Daily Mirror - Horse gets shot

[Pearlsasinger]

I am assuming that the Mirror no longer publishes race meeting details then?

There was actually a comment by the Mirror's racing correspondent at the side of the main article, acknowledging the number of racing fatalities but balancing that number against the amount of tax paid by the racing industry and how many, e.g. school books that could buy.
They obviously couldn't find any 'real news' for the front page today, as the other half of it was about 'Strictly' and that fact that Judy Murray is the bookies favourite to get voted off first because Andy was supporting the Yes campaign in the Scottish referendum, apparently. I thought I'd seen him giving a very neutral interview a couple of days ago.

 

[The_snoopster]

Whilst I understand it will be distressing the connections of this horse, its no different to the poor men who have been beheaded and their families had to see their loved ones on every front page in the country. Its news I saw it and I read it, I had not heard the story before hand so it was news to me, however being a horse owner I understood the need for a quick humane death but not everyone likes horse racing and do believe its cruel (I do not), but if it gets people talking about making it safer that cannot be bad.

 

[dominobrown]

If you want to educate the 'public' this is a far better article...

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2011/sep/23/claims-five-broken-leg-horse

 

[Magnetic Sparrow]

Brilliant article, thanks, Dominobrown

 

[Liz H]

Firstly why the "newspaper" thought this headline news is beyond me, secondly horses all over the country are PTS daily through injury or illness, if they are that bothered about equine welfare why don't they concern themselves with issues that really affect, like transportation overseas for slaughter, fly grazing, cruelty, need I go on? Disgusted at this, why does the media think " shock" pictures are a good idea? My elderly disabled mother fell recently and pressed her alarm for assistance, the control room rang me to attend as they had no one to send, we arrived 20 minutes later, the service arrived 15 minutes later, mum had been in serious distress and physical danger for over 40 minutes prior to our arrival, that is headline news, not the humane destruction of a loved (and I assume valuable) horse.

 

[Equi]

FirstlyMy elderly disabled mother fell recently and pressed her alarm for assistance, the control room rang me to attend as they had no one to send, we arrived 20 minutes later, the service arrived 15 minutes later, mum had been in serious distress and physical danger for over 40 minutes prior to our arrival, that is headline news, not the humane destruction of a loved (and I assume valuable) horse.

Sorry to hear about your mother, i hope she made a good recovery. You're absolutely right x

 

[Sukistokes2]

I can add nothing as everyone seems to expressed it so well. I just wish to register my disgust!

 

[PolarSkye]

Firstly why the "newspaper" thought this headline news is beyond me, secondly horses all over the country are PTS daily through injury or illness, if they are that bothered about equine welfare why don't they concern themselves with issues that really affect, like transportation overseas for slaughter, fly grazing, cruelty, need I go on? Disgusted at this, why does the media think " shock" pictures are a good idea?

Exactly!

P

 

[Liz H]

Thanks for the good wishes, she is improving slowly, one step forward, two back.. You know how it goes

 

[splashgirl45]

Exactly!


agree wholeheartedly, this horse was in pain for a very short time and was put down humanely..he was not travelled for hours, enduring terrible conditions to meet his end ...and the end for those horses is not pleasant!!!

 

[ester]

Ester - he shattered leg. You can't fix a leg broken at that speed. A tendon you can but not a bone.

Sorry I don't understand, I know he did and people were saying what did the mirror expect to be done instead of shot. My point was nothing but I don't think that should stop it being reported.

I don't really take issue with the publication of the photo either, not sure why, perhaps because I know what goes on so it isn't really news/distressing for me. I'm trying to think if I would be bothered by it if it were my racehorse and I'm still not sure I would be.

 

[teapot]

Whilst I know it goes on, it's a fact of dealing with horses, we all know BUT if I was that horse's lad/lass, I'm just not sure I'd want to see THAT moment on the front page of a newspaper. Moreover, given it was Animal Aid who took these photos who have a well known agenda against horse racing, it's just all a bit 'look at these nasty people' shock factor to try and convince people racing is cruel because a horse was shot. I saw one comment saying 'sure it's not photo-shopped, you don't shoot horses in the head' - to the ignorant public, that photo will tell 1000 words, 1000 incorrect words and it's just piss poor use of a headline.

It doesn't need to be published, in the same way the photos that came out after that plane was shot down - I didn't need to see photos published of dead bodies stripped of their clothes still sat in their seats (before they all got censored/taken off the internet).

 

[ester]

See I do think it totally different to the latter, maybe joe public should know that you do shoot horses in the head (hate to think where they thought it should be aimed! I know it was animal aid and they have a huge agenda .

I deemed the potters secret videoing good as it showed excellent handling and dispatch, I'm not sure these photos show anything different, quick response, good handling etc. I don't know if the former made it to the front page though. I didn't think the reporting terrible, they did point out that AA were activists and included plenty of comments/figures from the more pro end of the spectrum.

 

[teapot]

I deemed the potters secret videoing good as it showed excellent handling and dispatch, I'm not sure these photos show anything different, quick response, good handling etc. I don't know if the former made it to the front page though. I didn't think the reporting terrible, they did point out that AA were activists and included plenty of comments/figures from the more pro end of the spectrum.

Good handling and quick response to those of us who know what's going on.

To the lay eye, it's a mean man shooting a poor horsie who's been made to race in a cruel sport by a mean jockey. Why can't poor horsie be rescued and nursed back to health?

(I stupidly read the facebook comments on The Mirror page and wanted to bang my head against a wall).

 

[ester]

You mean the Mirror should cater to it's demographic and explain things very simply

 

[teapot]

You mean the Mirror should cater to it's demographic and explain things very simply

Exactly! :biggrin3:

 

[teapot]

I forgot 'poor horsie broke its leg, why can't have it have a plaster cast' comment too.

 

[Equi]

I forgot 'poor horsie broke its leg, why can't have it have a plaster cast' comment too.

lol if only eh.

Just just had to laugh at them all, cause i'm sure they mostly eat meat - so clearly don't know how their bacon and steak end up on their plate. Sometimes knowing too much can make you a a little blasé..

 

[EstherYoung]

Apparently sky news reported on the mirrors coverage and the presenter said that the horse should have been taken home to live out his days in a field

 

[Equi]

Apparently sky news reported on the mirrors coverage and the presenter said that the horse should have been taken home to live out his days in a field

face plam!

 

[dibbin]

Ridiculous, this isn't news. I understand that some people (especially those who are non-horsey) may have some sensitivities about seeing horses shot, but at the end of the day it was the humane destruction of an animal with an injury it would not recover from. As someone whose horse was PTS after breaking a leg, I would not have allowed him to suffer a second longer than he had to and am a bit put out by the Mirror's implication that euthanasia is somehow a welfare issue.

 

[fburton]

Does Channel 4 Racing (or BBC) try to educate the public in the realities of a horse's life and death, without the ridiculous slant and sensationalism of some papers? If not, maybe they should!