RSPCA urges 'comprehensive review' into Cheltenham fatalities

[Rhinestone_Cowboy]

As I said earlier there comes a point where if you carry on making things 'easier' you don't have a sport left. The idea that people who don't want to see change don't care is wrong. This shouldn't be about competing for some moral high ground.

Personally, I would like to see obstacles being made stiffer, rather than easier. Then when horses face the ultimate challenge it wouldn't come as quite such a shock when they do come across more challenging fences. Haydock is the obvious example of a track where the fences are a pale shadow of what they used to be.

Returning to the Grand National, there were 11 fatalities between 2000 and 2012 I believe. Following interventions made by the BHA to the fences including reducing the size, making them softer and levelling of the landing ground no fatalities have occurred since. No doubt there will be fatalities again but this would clearly suggest the risks have decreased significantly at I would suggest no detriment to the race whatsoever. I actually enjoy it more knowing the risks have been reduced. I remain of the opinion if it can be done for that race similar measures can be taken elsewhere to reduce the risks. And as has been highlighted by others one simple measure is to reduce the number of runners in certain races.

[redandwhite]

No one is saying you can remove all the danger but you can go further to minimise the risk as the changes to the Grand National fences have shown. Agree with your point on the whip.

I have to say the Grand National nowadays is a poor reflection of what it was. I think it was absolutely right to get rid of the drop fences (lower landing than take-off) as they were unfair to the horses but they've gone too far. All the fences look the same so calling them Becher's, The Chair etc. is an insult to all the brave horses and riders that used to go over them before they were emasculated.

[Rhinestone_Cowboy]

I to have to say the Grand National nowadays is a poor reflection of what it was. I think it was absolutely right to get rid of the drop fences (lower landing than take-off) as they were unfair to the horses but they've gone too far. All the fences look the same so calling them Becher's, The Chair etc. is an insult to all the brave horses and riders that used to go over them before they were emasculated.

I understand where you are coming from but we clearly have different outlooks, what I see as progress you see in part as a loss of tradition regarding changes to the fences. Needless to say we're not all going to agree on this sensitive topic but I think the debate is healthy especially between racing enthusiasts.

[ryanh97]

I have to say the Grand National nowadays is a poor reflection of what it was. I think it was absolutely right to get rid of the drop fences (lower landing than take-off) as they were unfair to the horses but they've gone too far. All the fences look the same so calling them Becher's, The Chair etc. is an insult to all the brave horses and riders that used to go over them before they were emasculated.

It may be a poor reflection of what it was. I can't give an opinion on that having only been following racing for a few years. However, as RC stated that there have been no fatalaties since, suggesting that reducing the risks has worked. Surely that has to come first?

[ryanh97]

Ryan that was a great post on GA thread. I am all for reducing risks to both jockeys and horses. We should be kind to both.

I think the problem for the sport is that the most vocal opponents ie AA believe that the sport (including flat) is “intrinsically cruel”. I don’t believe that.

I agree OV completely. I don't believe that the sport is intrinsically cruel either, far from it. But as a member of the younger generation I can tell you that view is not going away, infact it is only on the increase. And that is in my view the biggest issue facing the future of racing.

[Faugheen_Machine]

My view fwiw. It is definitely worth reviewing and I think reducing the field size of the Grand Annual may help.

Cheltenham have moved the positioning of the fences in the past to help reduce the risk but it is impossible to remove the risk completely.

If they start changing the height or removing some of the obstacles at Cheltenham then I think it is going too far and will be a nail in the coffin of NH racing.

[Rhinestone_Cowboy]

I agree OV completely. I don't believe that the sport is intrinsically cruel either, far from it. But as a member of the younger generation I can tell you that view is not going away, infact it is only on the increase. And that is in my view the biggest issue facing the future of racing.

That's exactly my feeling. I came back from the Festival and some friends came round on Thursday who I knew had absolutely no interest in racing. What they did know were that 2 horses died on the Tuesday. Social media in particular is raising awareness of this issue, and I think it's in the sport's interest to start leading on this rather than wait for the external pressure which is only going to grow.

[ryanh97]

That's exactly my feeling. I came back from the Festival and some friends came round on Thursday who I knew had absolutely no interest in racing. What they did know were that 2 horses died on the Tuesday. Social media in particular is raising awareness of this issue, and I think it's in the sport's interest to start leading on this rather than wait for the external pressure which is only going to grow.

Couldn't agree more RC. I think it would be much better for the sport to be proactive rather than reactive.

[ComplyOrDie]

One thing I would like to see, and I don't just mean at Cheltenham but across racing as a whole is the dismounting of horses after a race. They have already run their a***s off for you, get off them and give them a breather...immediately.

I watched some jockeys all smiles and grins on board their winning mounts and the horse looked absolutely shattered, all of their congratulatory BS, this includes Richard Johnson on Native River! Check the replay if you don't believe me, horse is bowing its head and Johnson is getting handshakes, just get off and celebrate!

I'm not saying this will help the survival of more horses in any way, but it certainly doesn't help after tough races to have some human still on them. Patrick Mullins got straight off Rathvinden after the 4 miler, and more should just do it automatically IMO.

[Kevloaf]

It came up from a non racing fan at work today about putting the horses down.

I wasn't defending it, but I had my stock answers about them being born and bred to race (and therefore wouldn't exist without the racing), that horses who break limbs get put down whether racing or not because they don't realise they shouldn't put their weight on it as it heals, that horses continue to jump around jockey-less because they enjoy it and you can't "make" a horse do anything it doesn't want to... but I can tell it was falling on deaf ears.

Still, she won £150 from my throw-away text "tips" each morning so was happy enough during the week.... that bit wasn't mentioned

[Rhinestone_Cowboy]

Looks like a sensible attitude from the guy leading the review:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/mar/19/cheltenham-festival-review-away-from-sweeping-changes

[Kevloaf]

Looks like a sensible attitude from the guy leading the review:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...eeping-changes

Worth reading.

[ryanh97]

Looks like a sensible attitude from the guy leading the review:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...eeping-changes

Some good ideas in there I think