Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

Diego Silva — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:51:50 GMT

It's a simple thing. Do it like here in Brazil, come to a middle term, you only allow meds for any race but LISTED, G3, G2 and G1. As mentioned here previously, the sore 9YO claimer will have to stop racing without it, but have med free BLACKTYPE races will make the selection of the top horses be as it should MED FREE. Keep med for the low level races and BAN from BLACKTYPE, it will keep the industry running and will split the really naturally good from the rest and the good MED FREE horses will be more in the breeding shed making another good to the industry breed more sound horses...

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

Red Justinn — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 00:02:03 GMT

Like what you say about Bute but would like someone to say why we are so different from the rest of the world when it comes to drugs for our horses. 1) Are we barbarians? 2)Are we less humane? 3) Are we more interested in cashing than in the welfare of our horses?

Please ask trainers and owners in other countries their opinions.

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

Ky Boss Mare — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 23:14:40 GMT

Great article!

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

Mark near Newmarket — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 22:32:14 GMT

Horses should race free from all medication. If a horse needs drugs then it must have a medical condition that requires treatment. If this is the case it should not be racing. One of your earlier commentators suggested that racing horses on medication was a kindness becuase of the effort we demand of them. What an absurd notion! Pain is a warning that something is wrong. Facilitating the continuation of strenuous exercise by masking pain risks worsening the condition and increasing discomfort and suffering No more science is needed. It is a welfare issue, an ethical issue, it is wrong; simple. Perhaps for once the US should follow a British and Eurpean lead.

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

NancyP — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 15:11:11 GMT

Eric - As a racing fan and admirer of the wonderful thoroughbreds that give us humans so much pleasure with their power, courage and beauty - Thank You for your article on this most important issue that impacts our racing athletes. I think it is an oxymoron by the powers that be in racing - owners, trainers, some vets - who say 'The biggest problem is little or no research exists as it relates to the rule change....' Also written was 'decades of research have been conducted as to how Bute works inside a horse....' If the decades of research show that Bute, as well as other medications, have a negative impact on the internal organs and skeleton of the horse - who cares as to how it relates to the rule change?! I as a fan could care less how the research affects the rule change! I agree with the ARCI, ..., and The Jockey Club that the powers that be are stonewalling to preserve their status quo. In my book, those are owners, trainers and vets who DON'T really care about horses and their well-being - their interest is MONEY! Flunexin and ketoprofen should be done away with if their levels are too low already! Hand the owners who request their trainers and vets (track vets also) to administer these chemicals such stiff fines - $50,000-$100,000 - with suspensions of a year or more, or have their licenses revoked. Whether they are top trainers, or the bottom feeders - they should be driven out of the industry, because they are damaging innocent animals who do their bidding, as well as ruining the sport. These people give racing a bad image and name and bring PETA and other humane organizations down on their heads. Sanctions like those would be powerful motivators to end/deter this INHUMAN PRACTICE.

If a horse is hurting he SHOULD NOT BE TRAINING - PERIOD! Remember Tuscan Evening, she gave her life training!

Breeders and pin hookers who breed and sell horses that have been compromised by the use of these drugs should be called on the carpet and face sanctions as well, as they needlessly continue producing unsound progeny who in turn are raced, injured, retired early (if they survive) and produce more of the same. It is a vicious circle and needs serious attention. Perhaps the result going forward would be fewer unsound offspring with less birth defects?

I read with interest the B-H feature whose content was an interview with several pinhookers who discussed their criteria for buying and selling young horses. Basically they talked about the physical faults they would accept and the impact of those issues on the horses ability to run and win. I thought it was appalling - they are putting some young horse at risk of experiencing life threatening injuries. Would it not be better to find them a life outside of racing where the risks would be reduced?

I'm tired of being at the races and watch a black or some other color screen erected 40 feet away from me, as a fallen horse is being put out of its misery before the finish line. It strikes at our hearts to see a horse go down while in a race (which I have witnessed)and watch as the equine ambulance pulls up to take them away - if the horse is not first or second tier runner you will never know whether they were hospitalized or put down. It is an ignoble end to a Noble Being!

Unless it has already been done by one of the top Equine hospitals, it is time to investigate through controlled studies the genetic damage these medications and chemicals have inflicted on our equines - whether they be thoroughbreds, standardbreds, etc.

I love horses and horse racing - I don't want horse racing to disappear, because the humans involved do have the character and ethics to do what is in the true interest of the horse. I'd like these most beautiful and courageous athletes to have a healthy life and a level playing field! If you don't love the horse you don't belong in his universe!

The Europeans have been leading the way on this issue. It is time America follows their lead. The lives of our horses command it!

I'm very passionate about the long-term welfare of our equines!

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

Convene — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 03:59:23 GMT

ExTBTrainer

I would have to agree on that point, as long as it was only on raceday. But sometimes it seems Lasix is given as routinely as putting on the bridle. Do we now have so many bleeders? I remember looking at a racecard (just as a matter of interest) and saw that out of that entire card, with fields of 5+ in each race, there were only 2 horses all day who ran without Lasix. Given on raceday only to a horse who does have a bleeding problem, no, it probably wouldn't cause much, if any, calcium loss. If used more often, the losses could be at least a part of the problem. I do know (as someone from the inside) that before Bute was legal, horses still got to the races and racecards filled - and in those days, most of them had more starts in their racing lives. I don't like meds in racing, but I also think the breakdown situation has many factors and can't be attributed to any single one of them.

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

c'mon man — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 11:54:35 GMT

You want to compare Bute to Advil and than want it lowered and banned....Is Advil illegal? Look at every other sport in the country Advil is not lowered or banned there. If you did a survey of 500 random athletes in every sport, 490 of them will say at some point before or after a game they popped some advil or probably something stronger. Bute when given at the level its at now, will allow horses to continue to train and run through little aches and pains. Whoever has the delusion that Bute is what is masking horses getting past the State vet is clueless. Furthermore, eliminating Bute, than you might as well become like Monmouth and run two or three days (if your lucky) a week, it will be the end of racing 5 days a week. As far as only running your horses when they are 100% healthy and sound, ask the racing offices around the country why they constantly harrass you to enter and run your horses to fill a race, and don't use the races you are eligible for when your horse is ready to run. This may be considered a rant, but take it from someone on the inside, this is ridiculous.

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

Convene — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 00:52:02 GMT

jg12

That level of unsoundness should have alerted the track vets! However recent studies have shown that a high percentage of breakdowns show pre-existing injuries at the same site. Bute would mask those ouchy signs. But the biggest thing about Bute is the bleeding to Lasix connection and potential calcium inbalance. And that definitely would increase the chance of breakdowns. Bute is a therapeutic drug and really helps horses heal in comfort. It just doesn't belong in horses competing, who are supposed to be sound.

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

ExTBTrainer — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 23:36:00 GMT

As a trainer for 20+years I used my share of bute. I got a different out look on it when I had one show blood in his stool with just three weeks of 2 pills a day and 3 after works trying to get him to the races without having to tap a knee! The lesser of two evils? Today I think we would be better of without bute, but raceday lasix to keep one from bleeding I feel is only humane. I don't believe once every 2 to 3 weeks on race day would cause any calcium loss in horses. It's not like they would be getting it every day!

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

DPS — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:40:39 GMT

This is for my friend Toral, that assures that when a trainer claims a horse and improve it, it basically because he uses drugs, well I'm a 67% off the claim trainer, and i can guarantee you, most of the horses i have claim, are from "trainers" that do not know, how many legs a horse have!!!!, Bute is not the worst enemy of a horse, it has a therapeutic use, and i assure you it will not make a lame horse fit to race, no matter if you give them 2, 5 or 10 u/ml, so i advice you to know what you are talking about before you go into a blog and claim that every trainer is a cheater...

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

TENMD2 — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 14:31:15 GMT

I have raced horses on and off bute and it really doesn't make much difference in their performance. It will not make a lame horse sound. It may help some minor aches and pains but it is not what is responsible for catastrophic breakdowns.

My fear is that if the option of using bute is taken away from horsemen then they will migrate towards the use of much more potent illegal and undetectable drugs such as cobra venom.

I honestly wish the regulators and racing chemists would focus their attention on the illegal undetectable agents and stop messing around with the legal therapeutic agents which have been around for decades without causing any problems

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

JoD — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 13:22:39 GMT

ZERO TOLERANCE for DRUGS used on horses, the rest of the world does not allow it and we should not either. Safety for the horse and jockey should be enough to convince everyone involved. We are also breeding horses who have known problems which can not be good for the "Sport of Kings". Cheating is cheating and should not be tolerated under any circumstances.

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

jg12 — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 03:00:32 GMT

Bute does not cause breakdowns, Trainers that run crippled horses cause breakdowns... I could give you trainers names right now, that have broke down horses in the past 2 months and it wasnt because bute. Bute wont mask a horse that has ankles the size of watermelons.

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

Robin from Maryland — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 02:06:57 GMT

No drugs-nothing on race day. Agree with several of the bloggers, if a horse needs bute for pain or soreness than administer it and scratch the race. If we go to zero tolerance than perhaps in a decade or so we can improve the overall soundness of the breed. But it will take some time friends. Can the industry afford the wait??? Doubt it.

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

Standardbred Trainer — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 21:01:28 GMT

At one time, all my horses raced on Bute. I started racing them in a state that prohibited Bute and they all raced just as well if not better.

I also say level the playing field and get rid of all medication. Too many good people, including trainers, have been forced out of the buisiness by the "chemists" that call themselves trainers. Some of the racing jusidictions are a joke. They have crimes with no punishments. I could go on and on and unless something is done quickly, racing will be doomed.

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

Convene — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 18:55:32 GMT

And a heartfelt AMEN! Bute has no place in racing. If he needs bute, give him time off to heal. I still maintain (as one with veterinary training) that bute increases bleeding, which leads to use of Lasix, which leaches minerals (think calcium) out with the excess pee. Result: lowered blood calcium levels, which the body will try to correct by removing calcium from storage. Where is it stored? In the bones! I think, given the number of catastrophic breakdowns due to bone fractures, that the last thing we need is calcium being removed from the bones. Hey, if the Euros can do it, so can we. And if that's one of the up-sides of turf racing, maybe we should be readjusting our thinking. For the good of these wonderful, loyal, hard-working creatures who do whatever we ask of them.

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

CK — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 18:06:16 GMT

No medication sounds good- BUT- would you like to go to work with a headache and no be allowed to take an aspirin. The nature of this business is not natural to a horse. We are asking them to carry 115-120 pounds on their backs and go at a speed over an extended distance of ground. They were not designed to do this. If you want to eliminate pains and strains you need to eliminate horse racing. If you are going to ask these horses to perform, the kind thing to do is take the discomfort away. Turning a horse out sounds like a great idea until you look at the economics of turning one out and bring it back to race performance fitness. You are looking at 4 0r $5000 by the time you get them back in shape. You think you have a horse shortage now! This needs to be looked at from all angles. There is a time to help a horse out with medication and a time to turn out. As a trainer you need to know the difference.

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

Beth — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 18:03:23 GMT

Simple solution- no drugs on race day, period.

Stop racing 15-18 month old horses and calling them "2 year olds". They are babies that are still growing. If they did, you might not have so many sore,lame horses that need drugs to stay in training.

I differ on the cause of breakdowns in the U.S. vs. the rest of the racing world. Too many races is not the problem-especially with Grade 1 and Grade 2 horses. If they get past 14 -20 races, they are considered "heavily raced."

Seabiscuit was started over 75 times and came back from a serious injury to race and win again.

That is what one would consider "heavily raced".

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

Dr Drunkinbum — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:52:24 GMT

Great article. Keep up the good work. Zero is where the Bute level should be for horses that are racing. It not only covers up injuries that lead to breakdowns, but breaks down the body itself, weakening tissues and bones. The industry doesn't need scientific proof, just commons sense and decency. There is no reason for horses to be losing their lives this way.

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

noz — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:36:07 GMT

i think anabilic is ok to remove them ,but taking lasix away will only hurt bleeders!!and bute is not a big deal....is like taking an aspirin

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

JT76 — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:00:23 GMT

Removing Bute is cruel?? You're delusional.. If a horse needs bute on raceday they shouldn't be running period. No one is saying you cannot administer it when needed. Allowing a horse to run while injured and risking it's life..is CRUEL. Same with Dex.. pussyfooting around with the tolerances only gives trainers a challenge to find a way to beat the system.. zero tolerance on raceday puts everyone on a level playing field within the country as well as the rest of the racing world.

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

fb0252 — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:18:52 GMT

i am hardly a fan of bute. Yet the article as posted merely confirms the complaints of the trainers--no science in that it makes conclusion after conclusion on unsubstantiated "fact". bute is the "most studied". as usual, out good vets study everything but what is relevant. more need stand up to the baying hounds against therapeutic meds. bute is a pain masking agent and should be banned. but that is opinion instead of science.

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

Oldie — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:43:24 GMT

Eric, I am simply chiming in with so many other responders: we must eliminate drugs from racing. DanceSpell said it best; we are ruining the breed and the sport.

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

DawnStorm — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:33:37 GMT

The proposed rule change, however, has some problems, according to members of the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, the Thoroughbred Owners of California, and the California Thoroughbred Trainers...

[quote from article]

Lets see now, where did I put my mini Stradivarius??

re: Give Bute the Boot - By Eric Mitchell

Big Lou — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:28:43 GMT

I used to give bute to my horses just after they come back from a race.