Is this a normal practice in starting gates???

[Flanders]

Tying a horse's tail to the starting gate??? Why would they even do that?? I'm just at a loss of words.

https://paulickreport.com/news/the-biz/ ... rting-gate

[Gemini]

I’ve never heard of that practice either. It sounds bizarre and barbaric.

I’m confused why the trainer kept entering Sir Steele if the gate crew kept ignoring her requests not to tie his tail.

[genuinerizk]

I have heard of this, usually for horses that are antsy and restless. Google “Zippit Yankee horse” and see the post report under Horseracing Wrongs. Horrific. I have heard of horses taking off when the gates opened, the tail didn’t, and broke their spines. I would think there would be better ways to deal with this. But, much like this horse in the article, Zippit Yankee had a history of anxiety in the gates, and yet, like this trainer, they kept racing him. Both these poor horses deserved better.
And, what the article in Horseracing wrongs doesn’t mention, is that Zippit Yankee actually disemboweled himself after his tail was ripped out.

[Eohippus]

I have heard of this, usually for horses that are antsy and restless. Google “Zippit Yankee horse” and see the post report under Horseracing Wrongs. Horrific. I have heard of horses taking off when the gates opened, the tail didn’t, and broke their spines. I would think there would be better ways to deal with this. But, much like this horse in the article, Zippit Yankee had a history of anxiety in the gates, and yet, like this trainer, they kept racing him. Both these poor horses deserved better.
And, what the article in Horseracing wrongs doesn’t mention, is that Zippit Yankee actually disemboweled himself after his tail was ripped out.

I remember seeing an old veterinary textbook demonstrating using a tail restraint technique where the tail is tied to a rope around the animal’s neck or torso, but it empathized that the tail can only be tied to the animal and never an object

[Missbeholder]

I've heard of assistant starters holding a horse's tail while in the gate, but of course letting go the instant that the gates open. I don't know how common that is, but it's certainly not as horrific as the idea of tying the tail to the damn starting gate! Just the thought of that is sickening!

[Squeaky]

Utterly appalled and horrified by this. I get upset by “earring” which seems to be common by many gate crews. I noticed at Ascot the gate crews were calm and methodical , using a rubber band type device held on either side of their rump to gently push them in. No cowboy whipping, no grabbing ears or tails, just good horsemanship. And no excuse for vets to be overly reliant on these techniques when safe short-acting sedatives are readily available. No place for this kind of “ bruticaine “ nowadays as I’ve heard this type of manhandling referred to in vet practice.

[BaroqueAgain1]

I didn't even know that ANY starting gate crew ever TIED a horse's tail to the back of the stall. How the hell do they expect there not to be injury as the tail is ripped loose when the horse tries to break?
I often see tails lifted/held by gate crews to distract an antsy horse from rearing/sitting, but the tail is released instantly when the gates open.

[Flanders]

I'm glad this doesn't appear to be a common practice at most tracks. Its just utterly appalling and I was so disgusted last night when I read the article that I couldn't type much. And if any track employs this as a normal practice, they should be closed. Its animal abuse and torture.

[TapitsGal]

This is horrific poor horse. Yet why am I not shocked it happened at Penn national of all places