Should horse racing be banned?

Personally I think there's no argument for banning the grand national, I've been horse riding for 15 years and competing for about 10 and I've seen at least a dozen horses die while show-jumping or at cross country or hunting they've either died instantly or were put down as a result of their injuries. Does that mean that show-jumping/ cross country/ point to points and hunting should all be banned? should riding on the roads be banned as well because horses and riders die on the roads? Every aspect of horse riding is dangerous, I'm not trying to be sensationalist but if you want to ban one race because horses die while in it, very little would actually be achieved as far as preventing the deaths of horses in sport .

As for the argument that we shouldn't be using horses for sport, they are very intelligent animals with the ability to remove you from their back with very little effort on their part, I honestly believe that horses like to have a purpose and that they do enjoy what they do, for example I compete at cross country and some of the fences I've jumped have been up to five foot and some courses have been quite frankly terrifying but the horse still goes and does it's best when It could easily stop and not move and there would be sweet f*** all the I could do about it. Admittedly it is eerie that Syncronised unseated his rider before the race and clearly wasn't happy so maybe he should not have been run, I feel they most sorry for his grooms as they are probably more attached to the horse than anybody and are most likely absolutely devastated right now.

Also (this is my last point I promise) the economic implications of banning Aintree festival would be massive for all the surrounding hotels/bars/ restaurants and retailers.

FueledByAisling wrote: »

If I forced you to run a long race, pushed you to the extent where your heart can explode does that mean you're a crap human being? I would have thought the person forcing you to the action would have been the crap human being

horses are bred to run races. I assume that a horse likes running putting aside the jockey on his back!!:p

but if the horse isnt in the minority who break a leg and is destroyed, and is successful then thay go stud!!:eek:

little fillies everywhere!! who wouldnt love that if they where a horse??:rolleyes:

Pathetic. The people that call for it to be banned rarely if ever watch racing and have no idea how the horses are treated. Clueless do-gooders. No it shouldn't be banned, and it never will be.

KeithAFC wrote: »

I would rather watch two people enter an arena with shield and sword and a fight to the death happens than watch horse racing to be honest. Get the old ways back into entertainment. It is far to safe today and I honestly think back in the days of the Roman Empire, the thrill of fighting would have been greater than anything we have today.

It is just betting on horses and many of the horses don't have a clue. Boxing isn't that good now and UFC is too safe. Perhaps one event a year could happen in which convicts who are serving time for murder can battle it out and the winner of the event is released.

An event for convicts could involve horses and say 20 convicts serving murder having to run a long course and while they race to win, they are allowed to use bow and arrow to kill the other convicts.

Releasing the most skilled murderers back into society, quite the idea you have there.

Tbh, there are people in the horse racing forum saying that the Grand National should be changed because it's unsafe. I don't really see how anyone could watch the race and not see issues with it, especially due to the amount of deaths and injuries as a result of it.

xxxJennyxxx wrote: »

I have seen what happens to racehorses after the race, not nice. The ones that survive the slaughter house are normally too wired to go to any good homes and generally have very bad joints (Knees, pasterns (Ankles)) that gets in the way with any sort of working life afterwards

I just think it's unnecessary really,

xxxJennyxxx wrote: »

I agree, I've worked at a racing barn two years ago, those horses have their own sauna for feck sake
I had to muck out every morning, and someone else came in to muck out at night, their feed is perfectly balanced by seasoned diatricians, tack is fitted perfectly, they're ridden out 2-3 times a day to keep fitness up.

They're treated like kings!

seems like they are treated like kings whilst they are still worth money.

The horse (Synchronised) was making it quite clear it didn't feel like running let alone jumping. The fact that JP McManus and Tony McCoy are either too egotistical / greedy or don't understand animals enough to pull the horse from the race is relevant. BTW, I had money on two horsies myself and am not in any animal rights organisation.

McManus should become a bookie (oh look, he is) and McCoy become a "celebrity", he seems to think he is. And yes, the horse was cleared by a vet....funny vet that. Minutes away from death yet unable to diagnose a sick horse.

None of the three should be allowed in a decision making process near any animal in clear distress. Perhaps racing goldfish will be their next career move.

Carolina Disgusting Paperback wrote: »

Flat racing isn't half the sport of national hunt racing.

Also they are not all bread for flat racing that's nonsense plenty are bred with national hunt racing in mind.

Its just a gimmick. Like having sprinkers at the side of a formula 1 track. Flat racing is the sport of kings for the best horses. Only in Ireland and the UK is jumps racing popular because the rest of the world see it as pointless. I think Ireland is the only country in the world where jumps races is preferred to the real stuff.