hope you are all celebrating if you had my 6/1 tip and my grand national tip..............

[stokemaveric]

mines a pint...........

[classylady60]

Aww Helen that's really lovely, please tell them though that their luxury this time comes from the demise of two lovely horses, I'm sure they will be thrilled.

[ummmm]

I don't think the cats will care somehow...

[DTCwordfan]

they will enjoy the kitekat too when the horses get processed,,,,good use of the meat mind you.

[boxtops]

DT, you said what I didn't think I could.

[micmak]

I have read every post on this thread. All of you have a point to make. At the end of the day we are all different. Horses are not my favourite animals, but I abhor cruelty to animals and people. Is the National cruel. I don't know.

[lankeela]

Well I have to say I enjoy watching racing, seeing the equine athletes who are fit and healthy and trained to perfection and the jockeys whose skill and strength is amazing, but I don't bet, I enjoy watching the racing and understand that accidents are part of such a competitive sport. I also used to race my greyhounds and anyone who thinks they are all doped doesn't know much about dog racing. It is so highly regulated and the dogs enjoy it as much as the horses enjoy running.

[joko]

nothing wrong with appreciating horses running etc...but i am pretty sure not an animal on this earth enjoys being beaten with a crop over and over, and forced to over exert itself, for a long distance, and made to jump fences that are just a bit too high for them and be at constant risk of falling and breaking their limbs or neck..

would you?

if the horses love it so much - why do the need to be beaten to make them carry on...?

its not the run thats the problem...its the beating and jumps and the aftermath of a fall...

[sandyRoe]

There's an animal charity, The Mare and Foal Sanctuary, which has to turn away loads of racehorses which are offered to them. Most horses when they finish racing are turned into dogmeat. The owners like their horses as long as they're racing and winning.

[ELVIS68]

To the few that think racing is cruel, seeing as you are so clued up about horses and racing could you explain to me why these horses don`t refuse to be saddled before the race, refuse to go onto the track, refuse to race, refuse to jump?

Don`t you think that if they didn`t enjoy what they do they would buck the jockey off its back and run back to the horsebox?

Like I said yesterday if you are really that concerened about the welfare of animals take a look at the halal meat industry and the things they do to animals before they slit their throats

[jubieanna]

a rather strange comparison imo

[ELVIS68]

Very strange and sick comparison

[joko]

maybe...but the answer is the same...they are beaten and bullied if they dont...

[joko]

already know about halal meat...its abhorrent...but irrelevant to this post...
bringing up other forms of cruelty in no way negates the initial point, nor makes it any less cruel...