Another fine brave horse died today at the National-bringing the total for this years Aintree meeting to five animals dead.
I come from a family steeped in racing tradition, and most of my family adore a flutter. My grandfather owned an ran both a horse and greyhounds and loved them dearly whilst expecting them to earn their keep. My Grandmother at 94 still toddles down to the bookies every day to place the odd 20pence accumulator and most often wins.
However since I was a little boy she has made me promise faithfully never to bet on the debacle that is Aintree, she has always maintained that it is cruel and intentionally so. Three horses required oxygen just to survive the run in this year and only two got up.
Make no mistake these animals are athletes, trained to an incredible level of fitness, and yet they are run to the edge of death and sometimes, in fact often, beyond that.
It wouldn't hurt the organisers to examine the race and perhaps just make it more likely that the rides could survive to race another day. Last year they had a good meeting- only three died.
I urge everyone-whether you were lucky enough to have a tenner on the hundred to one winner or not- to stop betting on the thing and perhaps the bookies may pass on the message that we aren't that pleased with watching these brave animals literally run their hearts out.
I dont agree with racing horses over jumps full stop but The National is barbaric....
Whole Hearted agreement.
lp
100 % in agreement with this thread :shock:
steve
I had no idea the horse had actually died...it's cruel and ought to be stopped.
I watch the Palio di Siena every year (the race that is displayed in the latest 007 movie)...it's a race that is very hard on the horses, and has been run for centuries, but it's been ages now since the last horse actually died because of it.
I understand the traditional value of certain events, but if the safety is so poor, then really something should be done.
thanks for posting this. it helps my resolve to stay away from betting altogether.
I wholeheartedly agree with this thread, I am against animal sport of any kind, and year after year horses lose their lives in this "race".
I cannot understand why it carries on... :cry:
I am surprised that so many horses are entered - it is certainly very dangerous. Don't the owners/trainers feel that the risk of death or damage to their horse is too high? The horse is a valuable piece of property, that level of risk seems very high.
I am so surprised that there's not been a national outcry so far, as i've always held the National to be pure animal torture! My goodness 5 horses die and no one in the media says a thing! I'm with Foxy re the owners and am baffled that they're prepared to risk their horse's life on this race.
I stopped putting a flutter on the National many years ago and wont be putting my money on it as i think it's just an awful thing to put the horses through.
:cry:
Having being brough up with horses and my first horse when moving up from ponies was an ex-race horse, and I also know that horses do love running, they do love going over jumps but the grand national can only be described as barbaric!
In this day and age, people (the organisers, the trainers and members of the public) should stop supporting this race. It needs to be stopped or at the very least, the course needs to be looked at and amended. Other races over jumps do not have the same level of casualties so why is it necessary for this one to be so inhumaine?
i think it was a call for the grand national to be stopped or made safer, not racing or horse sports all together, those who have lived within the racing life even think this one race is beyond reason.
ive never betted on it and never will.
but it has been promoted as a family betting event, the day that people who never bet make a flutter.
hi lighting the barbaric deaths is a god thing, make people think deeper than the fun of it as promoted.
x fem xx
I personally know the owner of " Mark Jarvis " racing betting shops , he once owned " Red Rum " and told me the reason he bought it :shock:
was it was cheaper to buy than hire to open his betting shops :shock: to him it was a slab of meat a commodity ,nothing more nothing less ?
He allso told me that the National was a mugs game and that he loves it because he wins you lose ££££££
This years National was a bookies National and he reckons to nett after tax around 1 million :shock:
Not a bad days work ??? hence the reason I dont bet
steve
I grew up with horse around me. I have taken risks, but I would never ride in the National. Not that any fence is in it's self that bad. Yes they are high, some tricky, yes there are falls. The really dangerous thing is the numbers. Each horse fights the others for space, space to prepare for the next jump. if something goes wrong and there is a fall, there are more horse to to land on the fallen.
Yes the course is dangerous, but it is the numbers that kill so many.
Travis
Must admit I love horses and yes ... donkeys too and quite close to where i live there is a stable , I have never yet to see a bad horse ... bad rider ?? :shock:
but never a bad horse xx
steve x
Frankie de'torri has a stable in Newmarket where he takes in ex racing horses no longer of any use to anyone to make money ,
It seems quite sad and that of a small quick public life that these horses apart from breeding get left out ?? why is beyond me its maybe all ££££
I am not a horsey person ... but love horses could never afford one but would love too xx
but still appreciate and enjoy when in their company and think of this ?? a horse is quite an intelligent
animal ..thinking knowing aware and knows when someone doesnt like them ??
steve x
