I do have some issues with racing, and the grand national itself. I politely declined taking part in the sweepstake at work and I won't be watching it.
What worries me is the lack of awareness of the real issues in racing and the equine world in general, and the misinformation that's said every year at this time, about racing, and that people are concerned because of the wrong things. I'm not explaining this very well, it's hard to get across, but for example
"They just shoot them if they break a leg! Just because they won't race
and make money again! Shooting them is barbaric!"
While in a small number of cases that may be the reason, for the vast majority it's for the animals welfare. I've seen several horses break legs in my life around them, only one had a person anywhere near it. Horses are act first and think later if at all and just react. It happens in the stable, in the field racing round like idiots because it's spring and they're having a mad half hour, being kicked by another horse, slipping or tripping over in the field. Every horse bar one was PTS immediately on the advice of the vet, because recovery would have been excruciatingly painful, very distressing and had a very, very low probability that the horse would ever be strong enough to be out in a field with it's friends for the rest of it's life - it wouldn't have coped with the Argy bargy of herd life. They'd have been isolated, miserable and it would have been cruel. The one horse that a vet thought stood a good chance rebroke the leg trying to get out of box rest because it was distressed and had cabin fever. Was PTS 3 weeks later. And there is a trend nowadays for using a lethal injection over a bolt gun, however having witnessed horses fighting the injection when it first became available, it was horrendous. I've sadly seen quite a few horses PTS and without a doubt, the bolt was the less distressing for the horse. I've only seen one horse go peacefully with the injection. It was a few years ago, so things may have improved, but when my old boy had had enough, I chose the bolt. He was gone with no idea and no distress. It was horrendous for me to watch (no way I was leaving him) but it wasn't about me.
Another huge thing for me is the age they're broken and race from, I know they're faster as youngsters, but it puts so much stress on developing limbs and systems, and that affects them their whole lives.
My other big issue is how ex racers, or those not fast enough are treated. Ex racers are specialist, they're not your average horse, yet often are sold very cheaply or given away to people who have no idea how to deal with an off the track, highly strung thoroughbred. They're not looked after properly, not handled or retrained properly and passed from home to home getting a reputation for being dangerous as they go.
That said, a trainer near me rehomes their retired horses to vetted and approved homes only, and they check, and take the horse back if needed. There are also wonderful sanctuaries and individuals that rehabilitate ex racers, and the organisation charity ROR do wonderful things.
However, horses that are badly treated day to day, will not race effectively. Horses need to be relaxed and happy to perform at their best, and to be a successful race horse, they need to be in peak health and that's not easy with a horse as any owners will tell you! They have the best of everything, from bedding, to rugs, to feed, to care - without it they wouldn't do what they do because they wouldn't thrive.
It's also incredibly hard to force a horse to do anything, their size, weight and power dictate that. Yes whips play a part, but you go at a horse with a whip and try and keep hold of it, or stay on it, it'd be nigh on impossible. And again, an abused horse would not be effective in racing, they'd be scared and difficult to handle, not ideal for getting into and out of gates etc and stressed, which affects horses a lot physically.
There are also many, many examples of cruelty in the horse world, horses that live day in and day out without the basics they need. Or whose owners are causing suffering and slowly killing them with kindness. Other disciplines have horrible practices - Rollkur in dressage for one.
I'd like to see welfare in all equine areas improved, in racing I'd like to see the fences smaller, and training started later, as well as more responsibility towards retired horses, less breeding too.
Racing is a huge industry, I think to ban it is unrealistic, but to make it safer and more accountable, would sit better with me.