5 Horses Died at This Year’s Grand National Festival. Here’s How Social Media Reacted

Posted by on April 9, 2016 | Permalink

This year’s three-day Grand National horse racing event claimed five horses’ lives, making it the deadliest in five years.

2016 Grand National Horse Deaths

During the various races held at the Aintree track, Marasonnien, Clonbanan, Gullinbursti and Minella Reception all suffered fatal injuries while being forced to run at breakneck speeds and jump over notoriously difficult fences. After the event was over, it emerged that King’s Palace also ended up being put down after being pulled up lame in the National Handicap Hurdle. This senseless loss of life comes just a few weeks after seven horses died at the Cheltenham Festival.

Horse racing is deadly for animals – and in the past few years, there’s been a huge increase in public awareness  of just how unethical this so-called ‘sport’ really is. 47 horses have died in the Grand National Festival since 2000. As a result, more and more people are choosing to boycott the Grand National, reject office sweepstakes and speak out on social media.

Here are just a few reactions to the bloodshed that’s taken place over the past few days.

https://twitter.com/EmmaHopkinss/status/718814365651243008

https://twitter.com/Downes_Bro/status/718837570495516675

Please join the conversation by tweeting your reaction to the horse deaths at the Grand National with the hashtag #YouBetTheyDie. And help hasten the end of this exploitative industry by encouraging your friends and family not to watch or gamble on animals’ lives.

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