Let science guide horse welfare, not misguided, overemotional protest

HILL SIXTEEN broke his neck falling on the first fence of this yr’s Grand Nationwide race at Aintree within the UK. Animal rights activists say the 10-year-old Thoroughbred would nonetheless be alive in the present day if he hadn’t been compelled to race over the jumps. The horse’s coach blames the loss of life on animal rights activists – the very ones hoping to guard horses as they rushed onto the observe simply earlier than the race began, triggering an enormous police response.

This chaotic scene is emblematic of the larger downside going through horse sports activities: they’re shedding the approval of a well-meaning however underinformed public. If …