Theres variation in horses just like variation in humans. Whilst many of the other horses were in their limits (but you could argue with the article i posted describing that 90% endure lung bleeding- so many horses may have endured this or similar injuries but it wasnt as visible) this horse was clearly pushed to the extreme for peoples enjoyment and had to be killed because it had suffered such a cruel injury (again not saying it shouldnt have bene put down but rather should never have been put in a situation where being put down was teh only humane option)

Theres variation in horses just like variation in humans. Whilst many of the other horses were in their limits (but you could argue with the article i posted describing that 90% endure lung bleeding- so many horses may have endured this or similar injuries but it wasnt as visible) this horse was clearly pushed to the extreme for peoples enjoyment and had to be killed because it had suffered such a cruel injury (again not saying it shouldnt have bene put down but rather should never have been put in a situation where being put down was teh only humane option)

But it's not like the horse was picked off a farm for this one off race. It's been breed for racing, its spent its whole life racing and training. It got the all clear from the vets prior to the race and had spent months preparing for this race. Its placed at this distance before and won a couple of races at 3000 metres, in fact it won its last two races. It was a high quality horse cut down by a freak accident.

Clearly it's not "out of its limits" if other horses have demonstrated it to be achievable. Not to mention that there were multiple qualification events it had to make it through in order to compete which it clearly survived.

It sucks, but it's a fact of the "Sport". They can spend literally hundreds of thousands of dollars rehabilitating the horse for it to never race again, or they can just put it out of its misery.

Why they had to kill broken down Melbourne Cup horse Verema

THE horrific leg injury suffered by Verema in the Melbourne Cup yesterday meant that veterinarians had no alternative but to have the mare humanely destroyed.

Verema had suffered a shocking break to her near-foreleg cannon bone, the injury so catastrophic that expert veterinary opinion determined she be put down immediately rather than suffer unnecessarily.

This may seem a harsh, even primitive option but really there is no other alternative.

Over the decades, veterinary science has tried many different methods to attempt to save a horse's life after it suffers a similar leg break.

For example, some very valuable stallions, worth up to $100 million, have suffered similar injuries and efforts have been made to save their lives by placing the injured horse in a flotation tank for weeks, even months, to take the weight off the injured leg and assist the healing process.

Verema at home in her stables. Picture: Twitter
Verema at home in her stables. Picture: Twitter Source: Supplied
However, the very physiological make-up of the thoroughbred means it has to move either by walking or running to assist breathing and for their physical well-being.

When a 500kg animal is immobilised for an extended period, invariably that horse will suffer terribly because it does not eat well, physically loses conditions (fitness) and has to endure shocking pain.

An injured racehorse with this sort of injury literally dies on front of your eyes if attempts are made to keep it alive.

Veterinarians are first and foremost animal lovers and they do not wish for any horse to suffer in agony.

If the leg break is severe enough, then the only humane thing to do is to put that horse down.

I'm not an activist for animals or anything I do follow horse racing but imagine if it was the jockey that was horribly injured. It's amazing how quickly the scenario changes when you replace the horse with a human.

I dislike the common view that horses (or other animals) are dispensible.

Yeah I agree, if the jockey had fallen and broken his leg he should be euthanised too

I'm not an activist for animals or anything I do follow horse racing but imagine if it was the jockey that was horribly injured. It's amazing how quickly the scenario changes when you replace the horse with a human.

I dislike the common view that horses (or other animals) are dispensible.

Got to love the mentality on this forum. Racism and homophobia are frowned on yet animal cruelty is all good.

Let me ask you this: What's more cruel? Taking a horse which is bred and trained to race , it suffers a broken leg, making it suffer through rehabilitation, where it loses weight and muscle mass, doesn't eat properly and spends the next 6 months in distress and costs the owners ~$100,000 for it to never race again.

Or putting it out of its misery.

If you're prepared to spend $100k + on training it then you should spend the money to care for it in ill health.