Ponies!

This past Saturday's WSJ had the Omak Suicide Race on the cover of it's Pursuits page. The race attracts 5,000 visitors to the small desolate down of Omak, Washington each year to watch four heats over a four night span. The title "suicide" or what animal rights activists call "murder" is due to the 225 ft 61 degree incline horses gallop down, to a river bank which they must swim across, and then up a small hill to the finish line and rodeo ring. Watch it here!

Now watch this animals rights activist version. Different story, same material. Some claim there's an indian heretige aspect to the whole thing but seeing that race began in 1935 by a white sales man, I don't find it very convincing.

My heart is torn over this issue. Because I love horses, but I also like horse races. And in all fairness, the ponies do get to do test runs, and being intelligent animals I'm going to assume they remember that there is a huge drop off point coming after they practice the race a couple of times. But why do this to a horse? Throw them over the edge in a pack of 10 and see who can survive? Incredibly harsh, the horses don't have much of a chance to catch their balance going down hill and if someone is in their way... Horses die due to race accidents all the time, get put to sleep because they brake a leg, etc; this race just gets a bit more press b/c the average hurt is higher (20 horses since 1983).

That's my issue for the weekend, don't know what else to say.

racing, rodeos, and