As an animal lover (25 years a vegetarian!) I despise the Grand National (though I don't mind flat racing). Have you seen the horrific picture that's been used as part of Horse Racing Awareness Week? It's been posted in quite a few of the shops around Oxford:
(WARNING - this page has a picture of a horse with a snapped leg)
http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/NEWS/news_horse/ALL/98//
If Spurs had beaten Villa today (it was the only let down from a
10 team roll up) I would have scored £119 from £2.00.
Never mind - win some, lose some.
Hi Datafly,
I'm an ex-horse owner. Mrs. GP. ran a stable for a number of years.
Its' heart breaking seeing an empty box return to the stables.
The gloom over the yard lasts for days....weeks..sometimes you never forget.
The other horses on the yard seem to know as well.
Our horse had to be put down. I'll never get another.
So I know where you are coming from and feel. Possibly more.
However the National is part of the sport. The horses are treated a lot
better than some non-race horses and you can see by the number of
'empty horses' who carry on jumping after unseating a rider they enjoy it.
(you cannot make a horse do anything it does not want to.)
But it is dangerous, a lot less since so they lowered the fence heights
and put in the an escape lane at each fence.
If I see a horse with a chess name I usually put a few bob on it.
I try not think how dangerous this sport is. Me not betting won't stop it.
Portrait King fell 2 from home whilst 5th. The first thing you look for is
for the horse to get up. It did. (then you curse).
The Grand National
11 Apr '15 12:291 edit
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