COMMERCIAL horse racing, which caused horses to suffer and die in the Grand National, is not a sport (Letters, April 17).

Two-thirds of the 15,000 foals bred for racing don’t make the grade and are often killed.

Every year, 375 horses are raced to death. The ones which don’t die, suffer from a great deal of stress.

A real sport involves consenting human participants, not abusing and whipping defenceless animals to win a race to line greedy pockets.

Emma Richards, Halland Road, Brighton

OWNERS and jockeys have a choice – horses don’t.

When a beautiful animal is doing its damndest to please, and is whipped to do better, at best it has to be given oxygen after the race; at worse, it has to be put down.

That isn’t sport – it’s animal cruelty. And for what? Money.

A sprinter would run faster if hit on the backside.

Joan Archer, Rusper Road, Worthing