poliphilo: (corinium)
poliphilo ([personal profile] poliphilo) wrote2013-10-22 09:15 am

Filthy Business

We watched the race on TV. My mother's horse shared the lead for two and a half circuits and then dropped back on the final stretch- coming in second to last. We were expecting a disappointment, this was its 30th outing and it had never won.

A few minutes later the trainer rang. The horse, she said, had "struck on"- which is racing jargon for "kicked itself in the shin". It was seeing a vet. A few minutes more and we learned it had severed a tendon. Racing shoes are thin- for reasons of weight- and sharp as blades. The vet advised having the horse put down. My mother consented.

I'll tell you what I wanted to do. I wanted to gather up the racing memorabilia with which this house is filled and chuck it all in a skip.

[identity profile] veronica-milvus.livejournal.com 2013-10-22 10:37 am (UTC)(link)
I guess she has paid good money for a share in this poor horse? What a waste all round. I've never understood the joys of horse racing - but then, I'm a useless gambler.

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2013-10-22 11:07 am (UTC)(link)
Not a share; she owned it outright. Her retirement hobby- though supposedly run as a business- loses money hand over fist.

[identity profile] veronica-milvus.livejournal.com 2013-10-22 04:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Ouch. Perhaps a more conventional investment next time?

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2013-10-23 07:41 am (UTC)(link)
A stamp collection would be nice...

[identity profile] trixibelle-net.livejournal.com 2013-10-22 11:53 am (UTC)(link)
:o(

[identity profile] cmcmck.livejournal.com 2013-10-22 01:35 pm (UTC)(link)
I'd tend to share your view.

This sort of thing has a very high nausea factor for me.

[identity profile] athenais.livejournal.com 2013-10-22 01:46 pm (UTC)(link)
This is just crazy. It makes me really sad.

[identity profile] w. lotus (from livejournal.com) 2013-10-22 02:28 pm (UTC)(link)
That poor horse.

[identity profile] pondhopper.livejournal.com 2013-10-22 06:57 pm (UTC)(link)
That's just sad. Was that the only horse she had? I hope so...

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2013-10-23 07:36 am (UTC)(link)
Sadly not. She has three left- and they cost the earth to maintain.