No, it's not. A well trained horse knows the whistle of the crop is a signal to go, as horses are not generally run a ful speed for the entire race, alike to 400 metre runners at the Olympics. The horse is paced until the final few jumps. If you watch enough racing, you'll see the crop doesn't often even come into contact with the horse. Also, there's a limit to how many times a jockey can utilise the crop, and some horses don't even need it - watch Sprinter Sacre race, the bugger absolutely revels in racing, an amazing horse and a joy to watch.
If a horse didn't want to race, no amount of whipping, kicking etc would convince it too. As tiny as their brains are, they can always buck, rear and refuse.
And as for 'if they cared they'd fix the horse' etc, some breaks cannot be fixed, and when you consider the size of the horse, operations that require anaesthetic are often too dangerous to consider.
Presumably these horses wouldn't exist in the first place if not for racing. I'd have thought that an outside chance of a racing accident (with the accompanying bullet in the head) is a risk worth taking when the alternative is not being born at all.
As for the comparison between racing horses and eating meat, I think that the parallel is a fair one. The vast majority of us don't need to eat meat (no doubt a few do for genuine health reasons) but we do so because we enjoy it. Nothing wrong with that, but I can't think of a way to oppose horse racing while condoning meat consumption that isn't hypocritical.
Presumably these horses wouldn't exist in the first place if not for racing. I'd have thought that an outside chance of a racing accident (with the accompanying bullet in the head) is a risk worth taking when the alternative is not being born at all.
As for the comparison between racing horses and eating meat, I think that the parallel is a fair one. The vast majority of us don't need to eat meat (no doubt a few do for genuine health reasons) but we do so because we enjoy it. Nothing wrong with that, but I can't think of a way to oppose horse racing while condoning meat consumption that isn't hypocritical.
I've heard some ridiculous arguments on here but that post takes the cake!
I've heard some ridiculous arguments on here but that post takes the cake!
A bit like your comebacks.
Horses weren't bred to be ridden at all. Horses don't know what a saddle is, or assume there'll be a person atop of them. So with that in mind, do you think a pet pony being ridden round on a little country hack is cruel? Plenty of accidents happen that way too, but I don't see anyone complaining about that.
Presumably these horses wouldn't exist in the first place if not for racing. I'd have thought that an outside chance of a racing accident (with the accompanying bullet in the head) is a risk worth taking when the alternative is not being born at all.
As for the comparison between racing horses and eating meat, I think that the parallel is a fair one. The vast majority of us don't need to eat meat (no doubt a few do for genuine health reasons) but we do so because we enjoy it. Nothing wrong with that, but I can't think of a way to oppose horse racing while condoning meat consumption that isn't hypocritical.
So you don't think they love to run and jump naturally with their friends.That posts just shows how uneducated and clueless you are.God,people on here just blow my mind sometimes lol
well said, I worked in racing many years ago, they love the gallops (that means a stretch of ground they may only canter on) they will pull the arms off you trying to stop them, yes they love to race. We had a well known National hunt horse with us she died as she was nbeing lead in after her last race, her owner and the staff were devastated. dont talk about what you all obviously know nothing about, aoart the the poster quoted and a couple otheres, and no you cant make a horse jump if it doesnt want to.
well said, I worked in racing many years ago, they love the gallops (that means a stretch of ground they may only canter on) they will pull the arms off you trying to stop them, yes they love to race. We had a well known National hunt horse with us she died as she was nbeing lead in after her last race, her owner and the staff were devastated. dont talk about what you all obviously know nothing about, aoart the the poster quoted and a couple otheres, and no you cant make a horse jump if it doesnt want to.
The question is though, regardless of whether they like it or not, is: is it fair to put an animal at risk of injury or death for our own pleasure.
I am sure children love swinging off trees but you would not let them do it, if it was dangerous.
Something is wrong, if so many horses have died at one meeting and personally I think it is really sad.
The question is though, regardless of whether they like it or not, is: is it fair to put an animal at risk of injury or death for our own pleasure.
I am sure children love swinging off trees but you would not let them do it, if it was dangerous.
Something is wrong, if so many horses have died at one meeting and personally I think it is really sad.
Great point Ms. Moanalot. Small children love to run about and probably into the road if you let them, doesn't mean we should let them do it. Also, the argument that the animals wouldn't exist without racing and therefore any life they lead is a bonus, is frankly, ridiculous. That's like someone abusing their own children and defending it with, "Well we chose to have them, we could have chosen not to have any children at all".
I've heard some ridiculous arguments on here but that post takes the cake!
It's customary, just so you know, to back up a statement like that with a bit of reasoned argument. Otherwise one tends to look a bit thick, as you have no doubt realised by now.
It's customary, just so you know, to back up a statement like that with a bit of reasoned argument. Otherwise one tends to look a bit thick, as you have no doubt realised by now.
You hadn't bothered to advance an argument in response to my post (see above). You've since offered a comparison with child abuse, to which the obvious response is that, yes, people having children with the intention of abusing them really shouldn't be parents. However, horses aren't people and I don't accept the premise that racing them constitutes abuse.
I don't think you've addressed the issue of meat consumption at all, which should be interesting since both activities are essentially unnecessary pursuits undertaken for human pleasure.
You hadn't bothered to advance an argument in response to my post (see above). You've since offered a comparison with child abuse, to which the obvious response is that, yes, people having children with the intention of abusing them really shouldn't be parents. However, horses aren't people and I don't accept the premise that racing them constitutes abuse.
I don't think you've addressed the issue of meat consumption at all, which should be interesting since both activities are essentially unnecessary pursuits undertaken for human pleasure.
So you're making a comparison between killing animals for meat and running racehorses into the ground? Now who looks a bit stupid!?
Purlease not this again.
Horses falling over and being killed is going to happen for the unlucky few.I compare it to mountaineers and rock climbers doing a dangerous sport on the edge.Some can die climbing and fall off the mountain , but still they do it as its part of living.
Getting in the car and driving is also lethal if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Its fate.
Also, if animal rights campaigners think horses falling at a fence is cruel, then why arent there more people outside slaughterhouses.
I think it is more that they die for no other reason than to give the odd human a bit of fun.
Killing for meat, whilst still not nice, is seen as a survival method, a necessity. Living creatures dieing in the pursuit of pleasure, to many people, crosses that line.
Purlease not this again.
Horses falling over and being killed is going to happen for the unlucky few.I compare it to mountaineers and rock climbers doing a dangerous sport on the edge.Some can die climbing and fall off the mountain , but still they do it as its part of living.
Getting in the car and driving is also lethal if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Its fate.
Also, if animal rights campaigners think horses falling at a fence is cruel, then why arent there more people outside slaughterhouses.
Not fate at all. You have the choice to get in a car, just as you have the choice to climb a mountain but a horse does not have a choice. They even get whipped to make them go faster.
Not fate at all. You have the choice to get in a car, just as you have the choice to climb a mountain but a horse does not have a choice. They even get whipped to make them go faster.
:rolleyes: seriously, you cannot make a horse race if it doesn't want to. And read my previous posts about whips/crops.
I think it is more that they die for no other reason than to give the odd human a bit of fun.
Killing for meat, whilst still not nice, is seen as a survival method, a necessity. Living creatures dieing in the pursuit of pleasure, to many people, crosses that line.
But this is about trying to work out why so many horses have died on this particular racecourse in two days. I think it might be the hard ground caused by the shortage of rain, combined with attempts to water artificially, meaning the ground is both harder than usual and more slippery than usual, causing more accidents than usual, hence more deaths. Even at the Grand National with its supertall and difficult fences, the most deaths recorded are about 2 in a bad year; some years there are no deaths at the National. The fences at the Cheltenham festival will not be as tall or difficult as the ones in the National. Therefore, it must be something to do with the ground.
Some horses do truly love to run and jump, however their natural survival instinct above all else is to follow and keep up with the herd. That's why an exhausted horse will get up and keep running after a fall, not because it loves it so much !
Not fate at all. You have the choice to get in a car, just as you have the choice to climb a mountain but a horse does not have a choice. They even get whipped to make them go faster.
Of course they have a choice! I work in a bookmakers so I see plenty of horse races, and I've seen many horses who downright refuse to start a race. They just get pulled out, not beaten into running. If the horse doesn't want to run, it's not running - you cannot make it go.
Comments
Bit contradictory
No, it's not. A well trained horse knows the whistle of the crop is a signal to go, as horses are not generally run a ful speed for the entire race, alike to 400 metre runners at the Olympics. The horse is paced until the final few jumps. If you watch enough racing, you'll see the crop doesn't often even come into contact with the horse. Also, there's a limit to how many times a jockey can utilise the crop, and some horses don't even need it - watch Sprinter Sacre race, the bugger absolutely revels in racing, an amazing horse and a joy to watch.
If a horse didn't want to race, no amount of whipping, kicking etc would convince it too. As tiny as their brains are, they can always buck, rear and refuse.
And as for 'if they cared they'd fix the horse' etc, some breaks cannot be fixed, and when you consider the size of the horse, operations that require anaesthetic are often too dangerous to consider.
As for the comparison between racing horses and eating meat, I think that the parallel is a fair one. The vast majority of us don't need to eat meat (no doubt a few do for genuine health reasons) but we do so because we enjoy it. Nothing wrong with that, but I can't think of a way to oppose horse racing while condoning meat consumption that isn't hypocritical.
I've heard some ridiculous arguments on here but that post takes the cake!
A bit like your comebacks.
Horses weren't bred to be ridden at all. Horses don't know what a saddle is, or assume there'll be a person atop of them. So with that in mind, do you think a pet pony being ridden round on a little country hack is cruel? Plenty of accidents happen that way too, but I don't see anyone complaining about that.
Explain?
well said, I worked in racing many years ago, they love the gallops (that means a stretch of ground they may only canter on) they will pull the arms off you trying to stop them, yes they love to race. We had a well known National hunt horse with us she died as she was nbeing lead in after her last race, her owner and the staff were devastated. dont talk about what you all obviously know nothing about, aoart the the poster quoted and a couple otheres, and no you cant make a horse jump if it doesnt want to.
The question is though, regardless of whether they like it or not, is: is it fair to put an animal at risk of injury or death for our own pleasure.
I am sure children love swinging off trees but you would not let them do it, if it was dangerous.
Something is wrong, if so many horses have died at one meeting and personally I think it is really sad.
Great point Ms. Moanalot. Small children love to run about and probably into the road if you let them, doesn't mean we should let them do it. Also, the argument that the animals wouldn't exist without racing and therefore any life they lead is a bonus, is frankly, ridiculous. That's like someone abusing their own children and defending it with, "Well we chose to have them, we could have chosen not to have any children at all".
It's customary, just so you know, to back up a statement like that with a bit of reasoned argument. Otherwise one tends to look a bit thick, as you have no doubt realised by now.
Er. Which argument haven't I backed up?
You hadn't bothered to advance an argument in response to my post (see above). You've since offered a comparison with child abuse, to which the obvious response is that, yes, people having children with the intention of abusing them really shouldn't be parents. However, horses aren't people and I don't accept the premise that racing them constitutes abuse.
I don't think you've addressed the issue of meat consumption at all, which should be interesting since both activities are essentially unnecessary pursuits undertaken for human pleasure.
So you're making a comparison between killing animals for meat and running racehorses into the ground? Now who looks a bit stupid!?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17364029
Horses falling over and being killed is going to happen for the unlucky few.I compare it to mountaineers and rock climbers doing a dangerous sport on the edge.Some can die climbing and fall off the mountain , but still they do it as its part of living.
Getting in the car and driving is also lethal if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Its fate.
Also, if animal rights campaigners think horses falling at a fence is cruel, then why arent there more people outside slaughterhouses.
They can be just looked after, petted and enjoyed. We don't eat Pandas!
Ever noticed the backs of old horses? They are curved from big fat humans riding them! :mad:
I agree, I have always loathed horse racing.
Not fate at all. You have the choice to get in a car, just as you have the choice to climb a mountain but a horse does not have a choice. They even get whipped to make them go faster.
:rolleyes: seriously, you cannot make a horse race if it doesn't want to. And read my previous posts about whips/crops.
Humans can survive without meat.
Of course they have a choice! I work in a bookmakers so I see plenty of horse races, and I've seen many horses who downright refuse to start a race. They just get pulled out, not beaten into running. If the horse doesn't want to run, it's not running - you cannot make it go.