One thing we can be sure of: the horse on which trainer Gordon Elliot sat or the one jockey Rob James jumped on didn’t mind a bit. They were dead. Even when they’re alive horses don’t do outrage.
So it’s been left to people on phone-ins and the like to say how sick to their gut they are at the sight of Elliot and James acting as they did. They should respect the dignity of the horse, even though it’s dead.
Right. So let’s take this scenario. After getting their picture taken, Elliot and James arranged for the horse to be butchered, and a meal was arranged at a local restaurant for family and friends, where they were all served with portions of well-cooked horse. Would that have been even more outrageous?
Well, yes, probably. But how come horses get a by-ball on this? We slaughter and eat cattle, chicken, pigs, lambs – the list goes on. And it doesn’t bother us one bit, for the most part. Granted, some people think about what happens to that frisky little lamb and they become vegetarians. But most of us tuck into the slaughtered animal, no bother at all.
Is it that horses are better-looking? As a youth I had more contact with cows than horses, and while I admit horses have a bodily grace most cows lack, looking into an innocent cow’s eyes can be a pleasant experience. Before it’s been butchered and eaten, that is.
Final point: if you’re not a vegetarian, you’re a bloody hypocrite to complain about the conduct of Gordon Elliot or Rob James. Looks aren’t everything – sin é. Now I’m away for an Ulster fry.
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