AshVilla Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 It shouldn't be banned its a spectacle Man and beast jumping some big fences whats not to like It used to be alot worse they have made it too easy now far to many finish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 Synchronised dead, gutted. I thought they had made safety improvements and yet this year seemed to be utter carnage. If it was how he fell then I'm not sure there is much they could do about it - he just seemed to go a bit cock-eyed over the fence. If it's something else (i.e. related to him getting spooked and running off) then perhaps. Doubtless they'll now bring in a rule to disallow any horses that run free before the start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 Synchronised dead Sad news. I think he had no real chance of winning after his pre-race and I guess he would have been pulled out had it been anything other than the National and it is a pity he was allowed to go on to run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM3000 Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 Fences are way too high. Its a sport that wouldn't be missed one bit, most people on take notice of it at National and Gold Cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briggaman Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 The fences were lowered. It's supposed to be a bit of a challenge to jump them. I don't think they should ban it at all to be honest... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM3000 Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 A bit? Half the horses fell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdistheword Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 Just reduce the number of horses that enter? There were 2 fatalities, Synchronised and According to Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 Fences are way too high. Its a sport that wouldn't be missed one bit, most people on take notice of it at National and Gold Cup. Except it would be missed more than 'one bit'. Perhaps not by you who obviously doesn't like it (which is fine, btw) or even by the once/twice a year punters who could shove their dough on the health lottery or some such other thing but by the (rural) communities (and their economies) which are often built around the sport? It wouldn't just be missed. And then there are those who follow it (like me) who would certainly miss it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarewsEyebrowDesigner Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 The debate gets raised every year. Nothing will change, because it's tradition and people make a lot of money from it. I'd rather it wasn't around though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted April 14, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted April 14, 2012 It shouldn't be banned its a spectacle Gladiators were once a spectacle, Bull fighting is a spectacle, doesnt mean they're acceptable just because they are a spectacle. I'm all for it being banned to be honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 It shouldn't be banned its a spectacle Man and beast jumping some big fences whats not to like It used to be alot worse they have made it too easy now far to many finish Too easy? I think only 15 of the 44 starters finished. Plus 2 fatalities. How is that too easy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidlewis Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 So I guess all dangerous sports should be banned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eames Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 It shouldn't be banned its a spectacle Man and beast jumping some big fences whats not to like It used to be alot worse they have made it too easy now far to many finish Too easy? I think only 15 of the 44 starters finished. Plus 2 fatalities. How is that too easy? Only 40 started, (which IMO is too many 30 would be so much safer) The real problem is that National Hunt horses are getting smaller and lighter, much like their flat racing cousins. There simply not bred to jump and land over hurdles like they used to be, its more about speed. Put Desert Orchid next to Neptune Collonges and the difference would be remarkable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidlewis Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 Is the solution not to just make the fences a bit smaller? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted April 15, 2012 Moderator Share Posted April 15, 2012 They are animals bred specifically for the sport, eventually most of them end up in dog food anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 It shouldn't be banned its a spectacle Man and beast jumping some big fences whats not to like It used to be alot worse they have made it too easy now far to many finish Too easy? I think only 15 of the 44 starters finished. Plus 2 fatalities. How is that too easy? Only 40 started, (which IMO is too many 30 would be so much safer) The real problem is that National Hunt horses are getting smaller and lighter, much like their flat racing cousins. There simply not bred to jump and land over hurdles like they used to be, its more about speed. Put Desert Orchid next to Neptune Collonges and the difference would be remarkable. Thanks for correcting me... I read 44 in a paper but wasn't sure it was accurate. I'm not saying ban the National, but it appears to me that more fatalities happen in this face (on average) than any other National Hunt race? Happy to be proven wrong but I don't hear of the same level of deaths in Cheltenham for the Gold Cup or Kempton for the King George. What's the answer? Reduce the size of the field? I read somewhere that while reducing the height of the fences may help in one way, it also means that the horses then approach the fences quicker negating the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM3000 Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 Fences are way too high. Its a sport that wouldn't be missed one bit, most people on take notice of it at National and Gold Cup. Except it would be missed more than 'one bit'. Perhaps not by you who obviously doesn't like it (which is fine, btw) or even by the once/twice a year punters who could shove their dough on the health lottery or some such other thing but by the (rural) communities (and their economies) which are often built around the sport? It wouldn't just be missed. And then there are those who follow it (like me) who would certainly miss it. I bet on them a few times a year, not just the big events. If I am in the bookies for a while I will put a bet on. Its just the amount that fall in the bigger events seems to be increasing. I don't dislike it, but I think it should be made a lot safer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted April 15, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted April 15, 2012 They are animals bred specifically for the sport, eventually most of them end up in dog food anyway And that just makes it okay? I'd rather they weren't bred at all. But that's just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 I hate the fact that horses die The fact that the gold cup winner was killed yesterday should hopefully raise awareness of this cruelty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briggaman Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 They are animals bred specifically for the sport, eventually most of them end up in dog food anyway And that just makes it okay? I'd rather they weren't bred at all. But that's just me. Surely it's better being used in this way than slaughtered in the first place... It's better being bred to race (even if only for a short while) than being bred to be killed (as many animals are). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts