Jumps racing, the debate is about a central question. What is the difference between symbolism and tokenism?
IMO the horse is a symbol of nobility. So when a horse is running about on a race track, one leg shattered, but still trying to compete, it is not pathetic but ignoble. We have the transformation we are most afraid of - the glorious to the ignoble. It is a most unwelcome reminder that we are born beautiful and die ugly.
As has been pointed out, a racehorse lives a grand life. Unless it's slow. Then it's canned. Knackered. But for the jumps. I sometimes make the joke that it takes four carnies to hold down a jumps jockey. Jumpers are pretty tough.
Jumping horses are failures. So when a failure keeps on competing do we relate? Oh yeah. And then when one dies how do we feel? Not good. If we see it.
Better that the horse is slaughtered at the knackery and we never see it. (Did I forget Tokenism?)
The gender revolution had many positive consequences. But some were not good. (This is a complex matter that I'm wrestling with atm.) What I think happened is that the women, newly powerful, tried to cut the balls off the world.
And then a bunch of Frenchmen joined them. Fags.
Well, that's all over.
The world, dominated by men as it is, takes risks. Just for the sake of the risk sometimes. (Oh, we know that women pay the price but we're talking about jumps racing here. Symbolism?)
We live close to the pinnacle of an epoch, members of the privileged class. We can never be gods. But we can walk outside the palace walls and become saints. That's where the horses, that won't become meat, break legs striving. And become meat.
Jumps racing is about the glory of endeavour. And the ignominy of our inevitable failure.
Why don't we ban it? While we chomp battery turkey sandwiches. And deny our guilt for the humans who don't do as well as jumps horses while we prosper.
