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by Anonymous on May 4th, 2008

Anonymous

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Why do they have to kill horses if they break an ankle?

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Answers. 21 helpful answers below.

  • by Firebrand on September 2nd, 2008

    Firebrand

    It is very difficult to support a horse that has broken its leg about 1200lbs resting on that very slim joint is almost impossible.

    The will try it with a Champion Racer who is still a stallion because of Stud fees but rarely in any other circumstances.

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  • by Rollie on May 4th, 2008

    Rollie

    Horses have to stand up. They have tried to support them and have used many methods, but they have not been successful is having these bones heal. Lots of suffering with no or very little success. The put them down because of this.

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  • by Kalooi on September 8th, 2008

    Kalooi

    They do not always put a horse down when it breaks an ankle/leg. The ankle and lower leg in a horse have a small amount of blood vessels which are needed to heal a broken bone. The fact that the animal is 1000 pounds or more is also a problem because the horse must be suspended in a sling for many months. They usually put a horse down when the injury is life threatening, which means that the bone is shattered and has gone through the skin. It breaks everyone's heart and is not a thing taken lightly.

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  • by Galeanda on August 7th, 2008

    Galeanda

    They do not always kill a horse when they have a break. It often depends on the personality of the horse because if the horse is a placid animal and could put up with being suspended from above for weeks, then they can heal enough to make it. But most horses will not put up with the treatment and the therapies. Sometimes they start out thinking it will be possible and things go okay but then later the horse struggles in it's sling too much and then they put it down. But in the meantime, the struggling could be very dangerous, so it may be a kindness to put the horse down instead of testing to see if he'll be okay with the recuperation conditions.

    Not all ankle breaks are from racing. Some horses do it just running in their pastures, some playing and some stepping in a hole. I've known 4 horses with broken legs and ankles and and none were from racing and 2 were from playing in their pasture.

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  • by bagicide stayed 10 months too long on November 28th, 2009

    bagicide stayed 10 months too long

    One thing I don't see anyone mentioning in their answers is the fact that horses will frequently come out of anesthesia fighting. Vets have gotten better at mitigating this tendency since Ruffian died, but it is still an issue. Sometimes they'll smash the cast and blow the bone apart even worse as they come out of anesthesia.

    Then there is the problem of supporting the horse while the leg heals, which it seems everyone mentioned. On top of that, even in a sling, the other foot will often founder from carrying more load than it is designed to carry. Horses will sometimes colic badly when they are confined as well.

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  • by Anonymous on February 20th, 2009

    Anonymous

    horses stand most of the time so its hard to heal that bone when they on it most of the time. sometimes if that horse is a relly good horse and it did something to its leg they wil try to heal it but it takes a really long time and tons of money. sometmes it works but the horse isnt the same again. most of the time it dosnt an the people just end up putting the horse throuh all lot more pain. thats why i think hoseracing is wrong because the trcks they use are inadequate for the horses to race on and the people dont care as laong as they get money.

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  • by Anonymous on December 28th, 2008

    Anonymous

    Horses are not meant to lay down or stand still for long periods of time and most wont tolerate being in a sling.

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  • by LiveLaughLove95 on September 27th, 2008

    LiveLaughLove95

    it depends on how bad the break is. they do not always have to put them down.

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  • by Anonymous on August 7th, 2008

    Anonymous

    Because a horse has to stand up otherwise it would probably die anyway! But it is still very very cruel because a human caused it.

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  • by Dmitri on July 21st, 2008

    Dmitri

    Consider a horse's main duty, and you will realize that if one leg goes to pot, he must be shot.

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  • by Phillis - Zacks little sister on July 20th, 2008

    Phillis - Zacks little sister

    It is extremely difficult to mend a horse's ankle because they have to stand on them and there is intense pain. However, I don't know why they cannot adduct the leg with a sling of some sort, like a dog on three legs, for example. Maybe I would know it if I were a vet or ferrier or something. I hate the idea of shooting an otherwise healthy animal. HATE it.

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  • by mogambo on June 29th, 2008

    mogambo

    I saw one being put to sleep today. I am so sad. Do we really have no treatment for poor horses even in today's age? I find it cruel to kill them, on the race track itself. And then the race continues...just too heartening.

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  • by zarmalar on July 14th, 2008

    zarmalar

    I do agree that horse racing is cruel to some of the horses, but the reason why they have to put them down is. Horses have very delicate legs, It doesnt take much to injure them. Even to trim their feet the slightest bit wrong way will leave a horse lame for weeks. so when a horse breaks a leg or bone or even a tendon, the care and rehabilitaion is very hard on them. Espesially on race horses who tend to be hot headed and nervous as it is. Often times their owner when faced with the decision. Decide to put the horse down then to deal with the costly vet bills and even after that the horse is not guarenteed to fully recover to bring them money like they were bred to do. So you have a horse that cant be ridden and requires alot of care. especially with the price of hay.

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  • by Symbeline on June 29th, 2008

    Symbeline

    A horse lives while standing up, it even sleeps on its legs. A horse will only lay down if it's sick, or giving birth, and even THEN that's rare. A horse with a broken leg, unfortunately is a finished horse. :/ You can't force it stay down, and even if you managed, it would probably let itself die.

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  • by DudeLer on June 29th, 2008

    DudeLer

    one would think they could invent something with wheels to support their legs.

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  • by FruitLoop87 on July 20th, 2008

    FruitLoop87

    They suffer if you don't put them down, besides, they go to horse heaven! They're in a better place!

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  • by Rocket on July 21st, 2008

    Rocket

    As well as all the above posts, which confirm how important it is for a horse to have healthy legs, what you have to consider is as an owner is saving a horses' life worth it? As an owner, horses are a means of making/providing money, if you decide to keep the horse there is no saying as to how it will react to any drugs whilst in surgery. The horses temperament also pays a key role as a lot of horses that successfully survive the break and surgery will quite often re-awaken from surgery and be in such a state that they will re-break the same ankle/leg and may even cause more damage.

    The only reason for an owner to even contemplate any of these actions is if the horse will reach a good stud or broodmare fee. Other than that, unfortuneatly they do the humane thing and put them to sleep.

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  • by Bella on September 2nd, 2008

    Bella

    No there birthdays when they were born Silly

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  • by Koby995 on October 25th, 2008

    Koby995

    when a horse breaks a leg it will never heal and if you dont put them down they will live with alot of pain, so it bet for then to be put down.

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  • by -O-uknow on June 29th, 2008

    -O-uknow

    They stand on it and make it worse leading to infection and more suffering.

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  • by jangobean on July 20th, 2008

    jangobean

    It's only racehorses or work horses that they do this with, basically because a crippled racehorse/workhorse is not much use to anyone.
    It's also notoriously difficult to mend horses broken legs.

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