Should The Grand National Be Banned?

[Peter Parka]

As you know, I'm not some PETA nut but I do think this race should be seriouisly looked at and not swept under the carpet like it is. I accept accidents happen and that banning horse racing would result in the deaths of thousands of horses. I feel a compromise needs to be done. I had a discussion about this on a friends facebook the other day, this kind of explains my opinion.

RB

just seen the pictures from the Grand National. Is this Horse Racing lark really a good idea? Seems a little unfair on the horses. If they were farm animals there would be an outcry.

Sunday at 13:08 · UnlikeLike ·

• You and 3 others like this.
  
• • Peter Scholefield It's amazing how much it gets hushed up. Apart from the photos in the Mail and a brief mention on the BBC, I haven't seen one word about the horse deaths, you'd think there would be an out cry to ban the Grand National or at least makes some changes to it.Sunday at 13:35 · LikeUnlike
    
    
  • JP
    Martin hates it he says it's barbaricSunday at 15:38 · LikeUnlike
    
    
  • RB s such beautiful animals and they treat them like shit so people can have a bet. Ridiculous. Lets face it, people will bet on when the traffic lights will change so why do we need it? I'm no huge animal rights activist but FFS this is the 21st century!Sunday at 16:13 · LikeUnlike
    
    
  • CD
    I disagree. race horses are, on the whole, the most cared for, spoilt (in many ways) looked after animals in the worl. This is a fact. They HAVE to be looked after this way to gain any sort of success in the sport. Despite what we've read i...n rags like The Mail this will always be the case. Horse racing is possibly be the most highly regulated of sports, although there will always be 'one off' situations as there is in any walk of life. If you have ever worked with horses as i have you will know that as they were running yesterday all 40 of them were thoroughly enjoying doing what they were doing which always makes it even more tragic when a horse is hurt or has to put to sleep. Cats, on the other hand, if any more of them shit in my garden, i will gladly rip thier f*cking heads off.See more
    Sunday at 18:34 · LikeUnlike
    
    
  • RM Hahahaha.Sunday at 18:41 · LikeUnlike
    
    
  • Peter Scholefield Craig, how comes these "one off" situations happen practically every year in the Grand National? It's not horse racing in general I have a problem with, just the way this one race seems to be run. Something definately needs to be looked at and the way the media sweeps its under the carpet isn't helpingSunday at 18:45 · LikeUnlike
    
    
  • CD In answer to that why is it just this one race that bothers you? Do horses not run on the same course, over the same fences numerous times over a season? As with anything else with that paper they are going for a big story hence why that one race is targetted. I'll stand by the fact these horses want to run and jump and enjoy running and jumping. I cried yesterday.CD Sunday at 18:53 · LikeUnlike
    
    
  • Peter Scholefield Because I dont know of any other race where horses seem to get killed as regularly. You have a jumping race with this many runners including many useless inexperienced horses being pushed to the limits by their jockeys and you've got an accident waiting to happen. Imo there needs to be less runners including cutting out all the 100-1 shots, a shorter course, the jumps need looking at and made safer and whips should be banned.Sunday at 19:00 · LikeUnlike
    
    
  • CD you dont follow racing do you. the horses have to qualify for this race. NONE of them are useless or inexperienced.Sunday at 19:02 · LikeUnlike
    
    
  • Peter Scholefield Well what do you suggest should be done then? You cant seriously tell me the situation is fine as it is. And if they arn't useless or inexperienced, why do experienced racing commentators describe them as that. Do you know more about racing than them or something?Sunday at 19:12 · LikeUnlike
    
    
  • CD Probably, yeah. I do think eveything is almost fine. it is always tragic when any animal has to be put down or is injured. but if i had the choice of dying of illness or old age, or going out, doing something i LOVED doing. i know what i'd choose. What about you?Sunday at 19:16 · LikeUnlike
    
    
  • RC http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?deskto...e.com/watch?v=g7rTk8Vihe0&v=g7rTk8Vihe0&gl=GBSunday at 19:21 · LikeUnlike
    
    
  • Peter Scholefield If it's pointless that an animal has to be killed then no, I dont think it's fine. Many other horse races are run where horses arn't killed with such alarming regularity, coincidence?Sunday at 19:22 · LikeUnlike
    
    
  • DS
    As a racing fan I hate to see horses killed, it also happens on the flat too! It happens all the time, but as the national is probably the only race that most non-racing fans watch, it does bring more more coverage when horses are hurt. Rac...ehorses are in the main treated very well, unlike many donkeys on Blackpool beach.
    Racehorses love to race and jump, that's why you see them continuing racing after the jockey has fallen off.
    It's always a shame when they are killed but although it's a often used cliche, they died doing something they enjoy. Let's all think of the poor jockey who is in a coma following a fall yesterday which happened the race before the national.
    See more
    Sunday at 19:34 · LikeUnlike
    
    
  • CB Pete. of the last 700 horse deaths in the UK. 18, have been at Aintree. 2% from one course. this percentage is even less when we narrow it down to one race as you are eluding to. Argument Over. Dob Winsunday at 19:34 · LikeUnlike
    
    
  • Peter Scholefield Congratulations, you must be so proud.Sunday at 19:41 · LikeUnlike
    
    
  • Peter Scholefield Just a few statistics for you, there are about 8,500 horse races in the UK every year. Therefore if 700 horses get killed in them per year, on average the Grand National should experience a horse death once every 12 years or so if it is as safe as all the other races like you claim, certainly not most years and not 2 in one race in seperate incidents like this year.Sunday at 19:48 · LikeUnlike
    
    
  • CB You, are a big posh sod, with plums in your mouthSunday at 19:52 · LikeUnlike
    
    
  • Peter Scholefield I thought you were the self proffessed fan and expert on the "sport of kings"? lolSunday at 20:10 · LikeUnlike
    
    
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    RB Ahem. Excuse me. No animal should be put in this position I don't give a fuck what the statistics say. There are plenty of sports that don't involve putting animals at risk and they can be bet on. What is the point? I's also appreciate it if you stopped slagging each other on my thread. Cheers.Sunday at 20:31 · Like
    
    

 

[cam elle toe]

I saw that exchange, and agree with you.

I think all races with jumps should be banned, and just found this about it here...



Jumps racing was set to end in Victoria after the 2010 season.[6] In September 2010, having satisfied a limit on the maximum number of deaths among starting horses, hurdle racing was granted a 3 year extension by Racing Victoria.[7] A decision regarding steeplechase was postponed until October 2010 when a program for the 2011 season only was granted. [8

 

[Peter Parka]

It would be nice and helpful if it could be looked at in a moderate and reasonable way. Unfortunately it seems to be only extremists who seem to have a say on this. Either uncaring horse racing nuts or PETA twats,

 

[BornReady]

I don't think jump racing should be eliminated. Just make the jumps easier. The jumps cause stronger horses to be bred. The horses bred for speed alone are not good horses. Their bones are so light they are easily broken. I think the races should be designed to create the best horses overall. Same thing with dog races. Currently breeders are breeding greyhounds with such thin hips that the dogs have hip problems later in life. That's cruel. They need to add something to the race that makes thin hips a disadvantage. Perhaps making dogs jump too would be a good idea.

 

[Zorak]

I say not, it's a big part of the national heritage and I enjoy a flutter.

 

[skyblue]

the way the fences are in the national these days the horses could probably run through them

 

[Niamh]

I definitely think they need to make those jumps lower and less dangerous

 

[Tuffdisc]

I personally think it was the jockey's way of riding the horses over the fences that is too blame, 38 out of the 40 horses made it safely. I personally think the way they fell suggest bad timing