Ban the Grand National?

[nijinsky's fetlocks]

this is not the answer if the fences are smaller the horses go faster so there would be more deaths that is why there is also deaths in big hurdle races

There are deaths fairly regularly in flat racing.
Flat racing,for the benefit of those who don't follow racing,does not involve either hurdles or fences.
So basically horses can die when they run.
As can greyhounds.
Or humans.
So let's ban running and we will all live happily ever after.

surely making the fences smaller minimises the risks. if you read the title of the thread , its about the national mate. excuse the pun but theres no need for your high horse ;-)

But horses die in races every week,so banning the Grand National is like closing Silverstone because people die in car crashes.
It won't stop folks getting killed in cars elsewhere.
Making fences smaller does not minimise risk,because horses will go faster as a result,and that excess speed will cause fatalities.

 

[Dubai Blue]

There are deaths fairly regularly in flat racing.
Flat racing,for the benefit of those who don't follow racing,does not involve either hurdles or fences.
So basically horses can die when they run.
As can greyhounds.
Or humans.
So let's ban running and we will all live happily ever after.

surely making the fences smaller minimises the risks. if you read the title of the thread , its about the national mate. excuse the pun but theres no need for your high horse ;-)

But horses die in races every week,so banning the Grand National is like closing Silverstone because people die in car crashes.
It won't stop folks getting killed in cars elsewhere.
Making fences smaller does not minimise risk,because horses will go faster as a result,and that excess speed will cause fatalities.

Would you be in favour of reducing the number of runners? Surely that would help

 

[kippax23]

Do you know this for a fact or are you just speculating? I've seen lots of horses in the wild or at rest, and I'm yet to see any that just voluntarily hop over 5-foot-high obstacles for shits and giggles.

It's a serious question; do wild horses jump over these sorts of obstacles? Do race horses jump over these sorts of obstacles in their 'free' time?

I'm honestly curious.

the horse jumped the fence without jockey

I can read, so I understand that. But it's hardly natural surroundings, is it?

Do they display this sort of behaviour (jumping over multiple 5-foot+ high obstacles in a short space of time) in the wild?

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUFI1HQzj-c" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUFI1HQzj-c</a>

 

[jayblue]

There are deaths fairly regularly in flat racing.
Flat racing,for the benefit of those who don't follow racing,does not involve either hurdles or fences.
So basically horses can die when they run.
As can greyhounds.
Or humans.
So let's ban running and we will all live happily ever after.

surely making the fences smaller minimises the risks. if you read the title of the thread , its about the national mate. excuse the pun but theres no need for your high horse ;-)

But horses die in races every week,so banning the Grand National is like closing Silverstone because people die in car crashes.
It won't stop folks getting killed in cars elsewhere.
Making fences smaller does not minimise risk,because horses will go faster as a result,and that excess speed will cause fatalities.

if you read my posts i never said ban it.

 

[Dubai Blue]

the horse jumped the fence without jockey

I can read, so I understand that. But it's hardly natural surroundings, is it?

Do they display this sort of behaviour (jumping over multiple 5-foot+ high obstacles in a short space of time) in the wild?

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUFI1HQzj-c" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUFI1HQzj-c</a>

So you were just speculating then.

 

[nijinsky's fetlocks]

surely making the fences smaller minimises the risks. if you read the title of the thread , its about the national mate. excuse the pun but theres no need for your high horse ;-)

But horses die in races every week,so banning the Grand National is like closing Silverstone because people die in car crashes.
It won't stop folks getting killed in cars elsewhere.
Making fences smaller does not minimise risk,because horses will go faster as a result,and that excess speed will cause fatalities.

Would you be in favour of reducing the number of runners? Surely that would help

Yes,I think there is a reasonable argument for that,as there is for making the criteria for a horse to be eligible to run in the Grand National more stringent,as there are far too many horses entered in the race simply so that the owner can say 'ooh look,I have a horse in the National',and they are woefully out of their depth in terms of ability.
Myself and others who follow National Hunt racing keenly are all in favour of any measures that make the sport safer for both horses and jockeys,and are more than ready to listen to any practical suggestions that will reduce fatalities,but a blanket ban on jumps racing,or banning the National only,would be an ill-conceived knee-jerk overreaction taken in the heat of the moment.

 

[Andouble]

If you ban sport where there is a death then how about football?

also motor racing

would defo ban motor racing at every single level, more petrol for people who need it.

 

[MCFC1993]

Should the Grand National be looked at again for certain safety measures, for the horse and jockeys safety? Yes

Should there be less jumps? Yes, 30 is to many for a horse to jump, especially over a course that is over four miles, for some horses it is too much physically.

Should the field be shortened? Again 40 horses is too many, most get in each others way and when they fall some horses do not have the room to maneuver casing them to fall as we seen yesterday. However most will say that makes for the spectacle.

Should horse racing be banned? Not a chance. Its a great sport makes for a lot of excitement, most will say people only care about the betting but I guarantee that a lot of people are interested in the horses themselves. For some people its their life, job & leisure. Banning this would cause way to much trouble and ruin a lot of peoples lives. Also considering the Royals are and have been involved in horse racing for decades I very much doubt people will have the balls to ban it.

Should horse racing just be limited to flat racing? Well that's for officials to decide, I don't know what to believe when it comes to this. Would horses jump in the wild? Some might some might not. But race horses have been bread and raised from an early age to learn to jump maybe it isn't natural for a horse to do this, each horse to their own I guess.

However on the day of big races where there is a lot of risk, like the Grand National and Cheltenham etc... If fact maybe all race meets, I believe that the horse should be taken around the course at a canter, not over the fences but to get a proper look at the course. Take Synchronised yesterday, quite clearly not in the right shape didn't even fancy the first jump, ran a mile away from the jockey before the race, I guess that these examinations horses go through before the race need to be more extensive because mentally that horse was not ready for that yesterday.

Oh and the amount of tools in this thread is unbelievable, offering nothing to the thread other than a few digs, if you aren't going to contribute and back up your opinion then just don't post.

 

[jay_mcfc]

I don't see what 30 fences have to do with anything as most of the fatalities occur fairly early on. The last 8 or so fences are usually taken pretty well as it is the best horses jumping them in a much smaller field.

It seems like the number of horses and Bechers Brook will be looked at for next year. I would reduce the field to 35 as a trial run for next year, the 5 missing out being the 5 worst rated. I know it's not much difference but it might help.

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

It's a big industry employing a lot of people.

So is prostitution