The Bland National

If nothing else, sometimes something good comes out of something bad. Saturday was the horrid Grand National - the yearly televised UK horse race which attracts lots of betting and horses dying. There are races leading up to this one, and one horse was killed before Saturday’s event even took place. Then on the day, two more horses died with the jockey of the winning horse later being suspended for 5 days for excessive whipping after the final fence.

While some people are no doubt rejoicing in the pennies that they may have won on the winner, one wonders if they, or the jockeys/trainers/anyone involved, would like to change places with the horses. Would YOU like to be the one being whipped to the finishing line? I read that the winning horse was whipped to near exhaustion and dehydration. All that, and he’s not even given the option of whether he wants to run or not. And, less than half of the horses actually finished the race. That shows how bad it is.

I vote we change this horrid ‘sport’. Put humans in the place of the horses. Make it a piggyback race. The person on top can of course still use a whip if he wants. I wonder how the person underneath would feel if he was whipped excessively to the end? Put your hands up who wants to have a go at being the horse first? My guess is that none of those jockeys, trainers, or even people who bet on the races, would want to be the one being whipped, carrying someone else as fast as he can to the finishing line - just so others can be entertained and try and win money.

It’s sickening.

But the good thing is that people are talking about what happened. Well known people have twittered about how appalling it is. Some TVs and newspapers are now covering the cruelty, giving quotes from Animal Aid and League of Cruel Sports. This year a few more people might start to realise what a horrid event it is. And boycott it from now on.

If you want to bet on something, bet on the lottery. Or buy some raffle tickets for humane raffles. Many animal charities have raffle tickets to sell. That way, you’re chancing your luck while at the same time helping an organisation/charity/animals that needs it.  

Go have a read of www.stopkillinghorses.com for more info.