Winning "hands down" in horse racing means never once having to use the whip on the animal.
It's neat to learn origins of phrases and words. This one especially! I have mixed feelings about horse racing. If treated well and trained properly, it can be like running track for people. If not, it is abusive. What's your opinion on it?
Monday, November 16, 2009
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5 comments:
Not sure. I do know that taking me to a horse race cost my parents plenty. I became a horse nut and spent my teenage years with a palomino named Sunny who needed western gear, eastern gear, a horse trailer and trips to horse shows.
As someone who has owned and bred non-race horses, I don't have a problem with racing. Too often we try to attribute a human situation in animals. Horses can have very thick skin and the whip is not as harsh as you might think.
I'm not as concerned about the whip as I am about the overbreeding that can go on. There was that Triple Crown horse that had to be put down at the end of the race due to 2 broken ankles a year or so ago...
Hands Down, never knew the origin, but I love the premise.
Thanks, Howard. I thought you'd know about this. I didn't think those whips they use hurt them but were used in training.
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