Ban the Grand National?

[Hotchilidog]

Nicely put.

This rubbish surfaces every time a horse dies in the National,but nobody gives a schmitt if Dobby Dogfood falls in a hurdle at Southwell and gets put down.

Some people do. Just not that many. The racing industry likes to keep it that way.

 

[Bad Ash]

ban driving as well then as people are always dying in crashes, ban flying as well , ban life.

One difference here is that passengers choose to get in the car or on the plane, knowing that there are risks to doing so. The horses involved in the Grand National really don't have much say in the matter.

 

[Coleby1007]

Sorry mate deaths at the national meeting are entirely predictable, they happen every year as a result of the difficulty of the course. It's the freakish nature of the course that makes the race so popular. Check my previous link and see what is just a tip of the iceberg in this industry that only exists so people can bet on it. Race horses are exploited for the benefit of those people who make money out of them. Personally I am in favour of a ban on racing, in particular jump racing which places an extra strain on the horses. One of the horses broke it's neck for the edification of the watching public on saturday, and very few people actually give a shit. It's a disgrace.

There's a difference between keeping horses and looking after them and taking them out for a run etc and deliberately putting them in a perilous environment such as the Grand National.

Sorry mate but this is the typical ignorant attitude from someone who reads too much shyte in the newspapers. Every single racehorse leads a far better, healthier lifestyle compared to those that are outside horseracing. They are given the BEST medical care and attention, food and shelter that costs owners hunderds of thousands every year. They are ridden in training yards most days and are fitter and healthier and therefore will lead greater prolonged lives.

Agreed the grand national is the most dangerous race of the year. I think its something like 30 deaths since the race began. But would you ban motor racing because the deaths over the years in that, would you ban boxing when you see the severe brain damage and deaths over the years in that sport. Again sports that are run through the huge money in TV rights and sponsorship rather than the 'love of the game'

Look at Sea the stars, ran competatively 9 times, won 6 group 1's then was retired to stud and has smashed the granny out of 140 mares already. If thats not the life then i dont know what is. Understandibly seeing a horse die is a terrible shame that no-one wants to see, regardless whether you a die hard racing fan or a £1 E/W national backer. To call the grand national a death trap like many newspapers and calls to BAN the race is naive and ignorant in my opinion

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Are deaths through driving or flight an acceptable consequence in your opinion then, or should we continue to try to make them safer!?

I don't see the horse being given the choice to run here, while deaths through driving & flying are a human choice. Unless you're suggesting horses drive or fly - which would be wrong in my opinion

 

[8ace]

I'd be in favour of watering the course more.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

But would you ban motor racing because the deaths over the years in that, would you ban boxing when you see the severe brain damage and deaths over the years in that sport. Again sports that are run through the huge money in TV rights and sponsorship rather than the 'love of the game

I would certainly ban horses driving & boxing. Your line of argument suggests that dog fighting is ok too

 

[Bold Seagull]

I don't think it's helpful to turn this into a polarised debate about whether a particular race should be banned or not. Unless you ban horse-racing entirely there will always be a risk that horses (and riders) will be injured or killed. The question should be where do you set the limits of acceptable risk and what actions do you take to reduce risk down to that level? In Formula One, for example, there are hundreds of regulations that attempt to reduce risk to the drivers and some of those are detrimental to racing in the view of some.

In my opinion the risks associated with the Grand National are too great and they need to make further changes to reduce them. But it's not quite the same as saying 'ban this' or 'ban that' as that's a much too simplistic argument.

I was just typing the same thing! It's not a case of ban or not ban, but they surely have to address the GN and improve it's safety record. Sponsors and the one off racing public are not going to tune in to watch a spectacle involving so much death injury and carnage.

Perhaps it was due to new camera positions, HD broadcasting etc. but I didn't enjoy the race after seeing that in such graphic detail. I was not only concerned for the horses, but several jockey's didn't seem to move to me at all, and one appeared to be trampled. Gave me a bit of a sick feeling to be honest and I'm not particularly squeamish.

You can't just leave it like it is, I doubt the commercial interest will allow to. Whether fences need to be reduced, the number of riders, they need to look at it, because a race that starts with 40 or so and is reduced to half
by around the half way stage isn't really what the majority of the viewing public want to see.

 

[8ace]

I don't see the horse being given the choice to run here, while deaths through driving & flying are a human choice. Unless you're suggesting horses drive or fly - which would be wrong in my opinion

Chaninbar decided not to last week, twice in fact.

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

is it up to US to ban The National? the owners/trainers know the score as much as we do but still enter the race

 

[dingodan]

I am not a fan of the "ban it" mentality but thats in terms of people making decisions about their own lives for themselves. This is abit different, breading animals for entertainment is inhumane. I've heard the argument made that these horses have a really good life and are very well looked after, but I have to point out that this is only provided they are still viable race horses, and if they cant race they tend to get abandoned or put down.

Also, this is very much about money and betting. The animals that is most loved is the one that will win a race. The animal that will win a race is loved because it will make someone money.

I dont believe we can elevate ourselves and our worth above any other creature, and I wouldnt like some creature riding on my back smacking my ass so they can make some money out of me, only to kill or abandon me if they cant.

I dont think people who engage in or support horse racing mean to do harm, but I do think it is time for this to stop.

 

[Icy Gull]

I wouldn't ban it but I no longer have an interest or bother betting because years ago I bet on horses two years running that had to be put down, so I figured I'd best not continue betting on the National.

 

[Bad Ash]

is it up to US to ban The National? the owners/trainers know the score as much as we do but still enter the race

That's a bit like suggesting that junkies and drug dealers should be making decisions on the legality of drugs.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

is it up to US to ban The National? the owners/trainers know the score as much as we do but still enter the race

Why the f*** are all the big decisions left to me ?

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Sorry mate but this is the typical ignorant attitude from someone who reads too much shyte in the newspapers. Every single racehorse leads a far better, healthier lifestyle compared to those that are outside horseracing. They are given the BEST medical care and attention, food and shelter that costs owners hunderds of thousands every year. They are ridden in training yards most days and are fitter and healthier and therefore will lead greater prolonged lives.

Agreed the grand national is the most dangerous race of the year. I think its something like 30 deaths since the race began. But would you ban motor racing because the deaths over the years in that, would you ban boxing when you see the severe brain damage and deaths over the years in that sport. Again sports that are run through the huge money in TV rights and sponsorship rather than the 'love of the game'

Look at Sea the stars, ran competatively 9 times, won 6 group 1's then was retired to stud and has smashed the granny out of 140 mares already. If thats not the life then i dont know what is. Understandibly seeing a horse die is a terrible shame that no-one wants to see, regardless whether you a die hard racing fan or a £1 E/W national backer. To call the grand national a death trap like many newspapers and calls to BAN the race is naive and ignorant in my opinion

Spot on. I'd rather be See the Stars than Richard Branson.

Most horses in training live like kings.

 

[Waynflete]

Sorry mate but this is the typical ignorant attitude from someone who reads too much shyte in the newspapers. Every single racehorse leads a far better, healthier lifestyle compared to those that are outside horseracing. They are given the BEST medical care and attention, food and shelter that costs owners hunderds of thousands every year. They are ridden in training yards most days and are fitter and healthier and therefore will lead greater prolonged lives.

Agreed the grand national is the most dangerous race of the year. I think its something like 30 deaths since the race began. But would you ban motor racing because the deaths over the years in that, would you ban boxing when you see the severe brain damage and deaths over the years in that sport. Again sports that are run through the huge money in TV rights and sponsorship rather than the 'love of the game'

Look at Sea the stars, ran competatively 9 times, won 6 group 1's then was retired to stud and has smashed the granny out of 140 mares already. If thats not the life then i dont know what is. Understandibly seeing a horse die is a terrible shame that no-one wants to see, regardless whether you a die hard racing fan or a £1 E/W national backer. To call the grand national a death trap like many newspapers and calls to BAN the race is naive and ignorant in my opinion

Much of what you say is completely reasonable, but you don't answer the most important question. It's not 'Should the Grand National be banned?' but 'Is the Grand National unacceptably dangerous?'. If the answer to the second of these is yes then measures should be taken to make it less dangerous (I know that they have already taken some steps to do this).

You can't just hide behind the fact that the horses are well cared for without also asking whether putting them into a situation as dangerous as the National is unacceptably risky, and whether appropriate measures have been taken to reduce the risk.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

The GN is NOT safer now it is more dangerous than before. They should have watered the course heavily, the 100 - 1 plus nags ( like the 2 that died ) should not be allowed to participate as they are not up to it and the wanker who whipped BallaBriggs 16 times in the run in after a 4 and a half mile race should have his testicles flayed. After this I would be fully supportive of the GN in the future.

 

[Icy Gull]

Why the f*** are all the big decisions left to me ?

 

[Bozza]

Why the f*** are all the big decisions left to me ?

Ask for 'help' or get Richie to do it.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Very Droll Darren. Move over Frankie Boyle.

 

[Waynflete]

I was just typing the same thing! It's not a case of ban or not ban, but they surely have to address the GN and improve it's safety record. Sponsors and the one off racing public are not going to tune in to watch a spectacle involving so much death injury and carnage.

Perhaps it was due to new camera positions, HD broadcasting etc. but I didn't enjoy the race after seeing that in such graphic detail. I was not only concerned for the horses, but several jockey's didn't seem to move to me at all, and one appeared to be trampled. Gave me a bit of a sick feeling to be honest and I'm not particularly squeamish.

You can't just leave it like it is, I doubt the commercial interest will allow to. Whether fences need to be reduced, the number of riders, they need to look at it, because a race that starts with 40 or so and is reduced to half
by around the half way stage isn't really what the majority of the viewing public want to see.

Ditto