Dead horse at Aintree today

Indeed this was despicable. Jockey used the whip on the horse to the line. Apparently this so called top jockey didn’t feel that anything was wrong though it was evident to everyone viewing.


This is already being discussed on the HHO Racing threads but it deserves a wider audience. This is what horse racing is about - it’s all about the win.
 
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Ohh my goodness; this is very sad indeed. Things are always a bit emotive with racing at the 'National time of year, and this won't help at all with many calling for the race to be banned. Stuff like this happening sadly only goes to fuel the fire.

I didn't see the race, and won't be watching on Saturday.
 
He was definitely wrong behind and given the jockey is a professional should have felt it.

Would he have carried on if he wasn't leading the race.

Unfortunately if hed pulled up the "punters" who bet tens of thousands Would have slated him for pulling up when leading. I expect the outcome would have been the same, but it wouldn't have looked so bad. He even used his whip a couple of times which just makes it even more unsavoury

The horse properly sprawled with his back end behind him

What is even more disgusting is the owners rep said while its said the jockey couldn't have known. They were desperate to defend the jockey

Even the commentator was saying how it looks like victory came at a cost, so if we could all see it, why couldn't the jockey feel it?

I know theres adrenaline but it really really isnt a good look especially as I expect he would have pulled up even if not leading
 
This just epitomises why I abhor racing

If a horse falls it should be in the rules that it be pulled up immediately if the jockey is still mounted, for it to be examined by a vet.

Jockey needs banned for life and quite frankly prosecuted for abuse; if it were travellers with standardbreds in sulkies whipping a horse later found to have a broken back, he would be.
 
It’s a sad incident but he didn’t fall ! He made a mistake and carried on to the finish, it would help if people stopped being hysterical and tried looking at the facts.
Fact is the horse broke his back during the race and was whipped to the finish line

Is that unemotional and factual enough for you? Does it make it better?
 
This just epitomises why I abhor racing

If a horse falls it should be in the rules that it be pulled up immediately if the jockey is still mounted, for it to be examined by a vet.

Jockey needs banned for life and quite frankly prosecuted for abuse; if it were travellers with standardbreds in sulkies whipping a horse later found to have a broken back, he would be.
It did not fall…
 
I cannot believe some people are seemingly attempting to minimise the shocking death of yet another race horse.

The details of exactly what happened and when is totally irrelevant. The only pertinent fact is did this horse die because it was being used in a long outdated and cruel sport that places little or no value on the horse's life other than what money it might generate for it's owners and everyone else involved in this dreadfully abusive animal industry.

The answer is yes, and that is why the level of suffering for this horse has generated such strong emotions in those of us who can never condone this sort of abuse, it happens all the time in the industry and regardless of the measure of suffering each and every unnecessary death is abhorrent to all who value any animal's life.
 
I'm sorry. I should have fact checked what I wrote before posting but my point stands; incidentally, though, there is this photo. Why was the animal not pulled up?
I'm not sure how you could word it that such grotesque near-falls should require the animal to be pulled up, but it needs implicating if racing can ever try to be ethical, which - given the way they are kept - seems to be an impossibility....
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Let’s just digest this nugget from the BHA.

"After reviewing the footage, The Director of Equine, Safety, and Welfare explained that Gold Dancer (FR)’s action was typical of a 3-mile chaser in the final stages of a race and supported the evidence of Townend. After hearing all of their evidence, the Stewards noted Townend’s explanation."

So it is normal for a horse to be so tired in the latter stages of a race that it is not possible to tell whether the horse is running on while carrying a fatal injury or is merely so tired that it has lost its action. This is disgusting.
 
It was horrific however I’m always equally shocked by the event horses that slither and stumble over fences then canter away and carry on, a similar fall would make most amateur riders pull up and check the horse over not continue jumping a challenging XC course. Especially when the horse is running on adrenaline and likely to mask an injury. When something does go wrong, it often takes them cantering away a good few strides or jumping the next fence to realise and only when they bring them back to trot it’s apparent the horse is very lame. I have a lot of respect for all these riders but competitive sport has a lot to answer for and they should all be held to higher standards.
 
It was horrific however I’m always equally shocked by the event horses that slither and stumble over fences then canter away and carry on, a similar fall would make most amateur riders pull up and check the horse over not continue jumping a challenging XC course. Especially when the horse is running on adrenaline and likely to mask an injury. When something does go wrong, it often takes them cantering away a good few strides or jumping the next fence to realise and only when they bring them back to trot it’s apparent the horse is very lame. I have a lot of respect for all these riders but competitive sport has a lot to answer for and they should all be held to higher standards.
We should just stop sitting on top of horses.
 
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