This is a small (A5) acrylic painting, on paper. It was made in response to a UK arts competition, and responding to events at the recent Aintree Grand National, where high dangerous fences regularly badly (often fatally) injure horses. The danger of the race course is what makes this race special, but the horses suffer.

In my painting two men take an injured prizewinning horse behind a screen, away from the public view, and shoot it. This was a quick painting with little detail, and I think it expresses the emotion and horror.

Horse experts argue medical technology isn’t advanced enough to save the horses if they suffer serious injuries, and they have no choice but to put the animal out of their misery.

This seems a brutal and harsh end of life for these beautiful intelligent animals, which have worked hard for their owners – and often generated huge sums of prize money.

Once they aren’t useful, they shoot them.

I grew up not far from there, and the Grand National was always a special event, and most people would place a bet. The animal welfare was never discussed or considered.

This is a big subject, and horrific. Further reading on the cruelty of horse racing:

https://plantbasednews.org/culture/ethics/horse-racing-cruel
https://www.peta.org.uk/blog/the-grand-national-9-things-they-dont-tell-you-about-horse-racing/
https://www.animalaid.org.uk/the-issues/our-campaigns/horse-racing/ban-the-grand-national/