The Grand National

One horse dead already! Why do people put their heads in the sand, why do they listen only to what they want to be the case when their interest is in making something for themselves? Whatever owners, trainers and racegoers might argue, racehorses are definitely not well cared for, they are pushed to their limits and the majority end up totally neurotic if not dead and in pet food. Those with a vested interest are bound to say the opposite but we've had rescued racehorses brought to live out their lives on our farm when they've come to the end of their money-producing days. It's disgusting really, the owners don't even pay for decent care, but rather make gifts of them to younger people with consciences who then try to find them quiet and non-threatening space. These horses are always unhappy - I contrast them with Dartmoor ponies who just roam and don't display all the behavioural signs of mental pain.

Personally, I would close down all racecourses (I live close to two). I don't see the difference between betting on a horse to win a race or a dog to win in a fight. Both treat these creatures as commodities for human pleasure. Sickening in my book.

It would be a good start if all whips were banned. Why do jockeys feel the need to keep whipping their horse when it’s many lengths in front and close to the post?

Fallingstar I agree with you totally, no animal should be flogged for any reason it is utterly cruel.
Gambling causes such misery.

Bazza

It would be a good start if all whips were banned. Why do jockeys feel the need to keep whipping their horse when it’s many lengths in front and close to the post?

Good point.

No. I stopped giving money to watch horses die about 30 years ago. It's cruel and unnecessary.

The horse won with a broken neck, surely, the owner and the community couldn’t accept the award?

Silvergirl

Bazza

It would be a good start if all whips were banned. Why do jockeys feel the need to keep whipping their horse when it’s many lengths in front and close to the post?

Good point.

Some horses will pull themselves up when they get to the lead and have to be produced at the very last minute. A jockey is only allowed to use the whip several times and they are cushioned.

I wonder if racing might become flat only in years to come as a compromise instead of banning the sport. A horse very rarely falls in a flat race, the weather conditions for racing are generally better, and attendances are higher at flat meetings. Far more people want to go to a Ladies Night on a hot July night than freeze at Sedgefield in January.
My family were all big into racing, it was the only sport my grandfather watched( he hated football), and millions still enjoy it. However, I think compromises need to be made and there needs to be a serious look at horse safety.

Animal Aid recorded 154 race deaths in the UK in 2025, 110 jump and 44 flat, so while not as many as over jumps, still 44 too many and just so people can gamble.

www.animalaid.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Victims-of-British-and-Irish-Horse-Racing-Annual-Report-202526.pdf

“How many horses die on UK roads?
Last year alone 59 horses died following a road incident and 82 horses were injured on UK roads, while 86 riders and carriage drivers were injured. In total, over 2,800 incidents involving horses were reported to the British Horse Society during 2025. Sadly these shocking figures only tell part of the story”.
So should horses never be hacked out on roads?

MayBee70

“How many horses die on UK roads?
Last year alone 59 horses died following a road incident and 82 horses were injured on UK roads, while 86 riders and carriage drivers were injured. In total, over 2,800 incidents involving horses were reported to the British Horse Society during 2025. Sadly these shocking figures only tell part of the story”.
So should horses never be hacked out on roads?

Some irresponsible walkers leave gates open in the countryside and animals, including horses, get out on to the roads and are injured or killed. There was another incident recently, forcing the owner to close her permissive path to everyone.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz67npg2e02o

For Smileless and Iam, also BlueBelle (wrong, yet again) re "that's horrific", and "whipped on" -- it's also wildly INCORRECT. I checked, the horse DID NOT FALL, it stumbled, at the last hurdle, regained its balance on its own, and continued to win the race. The jockey did not "whip it on", he knew they were well ahead. Only some way after the line did the horse show signs of that injury.

For GoldenAge and BlueBelle, yes, it's an emotive subject, but please do not taint those who have little knowledge with this ill-informed claptrap!

Apparently, lots of folk think there are horses waiting in fields to be bought to go racing? It's actually a worldwide breeding industry that produces thousands of racehorses every year, animals that would have NO life WHATSOEVER but for racing.

And, despite that misleading guff about "ill-treatment", racehorses are actually very well looked after (a sick or unwell horse is unlikely to win), with any medical issues getting them a vet visit much faster than most of us can get an NHS appointment! The vast majority of racehorses have a great life! And apparently racing is easily in the top ten employers in the UK, once all the ancillary firms are included.

Sure, occasionally bad things can happen, due to human error. How many Met Police knew about the killers in their midst? How many knew that Thatcher and the Royal Family gave the repulsive Savile a free pass to continue his disgusting behaviour? How many had a good idea about Harold Shipman, or Nurse Letby, but said nothing before the scandals broke? How many Catholic or Anglican leaders have conspired to keep their pervert priests away from Law & Order? All human frailties.

If folk want to do something meaningful re animal cruelty, don't bother making bandwagon gestures re horse or greyhound racing, there are huge targets, with zillions of animal deaths every year, in chicken sheds, veal production farms, and abattoirs everywhere.

Absolutely despise the Grand National-there's nothing grand about beautiful animals dying-talk about "blood money"!!

Bazza

It would be a good start if all whips were banned. Why do jockeys feel the need to keep whipping their horse when it’s many lengths in front and close to the post?

If a jockey makes contact with its horse more than 7 times during a race it receives a penalty, which can be a ban for repeated offences.

(It is 6 times foe flat racing)

There really is a lot of misinformation on this thread.

Iam64

No, I’d never do anything to support this cruel, unnecessarily dangerous race.
Yesterday, a horse was euthanised after breaking his back in a fence related fall. The jockey got the horse up and won the race before it was euthanised.

How can this be sport

What race was this ?? Once a horse has fallen or the jockey has fallen off they are NOT allowed to get back on the horse and finish the race.

It was Saturdays national. Horse fell
Jockey stayed on, finished the race. Horse euthanised broken back

Iam64

It was Saturdays national. Horse fell
Jockey stayed on, finished the race. Horse euthanised broken back

No. It was the previous day. Horse slipped but jockey stayed on and finished the race. He was well ahead of the horse that came second. Had the jockeys feet touched the ground it would have been classed as a fall and could no longer continue. I’m awaiting to hear the result of the autopsy because imo he should have pulled the horse up immediately although he wouldn’t have seen how bad the slip was because his front end remained upright. All horses that ran in the National are ok. One jockey has received a ban because he continued with a tired horse and Mr Vango is still at the vets but should be going home soon.

Goldenage It's wonderful that you have rescued unwanted horses. Thank goodness for people like you.

Dr Watson How rude of you to refer to comments with which you disagree as "claptrap". The fact that there are terrible cruelties being inflicted on other species, both in this country and throughout the world, does not justify horse and dog racing in this country. These horses and dogs are only cared for when they are making money. Then it is left to charities and charitable individuals to rescue them - but not everybody has the space or money to do this so many animals are destroyed.