Ruffian was run too hard too early. A thoroughbred doesn't stop growing the plates in their legs until they are three years old. They run them here in America one full year before that. That's why these horses' legs break when they are overworked. The same thing happened to the filly Go For Wand, who died in a race at Belmont Park for the same reason. Her foot actually broke off in front of national television. Now, Zenyatta's owners and trainer waited until she was three to run her and she may be the best horse ever. She was actually grown up before being asked to give her all.So, I can't read these tear-jerker books that are written in ignorance of a horse's anatomy and are about the greediness of American racehorse owners who can't wait until a horse is grown to ask such a price of an incredible animal.