Grand National 2013

henryscat

henryscat

Well-Known Forumite
Yet another horse - Battlefront - died of a heart attack at Aintree today. He is the 23rd horse to die on the Grand National course since 2000. Despite what the industry may try to claim, horse racing is far from benign: 420 horses are raced to death each year, and financial interests override welfare.

Betting on the Grand National or any other race directly supports thus cruelty, as does attending race meetings.



Admin Edit: Year appended to thread title, to avoid confusion with Grand National 2012 and Grand National 2011 threads.
 
Floss

Floss

Well-Known Forumite
Betting on the Grand National or any other race directly supports thus cruelty, as does attending race meetings.

What about an egg and spoon race?
 
proactive

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
I was going to suggest that you could make a list of things that you would like to be banned, HC, so we could all make sure we derive no further enjoyment from them. However, perhaps it would take up less time if you simply made a list of things the rest of us can continue to enjoy?
 
Bob

Bob

Well-Known Forumite
The owners, trainers and riders put a lot of time, money and effort into their horses. All of these people do everything in their power to see their horses come out of the other side of it. Yes it's dangerous but it's a traditions that s been going for many years and will probably continue to do so.



It is a fact that horses love to race. If you get down a track or in a field with 2 or more ridden horses they will try and out run each other and they really do love it.



There are many more horses and riders for that matter killed every year on fun rides or drag hunts – these aren’t shown on the telly so aren’t complained about as frequently. So what’s the answer? Never ride a horse outside of a schooling yard or ménage?



These race horses are treated well and have a brilliant life, they have the best care and the best food, and they are retired early to live out their lives, better than the majority of horses and people for that matter.



I’m not saying that I condone it entirely and I’m not suggesting that the risks to horse and rider outweigh the ‘entertainment’ of the race. I simply dislike people getting on their high horses (excuse the pun) about issues they know little about. If you want to do something about protecting horses – see the RSPCA and/or similar animal welfare groups about far greater danger and suffering to the creatures than racing.
 
db

db

#chaplife
i'm not a gambling man (not through any moral objection, it just doesn't interest me), but i thought "ooh, i'll stick a tenner on a horse this year if it has a funny/appropriate/etc. name :keke:".. so i've just been looking at the list of grand national runners, spotted one called "Rare Bob", and thought "PERFECT!" :D

turns out i did exactly the same thing last year, with exactly the same horse lol:

http://www.staffordforum.com/xf/index.php?threads/grand-national-2012.9090/

clearly, my memory is getting worse.. probably all the horsemeat i've been eating :teef:
 
Bob

Bob

Well-Known Forumite
I'm sticking a tenner on rare bob as well.

I'll meet you down the pub if he's a winner :)

If memory serves me correctly I believe I heard that he was the Cheltenham winner a few weeks ago.
 
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db

db

#chaplife
Bob said:
I'm sticking a tenner on rare bob as well.

I'll meet you down the pub if he's a winner :)

If memory serves me correctly I believe I heard that he was the Cheltenham winner a few weeks ago.
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ooh, i wasn't go to bother after his abysmal failure last year, but i think i will now!

hopefully he won't (quide liderally) fall at the first hurdle, and end up in a tesco ready meal :teef:
 
R

Roland

Well-Known Forumite
I never could see the fascination with horse racing but have had a few bob on a horse occasionally mainly through work but the Grand National does seem unnessarily dangerous to both horses and jockeys!
 
A

andy w

Well-Known Forumite
Bob said:
I'm sticking a tenner on rare bob as well.

I'll meet you down the pub if he's a winner :)

If memory serves me correctly I believe I heard that he was the Cheltenham winner a few weeks ago.
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Sadly there isn't a horse called Bad Man Andy so I'm going for the outsider Always Waining
 
Gadget

Gadget

Well-Known Forumite
There really isn't much HC and myself agree on but i'm not happy with the racing thing either. Horses die or get injured and have to be put down every single year :( Also look what happens to those horses who don't make the grade. Off to the abatoir with them mostly. I'm not into the whole gambling thingy either, not even bingo. Parts you from your money far too easily.
If no one will ban it, it should at least be made safer.
 
shoes

shoes

Well-Known Forumite
Another call for banning from me, it's a ridiculous event which only serves to cause pain and suffering of the horses.

I have a couple of retired racing greyhounds and they were nowhere near as well looked after as the racing industry would have you believe. Both are riddled with injuries and have clearly never ever had any dental care. Considering pedigree greyhounds are not particularly prone to health problems, ex-racers cost an extortionate amount to insure due to the almost certainty of serious health issues later in life either directly related to racing, or the (lack of) care received from trainers and handlers.

I suspect horse racing is exactly the same :(
 
Bob

Bob

Well-Known Forumite
shoes said:
I suspect horse racing is exactly the same :(
Click to expand...



I doubt it very much - I have spent time on yards where competitive horses are kept both for racing and eventing, there is a huge amount of money tied up in these animals and the care they receive is comparable to that of a professional athlete. I know diddley all about dog racing so I'm afraid I can't comment about haow they are treateed.
 
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