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

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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

Yes some enjoy fox hunting. Some used to enjoy badger baiting, dog fighting and cock fighting but then realising how cruel they were led to change.

When his back collapsed and legs dragged as in that picture above, its obvious somethings wrong. His front legs still ran him forward as he was filled with adrenaline. Still humans win money, celebrated and didn't care.

Some people might care though even if lots don't. That picture was awful. Maybe more changes can be made to make things better.

Is it nonsense that Gold Dancer broke his back jumping that last fence. The picture captures it with legs dragging. Is it nonsense he was riden onwards despite that and then shot minutes later.

It looks appalling, because it is. Is the winning more important than the horse.

The image of poor gold dancer.

That jockey should be in a lot of trouble for carrying that on. Sick bastard.

Whilst it’s absolutely heartbreaking, hope that the photo makes a lot of people rethink horse racing. I know it won’t ever be banned, but maybe it might be made safer.

According to this BBC article from a few years ago, hundreds of horses bred for racing are slaughtered each year, the majority of them young: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57881979.

What gets me is how anyone can pretend the industry values animal rights at all while this routine slaughter is going on. And yes I obviously am aware that animals are routinely slaughtered in the meat and dairy industries too, I don't personally support those industries either. But it's the hypocrisy of the racing industry that I can't get my head round, all the people saying that race horses love to race, they are treated like kings, the owners, riders and trainers love them etc. How can that possibly be true when they are sending such large numbers of their animals to slaughter each year? If they love the animals so much, why are they training and racing them so young, why don't they take responsibility for providing happy lives for failed racers?

Just call it what it is, these animals are viewed and treated as livestock, they are there to make money. Let's stop pretending the horses are benefiting from this industry. At least nobody tries to pretend that battery hens have a great time laying eggs.

And the reason this comes up around grand national time every year is because that's when it's in the news, it's perfectly normal for people to feel upset about the cruel death of a beautiful animal when it's a headline news story.

Good points.

It's the hypocrisy. Say it as it is.

Indeed. It is ok to feel saddened without the racing enthusiasts attempts to belittle. Changes could be made.

I spent a large chunk of my teens on racing yards in the West Midlands/South West, that wasn't an AI response, though that is the second time this week I've been accused of being an AI.

I went to Hartpury to do a breeding/stud management Btec after several years as a general dogsbody on various (NH) yards, then afterwards some stud yards and finally a carriage driving outfit (weddings, the odd funeral, and bizarrely, canal boats) before my health failed me.

@Treadcarefully11 You've seen the 'pretty' side of racing, tarted up for owners days. Keep drinking the Kool Aid, you're paying for all this abuse.

Take the AI thing as a compliment.

See my username, I work with AI. I am currently building my own LLM.

Your response didn't ring as AI to me. And I can spot it a mile off, in the dark with my eyes closed. As I am with it most days.

AI is the new way to try and discredit posters who make sensible and thought out points. All it says to me, is that they couldn't formulate a good point without AI. So they assume others can't either.

As a society we’re very quick to call out other countries poor treatment of animals, especially using animals for entertainment in circus’ etc.

Very hypocritical, the treatment of horses in general is appalling here. I live opposite a huge horse paddock and have been saddened to see, it’s all about class, status and money.

I agree, its hypocritical, we like yo think we are better. For some aspects maybe, not for all though, if there's money in it.

They want to keep the dirty cruel side hidden

Why is nobody in outcry about "Watchful Protectors" death today?.....ahhh not high profile enough evidently.

https://x.com/InfiniteRadar/status/2043382019556569439

Just looked it up.

Killing fields. Do Irish protesters ever protest their races?

Ask the Irish that question. I don't follow racing at all. Naturally a race in England where the GN is run generated news here. I was shocked that the horse Gold Dancer broke his back, won then was shot. That image of him is appalling.

I also think its dreadful that horses are dying in Ireland all the time due to racing. Whataboutery doesn't improve things in English races, it kind of says so what, its normal.