Six horses die at the Cheltenham Festival - Should Horseracing be banned?

[Oo0AahCantona]

Haven’t spent anough time to have a valid opinion on it, but What I find a bit staggering, is I’m quite chummy with a load of the equestrian girls from my uni, and there all mostly vegetarians, studying things like animal biology and whatnot, ie your quintessential pro animal rights types, yet they all go to the races constantly, when as you say on the face of it, it is a bit barbaric. I mean it’s not bullfighting but they’re essentially breeding animals for our amusement and putting them down when they get injured, seems a bit hypocritical for people who love animals.

It’s a bit different from something like crufts where you can tell the dogs absolutely fecking love it, the horses would most likely rather be on a open field somewhere chilling that being whipped and jumping.

 

[Tommy]

Honestly, if you take away the whipping, the jumps, and the fact they're bred in ways detrimental to their physical well-being, then I'd not really have anywhere near as much of an issue with the sport.

I'd like to hear what fans of the sport think of steeplechases. Do you think it adds to the excitement of the race, & do you think that increase in excitement is worth it knowing the risks involved for both horse & jockey?

 

[Carolina Red]

a load of the equestrian girls from my uni, and there all mostly vegetarians, studying things like animal biology and whatnot

I know what you mean. Every equestrian girl I’ve ever met talks about their horse(s) like they’re part of their family. Very defensive about them and all.

 

[RedSky]

Don't recall too many deaths in the Grand National lately? Is Cheltenham a famed dangerous course? Or is it the time of the year and thus the conditions that makes it dangerous?

 

[marukomu]

neigh.

 

[Jippy]

I know what you mean. Every equestrian girl I’ve ever met talks about their horse(s) like they’re part of their family. Very defensive about them and all.

I've been round Sir Michael Stoute's stables at Newmarket. He trains horses for the queen, SAF, Saudi princes etc...

The facilities are amazing. Padded indoor and outdoor tracks, swimming pool thing, solarium and so on. The place is huge.

 

[Minimalist]

I'm pretty big against animal cruelty and really question how we treat animals both in and outside the food chain but I'm not sure horses being shot is necessarily cruel.

My issue is always about suffering, especially unneeded suffering. If the horses are killed humanely (that's up for debate I know) then it's not really something that concerns me.

We euthanize animals everyday for medical testing (and I'm not talking about cruel procedures here). Again for me, my question is always how is it being done and how much pain/suffering did the use of the animal involve.

I think in particular with horse racing, I would imagine most, if not all, owners of horses are doing it for kindness (like putting your dog down) than because they don't give a shit.

 

[Carolina Red]

I've been round Sir Michael Stoute's stables at Newmarket. He trains horses for the queen, SAF, Saudi princes etc...

The facilities are amazing. Padded indoor and outdoor tracks, swimming pool thing, solarium and so on. The place is huge.

Yeah the big places over here that breed and train horses for the Derby, Preakness, Belmont, etc. are palatial as well.

My issue is always about suffering, especially unneeded suffering. If the horses are killed humanely (that's up for debate I know) then it's not really something that concerns me.

That’s how it’s always been presented to me as well, tbf.

That it is more cruel not to make the horse endure the broken leg that isn’t going to heal.

 

[Sweet Square]

Yes it should and it's full of posh cnuts.

 

[Snowjoe]

Yes it should and it's full of posh cnuts.

It’s full of wannabe posh cnuts

 

[Minimalist]

Haven’t spent anough time to have a valid opinion on it, but What I find a bit staggering, is I’m quite chummy with a load of the equestrian girls from my uni, and there all mostly vegetarians, studying things like animal biology and whatnot, ie your quintessential pro animal rights types, yet they all go to the races constantly, when as you say on the face of it, it is a bit barbaric. I mean it’s not bullfighting but they’re essentially breeding animals for our amusement and putting them down when they get injured, seems a bit hypocritical for people who love animals.

It’s a bit different from something like crufts where you can tell the dogs absolutely fecking love it, the horses would most likely rather be on a open field somewhere chilling that being whipped and jumping.

That's far too simplistic.

Plenty of vets have to oversee and provide care for animals in food processors and slaughterhouses. Do you have to be vegan to love animals?

Are all medical researchers who use animals for their studies (even the humane ones) not capable of loving animals?

I could go on but in short, death or being killed isn't the issue. Provided it's quick and relatively painless, there's far more pressing issues with animal welfare.

 

[izec]

yes, but it wont happen

 

[Jippy]

Yes it should and it's full of posh cnuts.

There are over 100,000 there, some posh, most not, in reality. It's awful when the horses die obviously, but the Gold Cup and Derby are cracking days out tbf.

 

[Snowjoe]

There are over 100,000 there, some posh, most not, in reality. It's awful when the horses die obviously, but the Gold Cup and Derby are cracking days out tbf.

Always get some novice day drinkers though, as if it’s their first pint or something. It’s an experienced drinkers game.

 

[Jippy]

Always get some novice day drinkers though, as if it’s their first pint or something. It’s an experienced drinkers game.

The pictures of people passed out at the races in the Daily Mail the next day are funny though.

Went to Royal Ascot on one of the hottest days of the year last year and had to wear a fecking suit. Shirt was drenched, which was a bit grim.

 

[Snowjoe]

The pictures of people passed out at the races in the Daily Mail the next day are funny though.

Went to Royal Ascot on one of the hottest days of the year last year and had to wear a fecking suit. Shirt was drenched, which was a bit grim.

It’s great some of my mates were in the sun this year but as they arrived luckily.

Suit in the heat sounds grim as feck, at least Cheltenham has no dress code so you can just have that comfort.

 

[Jippy]

It’s great some of my mates were in the sun this year but as they arrived luckily.

Suit in the heat sounds grim as feck, at least Cheltenham has no dress code so you can just have that comfort.

Was a corporate freebie, so not in the cheapseats. Giant hospitality tent had about three poxy deskfans, which were fecking useless.
Lost every race too.

 

[Snowjoe]

Was a corporate freebie, so not in the cheapseats. Giant hospitality tent had about three poxy deskfans, which were fecking useless.
Lost every race too.

Gets dear when you lose, last time I went I won enough to cover my ticket and drinking which is the dream really.

Just hate the cnuts who come to Cheltenham dressed head to toe in tweed who have clearly never set foot in the countryside in their life. I did get to take a piss next to Chris Kamara though so that was good.

 

[Oo0AahCantona]

That's far too simplistic.

Plenty of vets have to oversee and provide care for animals in food processors and slaughterhouses. Do you have to be vegan to love animals?

Are all medical researchers who use animals for their studies (even the humane ones) not capable of loving animals?

I could go on but in short, death or being killed isn't the issue. Provided it's quick and relatively painless, there's far more pressing issues with animal welfare.

Ill rephrase my point, it isn't them having to be put down so to speak that's the issue i was bringing up at all, its what the horses are being forced to do that causes the injuries in the first place. as i said originally I dont have a major opinion either side of the debate, its not something im passionate about enough to research to actually have a valid opinion to share, I just noticed the equestrian/horse loving types i know tend to be vehemently pro animal welfare types yet seem happy to watch horses whipped and forced to race around courses for us to bet on that ultimately causes unnecessary injury to the animals, which in all intents and purposes seems a bit cruel in the bigger picture perhaps? to repeat the example i used above, You can tell dogs absolutely love running around the little courses at crufts, yet horse racing doesnt seem like a particularly pleasant thing for the horses to be forced to do.

 

[Sweet Square]

There are over 100,000 there, some posh, most not, in reality. It's awful when the horses die obviously, but the Gold Cup and Derby are cracking days out tbf.

Yeah I'm really a hypocrite as on grand national day the family will get together and chuck a few bets on, so I kinda of agree with that it's a ton of fun but is that enough ? Although I say this a former Catholic, so the whole openly having fun without some guilty just feels weird.

 

[simonhch]

Do most of the fatal injuries occur after jumping hurdles? I would suspect so. If so, why not just ban the hurdles?

 

[Big Andy]

I’d love to be a horse...few years racing, then if you’re good at it, the rest of your life shagging

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

I’d love to be a horse...few years racing, then if you’re good at it, the rest of your life shagging

Yep, but many will currently be tucking into their favourite chicken curry, or looking forward to their lambs chops tomorrow, trying to convince any who'll listen how terrible it all is for them, bring me back as a racehorse any day of the week.

 

[Hitchez]

When it comes Animal cruelty one would think there are things far worse than Horse Racing that need looking at. I only have a passing interest however so I may be well off the mark here.

I don't quite understand why the horses are are put down. Is it because they just suck at racing after an injury (Which would be a disgraceful reason) or is it that their daily life becomes difficult? If the latter, then there's no reason why provisions can't be for horse racing to become safer.

 

[Paxi]

Yes it should and it's full of posh cnuts.

It's not full of posh cnuts at all. Full of yobs, chavs that dress up for the day. You only have to look at some photos after the races to see the state half of those people are in. fecking bellends.

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

When it comes Animal cruelty one would think there are things far worse than Horse Racing that need looking at. I only have a passing interest however so I may be well off the mark here.

I don't quite understand why the horses are are put down. Is it because they just suck at racing after an injury (Which would be a disgraceful reason) or is it that their daily life becomes difficult? If the latter, then there's no reason why provisions can't be for horse racing to become safer.

Only in the most severe cases are most racehorses put down, snapped leg, broken neck, etc, a lot of injuries horses pick up in racing are treated successfully, and a lot has been done to help limit the risk in racing, softer fences, plastic rails, watering of the ground, etc, but like life there will always be a risk.

 

[Jippy]

Gets dear when you lose, last time I went I won enough to cover my ticket and drinking which is the dream really.

Just hate the cnuts who come to Cheltenham dressed head to toe in tweed who have clearly never set foot in the countryside in their life. I did get to take a piss next to Chris Kamara though so that was good.

Last time I went to the Derby I won c£230 on the first race and was drinking at a fund group's expense anyway. Plenty expensive days too though.

Yeah I'm really a hypocrite as on grand national day the family will get together and chuck a few bets on, so I kinda of agree with that it's a ton of fun but is that enough ? Although I say this a former Catholic, so the whole openly having fun without some guilty just feels weird.

I actually hate the Grand National cos it's such a lottery.

 

[Hitchez]

Only in the most severe cases are most racehorses put down, snapped leg, broken neck, etc, a lot of injuries horses pick up in racing are treated successfully, and a lot has been done to help limit the risk in racing, softer fences, plastic rails, watering of the ground, etc, but like life there will always be a risk.

Good to know. Read the article on the first page as well. Looks like a leg break is pretty much the end of a horse.

 

[lsd]

There is the fact that pretty much all male jump horses have to get castrated before they even race which iv always found a bit cruel too.

 

[Ramshock]

thats fecking ridiculous

 

[Minimalist]

There is the fact that pretty much all male jump horses have to get castrated before they even race which iv always found a bit cruel too.

How's that any different from what we do to cats and dogs? Most rescues insist on it before they rehome them.

 

[Dumbstar]

Horses don't kill guns...

I'm not doing this right.

 

[Green_Red]

So the horse was put down because it broke its leg, which can happen regardless of if its a horse race or not. A horse could break its leg in any situation when a person is riding it. If Im not wrong the practice is to put the horse down when it breaks its leg. So, is the ban on people riding horses outright or just on horse racing because horses are bred for a number of reasons and work is the primary one. Cops on horseback, army on horseback, horses used for farmwork, horses for recreation. Any of those situations could lead to a horse having to be put down.

 

[Sky1981]

We're breeding chickens, only to raise them up to be butchered, cows, sheep, where do you draw the lines?

Fishing should be banned as well, if I'm an animal I'd choose breaking my leg and getting mercifully put down rather than having a hook sinked up my mouth and dragged along with it.

 

[Sassy Colin]

The horse racing industry exists purely for the gambling industry and, as far as I can see, for no other reason.

Although to be fair, I did once work for this bloke who went to racing because he loves horses and rarely gambled, but that is the exception rather than the rule.

As such, the whole thing seems rather pointless, as all it seems to do is bring misery to millions.

 

[slyadams]

I’ve had this debate before with friends and for me, any sport that exists purely for passive (I.e. you have no impact on the result) gambling is a bit pointless in my opinion.

Added to the fact that it appears horse racing is guilty of the same breeding issues as show dogs, I’d be fine banning it. Pretty sure in a couple of hundred years we won’t be whipping animals around a track purely for our own amusement, or at least I hope not.

 

[Tommy]

A single horse died at Aintree this week, which I guess is worthwhile for those once a year folks having a bit of a flutter, right?

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport...tluso-saint-are-latest-peta-itv-a8304956.html

PETA are also scum though.

 

[Oldyella]

PETA are an embarrassment.

Probably should be banned, let's face it, if someone proposed this as a brand new sport now it would never be accepted. But way too much money at stake for it to ever be banned.

 

[Wumminator]

"An update on Saturday night added that the Tom George-trined horse was "reported to be in a stable condition".

Absolute top banter

 

[Gentleman Jim]

PETA are an embarrassment.

Probably should be banned, let's face it, if someone proposed this as a brand new sport now it would never be accepted. But way too much money at stake for it to ever be banned.

What, precisely, should be banned?