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More deaths of horses at Cheltenham Racecourse. Please sign a petition.

Two horses died today on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

RIP Mossback and RIP Report To Base.

More horses have died at Cheltenham Racecourse than any other in Britain. In 2017, twelve horses died there, four of whom were killed during the four-day Cheltenham Festival. Last Spring, I wrote to the racecourse, via its website, to register my sadness and to request information about what - if anything - was to be done to reduce injury and fatality. I did not receive a response.

Jockeys Ruby Walsh and Patrick Mullins have both been handed suspensions for over-use of the whip in the OLBG Mares' Hurdle today.

Animal Aid, a Kent-based animal welfare charity, has recently launched an e-petition urging the government to set up an independent regulatory body, with horse welfare as its only interest.

I invite Charlton Lifers to sign and share the petition. Thank you.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/211950
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Comments

  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,021
    Yeah what crap - innocent animals dying. Signed.
  • You sure that isnt Robinson?
  • i_b_b_o_r_g
    i_b_b_o_r_g Posts: 18,948

    You sure that isnt Robinson?

    He's running tomorrow
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,219

    Not this crap again!

    You may not agree (it's not an issue I feel strongly about either way) but that is a piss poor response.

    If you disagree then give a counter argument.
  • DaveMehmet
    DaveMehmet Posts: 21,594
    Whilst I’m usually one of the first first to take the piss on threads, I do think that maybe we shouldn’t on this one.

    Like Henry, I don’t really have an opinion but the OP would be shouted down if he put it on the main Cheltenham thread so he’s avoided that by starting his own.
  • i_b_b_o_r_g
    i_b_b_o_r_g Posts: 18,948
    It's all opinions either way
  • Garrymanilow
    Garrymanilow Posts: 13,167
    I'm for Cheltenham being banned just if it stops my social media feeds being filled with people posting their accys that came through for them. Oh, you managed to guess what would happen did you, you must be some kind of genius.
  • se9addick
    se9addick Posts: 32,033

    Not this crap again!

    Have you actually read what @Anna_Kissed has written or have you seen his name and the subject and made an assumption?

    If you actually read his post he is promoting a petition which is asking the government to set up an independent regulatory body to oversee the welfare of race horses, given the numbers that are dying at Cheltenham this week how can that aim be considered "crap" unless you don't care about the welfare of animals (which is pretty good indicator of the calibre of a man)?
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  • Talal
    Talal Posts: 11,484
    Signed.
  • McBobbin
    McBobbin Posts: 12,051
    Signed
  • Signed
  • sillav nitram
    sillav nitram Posts: 10,163
    Signed.

    Well done for raising awareness and posting this thread.
  • Anna_Kissed
    Anna_Kissed Posts: 3,302
    Thank you. I don't have to write these threads, obviously, but, sadly, it's the same old story seemingly every year. The mainstream media reports little, if anything, of what goes on. It's 'business as usual' with Big Money the name of the game. I try as best I can to bring animal suffering to people's attention. I could to and fro with animal advocates, of course, but I see this forum as a good place to challenge the status quo and inform readers. I try to keep my posts factual.
  • killer kish
    killer kish Posts: 2,019
    But they are not factual
    It is reported in the media for a start
    Plus there is no big money as you say in National Hunt racing
    Plus if you really knew what happened at the stables you would know that it certainly isn’t business as normal when a tragic accident has occured
  • Exiled_Addick
    Exiled_Addick Posts: 17,168
    edited March 2018
    Signed. I'm pro horse racing and sure the people that own and train these horses have the health and safety of the horse has a high priority. We should never stop trying to improve though.

    Once upon a time a high risk of death was seen as just part and parcel of motor racing, but fortunately some people realised it didn't have to be that way.
  • bobmunro
    bobmunro Posts: 20,842
    Anna_Kissed raises this issue every Cheltenham and every Grand National, and often gets derided for it.

    He always opens a different thread and does not interfere with the Cheltenham thread in any way - and is never offensive.

    No surprise that I love horse racing and would defend it - but the welfare of horses is also vitally important to the industry and an independent body set up to, I would suggest, work with the racing industry is a very good idea.

    Signed.
  • Anna_Kissed
    Anna_Kissed Posts: 3,302
    1,662 race horse deaths in 4,019 days (since 13th March 2007; exactly 11 years).
    See Animal Aid's horsedeathwatch.com/
  • Morboe
    Morboe Posts: 74
    Signed!
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  • bellz2002
    bellz2002 Posts: 1,361
    Done
  • charltonkeston
    charltonkeston Posts: 7,359
    Signed, for many reasons.
  • iainment
    iainment Posts: 8,039
    Signed.
  • Anna_Kissed
    Anna_Kissed Posts: 3,302
    The Guardian's racing correspondent writes:
    Patrick Mullins, Rathvinden’s jockey, was suspended for six days for using his whip above the permitted level and without giving his horse a chance to respond after jumping the final fence.
    Ruby Walsh, who rode Mullins’s Benie Des Dieux to win the Mares’ Hurdle, was banned for two days for using his whip above the permitted level from the approach to the last.
  • alan dugdale
    alan dugdale Posts: 3,076

    The Guardian's racing correspondent writes:
    Patrick Mullins, Rathvinden’s jockey, was suspended for six days for using his whip above the permitted level and without giving his horse a chance to respond after jumping the final fence.
    Ruby Walsh, who rode Mullins’s Benie Des Dieux to win the Mares’ Hurdle, was banned for two days for using his whip above the permitted level from the approach to the last.

    Reported in the media then.
  • JamesSeed
    JamesSeed Posts: 17,380
    Jeez.
  • SDAddick
    SDAddick Posts: 14,467
    Not a UK citizen so won't sign, but would otherwise. I used to live just up the hill from Del Mar race track and in 2016 (just after I moved) they had 27 deaths in one summer (season is ten weeks maybe). This is insane. Whether or not you like or agree with horse racing there must be a better way.
  • killer kish
    killer kish Posts: 2,019
    I own racehorses so know exactly how well they are looked after and there welfare is paramount.One of my horses got injured and the Racecourse vet wanted him put down but through the owners and trainer the horse was transported back from the Midlands to Devon. Looked after then moved onto a horse welfare centre which is charity run.To say it’s all about money is wrong as with the purchase and two year training fees the outlay was £60,000 plus with no return plus we continued to pay for the horse for a further three years.About two months ago we had the sad call to say the horse had damaged his leg whilst in the stable at night and had to be put down
  • alan dugdale
    alan dugdale Posts: 3,076
    JamesSeed said:

    Jeez.

    ??
  • Signed with pleasure