[Alf]

Flat racing is more dangerous than jump racing, because they're running at a much faster speed. That's why on average flat track horses will retire before they reach the age of 5 years old, many before that age. Grand national horses range from about 7 year old to 15 year old.

The fences are much safer these days and they're always looking to improve the safety of both the horses and the Jockeys, but sadly, accidents do sometimes happen in life.

[Zizu]

Originally Posted by Alf

Flat racing is more dangerous than jump racing, because they're running at a much faster speed. That's why on average flat track horses will retire before they reach the age of 5 years old, many before that age. Grand national horses range from about 7 year old to 15 year old.

The fences are much safer these days and they're always looking to improve the safety of both the horses and the Jockeys, but sadly, accidents do sometimes happen in life.

Horses don’t jump hedges in the wild


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Alf

Flat racing is more dangerous than jump racing, because they're running at a much faster speed. That's why on average flat track horses will retire before they reach the age of 5 years old, many before that age. Grand national horses range from about 7 year old to 15 year old.

This has nothing to do with how safe it is; it's because pure speed is important on the flat whereas experience comes into play with the jumps. Younger horses are faster on the flat, thus they get retired from flat racing earlier when they become too slow to compete. Jumps are (quite obviously) much more dangerous for both horse and rider.

[Alf]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

This has nothing to do with how safe it is; it's because pure speed is important on the flat whereas experience comes into play with the jumps. Younger horses are faster on the flat, thus they get retired from flat racing earlier when they become too slow to compete. Jumps are (quite obviously) much more dangerous for both horse and rider.

Much more pulled muscles and lame horses on the flat, because they're going at a much faster speed, and they run on harder ground during the Summer.

Yes! You're back off the ignore list. You're on probation.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Alf

Much more pulled muscles and lame horses on the flat, because they're going at a much faster speed, and they run on harder ground during the Summer.

Yes! You're back off the ignore list. You're on probation.

A pulled muscle is not a fatal injury so it's only more dangerous if you consider the animal's worth to be purely in what it can offer as a competitive runner... and that's a huge part of the problem with the whole industry. Competitive horses are indeed some of the best-treated animals in the world... because of their financial value... not because of any care about their welfare. They're just a commodity.

[Alf]

I do admire your tenacious fighting spirit on this subject, Kaz, and I'm not totally shut off to what you propose, however, the impact of just totally stopping horse racing could be devastating for both the horses and the people involved. That also has to be taken into consideration.

[Alf]

Think of how many people your putting out of work, probably, tens of thousands or millions of people, that will be devastating. So you need to have something in place to deal with this.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Alf

Think of how many people your putting out of work, probably, tens of thousands or millions of people, that will be devastating.

where on earth are you getting those numbers.

[Alf]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

where on earth are you getting those numbers.

Bookies, trainers, grooms, stable boys and girl and all the other staff involved. Then there's the race track, caterers, stewards and all other staff. Then there's media, television, magazines, reporters. Multiply that all over the UK and I think that's a good estimate.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Alf

Bookies, trainers, grooms, stable boys and girl and all the other staff involved. Then there's the race track, caterers, stewards and all other staff. Then there's media, television, magazines, reporters. Multiply that all over the UK and I think that's a good estimate.

The gambling industry hasn't been reliant on racing for well over a decade, there's much more money in football and other "human sports" these days and of course those damned slots machines. It's also fairly well known in the betting industry that revenue isn't based on betting selection... it's based on what punters have in their pocket to punt. In other words, if someone comes in to put £50 on a horse and there's no horse racing, he's not going to walk out the door - he's going to bet that £50 on something else... football that night, big Tennis match, who he thinks is going to win Britain's Got Talent, whatever. That's the gambling mindset. If someone walks in with money to bet, they're going to spend it. .

The rest is a fair point, the total number employed by the industry is easily in the tens of thousands but certainly not millions or anywhere close - I doubt it comes close to 100,000 if you take gambling industry out of the equation.

[Alf]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

The gambling industry hasn't been reliant on racing for well over a decade, there's much more money in football and other "human sports" these days and of course those damned slots machines. It's also fairly well known in the betting industry that revenue isn't based on betting selection... it's based on what punters have in their pocket to punt. In other words, if someone comes in to put £50 on a horse and there's no horse racing, he's not going to walk out the door - he's going to bet that £50 on something else... football that night, big Tennis match, who he thinks is going to win Britain's Got Talent, whatever. That's the gambling mindset. If someone walks in with money to bet, they're going to spend it. .

The rest is a fair point, the total number employed by the industry is easily in the tens of thousands but certainly not millions or anywhere close - I doubt it comes close to 100,000 if you take gambling industry out of the equation.

Don't forget you want Greyhound racing gone too, because you said it's worse.

You honestly believe Bookies would survive how it is today without horse racing or greyhound racing?

What happens in summer, when football is in the off season and there's no games to bet on?

[LaLaLand]

The jumps and fences in the GN are just ridiculous. I can’t watch anything about it because it makes me ill.

[Beso]

Yes it is cruel, and there are many cruel characters involved in the sport.

But I love it, nothing better than a day at the races with the lads.

[arista]

[Kazanne]

Just because a woman won makes no difference,its still cruel ,and the old chestnut that keeps being rolled out that they are very well cared for is not true,but people want to believe that as it eases their conscience

[arista]

Originally Posted by Kazanne

Just because a woman won makes no difference,its still cruel ,and the old chestnut that keeps being rolled out that they are very well cared for is not true,but people want to believe that as it eases their conscience

Of Course.


But to many Bets are still being done
Unless the bet's stop
it is not going anyplace

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by arista

Of Course.


But to many Bets are still being done
Unless the bet's stop
it is not going anyplace

Exactly a prime example of human greed over animal welfare.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Kazanne

Exactly a prime example of human greed over animal welfare.

Yes Greed
will never go away

[AnnieK]

Tbf it is racings one redeeming quality in that it is the only "sport" where women and men compete alongside each other for the same pay and proze money.

Still think its cruel and shouldn't happen though

[bots]

Originally Posted by AnnieK

Tbf it is racings one redeeming quality in that it is the only "sport" where women and men compete alongside each other for the same pay and proze money.

Still think its cruel and shouldn't happen though

do they recite poetry as they are racing?

[AnnieK]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

do they recite poetry as they are racing?

[Amy Jade]

I have a horse and I absolutely adore her, yeah she is expensive to keep I won't lie and she is time consuming but she's absolutely beautiful and I couldn't ever imagine even doing anything that could result in her injury so I just don't get how anyone who claims to love their horses would put them through anything like this.

beating them to run faster and risking injury by making them jump over something they naturally would not and then seeing them foam at the mouth from exhaustion isn't something a real horse lover would do. It's cruel and I call BS on anyone partaking calling themselves animal lovers.

[Alf]

Originally Posted by Amy Jade

I have a horse and I absolutely adore her, yeah she is expensive to keep I won't lie and she is time consuming but she's absolutely beautiful and I couldn't ever imagine even doing anything that could result in her injury so I just don't get how anyone who claims to love their horses would put them through anything like this.

beating them to run faster and risking injury by making them jump over something they naturally would not and then seeing them foam at the mouth from exhaustion isn't something a real horse lover would do. It's cruel and I call BS on anyone partaking calling themselves animal lovers.

What about putting humans through some of the things they have to do?

I can’t imagine putting a human on a building site, with all the dangers that are involved, it's cruel, no more building things.

I can't imagine putting a human in a factory for 12 hours a day of back breaking work for minimum wage, it's cruel. Shut down all factories.

I can’t imagine putting humans into work as delivery drivers and having to get out on those dangerous roads, it's cruel, no more deliveries.

Also, electricity is dangerous, no more electricity.

Water is dangerous, block all access to any sea, rivers, lakes.


I could go on, but you get the point.

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by Alf

What about putting humans through some of the things they have to do?

I can’t imagine putting a human on a building site, with all the dangers that are involved, it's cruel, no more building things.

I can't imagine putting a human in a factory for 12 hours a day of back breaking work for minimum wage, it's cruel. Shut down all factories.

I can’t imagine putting humans into work as delivery drivers and having to get out on those dangerous roads, it's cruel, no more deliveries.

Also, electricity is dangerous, no more electricity.

Water is dangerous, block all access to any sea, river, lake.


I could go on, but you get the point.

But Alf there IS a major difference its humans that have evolved to do these things ,they made cars,wheels bricks and created work, to move themselves on, animals cannot do that they are subservient to us ,humans ,WE make them do dangerous things,that is not natural to them, they don't make us do anything,everything is dangerous in some form but we dont need to put animals in more danger than we have to just for our own entertainment.

[Beso]

Originally Posted by Amy Jade

I have a horse and I absolutely adore her, yeah she is expensive to keep I won't lie and she is time consuming but she's absolutely beautiful and I couldn't ever imagine even doing anything that could result in her injury so I just don't get how anyone who claims to love their horses would put them through anything like this.

beating them to run faster and risking injury by making them jump over something they naturally would not and then seeing them foam at the mouth from exhaustion isn't something a real horse lover would do. It's cruel and I call BS on anyone partaking calling themselves animal lovers.

Do you ride with a whip ?