Horse Racing; a “Sport” for Psychopaths
This time of year makes me sick to my stomach as the nation gets giddy for the races, sizing up the odds on their “favourite to win”, not giving a thought to the lives of these incredibly sensitive animals they’re betting on.
Too many people who watch horse racing say they love horses. Most don’t have a clue. Watching horses run is indeed a sight to behold. Watching horses being whipped to run beyond exhaustion over jumps for “fun” is nothing but endorsing cruelty.
The weekend of the Aintree Festival/Grand National Tragedy has come again, and two horses are dead.
This is the moment Gold Dancer’s fate was decided, the moment his back broke upon landing from a jump.
Gold Dancer’s trainer Willie Mullins might as well have been talking about a car in response to the tragedy, saying“What's done is done. What's happened has happened. I'm sure they're looking to see what actually happened if they do an autopsy… Horses make mistakes and people out running trip and get up and go on and run another 10 miles and only find out later that night they've pulled a muscle somewhere. It's just life. We can't legislate for everything.”
There’s something seriously wrong in implying that Gold Dancer “made a mistake” that led to his own death, but it’s hardly surprising that those who condone pushing horses to breaking point would blame the horse for its fall.
I’ve been horse obsessed since my first encounter as a four-year-old when a horse grabbed a mouthful of my hair and lifted me off the ground. I worked with every “problem” horse that came my way, including ex-racers. What did I learn? Horses are excellent at communicating through body language, expressions and sounds, and any half decent horse person will learn to listen to what a horse is communicating. Shit horse people project their own ideas of what the horse’s behaviour means to suit their objectification of the horse. That’s what Willie Mullins and so many others do. They dismiss and excuse every sign of suffering.
Every year the Grand National comes under scrutiny as news headlines reveal the first casualty and concerned horse lovers brace for others.
Every year the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) says measures are being taken to reduce casualties.
Every year the BHA fails to accept that the death of even one horse is too much for a spectator sport that gambles on putting animals at severe risk.
“Get on George” was the second casualty of this year's Aintree Festival after breaking a joint in his left leg, which can be seen in the photo. He was destroyed just 24 hrs after Gold Dancer was killed.
Last year saw Willy De Houelle suffer a fatal fall during the festival, while Celebre d’Allen collapsed after the race, later dying following severe complications.
As of 2024, 88 horses have died at the Grand National.
It may only be my personal opinion, but anyone who enjoys watching animals pushed to run beyond exhaustion to breaking point while being whipped must surely have psychopathic tendencies.
