“All horses love to run, my horse loves to gallop (without any coaxing, i.e. kicked, whipped) on the beach; then she stops when she has had enough! But there is a big difference between letting them run freely & forcing them to carry on galloping, when they have given their all, by whipping etc. This just totally pxxxxs’s me off! Why? Because it’s all down to money!”
Two horses, both aged six-years-old, lost their lives at Plumpton Racecourse yesterday afternoon (Sunday 11 May).
In the first race of the day, Head Rush was pulled up injured, halfway through the two-mile hurdle race in which he was competing. Then, in the final event of the day, a National Hunt flat race, grey gelding Eastbury fell to the ground injured and was seen struggling to get up.
Horse deaths at Plumpton are not rare. Two other horses, Ironically and Business Mover, were killed in almost identical circumstances to yesterday’s victims on the same race day in May 2013. And a total of 29 horses have perished at the East Sussex course since March 2007.
“You have just seen what happens to racehorses on the previous post by PETA. I’m still in tears over it. So PLEASE…IF YOU TRULY LOVE ANIMALS; SUPPORT THEM, NOT THE INDUSTRY! P.S. The video is not in the original post, it’s just to remind people how horses suffer in horse racing!”
Posted 26 March 2014
Saturday (March 29) marks the start of Animal Aid’s Horse Racing Awareness Week, an annual campaign during which the public is asked to consider the sombre truth about an exploitative horseracing industry.
Just to remind you – The Dark Side Of Horse Racing
Uploaded on 25 Mar 2008
Most people regard horse racing as a harmless sport in which the animals are willing participants who thoroughly enjoy the thrill. The truth is that behind the scenes lies a story of immense suffering.
On racecourses around the country, a total of around 200 horses die every year – usually from broken backs, legs and necks; or they suffer a heart attack. A large number of other horses at the start of their ‘careers’ are rejected as unsuitable, and others – when they have finished racing – are disposed of by being sent for slaughter.
The amount allocated for the roughly 7,500 horses who leave racing every year is pitifully small. The official rehabilitation scheme received just £50,000 from the Horserace Betting Levy Board for race horse care in 2013, out of a total of about £75m that was dispersed throughout the industry.1
Animal Aid supporters will be in high streets across the country during Horse Racing Awareness Week, communicating these hidden truths to a public that is told over and over by industry propagandists that race horses are cherished and cosseted like royalty.
Animal Aid’s detailed research over the past 15 years reveals something quite different: that the industry treats thoroughbreds as mere disposable commodities.
Animal Aid publishes details, as best we can, of every on-course death on British racecourses (because the British Horseracing Authority does not).
Based on industry data, we have calculated that around one in every 42 horses who begins the jump race season will be dead by the end of it as a result of an on-course injury.
Horse Racing Awareness Week is an ideal time for people to commit to supporting horses in need rather than bolstering the industry with their betting money or racecourse attendance fees.
The Animal Aid initiative that promotes this cause is called Sanctuary Not Cruelty. This year, the named horse charity isHillside Animal Sanctuary of Frettenham, Norfolk.
‘A typical reject of the racing industry is Underwriter. He stopped being profitable and found himself about to be sold to a slaughterhouse. About 1,000 horses from the racing industry are butchered each year in British slaughterhouses.
Happily, when it came to Underwriter, the meat man was outbid by representatives of Hillside Horse Sanctuary in Norfolk – and that is where Underwriter is currently to be found, sharing his days with special friend Sweetie and 900 other rescued equines.
As we approach the frenetically hyped three-day Grand National meeting, our message to the public is to use the money that would have gone on a bet, to support a hardworking horse sanctuary.’
“OMG…I FXXXXXG HATE THIS BLOOD SPORT….As a horse owner & lover for over 40 years; this just breaks my heart! TWO dead already, what is the Grand National going to be like…please pray all the horses get round the course safely; and go home safely, not dying of heart attacks or burst arteries after the race. R.I.P Little Josh x”
The Grand National meeting at Aintree suffered its second fatality today as the Little Josh, ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies, had to be put down after fracturing his shoulder.
The news comes after the meeting’s first casualty yesterday, when Battlefront suffered a suspected heart attack after being pulled up in the John Smith’s Fox Hunters’ Chase.
It is a further blow for Aintree officials after the course revamp before the meeting.
Carnage: Runners and riders are left strewn across the Aintree turf during the Fox Hunters’ Chase
Fox Hunters’ Chase In which Battlefront died of a heart attack after being pulled up
Aintree has revamped the course fences to make them safer for competing horses after criticism of the meeting’s Saturday showpiece branding it dangerous after seeing two fatalities – According to Pete and Synchronised – in last year’s National.
John Baker, Aintree and North West Regional Director of Jockey Club Racecourses, expressed his sympathies but defended the sport.
Tragic: Battlefront, ridden by Katy Walsh (left), suffered a suspected heart attack after being pulled up
‘British racing is very open that you can never eliminate all risk from horse racing, as with any sport.
However, welfare standards are very high and equine fatalities are rare.
‘With 90,000 runners each year, we have a fatality rate of just 0.2 per cent.’
Andrew Tyler, director of Animal Aid, described the carnage at Aintree as ‘utterly depressing’.
He said: ‘The Aintree authorities and the British Horse Racing Authority have been claiming that major new safety measures and efficiencies would eliminate much of the risk associated with racing on the Grand National course.”
Notorious: Bechers’ Brook (above) has claimed many casualties in the past
“But today’s Fox Hunters’ Chase, (4/4/2013) in which Battlefront lost his life, was stomach-wrenchingly chaotic from start to finish Several horses fell or were pulled up, tired and potentially injured.”
“It was both utterly depressing and served as confirmation that the Aintree authorities have got it badly wrong once again.”
“Please sign the petitions in the following related posts related articles…this race has to stop or at the very least, the jumps much smaller & a shorter distance to run!”
Cosmetics retailer Lush launches tombstone window displays in memory of equine fatalities
Adverts across London and in a national newspaper call on punters not to bet on the National
2012 Neptune Collonges runs clears as According to Pete and jockey Henry Haynes and On His Own and Paul Townshend fall at Bechers. According to Pete was also put down
Despite much heralded ‘safety improvements’, the Grand National’s most notorious obstacle remains a potentially lethal challenge for horses running at Aintree next month. The two horses who died at last year’s event – Synchronised and According To Pete – both fell at Becher’s Brook. The same 4ft 10in fence accounted for Dooneys Gate in 2011. His back was broken after the obstacle brought him down and another horse landed on him.
Animal Aid has long criticised the hard wooden core of Becher’s Brook. Reports, therefore, that the inner structure of Becher’s and other fences will be softened represents, in our view, a positive development.
However, Becher’s remains inherently lethal for many reasons, including its height, the spread, the diagonal angle of approach, the fact that it comes at the end of a fast straight of five demanding fences, and because horses must turn after the obstacle has been jumped. In addition, although changes have been made to the ground on the landing side of Becher’s, the fence is still lower there than on the take-off side, which poses another potential hazard for horses.
Animal Aid insists that the time for tinkering is over – Becher’s Brook must be removed.
Thrills and spills: James Reveley rolls away from the crash. A number of other fallers in the race will renew calls for smaller fences. Pictures via Daily Mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2130235/Grand-National-2012-horse-deaths-Ban-cruel-spectacle.html
Read more:
Besides Becher’s, other distinctive features make the Aintree annual race extraordinarily dangerous for horses. These include: an overcrowded field of 40 horses; a uniquely long distance, with more fences per mile than any other race; plus perversely challenging obstacles that vary in height and design, unlike the uniform fences found on other British courses. It is due to these and other factors that just 37 per cent of horses entered into the event over the past ten years have managed to complete the course.
Animal Aid anti-Grand National campaign initiatives include:
A demonstration outside Channel 4 in London on 6 April (the day of the race) by local activists and supported by Animal Aid. Channel 4 this year takes over broadcasting the Aintree meeting from the BBC.
Adverts, asking punters not to bet on the big race, appearing across London and in The Daily Telegraph newspaper.
A visit to Liverpool, on 3 April, by a converted ambulance emblazoned with stark protest imagery and messages. On the vehicle’s side, a powerful short film will be screened continuously. Leafleting will take place in various locations around the city.
Ethical cosmetics retailer, Lush, to feature a striking window display in its Leeds outlet, drawing attention to the horses who have died at recent Grand Nationals.
Animal Aid to attend the annual demonstration outside the gates of Aintree racecourse on the day of the Grand National.
Animal Aid’s redesigned unique database of on-course equine fatalities,Deathwatch, to be launched at the start of the Grand National meeting.
Animal Aid activists to distribute tens of thousands of leaflets across the country, calling on the public not to place a bet on the race, but instead back the Sanctuary not Cruelty scheme which directly funds two hard-pressed specialist sanctuaries that rescue horses – including ex-racehorses.
A number of course alterations and entry conditions were announced in November 2011, but these did not prevent two horses being killed in the 2012 Grand National. Further changes were introduced at the end of last year and more in recent weeks. But features that make the race so lethal remain unchanged.
Last month, Animal Aid published the report Deathwatch 2012, drawn from its online database that records the deaths of thoroughbreds on all British racecourses. The report reveals that Aintree was the most lethal of all Britain’s 60 racecourses in 2012, when deaths are evaluated in relation to the number of days’ racing. Six horses died at Aintree in just eight days of racing. Three of those fatalities occurred during the three-day Grand National meeting.
‘The time has come for Aintree Racecourse to face what for them is an unpalatable truth: the tide of public opinion is turning against its perversely cruel spectacle. An NOP poll conducted on behalf of Animal Aid last year revealed that, of those respondents who expressed a clear opinion, the majority feels that the Grand National is cruel. Our message is clear: people should stop backing this horror show and donate their money instead to sanctuaries that help horses – not to an industry that exploits and kills them.’
Further information
For press enquiries, please call Andrew Tyler or Dene Stansall on 01732 364546. Notes
Animal Aid’s campaign vehicle will be in Liverpool (Bold Street, near Ropewalks Square) on 3 April at 13.30.
The protest at Channel 4 in London will take place on 6 April from 14.30 onwards.
“OMG…the dreaded day is ahead…& it’s started already, one horse dead, although that was through a heart attack, so one has to question, why was he racing in the first place? was it just about MONEY!!!”
“Please if you love animals, especially horses, don’t back on the cruelty! These horses may well be very well cared for but at what cost? their life, in one race! I am dreading the Grand National & would ask everyone to pray that all horses finish the course & get to go home without any incident!”
“The spokes people at the Grand National have to mention a horse that has gone down, because it’s live TV. But you don’t hear them mentioning the ones that have gone back to their stables & died of heart attacks like Battlfront R.I.P or other horses who have burst pulmonary arteries etc.”
The Grand National course, which has undergone what have been described as major safety improvements, claimed an equine victim today (4 April), when 11-year-old Battlefront collapsed and died with a suspected heart attack.
He was being ridden byKatie Walsh, who earlier this week triggered controversy when she seemed to trivialise the deaths of horses on racecourses (‘these things happen, and they’re horses at the end of the day’), and claimed that race horses are looked after ‘better than some children’.
Battlefront had been racing in the 3.40 Foxhunters’ Chase, which is run over 18 fences on the Grand National course.Walsh pulled him up when he appeared to become distressed after jumping the challenging Valentine’s Brook.
He had been carrying an exceptionally heavy weight of 12 stone. Twenty-three other horses were entered into the 2m 5f event. It has been reported that four of them fell, another was brought down, several were pulled up and just 14 of the 24 finished.
Battlefront is the 23rdhorseto have died on the Grand National course since 2000 – eleven of them having perished in the big race itself.
‘The Aintree authorities and the British Horseracing Authority have been claiming that major new safety measures and efficiencies would eliminate much of the risk associated with racing on the Grand National course. But today’s Foxhunters’ Chase, in which Battlefront lost his life, was stomach-wrenchingly chaotic from start to finish. Several horses fell or were pulled up, tired and potentially injured. It was both utterly depressing and served as confirmation that the Aintree authorities have got it badly wrong once again.’
For more information:Contact Andrew Tyler or Dene Stansall on 01732 364546.
The Grand National meeting at Aintree suffered its first fatality on day one this afternoon as Battlefront collapsed and died after the 3.40 John Smith’s Fox Hunters‘ Chase.
The horse, ridden by Katie Walsh, was pulled up at the 11th fence of the 2m 5f chase, which was won by 100/1 long shot Tartan Snow.
Unfortunately 11-year-old Battlefront, trained by the jockey’s father Ted, then suffered a suspected heart attack on the way back to the stables and died.
Professor Chris Proudman, veterinary advisor to Aintree Racecourse, confirmed the news, saying: ‘We can confirm that Battlefront was pulled up at fence 11 of the John Smith’s Fox Hunter’s Chase on the Grand National course by his jockey Katie Walsh and sadly afterwards he collapsed and died.
World Horse Welfare Chief Executive, Roly Owers, discusses the changes being made by Aintree Racecourse to the Grand National 2013 fences and course, including the new fence cores.
One of the country’s leading jockeys has had 20 of his horses die during or after races in the past five years, it emerged yesterday.
Fatalities: AP McCoy riding Synchronised at the 2012 Grand National, shortly before their fatal fall
Two other top jockeys have suffered the deaths of 17 and 16 horses respectively over the same period.
The figures, produced by an animal rights group, fuel claims that horse racing is cruel, and should be restricted.
Animal Aid say that the jockeys’ death rates are broadly reflective of those across the entire sport, with the top riders having more deaths just because they have more races.
The figure of 20 was for champion jockey Tony McCoy, whose mount Synchronised died in last month’s Grand National. In the same race, According To Pete also died, leading to a wave of concern about welfare.
At the time, McCoy, one of Britain’s most successful jockeys and BBC Sports Personality of the Year two years ago, said: ‘It is one of those terrible things you wish would never happen.’ He described Synchronised, on which he had won the Gold Cup at Cheltenham in March, as ‘a horse I won’t ever forget’.
Last year alone, McCoy’s mount Kerensa died in a race at Towcester in December, A Stones Throw died after a race at Market Rasen in July, Zarinski also died at Market Rasen in January, and Lethal Glaze died after the races at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. With the figures suggesting McCoy has ridden in 3,987 races over the past five years, he has lost a horse every 199 races.
Fellow jockeys with high death counts since 2007 include Richard Johnson, with 17 lost horses, and Tom Scudamore, with 16. Animal Aid says Scudamore has lost one horse every 167 races. The group’s director Andrew Tyler said 180 horses died in British race meetings in the past year.
He added: ‘Most people would be shocked that so many horses die after being raced by these top jockeys. However, these jockeys are actually no worse than the average
‘They have accumulated the highest death tallies because they ride a lot of races. The real point is that this kind of attrition rate is typical of all jump racing. The sport is inherently lethal to horses.’
The British Horseracing Authority and the Professional Jockeys’ Association accepted the figures, but defended racing.
Robin Mounsey, of the BHA, said: ‘British racing is among the world’s most regulated of animal activities and we are very open about injuries and fatalities.’ A BHA spokesman said there were 95,000 races run by individual horses in Britain last year. He added: ‘In 2011, the overall equine fatality rate was 0.19 per cent of these 95,000 runners.’
Jockeys’ Association spokesman Paul Struthers said: ‘Leading jockeys will ride far more horses per year than others, so, simply by the law of averages, they are more likely to see some of their mounts suffer fatal injuries.’
AP McCoy tops ominous chart, losing one horse for every 199 he has ridden since 2007
List compiled by animals rights group to show dangers of racing
DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS BLOG - SOME PICTURES & VIDEOS CAN & WILL BE VERY GRAPHIC - SO PLEASE, VIEW THIS BLOG AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
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PLEASE NOTE.....
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If I have anything to say on any post, you will see it in bold blue writing. I try to remain a lady, but it's hard to contain my anger & emotions at the some of the stories I post; I don’t have a heart of stone, tears stain many articles I write!
Lastly, my apologies for any errors; I am learning whilst posting, so if you find anything that doesn't work or a broken link, sorry, I'm only human!!!!
ABOUT THESE POSTS
I would just like to make readers aware, that I search for stories on the internet; regards animal abuse etc. I copy stories etc. from the internet; assuming these stories are correct at time of publishing. Having said that, sometimes the press get it wrong! So I just want to add that at the time of me posting a news story, I presume all the facts seem present & correct.
Please note....all people mentioned in this blog, are presumed innocent, until proven otherwise, in a court of law.
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PLEASE DO NOT SEND REQUESTS FOR YOUR FRIENDS TO JOIN. I do not want anyone to be upset by graphic images etc.
My aim is to educate & raise awareness to the horrors animals face, at the hands of humans, every day, around the world!!
We can not hope to achieve better laws, to protect animals, unless we unite as one, to speak up for those who are voiceless!!
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DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS BLOG - SOME PICTURES & VIDEOS CAN & WILL BE VERY GRAPHIC - SO PLEASE, VIEW THIS BLOG AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
STOP ANIMAL ABUSE 
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