know when and when not to use the whip. The sanctimonious twits who write these papers are doing so solely for their own benefit and to promote themselves. We never heard from these people in good times of full fields and full grandstands. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 33 minutes ago, billy connolly said: Aside from those who aren't good enough, the majority of horses who aren't putting in are either mentally or physically tired and any trainer worth their salt should know this and shouldn't need to consult a half baked veterinary surgeon to tell them so, just as any decent jockey should know when and when not to use the whip. The sanctimonious twits who write these papers are doing so solely for their own benefit and to promote themselves. We never heard from these people in good times of full fields and full grandstands. You must admit though @billy connolly he uses some big words that I've never heard before! proprioception! Proprioception is the body awareness sense. It tells us where our body parts are without having to look for them. This helps to know where body parts are relative to each other, which strengthens our coordination skills. It also tells us how much force to use when we're holding, pushing, pulling, or lifting objects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted March 8 Author Share Posted March 8 2 hours ago, Chief Stipe said: The biggest flaw in his argument is that most good horses will go beyond their pain barrier regardless. Don't see how they can go beyond their pain barrier otherwise it would not be a barrier. Good horses may have higher pain thresholds perhaps. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted March 8 Author Share Posted March 8 (edited) 52 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said: You must admit though @billy connolly he uses some big words that I've never heard before! proprioception! Proprioception is the body awareness sense. It tells us where our body parts are without having to look for them. This helps to know where body parts are relative to each other, which strengthens our coordination skills. It also tells us how much force to use when we're holding, pushing, pulling, or lifting objects. Also known as kinesthesia to further your physiological learning. Badly affected by alcohol! Edited March 8 by curious 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 3 hours ago, curious said: Don't see how they can go beyond their pain barrier otherwise it would not be a barrier. Good horses may have higher pain thresholds perhaps. Being pedantic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 2 hours ago, curious said: Also known as kinesthesia to further your physiological learning. Badly affected by alcohol! Actually that isn't entirely correct. Alcohol has been shown to improve kinesthestic memory in some studies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted March 8 Author Share Posted March 8 30 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said: Being pedantic. OK. I thought maybe you were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 1 hour ago, curious said: OK. I thought maybe you were. Well the writer did contradict himself. 9 hours ago, curious said: Granted, it causes very little harm to the horse and on most occasions just strikes the saddlecloth. It causes very little harm. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted March 8 Author Share Posted March 8 10 hours ago, Chief Stipe said: Well the writer did contradict himself. It causes very little harm. IF it strikes the saddlecloth. Might be more common in the US but I don't see that happening much here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special Agent Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 It must be the wrong time of the morning as I saw the headline and thought it was about the falling foal crop, which I think is a far more serious problem facing the racing industry. I think crop is quite an outdated word for the whip. We could go on forever talking about non use of the whip. I still maintain a whip used correctly is an aid rather than a punishment. Still used in bondage and I doubt many die from whip use there, the odd heart attack which couldn't totally be attributed to the use of a whip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomass Posted March 10 Share Posted March 10 One of NZTR'S greatest cock ups is their mishandling of the 'whip rules ok' In one word...EXPEDIENCE.. As evidenced a few years back when yet again Opie broke the whip rule..banned from a G1 meeting...even appealed with Big Davo crying his eyes out that the industry "NEEDS Opie"...cheating #pfftt So NZTR bent over.."how far Davo" where Mick Guerin got on Davo's campaign to "change it now" and they did... 'consecutive' and 'number of strikes totality' rule was split...allowing the split enabled the six month time line to basically halve the penalty for chronic whip abusers... NZTR's HYPOCRACY knows no bounds though... While talking up their commitment to 'animal welfare' especially concerning the whip... ...becoming a signatory to IFHA (International federation of Horse Racing Assoc.).. 'NO WHIPPING THE FLANK"...ok? Not only did they sign the rule once @2012 they signed it again 4 years ago.. So what happened? RIB said "too hard" and NZTR said "oh fuck...ok then...we'll just keep it signed to make us look as if we care...ok" Whipping the flank is both unnecessary and cruel...and Australasian jockeys are MASSIVE flank whippers...any horseman knows the flank is HIGHLY sensitive... In a Sydney Equine Uni study they found @ 60% of strikes struck the flank with the non padded polymer section making contact Europe and the US have banned this practice a long time ago... Brent 'the babe' Thomson... outstanding Kiwi jockey "whipping the flank should not be happening" Both the RIB and NZTR REFUSE to comment on why NZTR signed up to the ban...then refused to implement it Shocking, expedient, pathetic commitment to thoroughbred welfare.. then they had the AUDACITY to adopt the 'Kick Up' campaign where the byline is 'we care about thoroughbred welfare' #pfftt 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomass Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 (edited) Take a shimmy at this DISGRACEFUL performance from racing's very best James McDonald..should hang his head in shame...was he on a promised G1 bonus from a well known stud if he got up?? Militarize cut in half...19 strikes in an appalling exhibition of non padded polymer whipping to the flank https://mdata.racingnsw.com.au/FreeFields/VideoResult.aspx?MeetDate=2024Mar09&VenueCode=MjY3MTAy&RaceNumber=8&MeetingCategory=Professional&VideoFileType=Stewards Edited March 11 by Thomass 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumbles Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 Wasn't mentioned in stewards report so i am presuming it was within their laws. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomass Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 18 minutes ago, mumbles said: Wasn't mentioned in stewards report so i am presuming it was within their laws. Australia and Honk Konk are basically alone in their commitment to whip welfare...SFA... Past the 100M and its unlimited... Not only is it welfare but punter welfare... 15 months ago Blake Shinn used 12 times before the 100m when 5 is allowed...6 consecutively...deadheated and stipes made the ballsey decision to relegate... Easy though really... Ask Shane Dye about cheating the whip rules and relegations..."its like subjective interference relegations...stipes make a judgement call...just as the whip rule should" Here Opie once again CHEATED in a G1 aboard QUINTESSA...3 consecutive strikes in the last 3 strides where 2 aint allowed... BLACK TYPE gold for breeders...CHEATING prospers in NZ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 6 minutes ago, Thomass said: Here Opie once again CHEATED in a G1 aboard QUINTESSA...3 consecutive strikes in the last 3 strides where 2 aint allowed... So what would have Quintessa done if it hadn't been whipped 2 extra times? Stop? Lose all momentum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomass Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 18 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said: So what would have Quintessa done if it hadn't been whipped 2 extra times? Stop? Lose all momentum? More than likely... Definitely in the Sistema 18 months ago when Matt Cameron threw the 'whip rules ok' out the freaken window... 4 consec...a break of one then 3 consec to finish to beat Big Davos mob by a snoz...when NO consecutive is allowed And the breeders roared while punters and INTEGRITY died.. #pfftt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 25 minutes ago, Thomass said: More than likely... You obviously know SFA about horses and racing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomass Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said: You obviously know SFA about horses and racing. 50 years in the industry.. What are your boner fiddies fido?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special Agent Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 The sad part is the Jockeys' Assn agreed wholeheartedly with the original whip rules, then moaned. Even stopping the whipping action interferes with the horse's momentum. Cheating definitely occurs when the money is on, and the money is up. A slap on the wrist won't stop it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billy connolly Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 1 hour ago, Thomass said: 50 years in the industry.. How many laps in the pigskin? Regards cheating, most horses are cheats by nature but very few jockeys are ! Those who want the whip outlawed are all tarred with the same brush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted March 11 Author Share Posted March 11 15 minutes ago, billy connolly said: Regards cheating, most horses are cheats by nature Really? Certainly not my experience. If fit and well they all try hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special Agent Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 Cheats are made aren't they, not born? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billy connolly Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 15 minutes ago, curious said: Really? Certainly not my experience. If fit and well they all try hard. How many make it to races? How many salute once?? How many salute multiple times??? How many pay their way???? The majority are cheats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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