To wish the grand national wasnt an event

[Dineout112]

I hate it as so many horses get badly injured or even killed . I don’t know how people can enjoy it 🙁

Fucking yeuch at anyone who thinks it's an appropriate topic for a smiley. Luckily it must mean someone so thick that the bookies will see them coming a mile off. A fool and his money etc.

Mmm, imagine an event where 11 humans had died in 18 races. Not sure that would still be going.

Of course I'm not saying horses are the same as humans, but it puts a different perspective on that word "tiny".

no Saucy, I am not 'thick' , far from it i can assure you.
And once your only argument is 'you're stupid' you have pretty much lost tbh.

Blacklion made it round the course last year Badlad and is heavily backed so your sweep choice might not be as bad as you think. I fancy Tiger Roll and Lord Windermere as an outside punt
Am really hoping it will be a woman winner this year though, got. 14-1 yesterday for that!

Being vegan doesn't mean anything other than you are a hypocrite.

Whatever. I try to minimise the harm that I cause. There are far fewer animals that die in the production of vegan foods than non-vegan foods. Your post might be something you tell yourself to make yourself feel better, but it's disingenuous af.

@ badlad..got a tip for me?

I've bet on Last Samurai and got Blaklion in the sweepstake, but I don't follow racing - I just pick one with reasonable odds to Maskell watching it a bit more exciting.

You can "assure" me all you like - your inane grinning smileys about "reminding you to have a punt" and heading off to the bookies and tips are already far more assurance that you're thick as mince, sorry.

Now off you pop and spunk your cash on some animal cruelty, eh?

" you're thick as mince, sorry. "

sorry love but the only person who sounds 'thick as mince' here is you.
As i said, when your only argument is 'youre stupid ner ner ner' then i suggest you leave an adult forum and go and play with your toddlers.

I like the National. Reminds me of being a kid where family would come over and all the adults would spill out their loose change, we'd put it in a pot and then each choose two or three horses, share the change out between the adults and kids, then whoever won got all the loose change. It was a silly thing, but it was fun.

Must put a bet on.

thank you BadLad, i will probably just do that thing where you ignore the odds and pick a name you like. Might take my daughter to the bookies in fact.

Anyone who criticises racing should also consider all equine sport as cruel. 3 day eventers are probably at more risk of injury than racehorses. I know kids jumping ponies crippled. Show ponies break down in the ring. Happy hackers be hit by cars or slip and a mates horse broke it's leg in a field the other year.

Greyhound racing has lots of issues. As does dog showing. In fact any animal sport can be called cruel and unnecessary. As can zoos, safari parks, farms.

But without horse racing or eventing or showing many breeds and types would cease to exist as they just aren't suited to pet homes.

And if I were a horse I would much rather be a racehorse than some of the pet homes I have seen.

It's an extreme race. It does cause injury and death. But so does any activity.

And I would far rather be shot after racing than end up in a sale going to a novice home with no idea about horses let alone an ex racehorse. If you want to make a fuss about the racing industry make a fuss about what happens to x racers not those that die at the national.

32 human fatalities during marathons since 2000.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_marathon_fatalities

Fair point BadLad I hadn't seen that thread and I wouldn't have opened it anyway.

I still feel it's a bit shitty but not to worry. Here's hoping you win a bit of money and more importantly, all horses make it safely round.

I think triathlons are deadlier than marathons and ultras, people die running half marathons too of course.

32 human fatalities during marathons since 2000.

The humans who run marathons are participants though. I wouldn't do one myself because I know the risks. Horses don't have a choice.

YANBU

Well chicken - if you really think that is all I'm saying about how your inappropriate comments come across, then it's unfair to mince.

Maybe your sweaty little tenners would be better spent on some reading lessons than at Paddy Power?

Thanks alpaca!!!

I'm running London Marathon next Sunday! Whilst I know the stats I'd rather die doing something I love with my families support than linger through illness

Its going to be a hot day... most likely reason to 'die' on Marathon day will be through drinking too much water

I don't really agree with any equine sport or gambling, both unnecessary and damaging forms of entertainment IMO.

So yeah not the biggest fan.

(And no I don't drink milk before I get some smart arse comment)

Saucy, I am an English teacher. I dont think i need 'reading lessons' thank you.

Your "arguments" if they can be described as such, are atrocious, and just remind me of the schoolyard.

"youre thick as mince' really doesn't cut it as a logical adult argument, sorry.

Wondered which underinformed poster would start this. It just makes you look a bit silly OP, referencing someone who posted some statistics before... where’s your research?

Why does not wanting any horses to die make the op a bit silly Bat?

I've bet on seeyouatmidnight @badlad

The reason human athletes are not euthanased when they break a leg is because human beings are much better at coping with leg breaks and recovering from them. You can try to reason with a horse til you're blue in the face but the just won't rest up like humans! We have a saying, "no foot/leg, no horse" and it's true. Those spindly twiggy legs have to hold up a significant body weight. It would be inhumane to try and keep the animal alive, in pain and crippled for the rest of its life to appease this ludicrous human notion of life at any cost. Having had a horse who sustain a compound foreign fracture in the stable I can absolutely assure you that it takes far longer to get a vet out to euthanased at home than it ever would on a race course. It's horrifically traumatic and nobody in the horse world is in it for shits and giggles.
If you genuinely care about equine welfare, op, there are far better places to turn your sights. But it's not about equine welfare it's about money because we won't hear mention of any of this season's eventing competitions (if it ever stops raining!), you'll not be talking about any showjumping event (there was a fatality at Liverpool but the public were only interested in the cars on fire) and you probably don't even know about the showing circuit which is alive and well with welfare issues. That's before we even mention endurance riding and what happens to those poor bastards. But you don't really care about the Neds, you just care about the flash Harry owners, the tweed clad trainers and the gaudy punters. It's the annual hypocrite parade.

I don’t think a horse has died in the Grand National since 2011. They’ve made it much much safer, although in my view the field size is still too large and there should be a limit of 30. I say this as someone who loves horses and supports horse racing. Racehorses are worshipped by their grooms, lasses and trainers and are treated very well, especially compared to a lot of horses out there kept and used for other means.

Also, someone mentioned the Cheltenham Festival - for the last few years the number of deaths there has been far higher than the Grand National meeting but it doesn’t generate many (or any) headlines. Nor do deaths at other meetings. It’s just the Grand National people seem to take against which seems uninformed and inconsistent to me, especially given the five years of no deaths or serious injuries sustained (praying it’ll be a sixth year today).

Horses don't have a choice

Horses don't race if they don't want to.