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1,500 dead in a decade: Ten Years of HorseDeathWatch.com

Think that betting on horses is a harmless flutter? Think again.
Ten years ago today (during the 2007 Cheltenham Festival), Tonbridge-based animal advocacy charity, Animal Aid, established a database to chronicle race horse fatalities and the causes of them.
During that decade, the database has recorded the deaths of one thousand, five hundred and seven race horses.
As the 2017 Cheltenham Festival commences, I wish to bring to the attention of Charlton Lifers the fact that, on average, over the past decade, a race horse has died 'in action' every 2.42 days; that's nearly three fatalities per week....for ten years. That is a disgrace.

In recent years I have presented, on this website, the case against horse racing (especially 'jump racing') and readers may find the ensuing discussions on other threads. I don't wish to repeat the welfare arguments here. Neither do I wish to post this information within an existing 'Cheltenham Festival 2017' thread (which was established by proponents of horseracing); that thread is 'theirs' and I don't wish to subvert it. This thread is presented in order to impart information. I hope that it assists in widening the debate about the perils inherent in horse racing.

See the Database here:
horsedeathwatch.com/index.php

Blood And Sweat And Tears - 1,500 Race Horses Dead
The Huffington Post, 12th March 2017
huffingtonpost.co.uk/dene-stansall/blood-and-sweat-and-tears_b_15241644.html?

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Comments

  • Greenie
    Greenie Posts: 9,172
    edited March 2017
    You're never ever gonna get horse racing banned, so what on earth is your point to point?
    What a load of old pony!
  • cafc4life
    cafc4life Posts: 4,632
    Here we go . Mr boring is back
  • clivey_hero
    clivey_hero Posts: 328
    If horse racing didn't exist those 1500 would never have been born, along with many many many others .
    Walking down the street is dangerous as is life , suggest you get one
  • 1StevieG
    1StevieG Posts: 10,964
    I am sure a thread already exists for this?
  • Covered End
    Covered End Posts: 51,995
    So, I take it you're not going to Cheltenham then ?
  • Covered End
    Covered End Posts: 51,995
    edited March 2017
    What about banning football ? All the brain damage now being discovered through heading the ball.

    Motor Racing, christ how dangerous is that ?

    Ban rugby, that's bloody dangerous.

    Ban spectators from cricket & golf.

    Ban fun !
  • 1StevieG
    1StevieG Posts: 10,964
    Pretty sure we have gone though this before?
  • SELR_addicks
    SELR_addicks Posts: 15,446
    edited March 2017

    What about banning football ? All the brain damage now being discovered through heading the ball.

    Motor Racing, Christ how dangerous is that ?

    Ban rugby, that's bloody dangerous.

    Ban spectators from cricket & golf.

    Ban fun !

    Do 3 players die a week directly from any of these sports though?

    Not advocating for banning horse racing myself, just think it's a bad comparison when A_K is talking about fatalities resulting from the sport.
  • AddickUpNorth
    AddickUpNorth Posts: 8,325

    What about banning football ? All the brain damage now being discovered through heading the ball.

    Motor Racing, christ how dangerous is that ?

    Ban rugby, that's bloody dangerous.

    Ban spectators from cricket & golf.

    Ban fun !



    Just playing devils advocate here but the above all have one thing in common - the participants are human and have made the informed decision to take part. Do the horses have the same luxury?
  • moutuakilla
    moutuakilla Posts: 7,568

    What about banning football ? All the brain damage now being discovered through heading the ball.

    Motor Racing, christ how dangerous is that ?

    Ban rugby, that's bloody dangerous.

    Ban spectators from cricket & golf.

    Ban fun !

    To be fair those sports don't involve animals and the people doing them tend to choose to take part. Although a fair few of our players haven't looked like they've wanted to be on the pitch in the last few years.

    Can't see it being ever banned but if subtle changes are made to the sport to reduce these deaths then all the better.

    Meire banned fun at the valley :(
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  • 1StevieG
    1StevieG Posts: 10,964

    What about banning football ? All the brain damage now being discovered through heading the ball.

    Motor Racing, christ how dangerous is that ?

    Ban rugby, that's bloody dangerous.

    Ban spectators from cricket & golf.

    Ban fun !



    Just playing devils advocate here but the above all have one thing in common - the participants are human and have made the informed decision to take part. Do the horses have the same luxury?
    Want to crow bar a joke in about horses mouth....
  • AddickUpNorth
    AddickUpNorth Posts: 8,325
    1StevieG said:

    What about banning football ? All the brain damage now being discovered through heading the ball.

    Motor Racing, christ how dangerous is that ?

    Ban rugby, that's bloody dangerous.

    Ban spectators from cricket & golf.

    Ban fun !



    Just playing devils advocate here but the above all have one thing in common - the participants are human and have made the informed decision to take part. Do the horses have the same luxury?
    Want to crow bar a joke in about horses mouth....


    I prefer camel toe but go on......
  • No doubting it's a sad statistic but the chances of getting horse racing banned are exactly zero.
  • 1StevieG
    1StevieG Posts: 10,964
    edited March 2017

    1StevieG said:

    What about banning football ? All the brain damage now being discovered through heading the ball.

    Motor Racing, christ how dangerous is that ?

    Ban rugby, that's bloody dangerous.

    Ban spectators from cricket & golf.

    Ban fun !



    Just playing devils advocate here but the above all have one thing in common - the participants are human and have made the informed decision to take part. Do the horses have the same luxury?
    Want to crow bar a joke in about horses mouth....


    I prefer camel toe but go on......
    Why ask a rider when you can go straight to the horses mouth? I'll get me coat....
  • Missed It
    Missed It Posts: 2,733
    If you think horse racing is a disgrace, have a look at greyhounds. They reckon 1,500 dogs a year get killed
  • AddickUpNorth
    AddickUpNorth Posts: 8,325
    edited March 2017
    I think it's for the best
  • DRAddick
    DRAddick Posts: 3,588

    If horse racing didn't exist those 1500 would never have been born, along with many many many others .
    Walking down the street is dangerous as is life , suggest you get one

    But that same argument, along with length of life, is used by supporters of bull fighting. Therefore if anyone sees that as a justifiable argument then they must also support bull fighting too.
  • soapy_jones
    soapy_jones Posts: 21,351
    So Anna. Who you got in the Gold Cup?
  • 1StevieG
    1StevieG Posts: 10,964
    edited March 2017
    And I would just like to say I am neither for or against horse racing. I used to be against it. But it's not as if horse racing has only just been invented. Probably been going on for thousands of years.
  • i_b_b_o_r_g
    i_b_b_o_r_g Posts: 18,948
    ..and I've backed 1499 of them
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  • sam3110
    sam3110 Posts: 21,261
    :neutral:
  • Valiantphil
    Valiantphil Posts: 6,410



    A far more pressing problem than horse-racing - that folk will kill horses and dump them in a city street, and nobody gives a toss.
  • AFKABartram
    AFKABartram Posts: 57,825
    edited March 2017
    @Anna_Kissed I fully respect your view, however we have been on this road repeated times on here and we have never found a way to make this debate work. Too many of us on here simply like horse racing and want to,discuss and enjoy the big races and festivals.

    This isn't niche stuff, these are some of,the biggest events on the sporting calendar. This angle repeatedly takes the enjoyment from those event. Now,you of course may think 'good', but it causes unnecessary division on here and to be honest, it's not the audience for it.

    So not saying you are wrong, but please find alternative audiences for this angle / debate please, which will be more suited to your stance. Thanks a lot
  • happyvalley
    happyvalley Posts: 8,996
    I also find the deaths of magnificent horses truly sad. Surely just banning jump racing would save the majority of their lives because in comparison a lot fewer die in flat racing.
  • CH4RLTON
    CH4RLTON Posts: 2,618
    There's always one.. he's entitled to his point but it's argument your never going. I was recently in St morritz ( racing on the snow) and witnessed the single most and horrific thing that could happen to an horse , boomerang bob. Speaking to trainer Jamie Osborne after they were all upset at what happened but theres always a risk when running horses... it's expected and like others had said there's 1000''s thoroughbred horses that live long and injury free .. rediciouls argument stop horse racing and thousands of horses being bred that have lovley lives
  • cafcnick1992
    cafcnick1992 Posts: 7,413
    edited March 2017
    Agree it's cruel but we allow halal/kosher slaughter of animals across the world which is literally the most barbaric act of cruelty on this planet.
  • Chizz
    Chizz Posts: 28,331

    Agree it's cruel but we allow halal/kosher slaughter of animals across the world which is literally the most barbaric act of cruelty on this planet.

    Is it?
  • Anna_Kissed
    Anna_Kissed Posts: 3,302

    @Anna_Kissed I fully respect your view, however we have been on this road repeated times on here and we have never found a way to make this debate work. Too many of us on here simply like horse racing and want to,discuss and enjoy the big races and festivals.

    This isn't niche stuff, these are some of,the biggest events on the sporting calendar. This angle repeatedly takes the enjoyment from those event. Now,you of course may think 'good', but it causes unnecessary division on here and to be honest, it's not the audience for it.

    So not saying you are wrong, but please find alternative audiences for this angle / debate please, which will be more suited to your stance. Thanks a lot

    Are you seeking to censor me @AFKABartram?
    It's because of the unquestioned, year-after-year, pro-racing comments that I saw fit to question 'orthodoxy' and present a different point of view. My comments have been made in good faith and I have provided factual evidence to back them up.

    I disagree with your comment that CL is "not the audience for it". Is this an open forum, or not? I don't wish to waste time on animal advocacy forums. They know the score. A football forum is an ideal place in which to question prevailing orthodoxy and conservative thought.

    I have made clear my intention not to 'stoke' on the numerous pro-racing threads.

    What is this? Cosy Corner? Status Quo? One Of Us?
    And as soon as there's a hint of opposition, the proponents cry 'foul'. Talk about wanting it both ways!

    As to your "we have never found a way to make this debate work". Yes, we have. It's called the Internet and freedom to express a factually-based view, without recourse to swearing or threat.
    But to tell me to cease altogether? No, that's not on.
  • se9addick
    se9addick Posts: 32,034

    Agree it's cruel but we allow halal/kosher slaughter of animals across the world which is literally the most barbaric act of cruelty on this planet.

    Righto...
  • smudge7946
    smudge7946 Posts: 4,131
    So what.
    They are only horses.