Is the Grand National just animal cruelty posing as sport and entertainment?
I would just like to point out to you. Racing is the reason that the horses were born and raised. Without racing those two horses that died today would not have had a life, they would never have come into existence. No one wanted them to die, there will be many sad people tonight because they died, the lads who looked after them every day, their owners and trainers, there is a bond you know. You witnessed today the demise of two horses. But perhaps you eat meat, and you put out of your mind when you do that the MILLIONS of cows, sheep and pigs that are raised for slaughter each year, have very short lives, and are only born to be killed. I think the Grand National should continue. Our lives are being “sanitised all the time”. Drink/driving regulations, No smoking regulations, health and safety, children have to wear goggles now to play Conkers. They`ll have us wearing crash helmets to walk down the road next. Rant over.
Horse racing in general is a cruel sport the Grand National is the high point in the year for the arrogant, selfish race goer to satiate his/her love of cruelty in the name of “sport”. For such stupidity to be still legal in the 21st century in a country that calls itself civilised, and like the barbarity of fox hunting it should be consigned to the history books.
If you really want to make the National safer then the answer is to make the fences harder. This seems odd, but it is the speed which kills and by making the fences easier – as they have over the last 20 years – has meant that the race is run at a much more frantic gallop. This not only increases the severity of the falls but also the exhaustion of the horses as they no longer get any kind of breather as they used to. With stiffer fences riders would have to go at a softer pace which result in a safer race. One thing is for sure, no one involved wants to see horses killed or injured. To suggest they do – or even to imply they simply don’t care – is ignorant of the facts and deeply offensive to those involved with today’s runners.
