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"Equine fatalities". Should we call time on the Grand National?

During this year's Grand National at Aintree, for the first time ever 2 fences were avoided via the new escape channels on the right. This was to avoid something the television cameras could not hide. The corpses of Ornais and Dooney's Gate lay on the other side of those fences, having sustained fatal injuries (a broken neck and broken spine respectively) in the first circuit.

Some viewers complained that the commentator callously referred to them as "obstacles" to be avoided, and that the post-race summary described them euphemistically as "equine fatalities" rather than the plain English "dead horses".

In previous years before the creation of the emergency channel, such horses would have been swiftly removed after the majority of the field passed, and would have avoided the television cameras. This time there was no hiding from it.

This website http://www.horsedeathwatch.com/ has kept a constant record of equine deaths at British racecourses since 2007.

In your view, has the high profile Grand National has its day? Is it barbaric, and as Animal Aid claim, no different to bullfighting which the UK public despise? Or is it a sporting spectacle and a Great British institution?

Public Comments

1. I guess they are dog food by now, mine prefer the painted horses. They claim they have a little more flavor.

2. Bisteca de cavallo is a delicacy in Italy!!!! yummy-o !!!!

3. I think it is up to the public to decide if they watch it, obviously it is a very popular event. I'm not really a big animal rights person, I don't think an animal dying really matters much - it isn't a human.

What does annoy me is when I pick up a paper and read about 'barbaric' foreigners being cruel to animals, then Brits are happy to watch the Grand National.

4. I've never been a fan of this kind of horse racing. It is shocking. Whether it was hot or not, it is still a pretty brutal event. Falls are common place and leg breaks are also pretty frequent.

Unfortunately, as is evidenced by an answerer, the notion of animal rights is largely lost on the overwhelming majority of people, so I doubt it will be stopped as it's "tradition". It's an animal, so who gives a sh!t?

It will survive on the "tradition" and "heritage" argument, but as you say, very ironic that most of the socially elite crowd that frequent this event probably snub bullfighting as pure barbarism.

@ Divasue - Yes, horses do like to run, but nowhere in their natural habitat are they forced to run as fast as they can for sustained periods and be asked to clear obstacles. There's a huge difference between running across a plain with your herd at a steady pace and having a jockey on your back willing you on to run faster for a longer period. Horses also do not blast around at high speed across the plains, just short bursts then a gallop. Don't try and talk nonsense that a horse just can't wait to get that jockey on it's back and be stoked to run as fast as it can for as long as it can and be asked to do ludicrous jumps while it is at it. And what is the saying anyway, "breaking a horse in" when you get it used to the idea of being ridden. That hardly sounds like the horse willingly turned itself in to be raced.

You do know that steroids were developed to increase the stamina and endurance of horses purely for racing, so long distance racing such as the Grand National is hardly a natural activity. That is how human consumption of steroids came into being, because it was used in the horse racing/breeding industry and in the beef breeding industry with the results of heightened strength, stamina and endurance.

Your theory would also imply that because a bull has horns as a form of self-defence and for territorial disputes, it's okay to fight it BECAUSE it is only natural that it is willing to fight and is equipped to fight.

5. Its no different from any other sporting event that involves the risk of injury or even death. I don't often see people asking for motor racing to be banned as it is dangerous to the competitors.
You will of course say to that, that people do dangerous sports at their own choice, that is true, but I can tell you as someone who has been around horses all their life, if a horse doesn't want to race it wont, the jockey will be on the floor and the horse would be in the knackers truck to be dog meat even sooner than if it falls at a fence in a race. The truth is horses love to race, just go and see for your self then you will understand how this sport survives against all the opposition thrown up against it by people who don't understand the animals involved.

6. I really don't see why the fences have to be so high and so odious.

Can't they alter them a bit so that it is not so dangerous?

Race horses love to race. My daughter has one and he gets well miffed if he is held back when they are out hacking so I do understand the urge to let them compete.

But it could still be a bit more humane and be a great race ..

7. Just take the jumps out of it! ive no objection to flat racing, i ride horses a lot and love a good gallop. nothing wrong with that! But jumping at a gallop speed...it is very dangerous. and the horses do suffer its not like they are put out of their misery straight away. and calling them obstacles! without those 'obstacles' this sport wouldnt be possible. if jockeys want to jump, they can get into showjumping or cross country.