The Not-So-Grand National

The Aintree Grand National began in 1839 and has since become the largest annual horse race in Britain and arguably in Europe. Between 500 and 600 million people across 140 countries tune in each year to watch. The course is over 4 miles long and requires the 40 horses to make it over 30 jumps (14 twice and 2 once). The most famous of these jumps is Beecher's Brook which is described as both the most 'thrilling' and the most 'dangerous' jump in the world. 

Safety Measures

In the time that the Grand National has begun, a number of safety measurements have been put in place in an attempt to decrease the risk of injury to horses as well as jockeys. The Grand National is considered five times more deadly than any other horse race. Less than 40% have finished the race in the past 10 years and there have been at least 79 deaths in total. After the 2011 race resulted in the deaths of three horses, and jockey Peter Toole in a coma, two jumps were reduced in height. In addition to this, the landing ground of the first jump was levelled to reduce the risk of horses falling. However, Ginger McCain (jockey and horse trainer) stated that increasing safety in this way had inadvertently resulted in the race becoming more dangerous by enabling the horses to go faster. In 2013, further safety measures were implemented by using softer materials for the fences, a new bypass to catch riderless horses, reducing the length of the track, and more. Since 2013 no horses have died during the main Grand National race. 

Horse Welfare

Despite this, five horses died this year during other parts of the Grand National festival which takes place across three days. During  the main race a total of 16/39 horses made it across the finish line. This is less than the year before (2015) which ended with 19/39 horses finishing, and the year before that (2014) when 18/40 horses finished the race. This is a total of 44.9% finishing the race in the past 3 years. The highest number of horses to ever complete the Grand Nation was in 1984 when 23/40 horses finished. One horse named Earthstopper collapsed and died after finishing the race in fifth place, but no horses died due to falling injuries. 

Metro 2016
Grand National
'Four horses dead in the first two days'

Horses will often be exhausted after racing; for example the winning horse in 2011, Ballabrigs, had to be given oxygen after the race. The rider, Jason Maguire, was given a 5 day ban for whipping too many times and causing physical injury to the hind leg, he still kept the winning title and £535,135 prize money. Many claim that horses do not feel the effect of the whip and are simply encouraged to run faster due to the sound of the crack. However, horses are in fact extremely sensitive to touch and can 'easily feel a fly landing on its skin' according to the RSPCA. This is demonstrated by the cutaneous trunci muscle reflex. 

In October 2011 the BHA instated stricter whipping regulations by increasing minimum punishment from a caution to a 5 day ban with increasing measures for repeat offenders. In addition to this, they decided to nearly half the number of times a horse can be whipped throughout the race. They also initiated mandatory financial penalties to any jockey who received a 3 day or more suspension. This would have cost Jason Maguire around £40,000 according to the BBC. The BHA refused to disqualify rule-breakers as this would also penalise the horse owners, trainers, stable staff and punters. Tim Morris of the BHA explained that the whip was still necessary and could not be banned as it is required to 'steer, correct its stride, and balance a horse'.

The 2014 Grand National saw the death of horse 'Our Conor' who was sold for 1 million euros the year before. Despite this, he was later describer as 'replaceable' by jockey Ruby Walsh. In an interview with Radio Times in 2013 Katie Walsh claimed that the race horses are cared for 'better than some children' but then later said 'these things happen and they're horses at the end of the day'. Every year thousands of horses are either discarded, or auctioned off to slaughterhouses as they no longer have a purpose when they can not race. Often it is not seen as a worthwhile investment to pay for vets bills, however, in 2011 The Guardian published an article explaining why a broken leg can indeed be fatal to a horse and can not always be treated. 

Health problems

Horses will usually begin their training around one and a half years old. By this time they are old enough to be sent to slaughter if they do not perform as expected. At this age their skeletal structure is still developing and putting a horse through extensive training during this time can lead to extensive damage, particularly to the spine and legs. 

During races, horses can be pushed to their physical limits, resulting in a number of health issues. A study carried out at the University of Melbourne found 50% of racehorses had blood in the windpipe and 90% had blood deeper in the lungs, also known as exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EHIP). Racing at such high speeds can cause horses to rupture blood vessels, sometimes resulting in a nosebleed. A study carried out in Sydney found stomach ulcers in 90% of race horses. 

www.vetstream.com/equis/content/
disease/dis00067

Horses are natural grazers and therefore their stomachs are constantly producing hydrochloric acid for digestion. However, when horses are not turned out to pasture their stomachs are still producing the acid and digestive enzymes. Without any food in the stomach this can go on to damage the lining of the stomach, resulting in ulcers. Horses that spend more time grazing or are given hay/straw as feed in a stable are shown to be less prone to stomach ulcers.This shows horses should be able to carry out their natural behaviours for health reasons. Horses are social animals but are unfortunately too often kept for long periods of isolation in the racing industry. This can cause them to develop neurotic behaviours such as crib biting, swaying or self mutilation. 

Conclusion

The Independent newspaper predicts that horse racing contributes around £3.45 billion to the economy and provides approximately 6,000 jobs to care for the 14,000 horses in training. In 2016, £250 million was predicted to be wagered on the Grand National. With such a large amount of money involved it is extremely unlikely that the government will ever decide that the Grand National is no longer an acceptable use of animals. However, as more information is revealed about the horse racing industry it is possible that people will decide to spend their money on a worthier cause.