furryelephant Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 The good thing about forums is that everyone can put forward their own opinions... I agree that the racing festival is good for local economies and that drastic steps have been taken to improve the National course... and I applaud the race organisers for that. I also agree that animals are sometimes put to sleep due to illness and injury, just as pet animals would be in the same situation. My problem with the racing industry is the chronic overbreeding of foals, who are often not suitable as riding horses due to their breeding and characters. Sadly, many of these do not make the grade as racing prospects and, as a product of an industry driven by profit, these animals are not seen as worth the investment required in training and upkeep. If only these problems were easy to sort out, but sadly they aren't. Foals will be bred in large numbers to increase the chances of breeding that future champion... and there will be the number who do come up to that standard. The lucky ones live a happy life with the best of care... others are not. This can anly be dealt with from within the racing authorities by the introduction of proper regulations to stop this excessive breeding of Thoroughbred horses. Paula Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 Personally I don't think that there is anything with the Grand National and Gorse Racing, again it's just another sport. IMO boxing is a lot worse, but I'm not going to go into that. I too hate boxing, and cannot understand people who pay to watch people trying to knock each other unconcious. The difference between boxing and horse racing is that boxers choose to take up this horrible sport, horses cannot Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 I don't watch it out of principal. I hate watchiong the horses fall and all the background to the ones that dont make the grade (like greyhounds) is too much for me too I completely agree. I have never like horseracing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMitch Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 Interesting thread. I have grown up in the industry, Dad was a national winner in the 50's, sisters married to a jockey so its always been a part of my life. At the end of the day its an industry like everything else. I've seen good and and bad management of horses and am pleased to say that things are alot better than they used to be. People see the disposing of horses not to standard as a horrible thing but its done with everything. How many chicken keepers would you see that breed purely for show purpose that will keep ones that are not to the standard they require. It wouldn't be feasible to keep something that costs money and gives nothing in return and you can't just sell a throughbred to someone as a pet horse its not what they are breed for. Saying all that I'm the wuss in the family and can't kill anything. I also don't go horse racing, not because I disagree with it, its just a sport I find boring, probably because I pretty much lived on a course when I was younger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 I agree with you MadMitch, there is good and bad in everything. I'll hold my hands up and say that OH works in the betting industry and we have had a share of a racehorse in the past. All I can say is from what I've seen, and our horse was treated really well, won a few races and after his racing career finished he went off to be a pet horse. He was a lovely boy. I don't think you can tar everyone in this industry with the same brush. Its the same with dog and cat breeders. You get some that are in it for the money and some that just want to breed lovely animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 ...I don't think you can tar everyone in this industry with the same brush. Its the same with dog and cat breeders. You get some that are in it for the money and some that just want to breed lovely animals. It's the same in any industry involving animals, there will always be good and bad, however there's BIG money is racing and a lot of unscrupulous, immoral and cruel practices go on. The statistics and reports speak for themselves. Whether it be horse racing, dog racing, pigeon racing, fox hunting, puppy farming, intensive chicken, battery egg farming etc etc if there's cruelty involved in the majority of the industry, I'd rather not contribute to it by handing my money over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 Can't bear it either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
