The National
This blog is about the horse race at Aintree. For The National (excellent low-key US band), see The National (band)
So, I’ve just been watching the Grand National. I watch it every year. I always bet on a horse. I’ve only ever won once, in 2008 (with Comply or Die – always back a rhyming horse). I’m not really interested in racing the rest of the year round, except as a minor component of my overall sports obsession.
As a result, it’s only on this day every year that I engage with the question of whether horse-racing is really cruel to horses.
The evidence seems quite compelling that it is. They have to jump over hedges which are so frighteningly high it would be like one of us having to jump over, say, a parking meter, or Peter Jones from Dragons’ Den. They get flayed with those leather straps as they come in to the home straight. If they break a bone, they’ll probably be shot: if my life worked like that, I’d have died three times already. And the overarching theme of all this is that they’re being put through a gruelling routine, and subjected to physical ordeals, so that people like me can sit in their living rooms and say ‘where the fuck is The Package? Come on! Run, you bugger!’. And even if they do win it’ll be a little Irish fellow who gets most of the glory. So, yes, surely racing is dreadful for horses.
Except. There are always people who know more than me, who swear that racehorses (a) enjoy racing, and (b) being trained for it, enjoy a better quality of life than a lot of their horsey compatriots, or (c) having been bred specifically for that purpose, have no real cause for complaint, since they’d not exist otherwise. I met legendary jockey Frankie Dettori recently on a TV show, and he talked with massive affection about the ‘orses he’s ridden and loved; a couple of his favourite ‘orses, he even bought, and they now pad about enjoying retirement on his vast acreage. (In case you’ve never seen Dettori he talks in a very distinctive Italian accent, that’s why I’m pronouncing ‘orses like that.) So what I’m saying is, a lot of the people involved in racing – and I’ve met quite a few – are some of the people who love horses the most in the world, as far as I can make out. It seems unlikely they’d be able to commit to a pursuit which was unfair on these beautiful beasts.
But then perhaps this is wishful thinking on my part because I enjoy the sport, and I’d like to think I’m not being a bastard by condoning it, in the same way I like to somehow imagine pigs get some kind of a kick out of starring in sausages and mash, because otherwise I’d have to face the fact I’m basically a savage.
So. I’m open-minded here. What’s the answer? Is horse-racing all right or not? Ta.
Posted by Knox on May 9, 2011
I had this one line in a Willy Russell Play once, in my grand role of ‘girl No. 2′, after a boy had objected to animals being kept in a cage, basically that they’d been born in a cage, lived all their life in a cage, so they wouldn’t know any different, so it wasn’t cruel. I don’t agree that just because an animal has been bred and trained to do a certain thing, that means they enjoy it.
I’m all for riding horses to get from a to b, as long as they’re treated well (e.g. i think spurs and crops are cruel in riding, just as much as crops are in racing). I think there’s a cruelty to making them do something simply because they can, just for our viewing pleasure. Athletes (generally) get the choice to follow their particular sport – horses don’t elect to become race horses.
i don’t really know anything about riding or racing, so i’m speaking from a position of pretty much complete ignorance, but i’ve always instinctively disliked horse-racing.
Posted by Andrew on July 29, 2010
Little bit late with the comment here. I truly loathe horse racing, and it has nothing to do with cruelty or otherwise (sorry, stop reading now if you’re bothered by me not actually answering the question). I loathe it because all the preamble and postamble are so interminable. As a cricket loving child, I would savour Saturday afternoons as the only time I could watch the Test Match. Except, at about 2.22 it would be time to go over for the 2.30 at Newmarket. Cue endless shots of horses wandering around and pundits pontificating about their prospects. Eventually – invariably late – the race would start, and within a minute or two it would be over. Cue five more minutes of analysis, repeats, shots of the winner being parked (or whatever horses are…) We’d make it back to the cricket at about 2.40, get about ten minutes of action before it was time to go over for the 3.00! JUST SHOW THE DAMN RACE!
Posted by Glamlovinkitty on April 12, 2010
James – there’s a world of difference. When I refer to horse riding, I’m thinking of people who have horses because they love horses and want to look after them, not because they see them as a money making venture. People who will go out with their horse for a trot round the country. I have no problem with people keeping horses as ‘pets’ (if you like – I’m not that keen on the word and it seems particularly odd in relation to horses) and with riding them. I don’t have a problem with horses being ridden over jumps – provided the horse, not the rider, chooses whether to jump and isn’t punished when it chooses not to do so.
What I have a problem with is the enforced nature of racing, and jumping, and the sad fact that many horses are simply abandoned, neglected or killed when they’re no longer ‘useful’. A lot of extremely callous people work in the racing industry, who care only about money and success, and not horses. That appalls me.
Yes, ok, horses love to run. But when they want to. I suspect they don’t love being kicked and beaten for not doing it fast enough.
Posted by Glamlovinkitty on April 12, 2010
Terry – not quite true that no horses died this year.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/apr/09/deaths-grand-national-aintree
Posted by Laura on April 12, 2010
Clare – no respectable dog trainer would ever hit their dogs, even ‘tapping it on the nose with a newspaper’. I work for a professional dog trainer and she despairs that this attitude still seems to be prevalent. There are far kinder, and more effective, ways to teach your dog to behave how you want it to.
Posted by Shell on April 11, 2010
Sorry Mark – I go rather off topic under this blog but I have to challenge this:
Clare – I don’t think we should hit any animal unless fighting it for our lives or something. It is just not acceptable.
I have never tapped any of my dogs on the nose with a newspaper! That is very old school, cruel and completely unnecessary. Please don’t. There are plenty of ways to get an animal to understand you and behave that are kind. Even a tap on the nose is nasty – do it to yourself and see if you doubt me and dogs noses are more sensitive than ours.
Horses may be tougher skinned than us but they are very much fearful ‘flight’ animals. A sharp sting from a whip would be unpleasant and for some scary. I once rode a horse abroad which flinched or shied everytime one of the ‘guides’ came near us on his horse!. I was carrying no stick and my horse was very well behaved except when demonstrating its fear of this man. I told him to keep the hell away from us and had ‘words’ with the manager when the treck finished. Sadly I don’t know if it did any good
Posted by Dave on April 11, 2010
When I was little I remember seeing race clips showing horses coming over jumps and breaking legs/necks etc and so ever since have hated the ‘sport’ with a passion.
Personally I would much rather see the jockies running around the course on their own – clambering over those jumps with their little legs – I think that would be really entertaining and funny for all concerned. I’d even bet on that kind of race.
Posted by Clare on April 11, 2010
Most things have been answered very comprehensively by other people.
The broken bones thing is really unfortunate, but certainly doesn’t condemn a horse to death. The way horses have evolved has meant that at certain points (landing a jump, or even walking down hill) they support almost all their weight on the weakest legs. If a horse breaks its front leg(s) it takes a long time to recover. They won’t race again, but unless it’s a really really bad splintering break, it will get reset and the horse will find retirement somewhere. It’s not just confined to racing either. Horses doing cross-country courses are at risk, too, but people rarely question if that’s cruel.
As for the sticks; the rump muscle of a horse (particularly an athletic one) is an incredible power house. Yes, it hurts if you hit a person with that stick. With a horse it registers as a sharp reminder, akin to tapping a dog on the nose with a newspaper.
Spurs to the ribs is very different, but you don’t see much of that anymore.
Posted by Madeleine on April 11, 2010
I think that we probably shouldn’t race horses. We’re putting them in this position of making them do something incredibly dangerous (jump very high things, run faster than they’re really meant to). Just because an animal CAN do these things, doesn’t mean it wants to or was “born to do it” I can stand on my head for long periods of time, I don’t think its my lifes work. Then if some kind of accident happens from these risky practices and we have to shoot the animal, where we put it in the situation. And then theres all the whipping.
I think its quite unlikely that they’re going to ban horse racing any time soon, but it would be good if people stopped seeing it as the kind of harmless fun that it obviously isn’t.
Posted by LisaD on April 11, 2010
I think horse racing is no more or less cruel than sports in general. Horses are being asked to do something less counter-intuitive than most human athletes. Wild horses behave in the exact same way but run for significantly longer periods of time without stopping and in larger circles (they do still run in circular patterns which is kind of interesting) and without the little guy in a bright colored jumpsuit. People who go horse riding use bridles and sometimes spurs and crops as well so I think allowing for one as just fine but the other as cruel is a bit odd.
I’ve been at horse races when the horse is fed up and doesn’t want to run. They actually will stand in the gate, plant their hooves and absolutely refuse to move. Most of the time though the only thing stopping them from running is the gate in front of them and some of them would keep going after the race if they weren’t pulled back. Also, not all race horses are shot when they’re injured; these days there’s often someone willing to take on caring for them so they’re usually just retired early.
Race horses are treated very well, but once again we care more about the animals involved than the people. Compare the way most retired race horses live to the way most retired jockeys live (and they have higher injury rates than the horses as well). The horse has the better deal.
Posted by Terry on April 10, 2010
I literally turned on right at the start of the race to see King Johns Castle (incidentally the horse my brother bet on because he went to King John school, and he likes castles) deciding he didn’t want to run, and all I could think is oh, he’s gonna get shot. Hopefully he didn’t.
And about halfway through I saw a horse fall at a gate and get trampled by a load of other horses which left me mildly horrified, but I was later assured that no horses died this year.
Still not nice though, I didn’t even have a bet on any. Although my sister won £92, she got the winner
Posted by David Calder on April 10, 2010
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with flat racing (do any horses die during flat races?) but making them jump over obstacles that results in severe spinal injuries seems a bit wrong to me:
http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/NEWS/news_horse//2296//
Posted by Ben on April 10, 2010
never got into horse racing. always assumed it was pretty good for the horse though, i never knew people thought otherwise. then again, all my knowledge of horse racing comes from a bunch of Dick Francis novels i read at my uncle’s when i was 15.
now the national (band) i like. we should race them, and it WILL be cruel, but they can just turn it into beautiful music. that’s how it works, i think?
Posted by James on April 10, 2010
Erm… @glamlovinkitty “I don’t mind horse riding but I find horse racing despicable” A slight contradiction? By riding horses, you’re treating them as commodities.
I don’t see anything majorly wrong with Horse Racing. It’s very exciting. Though I think I’m not going to but money on Comply or Die anymore.
Posted by glamlovinkitty on April 10, 2010
I don’t mind horse riding but I find horse racing despicable. So many horses die that I can’t comprehend anyone thinking it’s fun.
Horses are animals, not commodities.
Posted by Shell on April 10, 2010
Rachael – It is lovely to read that you kept your horse for life and I’m so sorry you’re still so sad about her loss. I’m sure she had a lovely and secure life with you. I wish more horse owners had your attitude.
I am in total accord with you. I’ve ridden a lot over the years (when travelling and in the UK) and I helped look after a friend’s horse for some years. He was lovely, called Bo (short for Bojangles – so that song always makes me cry now he’s gone) and when she emigrated to Canada she spent a fortune flying him (quite old by then) out he lived out his years in a field at the bottom of her garden with lots of equine companions and an environment much better than she could afford for him here. She also took her dog and cat out too. I’d have done the same as I too believe animals are for life. I saw him in Canada many times before he died peacefully at about 23 years old.
I’ve never owned a horse for the simple reason that I could never part with it as it got old or trade it for a younger fitter model if it went lame and I was afraid that I would be unable to afford it if something went wrong financially and I could no more get rid of a horse or dog to save money than a family member and I didn’t fancy risking it.
Horses treated kindly don’t mind being ridden and do actively enjoy the companionship of humans.
So no I don’t like horse racing – mainly because of the treatment of horses as ‘things’ or commodities like cars rather than sentient creatures. It plays on their fears and I despise the jockeys hitting them pointlessly as they head towards the line. I live in Liverpool and my bf and I used to walk his dog around Aintree for much of the year (we weren’t supposed to but the security was shit) and I’ve stood up close to those preposterous fences and it’s no wonder so many horses are injured and killed! So I’ve never been and I stopped watching it on telly because it upsets me.
I wouldn’t miss The National if this was its last year.
Posted by Anji on April 10, 2010
I have no idea if it is right or wrong. I hate watching in case one falls but somehow still do watch.
And when ever I’ve been to ‘the races’ it’s always been wet, windy and bloody cold. And I don’t win. All reasons to back me not liking it.
Today however I won, I didn’t watch the race in case one fell… But winning was nice! And I got second.
If the horses are well looked after on the whole, and are happy I guess it in the end comes down to all sport. It’s sad if someone/thing gets injured and their game is over. You just hope the best thing happens for them next.
Posted by Misha on April 10, 2010
I’ve never been to the races but I am a bit of a horse nerd, so I’d like to think i’m reasonably qualified to pass comment.
-The idea that in the event of a fall the horse gets shot is a myth. If you watch about 90% of them get up and carry on running, 5% get caught and stopped. In the rare incidence one does get hurt they’re more likely to be taken home and treated. A dead horse won’t earn you any money, a recovering one still might. And on the odd occasion one gets hurt too badly to be saved they are, sadly, put to sleep. Not shot. The same as if your aged pet cat has to be put to sleep they simply whack a fatal amount of anaesthetic in them, the horse goes to sleep, end of.
-Do they enjoy it? Naturally horses will race and jump about in the fields of their own accord, so they aren’t being asked to do something unnatural. If they weren’t enjoying it then the loose horses wouldn’t carry on trying to run. And if they decided not to go your average thoroughbred horse weighs several times the amount of your average human, if he doesn’t want to go you won’t make him. That happened today with the grey at the start who just stopped.
- The horses themselves are bred for the purpose, and they live the life of a high class athlete. Much though I adore my local stables they don’t have a patch on the average racing yard, if you ever get to watch the programmes where they go and look most racing yards are terrifyingly pristine and pleasant places.
-The lucky horses, those that win well are quite often kept in retirement with the trainers or owners, but for those who retire and still have a working career there are plenty of charities who retrain them to other situations, lots of those find new homes as riding horses, and there’s a reasonable market for companion horses, ones which can’t be ridden but simply provide friendship.
Of course there are always exceptions to the rule, but most people in racing are there because they wanted to work with horses, not to cause them pain.
As for the sticks I can’t really comment, I think the ones jockeys use are normally rubber and have a shock absorbing system in them, but then most every day riders use a stick to some extent.
I’ll shut up now, I went riding today so I’ve rambled.
Posted by Adam on April 10, 2010
They’re brought up on it from a very young age, and if horses didn’t like being hit with the stick thing, then surely they’d just throw the little Irish lad off, and if they didn’t want to jump over Peter Jones, they just wouldn’t bother.
Posted by Carl on April 10, 2010
Every single part of my skinny frame wants to hate horse-racing. Loads of little blokes forcing big beasts to run around a track for the amusement of pissed humans just doesn’t seem right.
Yet it really is fun. I’ve always been torn between my moral code and my entertainment loving heart.
As it’s, as you said a while back, the weekend, thus a place to declare bold statements I have come to this conclusion: My heart is a natural object, my morals are things developed from a good upbringing and society and as nature was here first I shall go with my heart…
Horse-racing is all right.
Posted by Rachael on April 10, 2010
P.S. I wouldn’t listen to me because im probably not the best person to ask, horses are a touchy subject for me since mine died 2 years ago and i havent gotten over it yet.
Posted by Rachael on April 10, 2010
As a previous horse owner I have never been able to condon it myself, mainly because of the danger aspect. and whilst i realise that alot of the people involved do genuinely love their horses, alot of them are really only in it for the money. I know a horse who was bred to race but injured herself as a young’un and as a result would never be able to race, even though she could do anything else, anyway her owners were going to have her shot because they didnt care anymore. but i know alot of people who have horses and they do love them i suppose but the way they talk about them just makes me cringe, sort of like how certain twats talk about women. I don’t know maybe im weird but i could never have made my pony do those things, or traded her in for a better model like most horse owners do.