Grand National.

[KaceysMummy]

The Grand National continued its tradition of killing horses this year when Ornais broke his neck and Dooneys Gate broke his back in the gruelling 4 and a half mile event.
Their deaths mean that 20 horses have now perished on the Grand National course since 2000.
Just 19 of the 40 starters finished the race, while the winner, Ballabriggs, came close to collapsing from dehydration...

Do you think it should be banned?

 

[xolily]

deaths don't just occur in the Grand National, horses fall in other races, some are fatally injured, others are destroyed. Horse racing is a business and horses are assets - I think it's suffice to say they're well looked after and kept fit/healthy. Horses jump much higher than the fences on the national - they enjoy it. Yeah it's unfortunate that sometimes horses die, but sometimes humans die in sporting events aswell .. should we ban those?

It seems to me that it's AFTER the bets are placed and AFTER the race has been run that people start to think and care about the horses.

 

[Lightworker]

Dont really know too much about it TBH but the notion that it is a sporting event and human fatalities are incurred as well to me does nothing to justify the practice. The horses are not there of their own volition unlike the humans that choose to do it.

 

[KaceysMummy]

Yeah I totally agree with you.
It seems to be everywhere just now - I personally think that there is worse things happening in the world and more important things to care about.

 

[moomin_troll]

i hate that animals of any kind are used in racing like horses and dogs!

its not needed and very pointless so to me it should all be banned but it wont be :/

 

[special_kala]

Humans choose to participate in sports, horses are forced into it.

I dont agree with any kind of sport involving animaks

 

[KaceysMummy]

A horse could refuse to run and refuse to jump - no matter what a human does, they can't force them do that.

 

[special_kala]

My friends horse got sent away to be broken in so that it was ride-able and would jump. I think the word broken says it all tbh

Break my spirit and ill do whatever you want me to as well

 

[Lightworker]

A horse could refuse to run and refuse to jump - no matter what a human does, they can't force them do that.

what happens to it when it refuses?

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

I really dislike the grand national. I ride horses and often go on hacks in the country side. Some horses I ride slowly plod along, I dont whip them to make them
go faster. I let them go at their pace. The reason I
dislike it so much is due to the essessive whipping that is evident. Yes horses can refuse but they are often 'trained' not to by whipping, un kind bits on their tack to which hurt if they pull etc. Horses are my passion and I can't bear to watch the jockeys laying into them to make them gallop faster. It isn't acceptable to whip
A human runner, so why is it acceptable to whip a horse? X

 

[xolily]

of course a horse doesn't choose.. it's an animal =/ since when did any animal make it's own choice?

 

[Lightworker]

of course a horse doesn't choose.. it's an animal =/ since when did any animal make it's own choice?

the ones in the wild do lol

 

[KaceysMummy]

I don't think it's right to whip them either.
I've seen it quite a lot on the horse racing that the horse stops at the fence, there is nothing the jockey can do about it...

 

[charlotte-xo]

I hate it. Its unnecassary and cruel. Id like to jump on a jockeys back whip them non stop and make them jump stupidly high fences just for fun and money.

 

[SKATERBUN]

Humans choose to participate in sports, horses are forced into it.

I dont agree with any kind of sport involving animaks

I agree its exploitation of another species that has no choice

....and whilst horses are unable to make choices, it still doesnt make it right IMO

 

[hb1]

Things like this won't be banned as they are too lucrative an industry and the taxes raised are huge - just like they won't ban smoking or alcahol ( if they came out today as new "drugs" they wouldn't be allowed ) - they make too much money off it - gambling is a massive industry - I don't think this is right - the welfare of the animals is a last thought to these people.... and without banning it they should not be allowed to destroy animals that could be nursed back to health.... again this all comes down to money

 

[SKATERBUN]

^ oh yes I dont think it will ever be banned either.
The least they could do is re assess the height of the obstacles again, and the vicious trenches - its obviously not just racing the horses hard thats to blame, but the amount of horses that all try to jump the same high fence at tremendous speed thats to blame. This is totally un natural bahaviour for a horse, its harping back to the treatment that working horses received during wars and battles.
In this day and age and in the name of 'sport' is it too much to ask to treat a living being with a little respect and decency ??

 

[Kimmer]

I posted this in the other thread, putting it here too.

I don't agree with any horse/dog racing.

The Grand National really upsets me. So many horses have died over the years, it isn't just 'one of those things', its because there's too many horses, the jumps are too high, the jockeys push them too far.

It's 40 horses running 4 miles in (usually) blistering heat, being made to jump and being whipped.. they just aren't built for it.

Two horses died this year in one race, the 'winner' was suffering with dehydration. I see it as blatant cruelty that's completely avoidable. I don't care if people want to gamble, but surely having animals suffer because some drunk idiot wants to win £5 is just evil.

I think they could carry on with it, IF the animals are better cared for, there was no jockeys, no jumps and fewer horses starting.. but we all know they wouldn't run.

This Morning did a poll on it's popularity, 74% said it should be banned. It will be, eventually.

 

[PeanutBean]

I also disagree with animals being used in any kind of sport. Given the Tories are trying to push through badger culling (licences to shoot them for sport) despite no firm evidence behind it and included a drop in the fox hunting ban in their manifesto I think it extremely unlikely the Grand National is going to get a look in any time soon.