Jumps racing - Good, Bad, Ugly??

[Ash59]

I'll say straight out - I love the jumping caper. Looking objectively, there's no doubt the risk of injury or death to horses does increase compared to flat racing. However, the question of banning it because of cruelty to animals just doesn't wash with me.

If people are opposed to racing full stop, then that's their opinion and I'm happy for them to have it, even if I don't agree with it. However, I'm not sure I follow the logic associated with the banning of the jumps. Asking a horse to jump is not inherently cruel. Neither is asking them to race. Yes, there is greater risk. But will banning jumping racing increase or decrease the life span of the horses involved?

For my money, there should be some changes. Race only May to August when the tracks are soft. Make the jumps bigger, the races longer and encourage a European style of racing, where they basically hack the first part of the race and the tempo builds. Those horses that can't accelerate at the business end of the race are pulled up.

What are people's thoughts??

[Groover]

Equestrian is an olympic sport that takes horses and competitors years to master! Probably more falls and deaths to horses in that sport, with longer larger and trickier jumps, yet nothing gets changed there.
I think a jumps race every now and then is no more harm then a greyhounds race every week!

[CK]

Not sure how to "duplicate" a thread, but I posted this on the "Other Sports" forum with a few thoughts on the issue:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=22347