Most Brits believe the Grand National is cruel to horses, YouGov poll finds

Posted on the 22nd April 2023

Following on from the horrendous scenes we witnessed at the 2023 Grand National, a YouGov poll finds that most people believe the race is cruel.

YouGov surveyed 2806 British adults and asked the question, “Do you think the Grand National is cruel or not cruel to horses?”

Image: YouGov poll results show that 54% of British adults surveyed believe the Grand National is either 'very cruel' or 'fairly cruel' to horses.

Three horses were killed over the course of the 2023 Grand National Festival. Envoye Special was killed on the first day, after falling in the Randox Foxhunters’ Chase. Dark Raven was killed in the third race on Grand National day, after breaking both of his back legs. And during the actual Grand National race itself, Hill Sixteen suffered a broken neck on the first jump. Since 2000, 62 horses have been killed at the three-day meet.

Many people witnessed these horrors and have come to realise that jump racing is nothing more than animal cruelty in the name of entertainment and gambling. Every year, around 200 horses are killed as a result of racing in Britain.

Animal Aid is calling on jump racing to be banned. One in 58 horses who start each season are reported dead by the end of it. This shocking statistic carries with it individual stories of how each horse lost their lives.

The Grand National, and all of jump racing, should be confined to the history books – for the horses’ sake.

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