2023 Grand National

[Postman Pep]

I oppose all kinds of cruelty at all times, be it to animals or humans.

But it's the Grand National that was on this week, which makes this an apt time to be commenting on it. In other weeks, I will comment on other injustices.

Which just confirms my original point. You don't oppose this particular form of 'cruelty' at all times..... just once a year. The vast majority of (the thankfully small number) of fatalities take place outside of this one race at this one meeting, in all manner of circumstances. At home in the paddock, jumping round nunerous other tracks or even going 'wrong' on the flat. Are they not worthy of your concern?

Rather than criticising me, let's stick to the point: this is a barbaric event in which many animals have greatly suffered and died. If nothing is done, that will continue to happen.

Again is it just this race you are opposed to or the sport in general? If it's the former what do you suggest should be done about it? If it's the latter I'd suggest a bit more consistency in your interventions to avoid the charge of once a year performative outrage.

 

[BlueHammer85]

Grand National: 'The day I realised everything about horse racing was wrong'

Grand National: 'The day I realised everything about horse racing was wrong'

news.sky.com

 

[Postman Pep]

It appears these animal rights protesters solution is for the animals in question not to exist in the first place. As for those that do they don't have a plan ..... apart from one suggestion on their website which calls for 70% of farmland to be rewilded and the thoroughbred population to be allowed to run wild.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

“They haven’t got a clue. They just cause more problems than they ever solve”

Borders racehorse trainer Sandy Thomson blames animal rights protesters for the death of his entry for yesterday’s Grand National at Aintree.

www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk

 

[chris85mcfc]

It appears these animal rights protesters solution is for the animals in question not to exist in the first place. As for those that do they don't have a plan ..... apart from one suggestion on their website which calls for 70% of farmland to be rewilded and the thoroughbred population to be allowed to run wild.

Kevin Blake is far too knowledgeable and articulate to be sharing the same air time as these clowns.

I'm not sure these protesters were prepared for this to have gathered so much steam, as they're now just proving how clueless they are in terms of the industry itself, and also their actually plan for what they want to be implemented if they got their wish and that racing was banned from today.

 

[kaz7]

“They haven’t got a clue. They just cause more problems than they ever solve”

Borders racehorse trainer Sandy Thomson blames animal rights protesters for the death of his entry for yesterday’s Grand National at Aintree.

www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk

I was watching him on the vine show , to pass the buck was predictable , anything to make the industry look good

Another was on the phone and admitted they do break the whipping rules in training , they have too apparantly , hmm, training by inflicting pain on them

 

[BlueHammer85]

It appears these animal rights protesters solution is for the animals in question not to exist in the first place. As for those that do they don't have a plan ..... apart from one suggestion on their website which calls for 70% of farmland to be rewilded and the thoroughbred population to be allowed to run wild.

Daft argument, It wouldn't just stop over night with a click of a finger

Governing bodies and groups would have a clear plan in place on how to phase it out , look at ways to provide sanctuary which he mentioned and other means to look after the horses.

or you could make the race way more safer than what it is.

 

[Postman Pep]

Daft argument, It wouldn't just stop over night with a click of a finger

Daft argument he says .... before going on to post this nonsense

Governing bodies and groups would have a clear plan in place on how to phase it out , look at ways to provide sanctuary which he mentioned and other means to look after the horses.

What governing body? Which other groups? What are these 'other means' once you take away the industry that funds the specialised care and attention they need? Clueless.

or you could make the race way more safer than what it is.

Which they will no doubt continue to strive to do .... but you cannot entirely eliminate risk. Also that doesn't address their wider argument of banning the sport entirely and phasing out of existence the animals they claim to love.

 

[Slipper One]

The basis of the argument seems to be that it's cruel to force these horses to race.

Horses have a mind of their own, are intelligent and sometimes belligerent, obstinate animals if they take a mind to be.

There's this notion that a 1200lb horse with a 140lb jockey forces a horse to race against its will.

Nobody has yet answered any of these questions.

1. How many horses refused to race?
2. How many horses refused to jump a fence?
3. If people have such a GENUINE concern about cruelty, why are they/you not putting the same energy into stopping other cruel issues such as dog fighting, Halal slaughter and puppy mills for instance?

Puppy mills churn out dogs at constant rate, yet the UK slaughters 20,000 dogs a year and probably even more cats. WHY?

Why aren't dog fights being overrun by pink shirts?

Why aren't puppy mills and euthanized dogs making the main headlines of the media on a regular basis?

Perhaps a more difficult and dangerous target to work on, where as racing is a far safer and more visible target.

 

[Postman Pep]

The basis of the argument seems to be that it's cruel to force these horses to race.

Horses have a mind of their own, are intelligent and sometimes belligerent, obstinate animals if they take a mind to be.

There's this notion that a 1200lb horse with a 140lb jockey forces a horse to race against its will.

Most famously/infamously the legend Mad Moose! If he didn't fancy it, which was more often than not as he got older, he'd just plant himself at the start and there was nothing anyone could do about it.
Similarly on the flat there will be a multitude of horses who occasionally will point blank refuse to go in the stalls despite the efforts of the handlers and the jockey.
That's the thing with these naysayers (pun intended) they seem to have a very low opinion of the animals they claim to love. They appear to think they are some dumb herd rather than intelligent animals with their own individual characteristics.