Well it is time for my annual get on my soap box rant about the Grand National.
Here is last year's and I am saying much the same this year.
Animal
Aid have been tracking the deaths of horses during racing
since 2007 and incredibly, there have been 1089 deaths since they started their
record. 1089. That’s 3 a week. That’s just in Great Britain alone. With horse
racing all over the world that figure is in fact much much higher.
Their findings are available for all to see, with the date, name
of horse and the injury which caused them to be destroyed. Here’s the
link for you to see for yourself.
The jockey chooses to enter the sport. He trains with
the horse, rides with the horse, chooses to enter an event with the horse. The
horse? Well he just likes to eat, sleep and run for fun. He's a pack animal.
The horse can’t be briefed for the race ahead. He
doesn’t know how many fences there are, how high they are, how many people and
horses are going to be jostling around him for places. He doesn’t know the fact
that if he falls, he will more than likely be destroyed because he is then
“useless”. He also doesn't know that if he falls, his broken body will be merely called an obstacle (as happened two years ago at the Grand National) by commenters.
You will either bet or you won't. All I am asking is that you look at the link, read the information and then make your decision.