National meeting. First fatality.

[Sugarplum Furry]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/horse-racing/22032810

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

Very sad, but it could have happened at home, the horse didn't fall at any fences, he was pulled up and then collapsed. Horses like humans can experience that.

I saw the same thing happen to a horse just on a sponsored ride where they were cantering along one minute, and the horse on the ground the next. Heartbreaking for all concerned.

Glad that no fallers were seriously hurt although am getting mighty peed off with the jockeys continued irresponsibility at the start line.

 

[bonny]

This is goulish in my opinion.....do some of you just watch racing in case there's a fatality and then you can wring your hands over it and mutter about how bad racing is ? 100's of horses have died today for all sorts of reasons.....

 

[cptrayes]

Very sad, but it could have happened at home, the horse didn't fall at any fences, he was pulled up and then collapsed. Horses like humans can experience that.

I saw the same thing happen to a horse just on a sponsored ride where they were cantering along one minute, and the horse on the ground the next. Heartbreaking for all concerned.

Glad that no fallers were seriously hurt although am getting mighty peed off with the jockeys continued irresponsibility at the start line.

This is true. I have myself had a six year old drop dead under me of heart failure on an ordinary hack.

 

[Donnie Darco]

This is goulish in my opinion.....do some of you just watch racing in case there's a fatality and then you can wring your hands over it and mutter about how bad racing is ? 100's of horses have died today for all sorts of reasons.....

Bloody well said.

 

[It's Me Megan]

Terrible for the connections but it could happen anywhere. Knew of a lovely horse who dropped dead on the yard eating hay

 

[Echo Bravo]

I think most of us watching the race realised something was wrong when Katie Walsh pulled him up, I thought he'd pulled a tendon. Remember Browns Gazette diving through the fence when he died of a heart attack. My cob just dropped down died and no struggle nothing when he had a heart attack.

 

[TeamChaser]

Call me cynical but can't help but notice that BBC seem to be all over this?! Couldn't be to do with them losing the Aintree coverage to C4 could it??

 

[bonny]

The BBC didn't lose it....they didn't want to continue covering racing at all. I think it's newsworthy because of who was riding and the fact that she's fancied for the national, is a woman and is getting alot of publicity anyway.

 

[Alec Swan]

So there was a horse who's heart gave out today. He died doing what he was bred to do, he was cared for by his trainer and staff, and he'll be replaced. He was an ornament to some, and perhaps a passion, to others. He had a good life. What else does anyone want for an animal?

Alec.

 

[Double_choc_lab]

So there was a horse who's heart gave out today. He died doing what he was bred to do, he was cared for by his trainer and staff, and he'll be replaced. He was an ornament to some, and perhaps a passion, to others. He had a good life. What else does anyone want for an animal?

Alec.

Totally agree. Also when your time's up what a wonderful way to go - instantly when the adrenaline is pumping or would we rather he was left to grow old, stiff and thin in a forgotten field.

 

[Maesfen]

Well said Alec. I backed him too.

 

[stencilface]

Just had to comment on a friends fb status linked to this article and criticising the grand national. People get worked up, you can have a heart attack at any point ffs, they clearly hadn't read the article

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Why read the article when you can jump to conclusions from just the headline!

 

[dominobrown]

Why read the article when you can jump to conclusions from just the headline!

My dog is a better journalist than whoever wrote that article (no offence dog!)

 

[ladyt25]

Oh, how sad Saw the interview with Katie pre-race. I am always so impressed though that the jockeys are so quick to know something's wrong and pull up - it can't be easy at all when a horse is running on adrenalin. RIP Battlefront.

On an aside, I saw one of the horse fall in the hurdle race earlier in the day - assume this was ok? Had to go out and they never mentioned if it had got up as the fall looked a bit awkward.

 

[madmav]

The BBC didn't lose it....they didn't want to continue covering racing at all. I think it's newsworthy because of who was riding and the fact that she's fancied for the national, is a woman and is getting alot of publicity anyway.

Oh yes they did lose it, out-bid by not very rich C4. Too busy handing out £10million to the likes of Stephen Poliakoff's awful dramas. £100million over-spend on its new London HQ, £60million over-spend on Glasgow HQ. Could go on. I passionately love the Beeb, but, honestly, they do make me cross.
Having said all that, actually prefer C4's coverage, apart from the ads.
Sorry, gone off topic. I wish Katie Walsh well and am sad for the horse.

 

[Alec Swan]

My dog is a better journalist than whoever wrote that article (no offence dog!)

Which reminds me of the quote; The more that I see of People, the more satisfied I am with my dog!

I may save it for my sig.

Alec.

 

[Dunlin]

I knew a person that died young of a heart attack at work - BAN WORKING!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

BAN WORKING!

I could live with that!!!

Could we also ban football whilst we are at it seeing as Muamaba had a heart attack in the middle of the pitch with no green screens to surround him?!?

 

[teapot]

I'd support banning football

 

[HihoGinger]

On an aside, I saw one of the horse fall in the hurdle race earlier in the day - assume this was ok? Had to go out and they never mentioned if it had got up as the fall looked a bit awkward.

All other fallers during the day were reported as being ok.

 

[Mynstrel]

Call me cynical but can't help but notice that BBC seem to be all over this?! Couldn't be to do with them losing the Aintree coverage to C4 could it??

I must be cynical too then because I've thought exactly the same, right through the build up to this weekend they seem to have been focussing on the negatives (same as Cheltenham thinking about it) and you could just see how they were going to jump on anything that did happen.

Mind you, I suppose it's only the same as how they turned against Crufts and dog showing as a whole rather then focus on the true problems when the problems with breeding were broadcast - shame they haven't used the same amount of effort to have controlled their staff in if all of these abuse claims are to be believed.

 

[Hedgewitch13]

How very sad for all concerned And especially after Katie's recent interview about racehorses...

 

[ladyt25]

All other fallers during the day were reported as being ok.

Cheers for that. Nice to know I'm always trying to look in the background after any falls to see if the horse is up.

 

[fburton]

So there was a horse who's heart gave out today. He died doing what he was bred to do, he was cared for by his trainer and staff, and he'll be replaced. He was an ornament to some, and perhaps a passion, to others. He had a good life. What else does anyone want for an animal?

I agree quality of life is vastly more important than what happens at time of death. (Ideally, one doesn't want that to be unpleasant either!) In my opinion this applies equally to human and non-human animals.

Totally agree. Also when your time's up what a wonderful way to go - instantly when the adrenaline is pumping or would we rather he was left to grow old, stiff and thin in a forgotten field.

Not disagreeing with you at all - although, paradoxically, this argues for more rather than fewer racing fatalities, doesn't it?

 

[Vicstress]

Interesting post - I'm still anti-national....far to many horses die. Whatever way you look at it the ratio of deaths to one race is still far to high.

ETS - obviously this is non race related and just a very sad thing to have happened. Shame for the jockey.....and the owners/trainers etc.

 

[Nicnac]

Bit of a tabloid thread title.

RIP Battlefront would have been a more worthy title for this wonderful horse doing what he was bred for.

My thoughts to his connections.

 

[MyBoyChe]

Which reminds me of the quote; The more that I see of People, the more satisfied I am with my dog!

Alec, Ive had this quote on my key ring for a lot of years, sadly it holds true the longer I have it!!

Very sad for the horses connections, it was obvious I think to most of us watching what was happening to him. He wouldnt have known much about it, certainly didnt suffer and died doing what he was bred to do. A horse at our yard died from a heart attack stood on the yard eating his hay, I doubt if said horse had ever galloped or jumped in his life!

 

[Potato!]

Didnt a top showjumper (was it Hickstead?) collapse and die of a heart attack while in the ring. Quick lets ban showjumping too!