1000 Horses Killed

[Gromit]

A AB post about a kitten dropped in a wheelie bin or a dog maltreated is guaranteed to generated many tens of posts condeming the people who participate in such cruelty.

In the meantime racehorses are being killed every week. We have just seen the 1000th horse killed since 2007.

// A thousand horses have died on Britain's racecourses since 2007, according to records kept by an animal rights organisation. Animal Aid's "Death Watch" list reached the 1,000 mark late last month when a seven-year-old gelding, Hired Hand, was destroyed at Bangor-on-Dee, Clwyd, after being injured in a race. //

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/03/thousand-horses-died-on-british-racecourses

Maybe we just pretend to e a nation of animal lovers? Why else would we turn a blind eye to such carnage on the race track?

[horseshoes]

I've read this post with interest and a certain amount of amusement! There will always be those against racing, just as there will be racing fans. My best friend is a racehorse owner; one of her horses won the Topham Chase at Aintree in 2009 thus bagging him a place in the 2010 Grand National. He fell i the Grand National (the first time he'd ever fallen). He is now retired but still does point to point. Another of her horses died at the Cheltenham festival. EVERYBODY involved with that horse was distraught. The fact that he was bred to race, entered into a race which killed him does NOT make the owner or trainer cruel people. Apart from my own cat, I have never seen any animals more fussed over and cared for than her horses. The retired ones all live with her at her home and will most definitely NEVER be shot because they are no longer able to race and earn money! There are ALWAYS going to be arguments for and against racing, but do remember that horses can fall and hurt themselves just running around a field. Racehorses for the most part are loved and cosseted animals. Of course I'm sure there are some owners who are not so caring but they are very much the minority.

[FredPuli43]

Eddie, I am not following. Are you saying that there's a difference between racecourses that have a vet always present to destroy horses that are injured and a hunt that always has a slaughterman present? And that fact alone means more horses are destroyed in hunting than in racing over fences?

[Quizmonster]

Bear in mind that I am no mathematician and have only a temperamental old calculator. Nevertheless, I tried to work out a few figures.
According to Wikipedia there are, on average, 94,000 horse-runs in Britain per year. (No of races x no of horses in them.) According to the OP, some 170 of these runs on average every year (1000 divided by 6) result in a horse's death. That seems to give a death-rate of 0.18%
According to Government statistics, in 2010 there were 493,000 human deaths in England and Wales from a population of some 57,000,000. This gives a death-rate of 0.86%.
In any given year, racehorses seem to have a much better survival-rate than WE do!
Even if my maths are all to pot, I simply must reiterate, if there was no racing there would be no racehorses.

[DTCwordfan]

Well done Quiz Monster for that exquisite use of statistics and the cross -comparison that has little relevance but I love it.

No deaths today reported, (not since the 23rd at Bangor), Gallic Breeze at Chester a good winner in the 14.00 at 6-4.

Two Motor-cyclists killed in Torquay to add to the deaths down here. Watch this of you dare - should be shown to every 14-18 year old in the UK. Would be more effective than a few gee-gees taking the can.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NBrSCg71Qk

[ELVIS68]

Horseshoes, well said!
As you know we've discussed this subject in the past via email and once again a lot of amusing comments to say the least.

Pixie and Sharingan have made some excellent comments based on their experience with horses but still there are those that think they know better.