Sunday, April 10, 2011

more horses die in Grand National 2011

I haven't yet gotten around to telling about the recent 3-day event locally in which a horse died and several riders were injured. I had been asked to volunteer but declined. On that one day, three horses in the US and UK died in eventing competition.

Now this.


There are many upsetting photographs so don't look if you're very squeamish. On the other hand, if you're not convinced that these kinds of sports are dangerous, definitely go take a look. Sometimes pictures are worth millions of words, and that's the case here.

10 comments:

Grey Horse Matters said...

The photo's are upsetting but the thought that this happens year after year is disgusting. Worse yet, they kept the race going with dead horses still in the field covered with tarps and the checkered flags led the rest of the field around them. Because after all dead horses were viewed as "obstacles" to be avoided. Shame on them.

jme said...

i can't even express how horrified i am by this. i'm still crying from looking at those photos. how this is allowed to continue i will never understand. and maybe i'm a terrible person, but i couldn't care less about the injured jockeys who go into this knowingly and with so little regard for these poor animals, the unwilling victims of this barbaric 'sport.' disgusting.

billie said...

Arlene, I know - it's like nothing is sacred. Just the run for the trophy.

billie said...

j, me too. Seeing those gorgeous animals twisted and contorted made me cry as well.

I have no feelings of sympathy for the riders. They're making active decisions to compete.

With that many horses and the configuration of the course, it's a recipe for disaster, that has been proven to be so many times over by this point. That it continues seems barbaric and revolting to me. Why would anyone pay to watch?

There was a steeplechase locally yesterday that I was offered free tickets for - it's nothing on the scale of the GN but I simply don't want to watch while horses pile up if one goes down.

ponymaid said...

billie, I keep checking and it actually is 2011 and not 1611. Why is this still happening in a sport supposedly peopled by horse lovers? Ego outweighs equus.

billie said...

The dark ages, indeed, Sheaffer. I agree - ego weighs heavy with many humans.

Michelle said...

Wow. Very distressing.

billie said...

Yes, Michelle - so upsetting.

Shoshin said...

This is murder--& complicity in murder.

And barely a step back...from the "entertainment"put on at the Colosseum in Ancient Rome

billie said...

Partly why I no longer support by purchasing tickets to things like this.