I'm getting increasingly worried about you Danbert.
I'm getting increasingly worried about you Danbert.
Synchronised would not have run in the Grand National if it could have gone to stud. Why? for financial reasons of course as it was a Gold Cup winner and it was those same financial reasons that caused the owner to enter the horse in the Grand National. Do you think all race horses end up in a Sunnyside farm retirement home financed by loving ownersOriginally Posted by superflyguy
For 10 or more years you force a horse to jump over huge fences, thrashing it with a whip if it shows any hesitation and if it survives its reward is a one way trip to the knackers yard.
They make good eating ex-race horses as there is not much fat on them (irony)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011...animal-welfare
I'm not a great fan of horse racing I must admit, largely because as a sport it solely exists for gambling purposes and to give punters something to watch while they get arseholed on champagne and guiness. That said the horses look absolutely stunning and, whipping aside, I think they do probably actually enjoy racing. The fences and the size of the field though at the Grand National exist now just because of the races tradition and everyone knows that if you tamper with either or both the race will become just another horse race. But to leave it as it is just means that two or three horses are sure to die in each and every race.
I was chatting to a friend about the use of the whip in horse races, where the current rule allows each rider so many whippings that they can use each race. The riders of course forget how many times they've whipped in a race and get all annoyed when they are penalised and banned for so many races, so they think the whipping limit is wrong. My canny solution to that is to replace whippings with the use of the word giddyup
And for the Grand National, on top of my giddyup limits, remove the high hurdles and beachers brook completely and reduce the size of the field racing
Thats quite a good idea! At least it puts the situation honestly.....as has been mentioned, an ex-racing gelding is nothing but a financial liability to a stable business. Therefore its off to the knackers yard. Might as well let them all have one last outing and a chance of winning an ex-racing life of the equine equivalent of pipe and slippers....or would that be cruel to animal that is bred just for its ability to run and jump?
Simon Blease
Monmouth
The whip count has recently been removed - there were inconsistencies as sometimes a rider who had used his whip previously in the race was penalised for not using it in the finish - failure to ride out the horse.
So there is a sort of reasonable use rule now.
On the betting side - horse racing wasn't created for the gambling and although a huge industry has grown around horse racing, you have to look at the betting and scandals that surround cricket and football these days and the huge rise in Poker and Bingo.
Betting is more a symptom of human greed rather than a creation or by product of horse racing and I hope that it doesn't start getting in to athletics.
The horse racing is there for the sport of it and was set up as such. It would survive at the elite end without the betting, but then it would be seen as just for the toffs and wealthy and there would be efforts to close the sport down for different reasons.
And when it comes to the welfare of retired horses, I know one or two "small time" race owners. They have kept their horses. One has a horse that must be 20 now and hasn't raced for over 10 years.
Sychronised along with most jump horses wouldn't be worth anything at stud - same as Desert Orchid etc. They are worthless as stallions. All National Hunt horses are in effect like this.
But the only reason many of these horses exist is because of the sport - they are not bred as family pets. That goes for all horses involved in sport whether it's the pony at the gymkhana or the prize stallion derby winner.
When little "Lucy" grows out of her first pony they sell it on and trade it up for a bigger model - does that mean they didn't love the animal? Perhaps so, but the arguments applied to the Grand National can be applied to all equine activities.
The Grand National just happens to be the headline grabber and an easy target.
Some thoughts:
If betting on the horses was made illegal I suspect the sport would shrink dramatically, if not cease to exist.
If horse whips are so gentle why are they used?
Drop fences should be banned - imagine jumping over what you thought was a modest rocky outcrop in a fell race and discovering there was a large drop on the other side.
Any tips for Aintree tomorrow?
Don't put your money on Holmes, Jebb or Booth as they're probably in a different race across the water
See the light in the night
50p e/w that there will be more than one English drunk in O'Hare's tomorrow night.
Does anyone watch the Grand National on TV any more?
I recall as a youngster it being one of the most exciting Saturdays of the year when watching it on the television, my Dad having put a small E/W bet on a horse for Mum and us kids. The only time of the year horses and betting was ever spoken about. I remember my Mum always picked a Grey horse!
Since leaving home I've occasionally watched it and had a bet but not with the same excitement.
Just noticed its on this Saturday, on ITV, so its obviously gone downhill!
Anyone got any tips?
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