Reaction For Racehorses

Just looking at 'Racehorse Deathwatch' which can be located off the Animal Aid website, is quite frightening. No-one really realises how many racehorses are killed or have to be destroyed as a result of racing. The horses are trained to race and know no other life. If they are lucky they will be retired somewhere nice - like Craigie Boy who was retired to Bransby Home For Horses. Craigie boy is quite an old horse now.We have supported Bransby Horses and have taken part in their adoption scheme in the past.

If they are not lucky, the unwanted old racers end up on a boat to France ready to be made in to horse meat. Occasionally, after receiving a brand to say they can no longer race, the ex race horses are sold to members of the public but they are often very highly strung and need quite a lot of looking after.

Jockeys are not to be let off the hook either as statistics can be found on 'Racehorse Deathwatch' that show that some jockeys are consistent in riding horses who end up being injured and having to be euthanased.

Jockeys have to be licensed in order to ride and their professional silks are registered. I actually own some registered silks, still muddy from a race, as I wanted to get the actual essence of the race in order to fully understand it.

Going to the races is seen as an important social pastime for many who like that kind of thing- as is spending time in the local bookies for others. A long time ago I once worked in a betting shop, it was a very busy place but that is as far as many will get to an actual horse race. It is all about money - big bucks for all but the losers and that can even mean the horses' lives are at stake - the biggest stake of all. Without lots of disposable horses there would be no racing fun, if that is what you call it.

The pictures are from the 2012 Grand National which was run at Aintree in Liverpool. it is one of the most famous races of all time. There are photos of one of the favourites Irish horse 'Synchronised' who had to be destroyed, along with Yorkshire Horse 'According to Pete'. The piece also has audio and is a tribute to them and all other fallen racehorses.

Autumn Equniox And The Confusion Of The Changing Seasons

I really love these beautiful 'wheel of the year' type cards, especially as they are so natural and spiritual.
Chambers Book of Facts - the edition I am looking at was published in 2003, breaks the year up in to three monthly cycles.
The book states that in the northern hemisphere, spring covers March 21st to June 21st, summer covers June 21st to September 23rd, autumn covers September 23rd to December 21st and winter covers December 21st to March 21st.
This is kind of surprising, because so very often the weather does not fit in at all with these facts. It means that we often get snow in autumn and the what we call midsummer is really only the start of summer, not the middle of it! How very confusing...