Grand National, is it wrong?

[cashman]

Originally Posted by annesingleton

I have to say I agree with you, there are far more injustices in the world.

Thats what i find a bit ironic!! Not many start threads about these things, Yet when a couple of horses sadly die ........well.

[Less]

Originally Posted by lindsay ormerod

Just watched the coverage and the race,

You used to be a regular and fun poster, what's happened? Now you only post when you find something wrong, that in itself I've no problem with except...

Is life getting you down? If so, welcome to the world the rest of us live in.

[wallop79]

Unfortunatley Linz, its not the first or last time horses are going to die either at the Grand National or other events, and it wont matter whether you bet next year or not, it will still go ahead. Best thing you can do is like you said not bet on it and also not watch it next year.

[accyman]

i think it would liven up the olympics if we also strated shooting the runners that fell during the hurdles

[lindsay ormerod]

Originally Posted by wallop79

Unfortunatley Linz, its not the first or last time horses are going to die either at the Grand National or other events, and it wont matter whether you bet next year or not, it will still go ahead. Best thing you can do is like you said not bet on it and also not watch it next year.

I know, but after today, ( and I reckon questions will be asked) it seems wrong, my own opinion, and I've always had a bet in the past. To me , that horse did not want to run, it was obvious and now it's gone, very sad.

[lindsay ormerod]

Originally Posted by Less

You used to be a regular and fun poster, what's happened? Now you only post when you find something wrong, that in itself I've no problem with except...

Is life getting you down? If so, welcome to the world the rest of us live in.

You Sir , are one of reasons I don't bother with the site anymore , and thank you for your concern, I am fit , well, and mentally sound. (unlike you)

[Restless]

Before the race, all the fuss that was caused. One of those horses actually went up to the fence and looked at it and commentator said something like " looks like it don't want anything to do with that " to find out it had died was quite spooky

[DaveinGermany]

I wouldn't say it's a matter of right or wrong, more a case of what is acceptable in a "modern society". The deaths of the Horses today where preventable & needless, had these owners truly considered the welfare of their animals as a priority & not their personal gratification & stroking of their egos, those Horses would've been happily ensconced in their stables this evening after perhaps a run out on a flat somewhere.

The National will always attract people with a certain mentality & attitude, chancers & ne'er do wells it appears whose disregard for their "asset" is amply shown by their willingness to risk the injury & as was the case today, death of a living entity.

You or I would not go & buy a brand spanking new car then hurtle it headlong into a brick wall ! Such recklessness would lead to a fairly certain outcome & as such we'd be wary of making such a mindless decision. Alas these owners not only bought the car they also challenged the wall.

And we're the intelligent life forms in this World ? I sometimes do wonder.

[shillelagh]

i put my money on my horses and one of them died .. but this happens every year that they complain about the national .. that the course is too tough ... but the fences are supposed to replicate what they would come across when out hunting ... thats why its called a national hunt race. Could it be theres more publicity about the deaths because one of them was the Gold Cup winner?

one question for lindsay though .. you said you're not having a bet on the race next year because of the 2 horses that died .. but yet 2 horses died last year and you had a bet on the race this year ...

[MargaretR]

Any 'sport' with a high death rate is barbaric.
It seems like we haven't evolved from the days of the Roman empire, when death spectacles were provided to keep the primitive masses 'diverted' and amused.

[Margaret Pilkington]

I was only thinking the same thing yesterday.........Romans were supposed to be a civilised society yet they sanctioned gladiators to kill one another in the name of sport.

[jaysay]

Well yesterdays Grand National was the first I've watched for years and in my opinion one of the best ever, marred by the two horses being put down. All sports were physical ability is to the fore, be it human or animals, is dangerous, even football as we saw the other week and again in Italy yesterday. Horses have been killed at the grand national since the very first race, and like cashy said if the horses didn't like it they wouldn't carry on jumping fences after unseating their rider. But whats the answer, ban everything that's a tad dangerous, tiddly winks just in case some one gets hit in the eye with a counter. You've also got to remember that Jockeys are in a lot of danger too, but just where do you draw a line, we are already weighed down in nearly every aspect of life with Health and Safety rules and regs, soon there will be nothing left

[DaveinGermany]

Originally Posted by cashman

Why do horses carry on jumping the fences when they unseated the rider?

Originally Posted by jaysay

and like cashy said if the horses didn't like it they wouldn't carry on jumping fences after unseating their

Sorry lads but I've got to disagree with your views here, the reason some of the horses continued to jump was because they are herd animals, their natural reaction is to run alongside others of their kind, banded together gives a sense of support & security. Flight or fight, it's a self preservation instinct, the vast herds of Mustang in the States or the Brumbies of Australia certainly don't jump obstacles if they can be avoided.

Not all of the horses who were riderless jumped, some went round the outside of the hurdles taking the path of least resistance, others physically baulked at the obstacles obviously the more timid or sensible of the herd chose that option. In retrospect the reaction by Synchronised upon seeing the fence when he ran free proves this point emphatically ! He did not want to jump.

Furthermore, theses animals had no choice in taking part in the event, it was their owners who decided they should run. And as to the sporting personalities you raise as counter argument, they chose their sport for its rewards & acclaim, they made a conscious choice to take that risk, the horse didn't have the luxury of that option. It has ever been so with us Humans in regard to the lesser species, we misuse their trust & faith in us for our benefit & oft times greed.

[MargaretR]

That link Susie put on shows 41 dead horses this year so far.
This can't be compared with 2 dead footballers - as least they chose to play.

[DaveinGermany]

Just a note about the footballer, it was a heart attack, his death therefore cannot be linked to the game, it could just as easily of happened to anyone of us either sitting at home or walking down the street.

Ayrton Senna, would have been a far better example of a death through calculated risk, personal choice made by the individual which sadly ended his life in 1994 at Imola Italy. But in the end it was his choice, aware of the risks involved but also the rewards he made his choice.