How are people still watch horse racing/going to the races?

[savedbyanalien]

Utterly barbaric 🤮

All this talk about the Grand National this morning.

Watching people ride these beautiful animals for sport, and if the poor beast were to fall, that's it... straight to the vets to be euthanised.

Dressing up and going to the races is gross. And I say this as someone who enjoyed doing this in my early 20s. I'm embarrassed.

Anyone else agree with me or AIBU?

@TurningUpMyStereotype

Definitely, but you can never eliminate risk in it’s entirety.

Well you can. Ban it.

And pray tell what do you propose we do with the horses that no longer have a use? Rough estimates are that there are about 8,000 broodmares, 200 stallions, 4,200 foals, 4,300 yearlings and then 7,500 horses in training as we speak.

When I was a child, we owned a race horse and the horse broke its leg and it wasn't put down. My parents part owned the race horse with a few others, one of whom owned a farm and they kept the horse.

I’ve been round horses including race horses all my life. Whilst I accept that very significant injury and death do occur in racing (of all types) and during training the idea that horses don’t enjoy it or are being forced to race is absolute rubbish. No horse can be forced to race and most trainers quickly recognise those who just aren’t going too. I also believe that horses are happier doing the job they were bred to do rather than being kept as pets living an idle life amd often in unsuitable conditions and ultimately. I would rather a horse died doing what it loves doing and was bred to do than it is kept in unsuitable conditions; thoroughbreds and their cousins Arabs are the formula 1 of the of the horse world and need competent handling/riding and care.
Having said all of this I do have concerns about the way many horses are kept, horses are herd animals and have evolved to eat grass/fibre and to be constantly on the move, cooping a horse (be it a race horse riding school horse or Olympic dressage horse) in a 12’ x12’ box and feeding in a diet that it has not evolved to eat and often over feeding that inappropriate diet rigging horses excessively and separating it from other horses by barriers has a physical and mental detrimental and results in habits that if we see in zoo animals concern us and an greater increase in a whole of variety of physical conditions.
But people both those of own and ride horses and those who know nothing about then see this as desirable and acceptable and often because it’s done because we “love” them.

And pray tell what do you propose we do with the horses that no longer have a use? Rough estimates are that there are about 8,000 broodmares, 200 stallions, 4,200 foals, 4,300 yearlings and then 7,500 horses in training as we speak.

This isn’t a valid argument to continue the cruelty. People also use it for continuing to eat meat. We can break the cycle, but people don’t want to because their wants come first. I rescue animals, my friend specifically rescues horses, some of us care about the animals, not the cash they can make us. Humans are hugely flawed, the things we value are wrong.

YABVU. Horseracing isn't cruel, it's just a bit of fun and is exercise for the horse. You can't force a horse to race, they have free will. There are regularly cases of horses declining to race - if they lock their legs in position, a group of fully trained handlers can fail to move them. Thoroughbreds that aren't inclined to race are quickly diverted to other activities, be that showjumping, police work or being utilised as part of the animal food industry. I believe historically they could also find a use in the glue-making business though synthetic substances have made this less of a career option now.

I'd certainly agree with you that individuals shouldn't be able to keep horses. All horses should be stabled with registered trainers and should not be available for people to just buy because they fancy having a horse to ride. But horses involved in racing benefit from the highest welfare standards of any horses. (Police horses are well looked after too of course but risk attacks from the public.)

The Grand National is a wonderful event and it's no wonder it's one of the highlights of the sporting calendar. My tips this year are Santini 40/1 and Fortescue 28/1, back them each way with a bookmaker who pays out at least 7 places.

It's important to remember that these horses are bred for jumping and if you watch when a jockey is unseated those horses will carry in running and jumping with the rest iof the field

I’ve found the research article I referred to up thread.

Title - Survival Analysis of Training Methodologies and Other Risk Factors for Musculoskeletal Injury in 2-Year-Old Thoroughbred Racehorses in Queensland, Australia.

“The age that training commenced also affected the hazard of MSI and DMD, with increasing age associated with a higher hazard of injury. This finding is consistent with a previous study reporting a higher hazard of DMD in horses that commenced training at 21 months and above older than (91). In contrast, another study reported that the age that training commenced did not affect the hazard of DMD (35). The difference in findings may be due to the case definition of DMD. The case definition of DMD in the study by Verheyen et al. (35) included all incident cases of DMD, regardless of the number of training days lost. The case definitions reported by Jackson et al. (91) and the current study were at least five and seven consecutive days lost to training, respectively.”

Link: europepmc.org/article/MED/34796223

There are other studies, which this one cites, that draw the same conclusions but it’s not possible to link to them as they are behind paywalls.

I can't wait for the grand national. Love it!!

I'm also a full member of Chester zoo which works hard to protect animals who are at risk of becoming extinct.

To be fair, they carry on running and jumping because they're herd animals with a strong flight instinct, if their adrenalin is pumping and all their buddies are galloping one way then they'll gallop with them. It's not for the love of it.

That being said, it's very obvious when they don't have the love for it and those horses will be retired quickly. It's an expensive game, a reluctant horse won't win so pointless keeping them in training.

@MrsArchchancellorRidcully

I can't wait for the grand national. Love it!!

I'm also a full member of Chester zoo which works hard to protect animals who are at risk of becoming extinct.

Are you going to bet on it?

My one and only bet was on Nicholaus Silver in the '61 Grand National. He beat my Dad's choice (a supposed expert) and as a 9-yr old I was tickled pink. Please don't suck more fun out of this world.
Not adding more cos I'm fed up with the bloody adverts obliterating the screen!!

Horse racing isn't as cruel as the dairy industry but lots of us drink milk

Horse racing isn't as cruel as the dairy industry but lots of us drink milk

I don’t. But regardless, cruelty in one industry isn’t an excuse for another.

I went to royal ascot years ago. It was like going to a really boring stag do, so many pissed-up lads. Makes me laugh when I see ads for it now portraying a classy day out.

One of our local racecourses has the highest death rate. Absolutely sickens me.

@TurningUpMyStereotype

And pray tell what do you propose we do with the horses that no longer have a use? Rough estimates are that there are about 8,000 broodmares, 200 stallions, 4,200 foals, 4,300 yearlings and then 7,500 horses in training as we speak.

This isn’t a valid argument to continue the cruelty. People also use it for continuing to eat meat. We can break the cycle, but people don’t want to because their wants come first. I rescue animals, my friend specifically rescues horses, some of us care about the animals, not the cash they can make us. Humans are hugely flawed, the things we value are wrong.

I’m not commenting on your friend but “rescue” horses in particular those rescued by the well meaning but with little knowledge of the complex requirements of a horse especially a thoroughbred may not lead better lives. The Blue Cross who do “rescue” horse struggle to rehome the rideable ones as most riders lack the ability to ride rescue horses/ex racehorses. IMO humane euthanasia for some race horses is preferable to a life of inactivity inappropriate diets. lack of contact with other horses and also being passed from owner to owner each one selling on at a decreasing price because of lack of riding skills. Many race horses have been raised in a very specialised and luxury environment where they are professionally handled and ridden they have a strict daily regime and are used to going out daily with strings of other horses some struggle to make the transition to a family pet/horse that’s ridden round the block a few times a week.

Horses should be kept outside in large fields with other horses but in the absence of this as herd animals horses would rather live like dairy cows in large barns where they are free to move around and be able to physically interact with other horses and have constant access to hay/silage equivalent rather than be cooped up in a 12’x12’ (if they are lucky) unable to interact with horses and eating an inappropriate diet.

Yanbu.it's dangerous and cruel.

Cheltenham Festival this year, 4 days racing 4 dead horses. Shameful.

Most fallers aren't sent straight to the vets , most horses get straight up

@LindaEllen its called being top if the food chain
Thats life
If we didn't have horse racing we wouldn't have the horses as they wouldn't just be living in the wild
Race horses have pretty good lifes prob better than many that own them as pets

Are you serious? Racehorses are some of the best cared for animals on the planet.

Perhaps i can suggest you redirect your emotional concern to those really suffering, either animals or people in Ukraine, Yemen, Syria etc.

@Lucimaya

Each to their own but these days the attendees seem to care more about drinking lots of alcohol and tacky outfits. It's more a drinks fest.

Well this is also my point. Why can't these race goers go to a garden party or festival or club to get drunk. Why do it at a place that is supporting this barbaric sport??

@TurningUpMyStereotype it is a valid argumenT though as no one could rescue them all and what a life in one field and stable ?
Also no one would then breed them either as what would be the point
You couldn't just let them all loose
People don't get that we are at the top generally , its as simple as that
Many animals would not exsist if not needed for humans

Animal cruelty? Go tell it to a battery chicken or a dairy cow. As far as I can see, there's a hierarchy of feeling around the way we treat animals ... If it's a horse or a dog or a kitten or whatever there's outrage. A food animal suffering out of sight? Not so much.