What are your HONEST opinions on The Grand National/horse racing in general?

Question in title really.

It is quite a controversial subjects and I know many people who detest it. So what are your HONEST opinions on racing/the equine fatalities? I'm looking for a good healthy debate here people :P

Before I say anything more, I would like to say R.I.P to the three horses that died over the course of the three day race at Aintree this year. Ornais and Dooleys Gate were sadly destroyed/died instantly today whereas Inventor was tragically destroyed two days ago after suffering a serious injury on the opening day of the Aintree Race Meetings. Condolences to everyone involved with them.

I'll start.

I've got no problem with racing providing the horses enjoy it (which most of them do). It is sad that some tragically don't see the end of a race or in the case of Hear The Echo (2009) collapse and die after finishing the race but that's life. Horses are just a business to many people but many of the trainers/riders do actually love the horses and appreciate the job they do. This year wasn't as bad for fatalities as 2010 and 2009 were.
No horses don't get a choice but if they really don't enjoy it they get retired pretty quickly anyway.

So, over to you :smile:

Reply 1

Jaryd_Rugby

I think that while it's totally not cool for horses to die, in a way it's not so bad because firstly the majority of horses killed during races die instantly. Also the only reason these horses exist is because they were sired to be race horses, so they're kinda freerolling on life anyway.

However, in my opinion the national specifically is ridiculous, the course is so tough it's almost inviting death which is totally messed up. My stance on animal rights is, I'm not upset because a creature is missing from the earth, it's the mentality of the people who allow it to happen. The people in charge of the race KNOW it's unsafe and that horses WILL die, but they allow it to go on without any revolutionary changes.

If it was down to me I personally would just keep horse racing to flat running, but that's obviously never going to happen

Reply 2

youjustburnkid

Reporters on the BBC today called it something along the lines of a "game of jumping" today, surely horses shouldn't have to die if it's just a game. Also, what kind of a sport involves horses dieing? Five horses dead in two days, awful for something which is considered just a game.

Reply 3

Magic_

Interesting. Does anyone actually enjoy watching racing?

I'm going to make a few more points 'for' racing I guess :P

*It's a lot safer than it used to be
*Only the owners/spectators benefit from a horse winning. The jockey doesn't get a lot (6% of the prize money if it wins. If the jockey is amateur then they get nothing, even if it wins). Not sure about the trainers.
*The race horses have better after care than polo ponies do.

youjustburnkid - if you're talking about yesterday's Aintree race only three horses were tragically destroyed. That's good for a race meeting, last year it was six, the year before it was six. At least one in 2009 had a heart attack that could've happened anywhere. Moving away from racing briefly, I actually know someone who's horse had a heart attack whilst being gently lunged, she wasn't even old/overweight or anything either :frown:

Interesting opinions though, keep 'em coming :smile:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 4

xXMessedUpXx

I'm not a massive fan of it to be honest. I find it somewhat pointless. It only really exists still because of the sheer amount of money gamblers put into it.

I used to work for one of the big betting companies and the amount of money people spend is scary, and some people get obsessed with it.

I think so many horses die because of the pack mentality, they're doing what they'd do naturally but aren't aware of the dangers if that makes any sense?

As long as the horses are looked after (which for the most part they are) then I don't have any major problems with it. I think i just hate the gambling side of it all.

Reply 5

Magic_

Original post by xXMessedUpXx

Yes that makes sense. :smile:

That is a very good point, you see the pack mentality when the loose horses that have unseated their riders are still galloping along quite happily, trying to stay with the 'herd', I guess.

The gambling side is ridiculous at times...some people put way too much on the horses. It gets extreme, IMO, when the bets going into the hundreds or even thousands :eek:

It's just like, why would you risk losing that amount of money? It makes no sense, racing is unpredicable yet people are still willing to risk losing loads of money on one horse. That's the part I don't get about racing, tbh.

Reply 6

imperial maniac

Don't really care either way.

Apathy is ftw.

Reply 7

J_90

Grand National is ace.

Reply 8

Zap Brannigan

Original post by Magic_

I've got no problem with racing providing the horses enjoy it (which most of them do).

And people wonder why this country has gone to ****.

Reply 9

Danii

Personally, im not a great fan on how races are run. I don't mind the idea of it all, its just way too exhausting and difficult for the horse. Yes, horses are flight animals, but they are not built to gallop for miles and miles, they are built to outrun the preditor over an average distance, and if caught they lash out by bucking/kicking/rearing etc. The intense training the horses have to go through proves they are not ideally built for this amount of flat out work; on the other hand, the training serves them well and they are capable of the race- i just think its a bit too extreme. Ideally, i think there should not be so many horses in one race, as this is usually the cause of fatal injuries over fences. Also, it would help if they lowered the fence a bit more, but theres no point unless they cut down the amount of horses (for example they could split the race in two, then the top placings in both races compete in the final race). But the thing i don't think some people take in is the fact that at the end of the day.. Theres always going to be a 1st place, and last place, so whats the point in pushing the horses so much that they have to die- it shouldn't be something to celebrate, i mean, we dont see people dying this tragicly and regularly in any of our sports?. I've done alot of research on it and the answer seems pretty obvious to be honest, just wish the people in charge would act on it :L Oh yeah just to add on, i think the money involved in it is pathetic, i read that Bookmakers William Hill said more then £250 million was gambled in the grand national this year... ?!

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 10

sbarrie2

I won £10. Kerrrrrrrr-CHINGGG!!!!

Reply 11

L18

It's worth to the ecnomy of the city of Liverpool, and the surrounding boroughs must be worth millions of pounds.

It's a great thing to have in the north.

Reply 12

helenrebecca18

Original post by Danii

Personally, im not a great fan on how races are run. I don't mind the idea of it all, its just way too exhausting and difficult for the horse. Yes, horses are flight animals, but they are not built to gallop for miles and miles, they are built to outrun the preditor over an average distance, and if caught they lash out by bucking/kicking/rearing etc. The intense training the horses have to go through proves they are not ideally built for this amount of flat out work; on the other hand, the training serves them well and they are capable of the race- i just think its a bit too extreme. Ideally, i think there should not be so many horses in one race, as this is usually the cause of fatal injuries over fences. Also, it would help if they lowered the fence a bit more, but theres no point unless they cut down the amount of horses (for example they could split the race in two, then the top placings in both races compete in the final race). But the thing i don't think some people take in is the fact that at the end of the day.. Theres always going to be a 1st place, and last place, so whats the point in pushing the horses so much that they have to die- it shouldn't be something to celebrate, i mean, we dont see people dying this tragicly and regularly in any of our sports?. But hey, im only 13 but i've done alot of research on it and the answer seems pretty obvious to be honest, just wish the people in charge would act on it :L Oh yeah just to add on, i think the money involved in it is pathetic, i read that Bookmakers William Hill said more then £250 million was gambled in the grand national this year... ?!

you say that there not built to run miles and miles, but then you say you should split them up and then they would have to run two races making them having to run a further distance, it doesn't matter how many horses there are there still going to pack together because there natural instinct is to be in a herd.

Reply 13

Danii

(: i mean like.. having two seperate races with half the horses in one and half in the other, both the same distance.. it just means there would be less horses running at once.. its just an idea i dont know really but either way they should still cut down the amount of horses in the one race.. theres just too many accidents happening. And yeah they are going to pack together like a herd but i think racing them that far over fences like that etc is taking advantage a bit when horses (and infact jockeys) are put in such danger.. I don't have anything majorly against racing, i just think it needs to be less dangerous so horses arent being killed.