Cross Breeds

Do you think that race horses enjoy the thrill of competition?

You know those race horses that compete in like the Kentucky Derby, and have the jockey's riding them around the track. Notwithstanding that these horses have accepted humans as their masters and caretakers, do you think that when they're out there competing - that they know it's a race and get competitive and try to beat the other horses to the finish line?

Public Comments

1. Yes, race horses enjoy competing. They are bred and trained to run competitively, and a horse's spirit and will to win is an important element in the making of a champion. Some horses can't stand to to be behind, and will always try to be in front. Others race best when coming from behind. These aren't traits you would see if the horses were only running because of the crop. There are even recorded cases of race horses continuing to run in a race even with injuries. There's at least one case where the jockey fell off his horse and the horse finished the race anyhow. Also, if you ever watch horses running together in the open, you'll see that there is often clearly a sense of competition between them, and that they race in play. Race horses even run without a jockey or even with injury because of instinct. :)
2. Maybe, maybe not. We will never know how they feel. I grow, raised and worked in the farm and basically rode horses when I was a teenager. In fact, I used to work (hired) in the ranch riding horses, caring with cows and other farm animals (pigs, chicken,etc). Horses do run wild specially when it starts to rain. They also race down slope and open fields, but sometimes you have to forced horses to run. They can forced you to fall if they refuse to run and they do jumped and kicked. So depending with the situation and how they really feel. I would say that some of this horses runs because they don't have any other choices at all.
3. I've raised horses since I was a child (I currently have two barrel horses that are fatter and lazier than they should be; I worked at the local horse races this weekend, actually, where they were simulcasting the Kentucky Derby, so thought your question was timely) A full grown race horse weighs over 1500 pounds. A jockey weighs all of 100, 125 pounds soaking wet. If it doesn't want to run, it's not going to run. Period. The relationship between a horse and it's rider is not the horse acknowledging that the rider is the "Master and caretaker"...it's a relationship of trust for both of them, and they have to work as part of a team or they can accomplish nothing, and one of them is getting hurt. When a rider is on the horses back, that horse can easily kill that rider in a hundred and one different ways...rolling over on him, dragging him, bucking, scraping off a fence. Some horses LOVE to compete, whether it's in barrels, roping, or racing. Some just have the heart for it. Yes, they know it's a race...horses are incredibly intelligent. I've seen horses race each other for FUN in the fields....mine race each other to the feed bucket, especially in the spring when the weather is good and they are in high spirits. They know they are both going to get fed the same amount, but they do it anyway...and they play. Some bond with their riders and compete to please them, just like you do things for your friend because you love them. Animals pair bond with humans, too...I have a baby goat that wouldn't latch on to it's mom, so I bottle feed it. Now it loves legs, because the legs feed it and pet it and cuddle it....legs = love. Eventually this goat will be weaned, and his love will be from habit and an understanding that the legs love him back and take care of him, keep him warm, pet him and show him affection. Horses are much the same way. They will never love and trust someone out of fear...eventually they would bolt and kill the person. They genuinely love and respect the person who is caring for them, and there's a genuine friendship. Yes, they are very aware of what they are doing.