Replying to Barbara Grimaldi:
Very interesting reading, Binky. I can only go with what horse people say, and it looks as if removing Lasix is highly contested. I have a question for you. What would happen if Lasix was gradually withdrawn from our horses here and then stopped altogether? Bleeding, breathing, collapse? Are trainers really moving out of KY because of this new ruling and going to other states who have not passed this yet? That's what Dale Romans says, yet i wonder if when he gets to NY, where he says he's moving to, will NY pass the same ruling? Complex, complex, complex--and an animal's health is at stake. I also see irony. We don't eat horses here, but we pump them with various meds. In Europe, they don't put drugs into stakes horses, but--they eat horse meat. Thank you.

Barbara:

Horses currently on Lasix should be allowed to finish their careers on it. New horses will have to be trained differently. For some horses lasix will still be used for training, removed for racing, then back on. Ones that bleed too much probably never get to races or even beyond breaking. Sorry, but they could end up in zoos or feeding Euros (they need their strength to help Greece and Spain). Hopefully as someone's trail horse or backyard friend, instead.

We are pleased that Dale will probably not have to move. It would create a massive upheaval.

Replying to binky mcfadden:
Conventional wisdom accepts that because overseas horses race without lasix, they are superior. It is one argument for banning race day lasix here. Could we be ignoring the REAL reasons that horses overseas (including U.S bred) can race without lasix?1. There is less emphasis overseas on pushing immature horses to run as fast and hard as they can, over short distances. The process until they retire.2. There are significantly fewer sprints which do not allow a horse to truly warm up or settle, and which push them to the limit almost the entire way. 3. There are more route races which require different training regimens.4. Where track and farm locations permit, horses are vanned or walked to the track. Most are kept on the farms between races with turn out, gallops up and down hills, hacking through woods or countryside. They receive more time off5. There is less drug use in general. Vets don't pump horses full of other needless, harmful meds and convince trainers that it will give them an edge.6. There is less need for lasix to overcome the effects of the short-sighted (pun intended) training techniques and racing conditions found here.7. There are fewer races. There is little or no year round racing. Shorter meets.8. GrassConventional Wisdom: Lasix is required to run in hot, humid climates in the U.S. European weather is different.1. Hong Kong and Singapore.2. U.S. horses running and winning in UAE without lasix.Conventional Wisdom: Lasix results in genetic modifications that pass on bleeding and reduces foreign demand for our yearlings.1. Lasix does not hurt our yearling market and evidence is incomplete on the genetic consequences. Foreign buyers continue to cherry-pick our yearlings, and limit most of their business to the upper-end of the market. They buy our best, regardless of "American bleeders". 2. When they go overseas much of our bloody bloodstock race without lasix (What?) Lasix and unsubstantiated genetic modification are given too much blame.3. Foreign jurisdictions except Hong Kong and Germany permit lasix for training only. It is used much less frequently, but some horses get it.4. How much is too much and how much has no long term effects? The French, British, Australians, et al; nor the Americans have the answer. (Is anyone else old enough to remember the ban on “cancer causing” saccharin? It apparently can cause cancer if you ingest several buckets full daily.) Lasix is used to save the horses in the U.S. from widespread bad training and racing practices. Trainers, who would otherwise do without it, use it to avoid a disadvantage. Address the bad practices, eliminate the need. Conventional wisdom; Going along with the crowd. Accepting what is commonplace, thought lacking in originality

Very interesting reading, Binky. I can only go with what horse people say, and it looks as if removing Lasix is highly contested. I have a question for you. What would happen if Lasix was gradually withdrawn from our horses here and then stopped altogether? Bleeding, breathing, collapse? Are trainers really moving out of KY because of this new ruling and going to other states who have not passed this yet? That's what Dale Romans says, yet i wonder if when he gets to NY, where he says he's moving to, will NY pass the same ruling? Complex, complex, complex--and an animal's health is at stake. I also see irony. We don't eat horses here, but we pump them with various meds. In Europe, they don't put drugs into stakes horses, but--they eat horse meat. Thank you.

1. There is less emphasis overseas on pushing immature horses to run as fast and hard as they can, over short distances. The process until they retire.

2. There are significantly fewer sprints which do not allow a horse to truly warm up or settle, and which push them to the limit almost the entire way.

3. There are more route races which require different training regimens.

4. Where track and farm locations permit, horses are vanned or walked to the track. Most are kept on the farms between races with turn out, gallops up and down hills, hacking through woods or countryside. They receive more time off

5. There is less drug use in general. Vets don't pump horses full of other needless, harmful meds and convince trainers that it will give them an edge.

6. There is less need for lasix to overcome the effects of the short-sighted (pun intended) training techniques and racing conditions found here.

7. There are fewer races. There is little or no year round racing. Shorter meets.

8. Grass

Conventional Wisdom: Lasix is required to run in hot, humid climates in the U.S. European weather is different.

1. Hong Kong and Singapore.

2. U.S. horses running and winning in UAE without lasix.

Conventional Wisdom: Lasix results in genetic modifications that pass on bleeding and reduces foreign demand for our yearlings.

1. Lasix does not hurt our yearling market and evidence is incomplete on the genetic consequences. Foreign buyers continue to cherry-pick our yearlings, and limit most of their business to the upper-end of the market. They buy our best, regardless of "American bleeders".

2. When they go overseas much of our bloody bloodstock race without lasix (What?) Lasix and unsubstantiated genetic modification are given too much blame.

3. Foreign jurisdictions except Hong Kong and Germany permit lasix for training only. It is used much less frequently, but some horses get it.

4. How much is too much and how much has no long term effects? The French, British, Australians, et al; nor the Americans have the answer. (Is anyone else old enough to remember the ban on “cancer causing” saccharin? It apparently can cause cancer if you ingest several buckets full daily.)

Lasix is used to save the horses in the U.S. from widespread bad training and racing practices. Trainers, who would otherwise do without it, use it to avoid a disadvantage. Address the bad practices, eliminate the need.

Conventional wisdom; Going along with the crowd. Accepting what is commonplace, thought lacking in originality