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

[ladybirder]

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

[jackthehat]

If you have a look at several of the *other* GN threads, (they are spread around the topics) you'll find that it all got a bit heated..............

[mrs.chappie]

I didn't even know it was the GN today. I feel very sad about the horses. Did they fall and have to be put down?

[trt]

It happens every year at the National.

[askyourgran]

I missed the GN today, and I didn't realise horses had died. as jth said it has got a bit heated on on of the threads, I didn't dare mention that I used to work at William Hills Bookies for a short while.

[ladybirder]

Thanks JTH, had no idea. I'll have a look round.
I think they fell Mrs C as the commentator referred to them as "obstructions" which according to the DM has "provoked fury". Very sad.

[mrs.chappie]

No wonder it provoked fury. What a horrible thing to say. :o(

[karenmac60]

I haven't put a bet on it for about 20 years because of this.

[paddywak]

Everybody makes a big fuss about horses being killed in the GN but don't forget horses are killed nearly very day during the National Hunt season, which is one reason I stopped going to the races. I loved racing and stll do the atmosphere, the spectacle everything about it apart from the fact that horses died so I stopped going to and backing at NH meets though I still do the occassional flat meeting

[karenmac60]

I don't bet at all - but it was always the done thing to put a flutter on for the National

[ELVIS68]

If it`s that cruel why don`t the horses refuse to race? they`ve only got an 8 stone jockey on their back with a lightweight...yes lightweight padded whip, easy enough to eject if it didn`t enjoy racing eh?

[starone]

It's over the sticks that kills them mostly isn't it. Flat racing doesn't seem to be so bad. They are such magnificent animals that it seems so terrible to seem them fall.

[ELVIS68]

Perhaps those that are so anti horse racing should boycott AB after all the Ed has put a lovely picture of a horse and jockey in the top left of the screen and the Ed did post a Grand National thread

[paddywak]

It's very rare (but not unknown) for horses to die at flat race meets, and often when one does die it's as a result of a medical condition, I think the last time I heard of a horse dying in an accident on the flat was about 10 years ago when a horse got "spooked" by something and ran into the fence. Dont forget that a top flat race course can be worth millions to its' owner so that might have something to do with the safety record in flat racing

[ELVIS68]

Again a sick comparison Zeuhl

[craft1948]

IMO that is not a good comparison Zeuhl.........

[jubieanna]

I remember that incident Paddy. wasn't it after that they changed the fences to plastic so that it couldn't happen again.

[starone]

I'm not anti horse racing Elvis, I just find it so sad that they should die like that.