To think Liz Jones is a bitter and twisted old hag?

I don't buy the Mail on Sunday - I read it on line! I don't find LJ's style of writing very enjoyable. I agree that she is almost certainly controversial just to keep herself in the job. She overstepped the line when she claimed to be so poor she could not afford food (her dog sleeps on a Prada blanket) and had pensioners sending her money.

WHAT !! Greatnan, that is appalling! Surely she realises that most dogs prefer Gucci.

She is so quick to criticise the way people treat their animals but failed to prevent her untrained collie from savaging sheep. I think she expected the farmer to give her a hug and say, 'Never mind, dear.' She also keeps her cats long past the stage where most caring owners would make the decision to end their suffering and have them put to sleep. She turns her back on traditional animal husbandry, favouring batty (and expensive) treatments then wails when her ponies get laminitis or colic. Obviously she is to be applauded for rescuing neglected animals but she's not the only animal lover in the world even though she seems to think she is.

I haven't read Liz Jones for years, not since she was reporting events with her toyboy.

Don't like to hear women calling other women old hags though. It's sexist language.

Bitter and twisted okay.

Well said merlot

Online or a paper paper, it all contributes to the Daily Mail coffers - it's all about numbers and selling advertising. Servers cost a lot of money. Liz Jones is right up there on the Google list and ergo, earns money. I don't think you can question her love of animals, she's almost nauseating in that respect with her anthropomorphism but, she does stand by her prinpicles and being upset by the horse racing industry would be understandable. She always seems to through in a Prada or two just to upset people.

sorry...throw

Well that just shows what I know then, as I think Clare Balding did a fantastic job at the Olympics, would have done a better job than anyone who did do it at the Queen's Jubilee, generally does a well-researched, intelligent piece of work what ever she is presenting and I like what she is wearing in the pics! So Liz Jones doesn't approve of horse racing, fine, that's her opinion. An awful lot of people don't agree with her.

Gracesmum I know you are a dog lover - many people love horses, too. I would say LJ does. I've had horses in training and it is just an industry. It always makes me laugh when the big winners are put to stud - a happy retirement awaits and all that gush, but the rest?

Jopa funny, considering how few on here would confess to being a Daily Mail reader think that reading it online some gives them immunity

Sel!

Just clicked onto the link and thought what a gorgeous outfit - then read the bad dress label underneath. Oh dear!

Said it end of last year , will say it again Clare HAS lost and is looking good .

Surprising what a few lbs can do . Memo to self stick with it Nonu .

Sel I am quite happy to confess I'm a Daily Mail online reader. I'm not seeking immunity but I can't buy one because we live miles away from a shop or garage.

I also know a little bit about horse racing and of course it's an industry but one where the health and stamina of the animal is paramount. What is it exactly that you object to?

As I said before I had racehorses in training. And yes, the health and stamina of the horses is paramount, they need to win - but there are lots, most, that don't make the grade and at the end of the day, the grade is all. The horses are a mere commodity to make money. They are beautiful, trusting animals - not sure they were consulted on their job description. So I do have an issue when I now watch racing because I know the inside as an owner and horse lover.

Sel What happened to your horses once they were no longer in training?

i buy one newspaper a week " mail on sunday" it covers all that is bad in the world, and liz jones ! i must admit enjoying reading it and look forward to lizs column.i wonder some weeks how she is allowed to write what she does, and yet at other times i applaud her for being forthright and brutally honest, and at times her points are valid! so i have to admit i secretly like her " cringe " journalism x

They were sold, as I said a commodity of business. Actually, sold to Arab stables. Not proud of it, just saying what the business is.

Racehorses are treated a h**l of a lot better than racing greyhounds. I still don't see the connection between any pretensions of animal-loving and the hatchet job on Balding. You don't have to be a bunny hugger to care about animal welfare.

We've talked about rescued greyhounds on here and the loving pets they can become in the right environment. Not that easy for racehorses and it's a shame that someone like Liz Jones thinks that a good way of raising awareness of the need to retrain and re-home horses is to heap insults and vitriolic comments on members of the racing industry. She could do the horses a real favour and make herself a likeable role model but then she'd have to forfeit her DM salary.

Snap, gracesmum I think we posted at the same time.

Sel - I have frequently said that I read the Mail on line because I find it amusing. I couldn't buy it even if I wanted to, as no English newspapers are stocked in any of the surrounding villages. I certainly wouldn't pay them any of my hard-earned cash!
I don't understand your remark about immunity - from what?

I've always had a problem with folks who feel they have sort of divine right to rant about anyone in a highly personal way and somehow justify it by saying 'Oh but I'm only being honest'. If someone has a good job and makes a complete horlicks of it and gets away with it, then some amount of public criticism, derision even lampooning is fair game. However, just blasting out on a personal level is mere attention seeking and says far more about the person who does the ranting than the rantee.
Oh and P.S. I think Clare Balding is splendid and has probably got the backbone, class and good manners to rise above it all anyway.

retrainingdesertsea.com/ not sure if this link will work but this is a blog I follow about a racehorse favourite of mine. Many owners and trainers put a lot of effort into ensuring their horses have a long and happy retirement. Dessie is having the time of his life!

Darn it; another one that hasn't worked.