Poetry: Thoroughbred Racehorses and Broken Bones

Despite efforts to avoid the tragedy of race track breakdowns in Thoroughbred racehorses, broken bones often occur during races and even in workouts, or in freakish accidents, as well.

Are we doing enough to help prevent these accidents and elevate the health and welfare of the racehorse to its highest level?

This poem is dedicated to that lofty cause, and to those amazing creatures who run for their lives.

...{ Broken Bones }...

We watch them farely glide
Across tracks of flying dirt.
Seldom do we really surmise
Any soon will be grievously hurt.

Reality's lessons now should suffice,
Warn us all of the unending
Strife of their facts of life:
Their hearts ever will try, unbending.

Hoofs and hearts are buried here and there,
Signs of long bones broken short
Of the wire to which they tear
Without quit, neither hesitant snort.

Brave G. W., fillies Ruffian and Eight Belles
Misstepped, stumbled, stopped, went out
Before we were ready; it tells
That we still need to shout about

Thoroughbreds and their tenuous plight,
Creatures of training, however, frail
In their expected, difficult fight
To please while we pursue bragging tales.

Rewilding, latest to die, this for
England's George VI and Queen Elizabeth
In the stakes of their royal lore.
He now is Heaven's uplifted gift.

Sublime Barbaro, several years gone,
Never met the Preakness Stakes wire.
Slipping under foot, his last song;
His lasting legacy, never to sire.

Thoroughbred broken bones, our own woes;
We lead them to an unrelenting gate
To vanquish their contemporary foes
While we admire strength, mindless of cruel fates.

Ours, they proudly go, ready, able,
Prancing to the start, not knowing
Varied agendas upon owners' tables.
Nickering they go, high-stepping, blowing.

Shall we stop the trend of bones
Broken as we send them to act
Out our own fantasies and tones?
Or finally, willing, face fatal facts?