BBC tv news, and their website, describing a horse as receiving fatal injuries on the first fence of the Grand National. Is this really as suggested, the injuries were severe enough to kill it, or was it put down since its injuries were so severe it would never race again?
If I’m right and it’s actaully the latter, I have to say I dislike euphemisms like this, if they are there to hide the truth. I certainly don’t want major media companies playing along with the industries that spin them.
If a horse breaks it’s leg, it will be shot because it won’t be able to heal - they won’t stay lying down. They aren’t shot because ‘they’ll never race again’.
Not defending racing btw - I’m not a fan.
Edit - we had a horse when I was younger. Lovely thing he was but he developed an inability to sleep standing up (vet suggested he might have been struck by lightning). So he used to fall over if he fell asleep standing, and one day he broke his leg. He had to be shot.
Must admit I've stopped watching National Hunt for the first time this year. Started watching first day of Cheltenham and switched off. Reckon it will go the same way as hunting, or is the industry just too large?
The horse at the first was in a bad way, you could see it was struggling terribly trying to get up, I saw that much from watching the race. All in all they are incredibly well looked after animals and it's not an option that's taken lightly.
My guess would be broken neck from the way it looked like it was fitting on the ground, in which case there really is nothing you can do.
There will be a review at Aintree as there would be after any fatality on the course, but it’s the first fatality at the National for 6 years.
Sadly jump riding is inherently dangerous, but all the courses around the UK have made large efforts to improve both the turf and the jumps in recent years to minimise that risk. They’ve spent a fortune at Aintree putting in sprinklers on the course, reduced the height of the fences and they don’t pack the fences as tightly as they used to.
Euthanasing a horse on the course is a worst case scenario, and is never done without a very good reason. Once the vets have bypassed the fence they gain more time and will commonly have support from additional vets who can make a second opinion judgement on the case.
I know at Aintree that the veterinary hospital at Liverpool is the referral centre and I’m sure everyone would try to get any injured horse there for an assessment unless euthanasia is the only ethical option.
No one wants to see any horse die during racing, especially at a global event such as the National, but with that many people watching you can be sure that no decisions will be taken lightly.
My thoughts are with the owners/trainer/jockey, it must be a horrible thing.
but it’s the first fatality at the National for 6 years.
For the race, yes. Festival is still averaging 3 deaths a year though.
I note they didnt shoot the jockey who broke his leg the other day!!
They're disposable business assets. Owners tears are because of their finacial loss.
Horses seem to be the last vestige of the UKs acceptance of animal abuse on a coprporate scale. Love the way they rush out with shrouds to stop the public seeing the gruesome truth.
Even the Rspca get quoted with some fence sitting comment on shooting being the compassionate thing, whilst they hand-wring over horses being abused in other circumstances. Clearly paid handsomely to toe the line.
Some factures can be fixed others can't and unlike humans they can't manage with the complications. Human bones heal much easier so we tend not to shoot them.
I think it is cruel and do not support it. Massive money maker though so it will never change.
I wonder how many animals died providing burgers and bacon rolls for the 150,000 who turned up over the 3 days. A lot more than died jumping over the fences.
Shinton, I doubt any of the cows and pigs were scared witless and forced to jump fences before being killed. As a nation we are super-sensitive to animal welfare in the food chain but accept cruelty when it comes to entertainment.
Ex jockey here, don't shoot me (but feel free to take a pop, lol) The equestrian industry is very controversial whether it's for business, recreation or sport someone is gaining financial rewards at their expense, and it tends not to be the owners and riders who gain pleasure from spending time with these amazing animals.
The basic question is whether we should be utilising animals at all, in doing so we immediately put constraints on their freedom. But. Would they have that freedom at all if we didn't? Would their carcasses instead line our floors with heads hanging on stately walls? Unless we can eat or use them they soon face extinction.
The majority of equine owners and carers absolutely dote on their charges providing the very best care they financially can't afford, including racehorse owners and trainers. I've known people who've made enormous sacrifices for the welfare of their horses, but of course there are those who view them as a commodity.
Last horse I betted on was over 20 years ago, it fell and had to be shot 🙁 so I never betted on another one since.
I doubt any of the cows and pigs were scared witless and forced to jump fences before being killed.
If horses didn't give lots of signs of enjoying being ridden I wouldn't ride them. When we turn up they recognise the sound of the car and wander over to the tree where we saddle them. In Winter and when they're expecting hay they canter over.
Being groomed they sometimes gently push with their heads which they do to each other when being friendly. One of them tries to bite me if I do something he doesn't like just like he does to other horses.
When out they love going flat out. To the point they get really annoyed if held back to trot when they fancy a gallop. And they love running together, being part of a herd in full flight is pre-programmed. If I hold one horse back to give Madame a bit of space It's quite a fight until he's allowed to catch up. Madame pulled out of a gallop recently when she realised the conditions weren't right and ended up going round and round in circles with the horse pawing the ground in frustration.
Give them something to jump they decide they can jump and they'll jump it. We've both done jumps we din't intend to on one horse because when he works out where he's going he takes the shortest route.
So, I don't think the horses are "forced" and very much doubt they're "scared witless". They're just doing what horses do very well instinctively. There are things that scare horse witless - quads and crossers giving it gas in the case of ours.
If this thread were about a human it would read something like "tragic accident but the athlete had a great privileged life doing what he did best and enjoyed most, and died at his peak before the misery of old age". If ever I get something horrible and terminal my words for the doctor are already decided: "pity you're not a vet".
Incidently when people around here sell a horse they're often worried you'll sell it on for meat. Horses go for about 1e/kilo at the abatoir and less-than-perfectly-trained, middle-aged horses sell for less than that.
The whole thing surrounding jump racing these days is a big turn-off - the heavy drinking, fighting, the young men killing themselves with gambling problems, the whole classlessness of it all and then the involvement of dodgy dictators like various Sultans and the Queen - I don't see the attraction of it at all. Seeing that horse die on the first fence was pretty awful too.
Sad Ken.
Horses seem to be the last vestige of the UKs acceptance of animal abuse on a coprporate scale.
Apart from pet ownership of course especially pedigree pets. For example nothing more cruel than a fashionable French Bulldog that struggles to breath because it's been bred with a snout that's too short. Or someone buying a dog who's never going to look after it properly.
At least race horses are looked after better than the humans who tend to them look after themselves BECAUSE they are a valuable asset. Its unfortunate they do sometimes receive life ending injuries, but they have a great life and actually do enjoy the act of racing so not scared at all. And a the end of it they're put out to stud, so not a bad way to live out your final years. Maybe the fences should be reduced in height to reduce the risk of injury...I don't see why they should be so dangerous, its not part of the entertainment.
I'm no fan of horse racing and never bet apart from the odd office grand national sweepstake which I never win. But each to their own. More humans are injured and paralysed or killed in the pursuit of horse riding than horses are harmed.
They don't shoot horses anymore.
And at the end of it they’re put out to stud
Only the well-known ones or the ones that can be retrained as club or rando horses. A lot do end up at the abatoir and I really don't have an issue with that, objectivley race horses have a much better life than cattle, sheep pigs or poultry bred for meat.
Trotters are more of a headache because it's hard to retrain them to gallop nicely. I went out on an ex-trotter which happily kept up with other cantering horses while still trotting. Never agian.
They don’t shoot horses anymore.
The bang puts the punters off
The bang puts the punters off
Yes. It's an awful sound to hear, knowing what it means.
On the positive I hope the RSPCA made a load of money out of the event, which will be used for other animals.
I wonder what happens to all the retired race horses too.
I wonder what happens to all the retired race horses too.
And a the end of it they’re put out to stud,
A man there who knows diddly squat about jump racing.
The boys are all geldings.
Absolutely abhorrent. Sadly won’t ever be banned due to the money in it.
Shinton, I doubt any of the cows and pigs were scared witless and forced to jump fences before being killed. As a nation we are super-sensitive to animal welfare in the food chain but accept cruelty when it comes to entertainment.
While our animals in the food chain may get better treatment than many in Europe, the standards are pretty low.
A much worse welfare problem than sporting animals IMO.
Back in early nineties did a lot of work with Bristol University Equine research school. And even back then they (the vets) were convinced most horse leg breaks were treatable it's just a cost thing and as after they heal they will never race the owners have them put down instead knowing they will never recover the money.
I wonder what happens to all the retired race horses too.
National Hunt discipline has a different approach to the training and management of horses than flat racing and a lot of the horses go on to be a "nanny" to the youngsters, pleasure horses or to do a different discipline such as dressage. There are also charities like Racehorse Rescue and HAPPA who rehabilitate or foster horses with health or handling issues
But. Would they have that freedom at all if we didn’t? Would their carcasses instead line our floors with heads hanging on stately walls? Unless we can eat or use them they soon face extinction.
About 20,000 race horses in the UK. How many of those would be killed if horseracing was banned ? Vastly more than the sad but thankfully small number killed whilst racing.
But these owners profess to love their horses so surely they'd accept the demise of their sport and give their animals the retirement they deserve.....
No, they'd put a bullet through their head because they don't really care when they're no longer earning for them.
The breeding would stop so after the initial retirements/executions the problem would be gone.