Ok... I've been reading this thread for a while and wasn't going to post, but I've changed my mind!
You lot being rude to skatealexia for being old are going to have to sit down before you hear how old I am... I'm at least 3 years older than her which will probably make me 5-7 years older that a lot of you so bring on the old fart jokes...
I'm hoping to apply in 2014 for 2015 entry, though that depends upon many circumstances at the time and over the next couple of years. I don't have a lot of 'work experience' but I have plenty of experience with animals over my lifetime. Right now I have booked up:
2 weeks small animal, (which could turn into a long term placement)
2 weeks large animal,
1 week lab,
1 week equine,
anytime I want at a local man's small holding where he has pigs, sheep, alpacas, chickens and turkeys (I think...)
Plus the possibility of:
1 week at AHT,
1-2 weeks at another equine vet,
2-4 weeks at other small animal practices on which I am awaiting confirmation,
I'm also waiting to hear from the local rare breeds centre which I have heard has taken on wex people in the past,
I also hope to spend some time at a rescue centre and cats protection.
I also have about 14 months working in a microbiology lab which wasn't to do with animals but I believe it will be useful scientific practice experience,
I also hope to pass my BHS stage III and IV and PTT tests which all count for UCAS points and I would like to do a Kelly Marks Intelligent Horsemanship course or two if I could afford it.
I'm doing Biology and Chemistry A2's next June as well as AS Physics which I will top up to A2 in June 2014. So hopefully in 2014-15 I'll have some more time to get some more experience.
I'm hoping to apply to: (in order of preference)
Bristol,
Edinburgh,
RVC,
Cambridge (maybe)/ Surrey (I'll have a look but like a lot of you I'm not sure if I want to be the first year)
and Bristol and/or Edinburgh and/or Cambridge for Zoology/Nat Sci Zoology.
Horse racing is my absolute passion in life and I am hoping to become an equine vet as horses have always been my life, I want to work in racing. Though I am very interested in dogs particularly genetic disorders and their testing and I have 3 cats so I wouldn't be uninterested in being any kind of animal vet.
The main reason I posted was to talk about the Grand National. I'll try to keep it brief because I am liable to waffle for hours about this!
The fences should be made smaller: WRONG. If the height of the fences is changed at all then they should go up significantly. If the fences are smaller this draws the horses and jockeys to go faster and the saying 'speed kills' is very true in racing and most walks of life. If the fences are bigger it means the horses and jockeys will back off from them, sit back on their hocks (which is where the power for jumping comes from) meaning not only is the horse less likely to take a nasty fast tumble on their necks, but they are also more physically able to jump the fences correctly.
There are too many runners: I completely agree with this point, though many involved in the race and racing in general would shoot you down for saying it. I think there should be 30 max and they should run another race over the fences for those who don't get in. Fortunately this years race was much safer and better, but I still think that 40 is far too many and reducing the field size would greatly reduce the risk to both horse and rider.
To correct a couple of points made. The horse Synchronised who won the Gold Cup last year and was then killed in last year's Grand National did get loose before the race. However he did not gallop around and get tired, he cantered a little way down the course where he was caught and re-mounted. There was discussion about him being taken out because it was unlike him to spook like he did (which is what caused A P McCoy to fall off). However the horse was completely sound and they found no reason not to run him. His incident was very unfortunate because he unseated and was then brought down by another horse when running loose and broke a leg. His injury and the other horses', According To Pete, were both long bone breaks which can be very common in horses. It was a great shame, but the kind of injuries they sustained could have just as easily happened in the field or whilst being hacked out. I have seen it happen in the field and whilst out on a hack, there is nothing that can be done to prevent it or treat it.
The 2011 National marked the changes to the whip rules. Ballabriggs (the horse) had to be given oxygen after the race and he briefly collapsed due to heat exhaustion. It was an uncharacteristically hot day and it was found that Aintree was at fault here because there wasn't sufficient water available to help the runners cool down. Jason Maguire (his jockey) was given a long ban and he is the reason that the rules are much stricter which can only be a good thing.
On the animal testing question I see that it is important because some of the reactions that certain things might produce would be very unpleasant to experience. But saying that as a person you can CHOOSE to take part in the trial whereas as an animal you have no choice, you just have to get on with it. I think it is very exploitative and there is no excuse, it should be abolished.
Wow, long post! Sorry!