Another Death at Aintree

It will never end sadly. It’s what the horses are bred to do. I’ve seen many broken down racehorses at the horse auctions going for meat. I bought one once and got him well again. We called him George . My daughter show jumped on him. He was a complete gentleman and we loved him dearly

So what about the 47 horses that died on the tracks this year before the grotesque Grand National? There weren’t any protesters there when they were killed. The pathetic blaming of those brave protesters is laughable. As is the ‘townies know nothing about the countryside’ argument. What people are learning is that there’s a lot of cruelty to greyhounds/racehorses/ wildlife and it’s high time it was stopped.

icanhandthemback

Horses take 6 or 7 years for their skeleton to be fully developed, one of the last areas being their spines and neck. It is actually destructive to ride them before this age, let alone race them at a year old. We should really look at using horses as beasts of burden and have a rethink taking their development into account but we won't because it is the richer element of society who do the most riding.
equineink.com/2019/08/10/the-stages-of-equine-skeletal-development/

That's why I dislike flat racing so much, icanhandthemback. There is an argument that racehorses are bred to mature earlier (they certainly foal earlier in the year, which means a bit more growing time before they become yearlings) but racing yearlings, or even 2 year olds, is stretching it a bit too far, IMO.

Actually, horses are very poorly designed to carry the weight of a rider at the point that they do. They need to be brought on slowly to develop the necessary muscle strength to support their back and ribs.

Fleurpepper

MaizieD

25Avalon

That is very perturbing MayBee if Aintree isn’t top of the list.

But MayBee has just said that it's not top of the list when it comes to fatalities and injuries. So why should that be perturbing?

Perturbing that a course that has cause so many fatalities and injuries is not the worse. Worrying that some are even more worse! (aware of grammar).

I was just querying why it's perturbing that Aintree isn't at the top of the list when its been said that other racecourses are worse.

Interesting conversation about racing going on right now on James O’Brien. His opening question/ statement to be completed by each caller ‘I know that horses die but it’s worth it to me because….’

Some interesting responses as well.

Fully support Lucy Locket55 for her knowledgable, well written post. So many ‘urban’ people have strong opinions on matters they do not understand. Coming from a rural, farming family, I have seen the Countryside gradually being overtaken by those moving into an environment they then wish to change. Most of those involved with animals care for them a great deal. There are always exceptions.

It’s shocking and very cruel

Tickingbird

Extremely balanced view and I agree 100%

I would like to see jump racing barred or at the very least much smaller fields and smaller fences (more safety measures have been brought in across the years)

For the animal rights protesters to condemn all owners of racehorses and horses in general and all farmers is just wrong and ridiculous - I understand them protesting but it would have been better for those horses taking part, who were definitely spooked by the delays, to simply use their right to peacefully protest

Horses take 6 or 7 years for their skeleton to be fully developed, one of the last areas being their spines and neck. It is actually destructive to ride them before this age, let alone race them at a year old. We should really look at using horses as beasts of burden and have a rethink taking their development into account but we won't because it is the richer element of society who do the most riding.
equineink.com/2019/08/10/the-stages-of-equine-skeletal-development/

Shropshirelass

The delay caused by the protestors contributed to the horse falling at the fence. Racehorses know when they are saddled up that a race is imminent, delays caused after saddling up lead to the horses becoming unsettled and agitated as they are ready to race. Don’t blame the course, trainers or the racing bodies, horses enjoy racing, it is what they are bred for, blame the protestors who really do not understand what they are doing.

I too am upset that a horse has died but all the facts need to be taken into account, Aintree has been modified over the years and is much safer than it used to be, the horse was in such an agitated state due to the delays that it just crashed through the first fence. Very sad for all concerned.

Pretty much what I was going to write. I have no issue with people protesting about things they would like to change but I wish they had been more aware of the consequences of doing something that delayed the race start. Horses are creatures of routine and changing that routine for extremely fit TBs is like shaking a bottle of pop then taking the top off. It's impossible to control the energy. Jockeys and trainers have clear plans when racing with regard to where they will place the horse at the start, and how they will run the race safely for both horse and rider. The chaos at the first few fences would almost certainly not have happened if the horses had not been returned to the stables after such a long time waiting in the paddock. Those first few fences are not difficult and it's usually an opportunity for the jockeys to settle the horses into a rhythm for the rest of the race. Impossible to do under those circumstances.

Time has come to ban all animal “sports”. They can’t consent.

MaizieD

25Avalon

That is very perturbing MayBee if Aintree isn’t top of the list.

But MayBee has just said that it's not top of the list when it comes to fatalities and injuries. So why should that be perturbing?

Perturbing that a course that has cause so many fatalities and injuries is not the worse. Worrying that some are even more worse! (aware of grammar).

It’s all very well having an idealistic view but as someone who is involved with animal rights I believe some realism wouldn’t go amiss.

Animals in the wild have a tough time of it and that includes horses. Every day is a constant hunt for food. Illness and injury occur and no vets to attend to them. Fights for dominance, starvation and painfully slow deaths are a fact of life.

My view (as an animal lover) is that humans have to work so there’s nothing wrong with an animal working as long as it’s humane and in return has food, medicine and downtime and freedom to a degree. I believe animals would accept this if they had a voice.

If anyone wants to get really het up over cruelty to animals please look into factory farming; it is truly horrific.

The delay caused by the protestors contributed to the horse falling at the fence. Racehorses know when they are saddled up that a race is imminent, delays caused after saddling up lead to the horses becoming unsettled and agitated as they are ready to race. Don’t blame the course, trainers or the racing bodies, horses enjoy racing, it is what they are bred for, blame the protestors who really do not understand what they are doing.

I too am upset that a horse has died but all the facts need to be taken into account, Aintree has been modified over the years and is much safer than it used to be, the horse was in such an agitated state due to the delays that it just crashed through the first fence. Very sad for all concerned.

25Avalon

That is very perturbing MayBee if Aintree isn’t top of the list.

But MayBee has just said that it's not top of the list when it comes to fatalities and injuries. So why should that be perturbing?

The assumption that we have dominion over the animal kingdom and can do as we wish with them is one I question.

That is very perturbing MayBee if Aintree isn’t top of the list.

25Avalon

Time someone did a risk assessment of all race tracks if they’ve not already done so. I have no ace to grind about racing in general but The Grand National has always been high risk and although it has been “improved” the record is not good as proven again this year. Perhaps it’s time to call it a day. One of the owners is claiming the delayed start from the protestors caused the horse to fall. Even without protestors it is still a gruelling race.

They do such things and Aintree does not come high up on the list when it comes to injuries and fatalities. From memory Southwell does quite badly and possibly Fakenham ( but I may be doing a disservice to Fakenham). Believe me these things are looked at all the time and there are reports after every meeting. The park course at Aintree worries me more than the National course as it’s very flat and fast.

A sports commentator - yes, we did watch it - said that there had been a peaceful protest, presumably people with banners. I've seen no coverage of that. I did wonder whether the race would be safer but if the horses died it clearly wasn't safe enough. I've signed the petition.

Time someone did a risk assessment of all race tracks if they’ve not already done so. I have no ace to grind about racing in general but The Grand National has always been high risk and although it has been “improved” the record is not good as proven again this year. Perhaps it’s time to call it a day. One of the owners is claiming the delayed start from the protestors caused the horse to fall. Even without protestors it is still a gruelling race.

It’s all about the money, racehorse owners from the rich Arab states, the stud farms and of course the connection to royalty. The whole thing is barbaric. Quite apart from the unnecessary deaths, they are supposed to be limiting the use of whips, not that you’d have known that from the way some of those jockeys were lashing their mounts today.

That’s flat racing. The Grand National is a national hunt race - totally different and isn’t followed by toffs, Royals or Arab sheiks. The majority of the race goers are ordinary, working class people.

Apart from that I no longer have a flutter on it as realised several years ago that it’s cruel. It has been made safer over the years as it really did use to be horrifically dangerous with far bigger fences. Time for it to go I think.

Foxie48- my post about 'townies' was not directed at you in particular. This is what any of us who oppose fox hunting and in this case, horse racing especially in that particular race due to such large numbers- are always told 'oh you are townies, and you don't understand'. Loud and clear in several posts here.

LucyLocket That horse yesterday was sadly killed in the national, but the post circulating is saying it broke its neck….classic horsey people sharing it and believing it, probably the same kind of people that will pay a ‘bit expert’ to come and tell them what bit is right for their horse 🙄 Hill Sixteen did not break his neck, he was dead before he even got to the jump as he had a heart attack by the looks of things.

If you’re referring to my post saying the horse broke his neck, that is what has been reported in several newspapers and online. So it is not some ‘classic horsey person sharing it and believing it’ whatever that means, but me questioning what I read.

As for the comment about ‘the same people that will pay a ‘bit expert’ to come and tell them what bit is right for their horse’, I have no idea where that came from or its relevance to this thread, but I find your post pretty rude to be honest, and unnecessarily so.

If we want to discuss cruelty to horses check out Tennessee Walking horses