Victor Molina Is in Trouble
 

I don't know if any of you saw the 3rd race at Philly Park about 10 minutes ago. It was a 2 year old race and Victor Molina's horse acted up in the gate. The horse had to be scratched. Anyway, after the horse had been pulled out of the gate and scratched, Victor Molina walked up to the horse and kicked him in the stomach. I couldn't believe it. I know I'm not the only one who saw it either. TVG got a ton of e-mails about it. VM is definitely in trouble. He is probably looking at a large fine and a suspension.

I didn't see it but he deserves all he gets and then some.

He had to jump to kick the horse right?

I hate it when people pick on these brave heroes who risk their lives on a daily basis.

Are "these brave heroes" the jocks or the horses?

You certainly are a special kind of jackass. I'd like to kick you in your stomach. Or lower. See how you like it. Then you can answer your own question.

They should tie his leg in the stirup, and play Red Pollard in the shed row with his azz.

I guess I'm the only person here willing to admit I have kicked a horse in the gut for being a ass.hole.

It was uncalled for. The horse was clearly a bad actor at the gate but he stood for the unsaddling and it was after that that the jock booted him.

Isn't the key though to do so while the horse is in the act of doing said behavior?

Why should the human race be the only ones subject to your magnanimous nature?

I think Victor should get the death penalty.

of course...I was just stiring the pot, point is though that we all lose it on occasion. I'm not excusing what he did....but I've made that same stupid immature choice before when a horse has gotten the best of me.

OOOOOOOOOO

Sic him Theb....sic him

I'll admit it too. You've got to let some of them know who's the boss, or they'll kill you.
Not an everyday occurance, but needed when survival and "understanding" is required.

I am not offering a defense of Victor Molina, or those kind of actions, but I think that there is a basic hypocracy in these kinds of threads. Considering all the lousy things that go on in horse racing, and the general blind eye most of us turn to them, I'm not sure this specific situation should get everybody up in arms. I have a friend who was an exercise rider and backstretch worker, one day I asked her what she was doing that afternoon and she said " pulling manes. " When I suggested that sounded boarderline cruel she said " we do a lot of mean things to horses. "

It's a brutal game that we love....let's not pretend we're animal rights activists here.

What on earth are you talking about?

like most of the men in my life...my horse is a masochist who loves to have his mane pulled...

but your point is right on.

You know, this is pretty well said. Good job BTW.

You can see it, plain as day, on the simo feed. The horse was held by an outrider on a pony as VM removed his saddle. The horse stood fine and after the tack was off, the jock booted him in the lower abdomen. It was not a means of gaining control over a horse that was currently unruly. Animals need punishment on occassion but you must punish them during the offense.

Whip abuse occurs and is punished. Stewards may ban exercise riders who use rough tactics. Some would say that racing itself is abuse. I have used lip chains, punished horses with the whip and even bitten a horse on the ear (no wonder I can't get dates). There is a difference between gaining control of a 1000lb animal that has different opinions from yours and booting a horse who is being held, standing quietly. I have to assumethat Victor was angry with the loss of the income resulting from the actions of the horse leading to the gate scratch. He took his anger out on the animal which could not associate the kick from the jock with his poor actions at the gate.

What Victor needs is tough love. Maybe a visit from a PETA rep...say Pamela Anderson. Might need his face slapped around by her huge melons. And if he doesn't comply he's sentenced to a hepatitis C infection adminstered by Pamela.

Agreed....

Although this is the sort of offense that activists run with too. When that jockey headbutted that horse in Europe, there were videos made saying horse racing is nothing but a bunch of horse hating headbutters. I get your point though and from pulling lots of manes myself I can say it sucked for me too. (just kidding)

There is a reason that those things have 'anonymous' at the end of them. I guess you missed that day....

Pulling manes is much more brutal on the person doing it than the horse.

I would think kicking a horse in the stomach is more a failing of the one doing the kicking than the horse. I doubt it has any redeeming value.

Well said blackthroat.
As you might have guessed, most times it's not about being "mean" or "cruel",
but rather to remain in control of a very big critter that needs to learn that you're not willing to allow it to hurt you.
This doesn't happen often with me.
A quick story, and I was not the kicker.
A nice mare named Miss Lewis showed up at the farm. She's not mine. I was just trying to help give her a bath.
She's on a lay-up since running at Aq this past winter. I think she won in Feb, but I really didn't follow her.
She's a nice looking mare but must have stepped on something that hurt her left front. She tried to kick the blacksmith the day before, so we held her other leg when he drained the absess. She was quite grouchy.
So, the next day when we were giving her a bath and I held the lead, she goes off again. Those hooves can reach quite far.
It was like, three of us trying to hold an angry crocodile.
Then came the kick that told Miss "Crazy" that her antics weren't appreciated.
She settled down.
We ended the "game" when I put her back in her stall and when I was taking the chain off her bridle, she tried to take off my fingers. I got the snap undone and didn't react further.
I'll be watching her the next time though.

I think there is one important distinction here. We are not talking about people's experiences, keeping control of a dangerous animal, discipline, or anything of the like -- we are talking about this specific case. In addition, we are not talking about whether or not it hurt the horse.

This is disgusting and deplorable behavior.

Eric

Horse petters unite!!!

Eric,
OK...you're right. I took a "specific case" and personalized it.
There's no reason to "hurt" a horse. Heck, there's only about four seconds to get the message across. Beyond that, my guess is that they missed the connection with their action, and the human's reaction.
Just my 2 pennies worth.

I was wondering when this was going to be brought up...

If done correctly, pulling a mane doesn't hurt them all that bad. I used to do it after a workout because the sweating opens up the pores and makes it a bit easier on both human and horse.

As for kicking a horse in the gut, I can honestly say that I've never done that before. I've pulled out the riding crop a few times when needed, but have never been ticked off so much as to drop kick a horse in the gut.

my two cents he should not have done it. no need to be cruel. just chill out and go on with your business.

He must be good friends with Victor Carrero!

Agreed. He deserves whatever fines he's got coming towards him.

I too have had to get quite rough with a few aggressive horses, however, they were MY horses, and not simply because I couldn't ride them. He has no business kicking someone elses horse, I personally NEVER kick a horse in the gut, there are far more effective ways to discipline, the horse in this instance certainly can not equate the belly kick with acting up in the gate!

If this is accurate then horse racing needs to be policed much closer and the abusers run out of the game.

AGREED!!!!!:(

She's no longer available, is performing in Las Vegas with a magician, maybe they can make Victor disappear, think anyone would even notice?