A sad loss to the world of racing. my sympathies go to the owners and all who knew these magnificent creatures

Synchronized won the Gold Cup in March. Huge loss. Sad for both owners. Fantastic finish.

I know, such a shame, was a fantastic horse

It is always dreadfully sad when a horse has to be destroyed during a race, and the Grand National tends to provoke more reaction than any other event - probably because it is so very high profile.

The thing is, horses are delicate creatures but are also very bulky and have a physiological makeup that prevents them from lying down or standing for very long periods. This in turn means that unlike a dog, cat or human, if they should break a leg then treatment is virtually impossible and the only kind thing is to put them down. (I have two friends who have lost horses this way, and they were merely out hacking).

Racehorses are bred specifically to race........it is in their blood and in their ancestry and most of them absolutely love it. If they don't enjoy it they go on to try a different career, such as eventing. You try to make a horse do something that it does not want to do! The National is different to all other races in that there is something about it, the fences - the number of runners - the atmosphere - that seems to make horses think that they are out on the hunting field, and they try to go hell for leather accordingly. They are not frightened or panicking as some anti racers would have you believe- you only have to look at their ears and faces as they approach each jump. Or carefully watch the loose horses which have ditched their riders; they are THINKING! Some work out the quickest way back to the stables, some carry on round for a while and then peel off, still others keep on going regardless but cheekily go around the fences, and a few jump every fence just for fun. A panicked horse simply does not think, it bolts. Ask anyone who has had the misfortune to be on a bolting horse and they will tell you that it is terrifying because the animal is mindless and totally dangerous.

So - sometimes horses have to be destroyed, be it in the National, out Eventing, on a simple quiet hack, or even in their own paddock at home.........does this mean that we should never ride them in races, eventing, or for our own pleasure etc.? If that is the case, then these beautiful creatures would cease to be bred and the world would be a poorer place without them.

Having said all that, if there was one horse that I was desperately hoping would come home safely it was According to Pete.

Poor horses

So sad. Synchronized owner was speaking so fondly of him before the race too

I had it on the TV but have to turn away when they fall.

A balanced post, well said!

So sad... Another two lives lost for nothing...

I certainly agree with a few of the points that you made, but yet again it comes back to the 1/20 risks that the horses are being subjected to. Whilst I agree injury can occur in any discipline, the chances are significantly smaller than 20/1. Horses can stand for very lengthy periods of time, I have known many horses cross-tied on box rest for months at a time. SOME leg fractures could be fixed that aren't. It would be a lengthy and costly treatment with a racehorse not being able to return to work, or possibly never being ridden again. Severed tendons are (ime) an injury that would most definitely require serious thought regarding euthanasia.

Could these horses have received treatment that would result in a decent quality of life? I guess we'll never know.

The question should be, to get to that quality of life ( if they get there at all) is what they have to go through to get there.

My personal opinion is to immobilise a horse in such a way for mths on end, is not in the best interest of the horse.