Another Death at Aintree

Don’t usually have sympathy with these protestors but on this occasion fully agree. I won’t have anything to do with Grand National now a few years ago a few horse were killed on one jump should be banned !

I have no argument with you winterwhite but it is possible for domesticated horses to lead far more natural lives than many do - especially racehorses and competition horses - I wasn’t just talking about ‘horses in the wild’. Owners should be doing everything they can to try to meet their needs - the three F’s; freedom, friends and forage. Many do, most don’t, and that applies to leisure horse owners as well.

Just listening to the News. The trainer of one of the horses blames the protesters for the fatalities. So who has been responsible over all these years for the deaths of horses at races? Protesters haven't always been around.

It's not just the Grand National. All horse racing contributes to the deaths of hundreds of healthy and sometimes young horses who are either failing to win races or who are deemed unlikely to make the grade.

I think the campaign should be focused primarily on that, rather than just the fatalities that occur during a race.

www.animalaid.org.uk/the-issues/our-campaigns/horse-racing/animal-aid-background-notes-horse-racing-industry/

nightowl

What’s a dead horse or two when you can enjoy looking at all the nice happy horsies?

I bloody despair sometimes.

This, yes.

Come to that, Nightowl very few animals lead 'natural' lives, and if they do they are in constant danger from predators. I was not particularly defending horse racing, just think the case against it was over stated by some.

Yep, just sick and callous 'We have been to Chester races Ladies Day a few times, once they put a horse down in front of us, with a tarpaulin to shield the view, not nice, but didn’t traumatise me!'

What’s a dead horse or two when you can enjoy looking at all the nice happy horsies?

I bloody despair sometimes.

I hate it too. Its up there with greyhound racing for me. Both should be banned!!

I grew up watching the GN, ( on TV) always had a sweepstake, love it. The horses are like top athletes, the horse that was put down after the first fence was most probably spooked by the waiting with the stupid protesters. We have been to Chester races Ladies Day a few times, once they put a horse down in front of us, with a tarpaulin to shield the view, not nice, but didn’t traumatise me!

netflixfan

I love watching the grand National on tv, it’s very exciting.
I’ve been to a few little race courses, also fun, and the horses seemed very well cared for and content.

Even the dead ones?

I love watching the grand National on tv, it’s very exciting.
I’ve been to a few little race courses, also fun, and the horses seemed very well cared for and content.

Absolutely barbaric....😪😪

nightowl

I’ve already said I don’t agree with the protestors’ actions but it’s ridiculous to blame them for the deaths. I’m sure the horses were het up after the delay. The responsibility then lay with the owners, trainers, vets, stewards, all those with direct responsibility for the horses’ welfare to make sure they were ok or to withdraw them from the race.

Agreed, totally unfair to blame protesters for the deaths.
As you say nightowl, if the owners, riders, vets and stewarts realised that the horses were unsettled, nervous and spooked- they should have taken them out of the race or cancelled. But didn't, because it is all about money.

missdeke

I respect everybody's right to protest but I do think that the delay to the Grand National contributed to the chaos at the first fence and the eventual death of the horse.

Race horses are highly strung animals and the much longer walk around that was the result of the delay caused them a lot of stress. It was well publicised that the police were going to do their job and remove protesters anyway and that the race would more than likely go ahead. Protest if you need to but please do it in a way that does not cause distress to the animals you are protesting for.

Correct, the horse that sadly died had a heart attack, probably caused by the prolonged run up to the race itself.
He'd never fallen before.
I hope those protesters are having a long hard look at the effect their behaviour had.

The vast majority of jump horse owners are NOT Arab. Many are owned by syndicates of ordinary people who club together to be able to afford to partake.

Whataboutery doesn’t make this right.

I take it all of us against it are vegetarians?
Polo should be banned, medieval torture devices labelled as bridles, tied in, bitted up, strapped down, yanked in the mouth from start to finish.

👏👏👏

I respect everybody's right to protest but I do think that the delay to the Grand National contributed to the chaos at the first fence and the eventual death of the horse.

Race horses are highly strung animals and the much longer walk around that was the result of the delay caused them a lot of stress. It was well publicised that the police were going to do their job and remove protesters anyway and that the race would more than likely go ahead. Protest if you need to but please do it in a way that does not cause distress to the animals you are protesting for.

I’ve already said I don’t agree with the protestors’ actions but it’s ridiculous to blame them for the deaths. I’m sure the horses were het up after the delay. The responsibility then lay with the owners, trainers, vets, stewards, all those with direct responsibility for the horses’ welfare to make sure they were ok or to withdraw them from the race.

Two thoughts on this controversy:
I know people who own race horses or have shares in them. Unless they happen to have a winner it is very expensive to keep a horse in training and it seems like money down the drain to me. Likewise those who spend money they probably can't afford on gambling at the races.
If we didn't have a racing industry in this country, I guess the wealthy owners would just move their horses to other countries where maybe the animal protection standards are not as high.

MayBee70

The only people at Aintree that wanted a fatality yesterday were the protesters which is why they’re looking on yesterday as a victory . I totally respect their right to protest and the racing authorities will look at the points they raise but they did it in a way that had an adverse effect on the very horses they were supposedly protecting.

The rowdy protesters caused at least one of the deaths because they deliberately spooked the poor horses.

There was nothing brave about the protesters. The police were there to ensure they didn’t get hurt. They unsettled the horses. No way to further their cause.

Dillonsgranma I’m so heartened to hear this. I can’t bear to watch the Grand National either. Thank you for giving one boy a happy ending.