Ban the Grand National
The Grand National is a deliberately hazardous race. Since 2000, 37 horses have died on the Grand National course and, over the course of the three-day meeting, 55 horses have been killed in that same period.
At the root of the problem is racing’s regulator, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). It is responsible for race horse welfare but has failed to curb the number of fatalities in racing. 2018 saw a sharp increase in horse deaths in Britain, with the highest death rate since 2014. It’s time for the BHA to be replaced with an independent body that would take meaningful action to stop horses from losing their lives.
Take action
- Write to your MP
- Order and distribute leaflets for our annual Horse Racing Awareness Week, which takes place in the seven days leading up to the Grand National meeting. Help to encourage people to donate to sanctuaries rather than funding the racing industry.
More information
- Read our Grand National Briefing document, which includes a list of all the horses who have died at the Grand National 3-day meeting since 2000
- A list of the horses who have died running at the Grand National Meeting between 2000 and 2021
- Watch our video of one race horse who was lucky enough to be rescued by our friends at Hillside Animal Sanctuary
- Race Horse Deathwatch is Animal Aid’s online database that records race horse deaths in Great Britain.
- Read our response to the arguments of the racing industry