Posted on 12/08/2017 8:02:24 AM PST by Red Badger
Hundreds of elite thoroughbred race horses sprinted away from flames Thursday as one of California's major wildfires tore through a training center in San Diego County.
Not all made it.
There was no official count of how many animals were killed in the hazy confusion as both horses and humans evacuated, but trainers at San Luis Rey Downs estimated that at least a dozen had died, possibly far more.
Horses worth hundreds of thousands of dollars who are usually carefully walked from place to place were simply set free and encouraged to run away as flames engulfed the center near Bonsall, which is just a few miles from where the fire broke out.
Mac McBride, who was working with the center's trainers, said it was "total pandemonium when several hundred horses were cut loose," but he believes most of the about 450 horses stabled there survived. McBride, who works at the Del Mar race track, said some horses were evacuated to the nearby track where many of them compete.
"There was so much smoke it was difficult to see," said horse trainer Dan Durham, who got his 20 horses rounded up and was loading them into vans to be evacuated. "Some of the horses were turned loose so they could be safe. They were scattered around."
San Luis Rey Downs is home to horses that run at nearby Del Mar and other top-flight California tracks like Santa Anita Park. Doug O'Neill, whose horses have won the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup races, is among the trainers who keep at least part of their stable there.
The sign at the front calls it "Home of Azeri," the now-retired mare who was the 2002 U.S. Horse of the Year who earned over $4 million in her career.
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
As much as people in California talk about earthquakes, threats of earthquakes, etc. it seems that many more are affected by these brush fires. Fires seem to break out every year, and often affect urbanized areas.
Don’t they ever do ‘Controlled Burns’ there?
Here in The South they do controlled burns to clear underbrush all the time, to limit the chances of an out-of-control conflagration...................
Poor creatures, all. Fires are horrific.
They should have started moving them immediately. Shame on them.
There were trailers ready to move them — the firefighters closed the road so they could not leave!
CA is probably too worried about air pollution to do something like a small, controlled burn. Smoke is bad, you know. They prefer their skies the way they are today -- black as night and full of soot.
Like one of the other fires, likely started by an illegal immigrant, but that’s ok
Probably the Environ-mental crowd would go ballistic and sue them in court to stop any......................
I bet PETA is having conniptions...............
They used to pull an anchor chain between two Cat D8’s to clear brush in LA county. The Greens shut it down.
They would let the people burn, then save the horses, and euthanize them.
Oh well, I guess this puts a ‘short’ on all those who play the ponies?
How many players do you think will introspect on their addiction?
“The sign at the front calls it “Home of Azeri,” the now-retired mare who was the 2002 U.S. Horse of the Year who earned over $4 million in her career.”
Cynical me...any insurance issues involved here?
Insurance scam was my first thought.
I don’t think so. The fire erupted so fast they didn’t have time...................And the police closed the roads.............
“Don’t they ever do ‘Controlled Burns’ there?
Here in The South they do controlled burns to clear underbrush all the time, to limit the chances of an out-of-control conflagration...................”
No...that would be counter to their global warming religion and would require common sense.
They even do controlled burns near me in lush, wet, green exurban shitcago.
People in California are held hostage to the enviro whack-jobs.................
“As much as people in California talk about earthquakes, threats of earthquakes, etc. it seems that many more are affected by these brush fires. Fires seem to break out every year, and often affect urbanized areas.”
Can’t see the forest for the trees.
Controlled Burns are done in Calif & Nevada. Usually to disastrous results. They are never CONTROLLED.
Well, you’re supposed to put fire breaks in place BEFORE LIGHTING THE FIRES................
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