Why did they do it? As 70,000 people got dressed up and showed up to be entertained and to make wagers on which horses would win, 300 animal activists said...enough with abusing animals for human entertainment. So, they swarmed the event, many climbing fences to make it to the track. 118 protesters were arrested and many said police used excessive force on them, violently tackling them and hitting them. Some said police taunted them with obscene insults.

Did the activists have a valid point in doing this? Exhibit A: FOUR HORSES DIED died during the 2023 3-day event, considered Britain's toughest course for horses who are made to jump 30 high fences. Some would even call it an obstacle course for animals. Even aficionados describe it as, "the ultimate test of horse and rider." While the human riders can decide if they want to endure this test, the horses have no say. Since 2010, 36 horses have reportedly died at the Grand National Festival. Animal Rising says the horse racing industry, along with the meat and dairy industry and the vivisection industry, are prime examples of our broken relationship with animals. These activists, who risked their lives to speak up for horses, say humanity's relationship with animals is broken. The way to repair it? Stop abusing and killing animals for food, clothing, entertainment and research. Start respecting and cherishing animals. To get involved, please visit: https://www.animalrising.org

PETA has also railed against the Grand National, noting many other horses die as part of this industry. "Even those who make it off the track alive are likely to suffer. Thousands of horses – including 'spent' Thoroughbreds and those who don’t 'make the grade' – are discarded like used betting slips every year. They’re abandoned, neglected, or sold for slaughter, their flesh ending up either in dog or cat food or as “prime cuts” for human consumption in Asia and Europe. BBC Panorama’s The Dark Side of Horse Racing revealed that thousands of horses used for racing in the UK and Ireland are sent to the abattoir every year."