Englebert Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 I cannot bear to watch this event. Already one horse has died. The thought that at every jump a horse might die, frankly, feckin appalls me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bossybabe Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 If it weren't for horse racing, these horses would never have been born. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Englebert Posted April 4, 2013 Author Share Posted April 4, 2013 Oh ok thanks Bosseybabe. That makes everything ok then... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Democorruptcy Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 They made the fences smaller so the horses were "safer". Now the horses don't show the fences the same respect and race too fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19 year mortgage 8itch Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Oh ok thanks Bosseybabe. That makes everything ok then... Those Lasagnes won't grow themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19 year mortgage 8itch Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 They made the fences smaller so the horses were "safer". Now the horses don't show the fences the same respect and race too fast. Any tips for my STR fund? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starla Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 in the last 10 years 11 horses have died. 4 falling at the lower fences (going too fast) 2 Beechers Brook (5 ft) 1 Canal Turn (5ft) 4 from running around riderless into barriers etc. I'm not condoning it before anyone starts, but the point of the Grand National has always been the ultimate test of man and horse. If they carry on lowering the fences, or shorten the distance, lessen the numbers in the field, then it defeats the point - like saying to a Motoracing driver "no going over 50mph ok, and be careful with those corners" Horses sadly die frequently in racing, Aintree just gets maximum exposure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Democorruptcy Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Any tips for my STR fund? Sorry no. I haven't had a bet in it and will only play in running if Betfair doesn't fold under the strain. It collapsed last Saturday so it must be odds against to cope on National day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmarks Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Off to a false start there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccc Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 The horses have good lives. If they break their legs in nature their slow lingering death would be horrific. They get treated well and love to run. Yes they don't have a choice in the matter- but i imagine if you could ask their opinion - many would be quite content with their lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starla Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Yes they don't have a choice in the matter- but i imagine if you could ask their opinion - many would be quite content with their lot. They do have a choice about whether they want to run in a race or not. A horse won't do something if it doesn't want to. Some won't go into stalls, won't start at the tape, unseat riders, refuse fences etc. One of the biggest hazards in the National is all the riderless horses that choose to keep running, jumping and racing with the rest of the field, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccc Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 They do have a choice about whether they want to run in a race or not. A horse won't do something if it doesn't want to. Some won't go into stalls, won't start at the tape, unseat riders, refuse fences etc. One of the biggest hazards in the National is all the riderless horses that choose to keep running, jumping and racing with the rest of the field, That's a good point. All the riderless horses show clearly that many of them really do enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rave Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 That's a good point. All the riderless horses show clearly that many of them really do enjoy it. They're naturally pack animals as I understand it, so presumably they have a strong instinct to keep up with the pack if they're stressed, e.g. by a fall. Not that I have anything against it myself; animals may be at risk, but that isn't the primary purpose of the excercise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccc Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 They're naturally pack animals as I understand it, so presumably they have a strong instinct to keep up with the pack if they're stressed, e.g. by a fall. Not that I have anything against it myself; animals may be at risk, but that isn't the primary purpose of the excercise. Aye suppose so. They clearly love to run though. Prob prefer without someone on their back though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Englebert Posted April 4, 2013 Author Share Posted April 4, 2013 The horses have good lives. If they break their legs in nature their slow lingering death would be horrific. They get treated well and love to run. Yes they don't have a choice in the matter- but i imagine if you could ask their opinion - many would be quite content with their lot. Yeah, they get treated well...up to that point where they break their neck's, or snap a leg, or even die through exhaustion/heart failure after being whipped to 'GO FASTER YOU *******!'. And the next person who says that the 'horses really enjoy it', when did YOU become Dr Doolittle? Pray tell when you learned how to speak to horses! Mr Ed, to my knowledge, couldn't actually speak English in real life - only on the TV! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccc Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Yeah, they get treated well...up to that point where they break their neck's, or snap a leg, or even die through exhaustion/heart failure after being whipped to 'GO FASTER YOU *******!'. And the next person who says that the 'horses really enjoy it', when did YOU become Dr Doolittle? Pray tell when you learned how to speak to horses! Mr Ed, to my knowledge, couldn't actually speak English in real life - only on the TV! Its a best guess on what i see. As i said - i don't know for sure just like nobody else does. The majority of race horses appear to have a pretty decent existence. That's what i see anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okaycuckoo Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Was there a winner, or did all the horses die? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Englebert Posted April 4, 2013 Author Share Posted April 4, 2013 Was there a winner, or did all the horses die? What on earth are you on about? Are you sober? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Uttley Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 I enjoy horse racing and sometimes have a flutter at the weekend, but I haven't bet on the Grand National for nearly 20 years. The reason I stopped was concern over the number of equine fatalities in the race, and despite a number of improvements to the course and to the field, this still remains a concern for me. The reason that the Grand National is so dangerous for the horses is not just the size of the fences, but the length of the race, the number of fences that have to be jumped, the size of the field and to some extent, the quality of the field. Unfortunately, these are the things that make the Grand National unique in the racing calendar, and subsequently so popular with the (mostly) "blinkered" general public, who just see it as a bit of harmless fun. I don't think there's any way you can reduce the risk down to the level of other steeplechases without changing the nature of the race completely, but eleven horses killed in ten years is unnacceptable to me, and once more I shall not be watching, nor betting on the event this year. If you feel the same way then neither should you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okaycuckoo Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 What on earth are you on about? Are you sober? Answer the question! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpectrumFX Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 I enjoy horse racing and sometimes have a flutter at the weekend, but I haven't bet on the Grand National for nearly 20 years. The reason I stopped was concern over the number of equine fatalities in the race, and despite a number of improvements to the course and to the field, this still remains a concern for me. The reason that the Grand National is so dangerous for the horses is not just the size of the fences, but the length of the race, the number of fences that have to be jumped, the size of the field and to some extent, the quality of the field. Unfortunately, these are the things that make the Grand National unique in the racing calendar, and subsequently so popular with the (mostly) "blinkered" general public, who just see it as a bit of harmless fun. I don't think there's any way you can reduce the risk down to the level of other steeplechases without changing the nature of the race completely, but eleven horses killed in ten years is unnacceptable to me, and once more I shall not be watching, nor betting on the event this year. If you feel the same way then neither should you. Do you eat meat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Englebert Posted April 5, 2013 Author Share Posted April 5, 2013 I enjoy horse racing and sometimes have a flutter at the weekend, but I haven't bet on the Grand National for nearly 20 years. The reason I stopped was concern over the number of equine fatalities in the race, and despite a number of improvements to the course and to the field, this still remains a concern for me. A good post..I used to have a flutter on the National years back - one of those sweepstake things. I don't do any of that nonsense now as I consider the whole Grand National experience to be on a par with dog fighting. The reason that the Grand National is so dangerous for the horses is not just the size of the fences, but the length of the race, the number of fences that have to be jumped, the size of the field and to some extent, the quality of the field. Unfortunately, these are the things that make the Grand National unique in the racing calendar, and subsequently so popular with the (mostly) "blinkered" general public, who just see it as a bit of harmless fun. I don't think there's any way you can reduce the risk down to the level of other steeplechases without changing the nature of the race completely, but eleven horses killed in ten years is unnacceptable to me, and once more I shall not be watching, nor betting on the event this year. If you feel the same way then neither should you. A good post. When I was younger, I used to have a flutter but now that I am more civilised, I no longer participate. I consider the whole Grand National experience to be a bloodsport on a par with bear baiting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Englebert Posted April 5, 2013 Author Share Posted April 5, 2013 Do you eat meat? Do you like watching dog fighting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Englebert Posted April 5, 2013 Author Share Posted April 5, 2013 Answer the question! Sober up, first.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpectrumFX Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Do you like watching dog fighting? I don't know, I've never watched it. I don't imagine that I would. Would you eat dog? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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