That the Grand National should end

No-one's saying keep the Grand National. More that the GN is a drop in the ocean that brings out performance activists once a year to complain about something that goes on day in day out.

More horses have died this year in all races in the UK than have in the Grand National in the last 20 years.

So banning the GN isn't 'a good start' it's a barely noticeable blip in the statistics.

@DownWithThisKindOfThing absolutely, it's in the public eye so attracts attention from people who wouldn't normally give two hoots about racehorses or their welfare. Boils my piss every year 😂

I honestly can't get worked up about it. Of course it's sad when any animal dies needlessly, but in the grand scheme of things the national is a drop in the ocean. These threads come up every year with both sides weighing in. Ultimately it will always go ahead whilst people are willing to pay good money for it. The horses live a better life than I do tbh, we place for too many human feelings on animals - they don't know they might get injured & shot. They run like they're bred to do.

The horses might want to race but they aren't in a position to evaluate the likelihood of their dying as a result. The humans who put them into the race can make the evaluation.

It's really easy to dismiss objections to the sport as virtue signalling, but we are all anonymous on here - we don't get any points for being seen to be virtuous. People are just stating their reactions. There's literally nothing in it for us to do so other than stating our beliefs.

So much whataboutery on this thread!
''There are things worse than the GN so lets keep it'' ??

Banning the GN would be a good start so lets start there.

Using animals for sport and then disposing of them when they're old and.or infirm is disgusting.

What would be the solution then? Ban racing, shoot them all so there would no longer be race horses? Would that be better?

All horse racing and animal cruelty should be banned.

Horse racing is absolute cruelty to the animals. Another reason the royals should go.

All competitive racing should be banned not only for the horses deaths caused but the way the animals are treated in tearing for and after retirement from racing. Their whole lives are barbaric.

"Oh but the horses love it"🙄Edited to add roll eyes

ffs what is this?
Do you have to be a morally perfect person to object to animal cruelty?

I hate all races that include animals. My parents used to say “but look at the greyhounds/horses, they love it. Look that ones running even though the jockey fell off”

No they don’t love it. And it’s not just the race that’s the problem. I mean what happens when they retire? They don’t get a life a luxury

End horse racing entirely.

https://www.horsedeathwatch.com/

I agree, op. I used to love it and would watch every year but I’ve realised that it is cruel. Feels like there has been a shift over the last few years.

Good point x I suppose it’s the GN that is the most visible and highlights the issues

My understanding is that every year some horse seems to die .

for that reason I don’t follow - however it’s not my thing anyway

YANBU

i have fluttered on it before but I regret that and won’t be doing it again.

Just the grand national that should be banned? You're ok with the racing that takes place every single day of the year all over the country? Or are you only concerned about horse welfare once a year?

The horses want to race, they are racehorses.

They'd pretty much all have to be shot when you ban horseracing and of course thousands of humans will also lose their livelihoods.

But think of the virtue signalling!

Not 'enraged' about the Grand National, but pretty much loathing of any sport that causes pain or death to animals.

I pass horses at snails pace, never feed them in fields. Never have fireworks or let off balloons and sky lanterns.

It's an invention to label people as a 'type' who hop on a bandwagon. That's just an easy way to dismiss people or their opinions.

I'm not a fan of the national or indeed racing in general having some time in yards under my belt.

But I do wonder how many outraged about the national -

-Don't bother to pass horses at the recommended distance on the roads because 'they shouldn't be there' or because they think the owner is posh and stuck up .
-Feed them shite when passing them in fields.
-Will be defending their right to have some fun letting off fireworks in November, or for a special occasion or just to celebrate Tuesday and not be at all bothered about the impact of any horses around them.

• same goes for letting off balloons and sky lanterns actually as well.

Although I'm not a fan because of the height of the fences and the amount of horses involved, for a lot of people it's just jumping on a popular bandwagon and not genuine concern at all, because a fair few do and would do any or all of the above without a second thought.

@FestiveAuntFanny Sports people have a choice in whether they play.

If four footballers had to be shot due to injuries incurred during the world cup then you can be sure it would be banned.

The air miles and sweat shops are subjects worth discussing but are unrelated to this discussion.

Ooh. Here we go. The annual rage fest from an OP who conveniently hasn’t realised that other horse races exist, happy to jump on a quick band wagon and go back to eating chicken dippers next week.

Animal welfare is a 24/7/365 endeavour. Perhaps you could do something more constructive than waiting to post on MN about it now you’ve seen the national in the Daily Mail.

Why don't we ban sports that harm humans too? All those enstupidised rugby players, heart and knee-broken footballers those millions of air miles caused by the Olympics and kids in Bangladeshi sweat shops making footballs.

Let's ban everything you don't like OP!