"Ponies" aren't playthings

I just want to draw your attention to a horrifying article I just came across about a polo match in the US where 21 (that's right, TWENTY ONE) horses died on the field from heart failure. The horses were all from one Argentinian team and it's believed to have been a result of a toxic reaction. Keep in mind this article is from an online publication called "Bloodhorse" it focuses more on the financial tragedy of losing so many horses, worth around $200 000 each. My point in bringing this article to your attention is that there is a dark side to the glamour and 'nobility' of horse sports. It's an industry where animals are bought and sold, bred and disposed of like bags of grain. There are a few glaring statements made in the article that really made my blood run cold, proving that there really is nothing noble about it.

"While women in sundresses and men in linen suits sipped champagne and nibbled on hors d'oeuvres on Sunday waiting for the match to begin, a frenzy of workers and trucks began hovering around the horse trailers nearby. Soon blue tarps were hung and trailers were shuffled into place to obscure the crowd's view."

"Although the value of the horses lost was great, this isn't a game people play for the money. The owners are already multimillionaires."

"If you win this tournament, you get your name on a trophy," Newman said, along with the respect of your peers. "It's a lifestyle."