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The Grand National. When will they stop this cruel race for human entertainment?

115 replies

BL0B · 11/04/2026 07:00

I can’t believe it’s still going on. Drugged horses, deaths, whips, bloody dangerous jumps. Then sent to the abattoir when they’re not performing anymore

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blankcanvas3 · 11/04/2026 20:31

I hope you don’t eat meat

whereareallthegods · 11/04/2026 20:44

NormalAuntFanny · 11/04/2026 17:20

If it were banned tomorrow those horses wouldn't be saved, just killed.

There are no happy herds of wild horses, no wide open plains they can relocate to. Racing and riding is what keeps those amazing animals out of museums and zoos.

The only way horses will continue to survive in any real numbers is if we use them as we have for thousands of years.

You’ve never been to the New Forest then?

HelenaWilson · 11/04/2026 21:10

There are around 5,000 New Forest ponies which have survived because their habitat, the New Forest, has been protected since before 1100.

There are about 14,000 racehorses in training in the UK at any one time. Where are you going to put them?

PottingBench · 11/04/2026 21:10

blankcanvas3 · 11/04/2026 20:31

I hope you don’t eat meat

People don't put on a posh hat to go watch a group of people whip sausages around a racetrack for fun, 'sport' and profit though do they.

RandomUsernameHere · 11/04/2026 21:17

whereareallthegods · 11/04/2026 20:44

You’ve never been to the New Forest then?

You don’t seriously think a thoroughbred is the same as a New Forest pony do you?

Zov · 11/04/2026 21:20

I wish they would stop it, it's so cruel. Imagine if as many jockeys died as the amount of horses who do? It would have been stopped YEARS ago!

Netcurtainnelly · 11/04/2026 21:20

do you feel the same about fishing?

ShakyBake · 11/04/2026 21:23

BL0B · 11/04/2026 07:00

I can’t believe it’s still going on. Drugged horses, deaths, whips, bloody dangerous jumps. Then sent to the abattoir when they’re not performing anymore

Oh stop being such a damp weekend, as said it brings in 4bn and supports tens of thousands of jobs. The horses bloody love it too.

Zov · 11/04/2026 21:24

MikeRafone · 11/04/2026 07:33

Horse racing takes place all year round, ascot and Cheltenham.

yet it’s this one big race that gets these annual posts, yes it’s a bigger race but this does happen all year so why not the posts about other horse races

Good point. They all need banning. Dog racing too.

Zov · 11/04/2026 21:25

ShakyBake · 11/04/2026 21:23

Oh stop being such a damp weekend, as said it brings in 4bn and supports tens of thousands of jobs. The horses bloody love it too.

'The horses love it too.'

Oh Gawd, give me strength! Confused

whereareallthegods · 11/04/2026 21:27

HelenaWilson · 11/04/2026 21:10

There are around 5,000 New Forest ponies which have survived because their habitat, the New Forest, has been protected since before 1100.

There are about 14,000 racehorses in training in the UK at any one time. Where are you going to put them?

Well, we could stop breeding racehorses. That would be a good start, don’t you think?
And no @RandomUsernameHere i do not think racehorses are the same as New Forest Ponies. And no, you couldn’t just let them loose in the forest!
But it entirely inaccurate to say there is nowhere that horses can live free. They can and do. It is not ESSENTIAL to any horse to be raced. You can’t seriously think that it is?

Notashamed13 · 11/04/2026 21:32

musicalfrog · 11/04/2026 14:13

Really upsetting pictures on the internet today of a poor house with a broken back. Not the GN but they are all awful.

I hate jump racing with a passion.

You do know it's not only "jumps" that have fatalities I hope?

Notashamed13 · 11/04/2026 21:36

Netcurtainnelly · 11/04/2026 21:20

do you feel the same about fishing?

What's fishing got to do with horse racing? And dont spout a load of PETa shit.....without anglers, your waterways that you all enjoy walking along (for free i might add) would be nothing but disgusting filth pits. The amount of litter I pick up, dog shit I see is grim.

ShakyBake · 11/04/2026 21:37

Zov · 11/04/2026 21:25

'The horses love it too.'

Oh Gawd, give me strength! Confused

I worked as a Groom for 10 years Zov my dear, you get to know these things

HelenaWilson · 11/04/2026 21:39

But it entirely inaccurate to say there is nowhere that horses can live free. They can and do.

Where?
Where are you going to put these 14,000 horses to live out their lives, which can be up to 30 years?

And unless you plan to sterilise every one, they will continue to breed.

WiddlinDiddlin · 11/04/2026 21:45

With the dubious of benefit of having worked in the industry when I was a lot younger and stupider...

Campaigning to ban it at this stage is futile, as previous posters have pointed out the revenue it generates across multiple industries is vast, you would not achieve your goal even remotely - all that might happen is that racing HERE in the UK is ended and horses bred here are shipped to Ireland, to Australia, Japan, USA, Dubai etc etc.

What would make a significant difference to horse welfare is some rule changes.

Ban putting horses under 3 years old into training. Ban them touching a racecourse until 5.

Instantly you cut the 'wastage' that is, horses bred excessively 'just in case they're good enough', many of whom are broken down through early training before they see a track, because the costs of keeping them around until old enough is prohibitive.

You also cut down the numbers breaking down because they're raced too young.

You'd also likely improve the handling/early training of those horses because you cannot simply leave them in a field until 3 then bring them in and start riding them, they'd need some handling and education - that stands them in better stead for a future after racing.

More time to get them properly fit to race means fewer injuries on the track, it means fewer jumping accidents too as there is time to school them properly over fences and its far less likely you'd have wild crazy jumpers people take risks on because their fast or because they have incredible stamina (many of the early fallers in the National are this type, nutters with guts but poor jumping skills).

It would also cost more to have a racehorse if you're not seeing a return on your money for four or five years, which reduces the numbers, sharpens peoples minds about taking care of them (remember with the exception of high value stallions, they're rarely insured because the cost outweighs any payout you'd get!).

Theres various other rules I'd bring in, like stipulations on access to turn out, social interaction with others etc... but this ONE change would reshape horse racing in the UK and in a way that produces higher quality, longer lasting, sounder and happier horses, which would lead other countries to follow suit.

If everyone pushing for an outright ban that will never happen in their lifetimes, pushed for this... it could happen.

Notashamed13 · 11/04/2026 21:53

This post has caught me a bit.....maybe I'm missing something....maybe I'm a bit jealous......I used to religiously bet on (and get super SUPER exited) about the GN until about 7 years ago when I was bored one weekend (just bog standard weekent P2P stuff) and decided to have a crafty fiver on a well known gambling site where I could have a cheeky 50p E/W and watch live online, I saw a green screen go up and it be bypassed without any mention on the next lap, once I realised what that green screen was it sent me down a rabbit hole a really horrible one, and I've never bet on the horses since. I will say one thing that I genuinely believe these horses are very much loved and cherished, but bred for one thing, if you eat meat (like me) you would be very hypocritical to complain. Horses die every single week from racing regardless of the type of race.

MuskIsACnt · 11/04/2026 22:00

Horse racing is pretty grim for the horses, but lots of horses have crappy lives and deaths (and I say that as a horse owner).

I’m more concerned about the millions of farm animals who have crappy lives and deaths just to end up on our plates.

powershowerforanhour · 11/04/2026 22:01

"But it entirely inaccurate to say there is nowhere that horses can live free. They can and do."

In the Oostvaardersplassen? That went well. 😐

MuskIsACnt · 11/04/2026 22:02

Notashamed13 · 11/04/2026 21:53

This post has caught me a bit.....maybe I'm missing something....maybe I'm a bit jealous......I used to religiously bet on (and get super SUPER exited) about the GN until about 7 years ago when I was bored one weekend (just bog standard weekent P2P stuff) and decided to have a crafty fiver on a well known gambling site where I could have a cheeky 50p E/W and watch live online, I saw a green screen go up and it be bypassed without any mention on the next lap, once I realised what that green screen was it sent me down a rabbit hole a really horrible one, and I've never bet on the horses since. I will say one thing that I genuinely believe these horses are very much loved and cherished, but bred for one thing, if you eat meat (like me) you would be very hypocritical to complain. Horses die every single week from racing regardless of the type of race.

What on earth makes you think the horse are loved and cherished? They are a commodity.

I worked with horses for years in my youth. If horses are your business you cannot afford to cherish them.

Notashamed13 · 11/04/2026 22:03

Because let's face it..... you don't "have to" eat meat.....plenty of alternatives out there.

Notashamed13 · 11/04/2026 22:04

MuskIsACnt · 11/04/2026 22:02

What on earth makes you think the horse are loved and cherished? They are a commodity.

I worked with horses for years in my youth. If horses are your business you cannot afford to cherish them.

I agree that they are a commodity, but you cant raise a "winner" by treating them like shit.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 11/04/2026 22:05

MuskIsACnt · 11/04/2026 22:00

Horse racing is pretty grim for the horses, but lots of horses have crappy lives and deaths (and I say that as a horse owner).

I’m more concerned about the millions of farm animals who have crappy lives and deaths just to end up on our plates.

I’ve visited a horse place for races and jockeys. The horses looked very well looked after. Like royalty.

MeetMeOnTheCorner · 11/04/2026 22:07

@MuskIsACnt Rubbish. Have you ever been to a racing stable? After they are bought for racing they are not a traded commodity after that very often. Clearly breeders breed to sell but racing allows the horse to develop its talents. Just look at the time, effort, care and love that goes into looking after them. Go to an open day and have a look.

JackGrealishsCalves · 11/04/2026 22:07

MikeRafone · 11/04/2026 07:33

Horse racing takes place all year round, ascot and Cheltenham.

yet it’s this one big race that gets these annual posts, yes it’s a bigger race but this does happen all year so why not the posts about other horse races

Probably because those don't get reported on as much and let's face it no one on here would be arsed to look for the information because they aren't really that bothered enough.
It won't be mentioned again after tomorrow