My granddad used to bet on the horses a lot and lost a lot, i never saw the attraction so i do not bet.
SWMBO will not watch it as its cruel to the horses.
Here are five reasons why itââ¬â¢s the horses who always pay the ultimate price:
Fatal injuries are commonplace. Broken necks, backs and legs are commonplace at the Grand National, and yet the race goes on. Bred out of greed for speed, the thoroughbreds forced to take part are accidents waiting to happen: their legs are too long and fragile for the jumps, and theyââ¬â¢re whipped and pushed literally to the breaking point. Every year, we see exhausted animals crash face-first into the ground and careen into one another on this deliberately punishing and hazardous course. Synchronised and According To Pete were last yearââ¬â¢s victims, and 36 horses are known to have lost their lives at the race over the last 50 years.
Becherââ¬â¢s Brook is dangerous. Known as the worldââ¬â¢s most dangerous jump, Becherââ¬â¢s Brook predictably claimed the life of another vulnerable horse last year. Why not just dig holes on the course for the animals to trip on and stumble into while theyââ¬â¢re at it? The stubborn refusal of the British Horseracing Authority and Aintree Racecourse to remove the deadly jump proves yet again that their primary focus is always on supplying a thrilling and dangerous sight for race-goers and the TV audience. The Grand National is a national disgrace that is grand only if you are not a horse or a caring human being.
Itââ¬â¢s impossible to improve the racecourse. The minor changes that have been made to Aintree Racecourse in recent years are mere token gestures. Animal-protection groups have long pointed out that the number of runners in a race has an impact on injuries and deaths, yet the organisers of the Grand National have actually increased the number of horses to 40 �" it was below 29 until 2000. Recent changes to fences have not reduced fatalities, and the changes made to this yearââ¬â¢s race are also unlikely to prevent the deaths of more beautiful animals.
Horses are raced too young. Horses are raced too young, too often and on hard surfaces that practically guarantee breakdowns, and the Grand National is the worst offender. Appallingly, an estimated 38 per cent of the 400 horses who die every year on British racecourses do so during or just after a race. (The others die in the days and weeks that follow.) The ones who survive to the end of their racing days are simply discarded like used betting slips �" cast off to be killed, butchered and sold off piece by piece.
The focus is on money, not welfare. Owners of horses in the Grand National often mistake their love of money and glory for a love of the horses. To the rest of us, exposing horses to the dangers of this barbaric ritual makes it clear where their priorities lie. Veterinary treatment will be paid for as long as horses are racing and making money. However, if a horse sustains a fracture which is likely to involve many months of treatment, a decision is often made to destroy the horse because it would be more cost-effective. As long as people continue to bet on the Grand National, horses will continue to die.
http://www.peta.org.uk/blog/five-reasons-why-aintree-is-not-so-grand/
