I didn't realise two horses died in Grand National today.

[ladybirder]

That's awful. Does anybody else feel the same?

[Old_Geezer]

Horses dying in the National is hardly news. Happens often enough, unsure why this year should have been seen as somehow different. But yes, if it is straining the animals excessively then it should be analysed to see what can be done. Little point in have the kudos of the hardest race if it is unreasonably hard on the participants. Isn’t the RSPCA looking into it ?

[ttfn]

I wish Peter a speedy return to full health. However, I did notice immediately in that article that he was in a medically induced coma. A friend of mine was similarly treated to help him recover from a massive heart attack, which he did, happily. I am sure the paper did not intend to negate the anger of animal lovers world wide but merely provide a balanced view <ahem>

[classylady60]

You're right OG, nearly every year horses die or are maimed, that's why this race is particularly cruel and should be stopped. I would love the RSPCA to be doing something about it, not sure that they will and sometimes I wonder if anything will be done when it's an industry generating lots of money. Money usually comes before everything IMO, even animal cruelty it seems.

[classylady60]

I would love it to be abolished pinki but it will take years if at all, perhaps people will come to realise how barbaric it is like bear baiting once was and all other types of abuse of animals but it takes time and as I said previously, money gets in the way of stopping this at the moment.

[steg]

I'm just wondering if this "sport" is outdated and if, in years to come, people here think it will be abolished?
next year? no, 2 years? no, 5 years? hmmmmm, 10 years maybe, 30 years who knows,
50 years? who cares

[ladybirder]

We need some big names (think Martin Clunes perhaps) to do a Joanna Lumley for this cause.

[classylady60]

Hear hear ladybirder....perhaps you can write to some celebs to ask them to join the cause.

[mrs.chappie]

I do get your point, Trim. But I've never been able to understand the appeal of it, anyway.

[ELVIS68]

ladybirder, why Martin Clunes?

http://www.arunbusine...o-fontwell-park-.html

[squarebear]

I haven't read the thread but can I ask why horses still continue to jump the fences even when they have thrown off their jockeys? If it was so cruel, surely they would stop once they had unseated the rider?

[237SJ]

Horses are herd animals. They run with a pack and when the pack think they are running away from something (as they believe when they are racing) they will run together and jump fences, ditches etc. It`s the flight or fight response.

[steg]

">next year? no, 2 years? no, 5 years? hmmmmm, 10 years maybe, 30 years who knows,
50 years? who cares

Clearly quite a lot of people on this thread, Steg."
oops i should of put a wee wink ;) so that even you would of realised it was a joke, sorry

[steg]

oops forgot ;)

[steg]

horses like jumping

[classylady60]

"Horses like jumping".....but not whipped into it, nor jumping over dangerous fences -

[askyourgran]

The Racing industry is huge, and the taxes from the betting are being raked in by the Government. I don't think it will be stopped. Perhaps the race could be made safer by lowering the fences, and making the race over 3 miles instead of 4 miles would help. The loss of these expensive horses must be blow to the owners and trainers.

[classylady60]

"loss to the owners..." and a tad inconvenient when the horses die...sadly