its something thats never interested me in the slightest, i usually let it go over my head! but this year i though oh i may as well bet and watch it, everyone else seems to...omfg how brutal is it???? seriousley i thought a few horses running round a race course...nieve or what...my horsey died i shall not be betting or watching again and now feel really guilty!!

btw each to their own this is not a dig at anyone who does bet and watch

I completely agree, see my post in debates. It's cruel and if anybody thinks watching a horse die is entertaining then they are idiots x

http://www.babiesandall.com/t9944-horse-racing

People feel the same, in debates and polls

I didnt watch it or bet, stuart did. I knew that horses died every year. Its supposed to be the longest/hardest race or something, but with the biggest prize for winning horse owner £535k or something, suppose thats why people risk their horsies lives.

ahh why did i not see that befor i bet!! i never knew horses died doing it, i just presumed it would be like st ledger races i went to where they run round a field...its as bad as fox hunting if you ask me x

^^ahh you posted that today thats why i didnt see it befor lol x

I walked the course a long time ago before I was old enough to bet and swore I would never have anything to do with it.

Most years I have to tolerate pathetic sweepstakes in whichever office I am working in and politely inform people that I will not take part because it disgusts me.

I honestly never realised it was as dangerous as it is! the two horses that died this year died from a broken neck and back from falling at one of the fences
Surely then it would be better, to make the fences / jumps smaller or narrower so that the horses could clear them easily but maybe put more in so that it's more of a challenge??
I just think it could be made a lot safer and so many animals wouldn't have to die or be destroyed because they'll never race again.

Since 2000, 33 horses have died - I'm not a particularly horsey person but any animal being hurt needlessly upsets me greatly.

xxx

It doesnt need to be such a challenge - thats why the horse die more often than not as they are too challenged, either fences too nig or they are knackered and cant jump hardly at all, so then fall

There are some greedy owners/trainers who will enter a horse that isn't even up to the race - so the poor horse might stumble at a fence and fall cos he isnt up to it :-(

My mum was a jockey before she us kids, and Ive been to the races, but the GN is too much

The fences are so high! there is no need for that. They would never stop it as there is to much money in it.

I hate it, but a lot of horses die at racetracks each year. I've been brought up in a family that bet on it, russ's dad was a huge horse racing person. Bet every day, we honour his tradition each year. But although I hate it, its part if our year, plus the horses are very well trained for it, and I believe gave to do so much to enter, although could be wring. But this year was hottest on record and this caused a problem with the horses, they on about a stewards enquiry to look into it

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/apr/10/grand-national-bullfighting-deaths

Yeah it's brutal it always has been.. but its never gonna stop like someone mentioned there is too much money in it, poor horses