The grand national is cruel to horses

[McHappyPants2012]

Alot of the horses will be injured and whipped into going faster, it's also a long race course.

I can't believe people would bet on this event

It is a horses natural instinct to compete,l used to ride, and the thrill of being ib front, feels like nothing else on this earth, the adrenaline pumps, but that was me and my then instructor racing

They are treated well, the national I couldn't bet on, maybe another race though. It just is the most gruelling of all races. And there are too many horses

Don't be so bloody patronising.

I don't think of horses in that way at all. I'm aware that they are complex animals and I know I don't fully understand their needs, I don't ride, I don't own a horse.

That's immaterial. Trying to bring other forms of cruelty and neglect into the discussion is fruitless. We're not saying any form of unkindness to an animal is alright. We're talking about the grand National causing deaths. But you can't seem to find an excuse for that or a way in which it is justified. So you're trying to stereotype us into looking stupid.

But we're not talking about horses on farms, for personal use, or even other sports. We're talking strictly about the GN.

That was to Purple.

See? Lots of people on this thread ride and race horses and STILL think the National is a terrible idea.

What have you got to say to them? Or are you going to ignore them because they might just have a point?

But Flightty I could understand your argument if a significant number of horses were killed racing each year, but the fact is that 99.9% of racehorses do not die racing.

Well exactly - why are you talking strictly about the GN. Why are you not campaigning / complaining against all NH races or all racing period or equestrian sports if thats how you feel?

Its simply because it is high profile

There's a reason the GN is high profile. Money. That works both ways.

99.9% of horses in the GN? I don't think so. How many enter it? How many die on average? Say in the last 30 years.

I think you'll find that more than 0.1% of them are killed

Which is why the thread is snout the grand national cos that's the worst offender. I think it needs to be safer personally and I ride, and for all those put there who think its only s horse, riders also get very badly injured too

I don't care so much about the riders. That's because they choose to do it for personal gain, and are not being exploited.

I have owned & ridden horses all my (quite a few) years and they are my life. I adore all mine and would never sell them, they are for with me for life. But I am not sentimental and am aware that horses are working animals and they are at their best mentally and physically when doing a job. The Grand National horses are in breathtaking, peak condition and the GN is the ultimate challenge. Long live thoroughbreds and racing.

I agree, that was patronising!
I keep horses, and I'm not happy with the racing industry. I'm also not keen on the showing scene at times. There are many aspects of the horse world that need improvement. It's not just the ignorant who are anti!

Agree, Saggy. I'm also troubled by the pie chart. It's worryingly vague.

This was a story that was in the news here recently. The States has banned the slaughter of unfit racehorses so Canada has filled the gap and therefore been complicit in supporting the mistreatment of these animals by creating a market for those horses that don't make the grade (they are exported to Europe and Japan as human foodstuffs). I think it's horrific; I had a horse as a teenager...I don't view their emotional life much differently than I do that of my dog .

Typical animal rights response Flightty.
Animal lover = people hater. I have seen this with the hunt saboteurs.

Excuse me?

In the 2011 GN
5% of horses died
and only 47.5% managed to finish the race.

The reason why the statistics for other sports are higher is simply because there are more numbers competing than in the GN.

Saggy I agree there is always room for improvement. Informed critisism is one thing but the rubbish your standard antis spout is something else!

Um - I am an animal lover but am still pro the national and anti hunting

And I like people

Where is the rubbish I've spouted then Pony? Go on, point me to it please.

Like I said previously, other sports involving horses do not seem to stack the odds so much against them. But this particular one does.

I think Flighty has a point. The riders ride through choice. That's a fact. It's not people hating.
And hunt sabs are another thread entirely. They are NOT animal lovers.

People do choose to do it, just like the stable girls choose to, and ad s teenager I was one at a small private yard. But we loved them horses, they were lioked after and cared for, and we had done wonderful rides. I truly believe the pony I loved and rode loved me too. She protected me. Her name was amey. She was gorgeous

Its rubbish if you are not experienced with horses. I don't spout on about stuff I have no experience of.

40 horses run in the Grand National each year. Using the list of fatalities on Wikipedia (possibly not 100% accurate I know, but as good a starting point as any), 23 horses have died in the race since 1980. That's a total of 1,240 runners and 23 fatalities which is a rate of 1.9%, so no my 99.9% does not apply to the National. It is actually 98.1%.

er what's rubbish? You're not making much sense, Pony. Sorry.