Should the Grand National event be scrapped, or should the course be changed?

[DarloRich]

It's simply not cost effective for an owner to keep a horse that isn't earning. And having been raised and trained only to race they are too highly strung to be suitable for private ownership for horse-riding activities.

that isnt entirely true. I know several leisure riders, all of whom own ex race horses. I have no doubt horses that are healthy are shot, just like dogs and cats.

I see what you mean about which animals we consider acceptable to eat. I have no qualms eating rabbit but would starve before eating cat.

I will eat anything. What is different about a dog or a cat than say a chicken or a rabbit?

 

[Strat-tastic]

notgoingtosayitnotgoingtosayit
Weren’t the stripes a bit off putting?

Think char-grilled

 

[NoMorePacers]

Park the horses up and race cars instead I say.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I will eat anything. What is different about a dog or a cat than say a chicken or a rabbit?

Nothing except my personal feelings (I see cats as companions not sustenance)... which was exactly the point I was making! There's no practical reason for humans to feel that way about certain animals, yet we do.

 

[DarloRich]

Nothing except my personal feelings... which was exactly the point I was making!

i understand. My dog and I had an agreement: In times of national emergency whoever went first would be eaten by the other. I suspect he spent years trying to work out ways to kill me

 

[61653 HTAFC]

i understand. My dog and I had an agreement: In times of national emergency whoever went first would be eaten by the other. I suspect he spent years trying to work out ways to kill me

I have little doubt that my cat would eat my corpse if she had to in order to survive, I only ask that she waits until I'm dead before tucking in!

 

[Bletchleyite]

i understand. My dog and I had an agreement: In times of national emergency whoever went first would be eaten by the other. I suspect he spent years trying to work out ways to kill me

The dog would die for you. A cat, by contrast, would kill you.

 

[DarloRich]

I have little doubt that my cat would eat my corpse if she had to in order to survive, I only ask that she waits until I'm dead before tucking in!

The difference between the cat and the dog was that I am convinced the cat could have killed us at any point and enjoyed doing so. I suspect the dog would have come up with wily coyote style events and failed!

 

[Cowley]

i understand. My dog and I had an agreement: In times of national emergency whoever went first would be eaten by the other. I suspect he spent years trying to work out ways to kill me

That reminds of the difference between a dog and a cat:
If you were reduced by accident to the size of a mouse your dog would still do what you told it to do.
The cat however would play with you for a bit, but then eat all of you apart from a few select innards...

 

[eastdyke]

Think char-grilled

I have eaten char. It was char-fried though, we were camping - no grill. Delicious.

i understand. My dog and I had an agreement: In times of national emergency whoever went first would be eaten by the other. I suspect he spent years trying to work out ways to kill me

Surely you got suspicious though when the dog started giving you three meals a day?

 

[Cowley]

That reminds of the difference between a dog and a cat:
If you were reduced by accident to the size of a mouse your dog would still do what you told it to do.
The cat however would play with you for a bit, but then eat all of you apart from a few select innards...

Edit - I was typing this out while you were already replying.

 

[Typhoon]

Its a 'sport' that abrogates any responsibility to animal welfare once a competitor stops earning. Sport of Kings my arse.

Judging from what history has taught me about the attitude of kings towards their subjects, I think 'Sport of Kings' may be an apt description.

 

[bnm]

I will eat anything. What is different about a dog or a cat than say a chicken or a rabbit?

The difference is that all the land animals we routinely consume (add horse if you wish) are herbivores. Cats are carnivorous and dogs are omnivores that predominantly eat meat.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The difference is that all the land animals we routinely consume (add horse if you wish) are herbivores. Cats are carnivorous and dogs are omnivores that predominantly eat meat.

But why should that matter?

 

[Busaholic]

When I went on holiday to Moscow in 1974, if you weren't prepared to eat horsemeat in the Imperial Hotel restaurant then you were going to go very hungry, excepting the beetroot soup (borsch, or its Russian equivalent.) I loved both, but I was a gourmand. We weren't told it was horsemeat, of course, but it sure didn't come from cattle! Sometimes I ate two or three horse steaks donated by the squeamish (it was Winter!)

 

[mmh]

The difference is that all the land animals we routinely consume (add horse if you wish) are herbivores. Cats are carnivorous and dogs are omnivores that predominantly eat meat.

And pigs?

 

[HOOVER29]

I stopped following the gee gees when the local club stopped the annual trip out to York races back in 1997. Every July it was. Full suit & tie job.
Incidentally talking about the Grand National, I feel I’m partially to blame for the tragic passing of the horse at the first fence.
I actually had a bet on this years national for the first time in years & guess which horse I put the bet on.
It was a lucky dip bet although that’s probably not the correct terminology in this case.
My mum had a bet too.
On a grey.
That fell at the first or second fence.
However every nag up & down the country has just breathed a sigh of relief as we’ve decided not to bother betting on horses again.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I was under the impression that the RMT union were of the opinion that the Grand National was one of the events they disapproved of last year, so I was somewhat disappointed that this year, they did not repeat their actions.

 

[cb a1]

About 30 years ago I went to the Grand National. AFter the race the public (at least back then) were allowed onto the course. I, along with many other punters, stood on the top of Beecher's Brook. I made the mistake of jumping off the fence and boy did that hurt my legs and wind me - it was a big drop.

What really surprised me was how substantive the fences were. As I said, people could climb on top of the fences and stand there. There were branches in there which were a good 6 inches diameter and didn't look like they would be shifting even if hit at full speed by a horse.

 

[341o2]

What about the Tesco horsemeat scandal a few years back?

I still prefer my Lidl Pony.....