Ex-racehorse hits median in bid to escape, battles for life

CHENNAI: It was an obstacle the former racehorse could not clear. Tired of providing joyrides to beach-goers and weakened by the poor food it received from its caretaker, the retired racehorse made a desperate attempt to escape from Marina Beach on Sunday.
But it had been a long time since the animal had heard the thunder of hooves on green turf, the roar that pushed it to gallop ever faster.The exhausted horse hit the median on Kamarajar Promenade while trying to leap over it and collapsed in a pool of blood.
It lay there for several hours before a pedestrian informed police who alerted Blue Cross of India. Volunteers arrived and took the horse to the Blue Cross veterinary hospital in Velachery, where it is battling for life.
Prem Sai, who was walking past the beach at 7pm on Sunday, said he saw the horse near Anna Swimming Pool. "The horse was staggering along when it suddenly tried to jump over the median," he said. "The animal collided with the median and fell on the road. It appeared to be in terrible pain."
"We tried to give the horse water but it was not able to stand," said Anna Square inspector Selva Kumar, who informed the Blue Cross.
Blue Cross volunteers took away the 10-year-old horse. "It had a deep cut on the left hind foot, probably because of loose horseshoes . It also had an injury to one eye and multiple scrape wounds," he said. "In the ambulance, the horse mustered the courage to stand but toppled."
After treatment at the veterinary hospital, the animal's condition has improved, he said. The horse was branded with a code by the farm where it was raised and trained: 'CHS4' (Chettinad Stud & Agricultural Farm) and '121' (its stable number).
'Lucky Ram' (the name given by Blue Cross officials) is the second horse to be rescued from the Marina in less than a fortnight. TOI had on May 26 reported a similar rescue.
"Racehorses past their prime are dumped or sold for a pittance. This horse appears to have been overworked and not given enough food," Blue Cross of India general manager Dawn Williams said.