the sad truth about racehorses

Racing has been proven to be a dirty business over the years: killing horses fo insurance, outright fraud and deception.

Surprisingly, since so much of racing is kept secret, this movie had a few largely-unknown truths in it that proves the greed behind the industry.

In order to capture the highest speed of racing stock, they start putting riders up on them as yearlings. Horses aren't mature until they're about four years old. Prior to that, their bones are still forming and hardening, and putting someone on top of a yearling is tantamount to riding a two-year-old child.

It's the pursuit of money that prompts this. Take the money out of it, and there's no reason to start abusing young horses. So many racers end up lame and broken down, their wind destroyed. The Humane Society of the U.S. is constantly finding ex-racers in deplorable and abusive situations.

I wish, instead of romanticizing the racing industry, they shine a great light on the abuses and clean it up.

Glory is a fair movie, and it's lovely to see all those gorgeous horses, but I'm saddened it's puts a gloss over a serious problem.