Best Mate, RIP

[zefarelly]

Originally posted by Normal Rob i think that at best you may have made some people think that you are an idiot. [/B]

I don't think so, but you do sound ever so normal



Presumably it's all fair enough when a nag gets shot at a racetrack for breaking its leg?

blody good point, none gives two hoots or shouts about it when they shoot them for falling over under the whip or whatever. . . . but a heart attack . . . .

I admit I don't like horses, but I think racing is an acceptable face of animal cruelty financed by gambling, thats all.

 

[Meade's Ball]

It seems to me that Best Mate is the Lady Di of the equine world. The Horse of Hearts renowned for his work with landmine victims - a photo of Best Mate can be seen in the Imperial War Museum, a beautiful new hat sat betwixt his twitching ears, re-shoeing a 2-legged horse.

Ah facetiousness. Yes, the grief seems a bit silly, but i do understand it. Although, i can't help thinking of a child crying when a Blue Peter tortoise dies.

 

[Normal Rob]

the grief is a bit over the top i agree - i guess that for some it is just like losing a favourite pet and then perhaps i can understand them shedding a tear or two. For me it's just a shame that a sporting great (and in the racing world Best Mate was a 'great') has been taken so early.

 

[zefarelly]

is ten early for race horse ? I thought ( and I don't know as you've already pointed out) that 12ish was the David Seaman/Alan Shearer end of the career ?

I guess the press and the public demise make it such a big deal . . . . if he'd retired through injury ( as perhaps he should have ?) and then died of an oats overdose on an all weekend guinness bender would it have made the headlines the same way ?

 

[Normal Rob]

horse can live well into their 20's - and whereas you are right that 10 years is towards the end of a (jump) horses racing career what happened to Best Mate is a bit like Shearer collapsing on the pitch this weekend. Tragic.

 

[Easy 10]

what happened to Best Mate is a bit like Shearer collapsing on the pitch this weekend. Tragic.

What, and not getting a pen ?

 

[Normal Rob]

 

[Squiggsy]

10 is actually when most jumps horses are at their peak, assuming that they've not spent years with Martin Pipe and therefore have twice as many miles on the clock as they should have.

Can still be top class at 12, and live well into 20s.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

Indeed.

The thing about Best Mate was he raised tens of thosands of pounds for charities at public appearances etc, and he was set to follow in the footsteps of the great Desert Orchid who still does the charity rounds at about 24.

Shame this great animal never got to enjoy a well deserved retirement. Some of the pictures in the papers today were sickening.