Hi All, I just thought5 I'd post this to ask what people feel about horse racing anyway.
As its The Grand National this afternoon and an event watched from around the globe by ardent racing punters and the average family I can't help thinking about the carnage from last year and years before that. Each year the course is modified and they say each year its safer than ever before but still we get the terrible loss of 4 legged life. Thankfully not of any jockeys thus far although serious injuries do happen as with Cheltenham 2 weeks ago which saw one jockey break his back and he is left paralysed.(JT Mcnamara) I know that the bottom line is that if there was no horse racing, there would be no more thoroughbred horses and a loss of many jobs in associated industries. I love the thrill of watching a race that ends safely but increasingly I can't stand watching them and pray all the way they all come home safely. This year is the first year I have not placed a bet, and have not even joined a sweepstake. The Grand National is the most testing race of all jump races and I just think its a test too far. Its time to flatten out the drops and unseen surprises the horse meets the other side of the now 'safer' fences. The field is too big for safety at the start- 40 horses- a ridiculous number and all are vieing for a place at the rail pushing from the outside inwards. Madness. Don't tell me they enjoy it either. They are herd animals and will follow a leader if they like to be led, it goes back to nature when they would follow the herd for safety so with the starters gun they are off and so for safety they all go with adrenaline pumping. Does anyone else feel like this?

Thankfully, there's no fatalities this year!

I would largely agree with your thoughts Gladys.

I also used to bet on horses until I realised just how bent the whole industry was!

Yes, its been reported that all came home safely. The winner carried no weight - this adds to the ' kill ' factor. Next year he won't get off lightly and will be made to carry weight. Incidentally it was also reported last year about what happens at our abattoirs. In the report I read about horse meat the winning trainer from today's race sends his to this end and always has. In that report on the list for that morning was a well known race horse who for what ever reason had run his last race. To me this is just the pits. Its all about money, if they fail to make it then its time to go. How about regulating that point which definitely requires an upgrade in welfare and the breeding of them too? Breed only so many and those at the end of their ' useful ' lives can be actively homed or retrained for other equine purposes. Whatever when they are old and infirm they should be PTS with as much dignity, compassion and consideration as possible. (Mind you, I also think this about cows etc so I'm rather too silly to be practical. I eat beef as well so that makes me even more ridiculous) I know that again this is simplistic and doing it is nigh on impossible but I do think we should respect them more than we do and their end whether cows, sheep, pigs should be strictly managed in terms of welfare. It isn't although DEFRA keep telling us it is because they are meant to have vets on site monitoring the process. In reality, the process is such a mass production line- it just doesn't get done. I am also thinking that if we have an influx of European people who do eat horses are going to make horsemeat more accessible? That's a frightening thought.

' The Big Questions ' on BBC1 is debating the Horse Racing Industry now. A vet has posed the same thing I said about why a horse will run and keep running ( Herd response for the fear, flight, fight response for safety) but another one who was pro racing said they do it because they enjoy it. His comments were backed by Bob Champion and other Pro Racing speakers. The Anti- Racing speakers were also calling for regulation on breeding and dispatching unwanted end of the line race horses.

My answer to this is short...

I don't bet on horses because I don't agree with horse racing for all the reasons already mentioned.

I have joined the anti-horse racing ' team ' although it would if it were strong reduce the thoroughbred stock to extinction. If you see one you can't help but be taken aback at the sheer beauty and magnificence of this horse. If the world no longer had them it would be a sullen place or more than it is already!

Horse "retirement" is usually before 7 years of age (according to the net). However, many will be retired before that time as they no longer win races or they have had such outstanding early careers that more money can be made from putting them out to stud

Hi Margaret, the short answer is that its down to how many wins the horse has had. No wins= meat factory or in some cases re-homed for other purposes like hunting. Mares are put to stud. A good winner as with Frankel are sent to stud to increase the winning gene.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankel_%28horse%29 He was retired last year and is now 5 years old from what I can tell from this entry in Wiki. Some horses are run until they are 11 years old.

Bull fighting is a terrible thing- all the bulls end up on the butcher's table but the method by which they get there is to me unacceptable.

Its the Cheltenham Festival. I am watching the story of Arkle whom as a child I loved but had no idea what the industry involved. I now look at this- his stable mate who was better than him and better than Mill House. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flyingbolt


How many of these Flyingbolts are there out there? My Mum always tries to bet on the stable mate and she always wins! I don't bet on any and say prayers as a significant race is running. (for the horses)

Its that time of year again. The Grand National this afternoon will see 40 runners one of whom is Mike Tindall's horse. His M-i-L ( HRH The Princess Ann ) was saying yesterday that horses (due to the fact there are so many unwanted, neglected and end of the line ones) that they gain value if they are used in the meat trade. I so hope they all get home safely but sadly she has a point if they don't.

Thankfully, all horses and jockeys got home safely so maybe the work undertaken to make the race safer has paid off.