silu
Well-Known Member
I assume everybody reading posts on this forum are horse lovers and that is a given that we all deeply regret when any horse is killed or has to be humanely destroyed. Who doesn't know of equines being killed/severely injured during competition at all levels or during the process of training them to compete?
Recent examples of 3 horses being destroyed in Dubai flat racing and 2 horses being destroyed at/after BE events is proof enough that we all take risks competing our horses. Many other horses will also be badly damaged at competitions and destroyed later which never gets reported to the general public.
Indeed we all take risks while hacking on roads...our choice not the horses. I shudder to think how many horses are killed/injured during this non competitive pastime.
While I am all for trying to minimize risk to horses I do feel that The Grand National is getting a worse press than it deserves. I walked the course 3 weeks ago and the course IS very different to when I walked it about 25 years previously. It rode very well in the main during The Topham with very few fallers and no casualties.My own personal view is it might be a good idea to reduce the number of runners and INCREASE the sizes of the fences again to make horse back off them a bit more to hopefully prevent the "cavalry charge" as witnessed this year, however I very much doubt this idea will be implemented...non PC I fear! I also think there is weight to the argument that the modern Thoroughbred is lighter boned to increase it's speed at the expense of it's ability to withstand the rigours, but I am no expert on this matter so will stand corrected, if I am mistaken.
Who can honestly say they haven't witnessed some kind of abuse to horses/ponies? be it through neglect, over feeding, bad riding, bad temper!!!. "he who is without sin......" springs to mind, this abuse however is not witnessed by millions of "experts" on the TV. Many congratulations to Neptune a great horse who thoroughly deserved his day in the limelight having been overshadowed by the likes of Kauto, may he have a long and happy retirement.
Recent examples of 3 horses being destroyed in Dubai flat racing and 2 horses being destroyed at/after BE events is proof enough that we all take risks competing our horses. Many other horses will also be badly damaged at competitions and destroyed later which never gets reported to the general public.
Indeed we all take risks while hacking on roads...our choice not the horses. I shudder to think how many horses are killed/injured during this non competitive pastime.
While I am all for trying to minimize risk to horses I do feel that The Grand National is getting a worse press than it deserves. I walked the course 3 weeks ago and the course IS very different to when I walked it about 25 years previously. It rode very well in the main during The Topham with very few fallers and no casualties.My own personal view is it might be a good idea to reduce the number of runners and INCREASE the sizes of the fences again to make horse back off them a bit more to hopefully prevent the "cavalry charge" as witnessed this year, however I very much doubt this idea will be implemented...non PC I fear! I also think there is weight to the argument that the modern Thoroughbred is lighter boned to increase it's speed at the expense of it's ability to withstand the rigours, but I am no expert on this matter so will stand corrected, if I am mistaken.
Who can honestly say they haven't witnessed some kind of abuse to horses/ponies? be it through neglect, over feeding, bad riding, bad temper!!!. "he who is without sin......" springs to mind, this abuse however is not witnessed by millions of "experts" on the TV. Many congratulations to Neptune a great horse who thoroughly deserved his day in the limelight having been overshadowed by the likes of Kauto, may he have a long and happy retirement.