Horses - Consider animal welfare

Despite Aintree’s most recent highly publicised safety improvements, six horses were killed during the 2016 three-day Aintree meeting.

The Grand National race itself features a dangerously overcrowded field of 40 horses, who are forced to confront 30 jumps, many of which are extraordinarily demanding and treacherous, over a gruelling distance of nearly four-and-a-half miles.

Fewer than half complete the course.

For anyone who does not want to finance a ‘sport’ in which animals routinely lose their lives, there is an alternative: Sanctuary Not Cruelty.

Rather than having a ‘flutter’ on the notorious Aintree race, you can donate the money to a specialist horse sanctuary and make a real difference to horse welfare.

For more details on how to help, or to order a free information pack, visit the Animal Aid’s website at www.stopkillinghorses.com.

Susan Buckley