She worked inside horse racing. This is what they don't show you

Done the full circle, if you like, with the racing industry, from the horses that are doing very well to the horses that perhaps weren't ever going to do well in that industry.

You've seen it all, Alex, and we really want to hear what you've experienced.

You mentioned in your Facebook post that got huge outpouring of support and talking points and conversations, it got people going, but you mentioned-

Yeah

... what you'd seen and what you'd experienced.

Can you share that-

Yeah

... with us today?

Yeah, absolutely.

And the first thing that I'll say, Anna, which I know is something we mentioned just before we, we hit record on this podcast, was how even as someone that's not actively involved in the industry right now, which obviously makes it easier for me to speak about these things, I still feel very on edge to open up about these things and because people do get very defensive, and I think that's the first thing I'd want to say before I say anything, is that I do believe, not just the racing industry, but all industries have room for improvement.

And so when I wrote that post, it was the day of the, around the Grand National, and so I focused on that part.

But I have seen similar issues in, in other industries.

But what I will say for them all is that I do believe on the greater part, the heart's in the right place, and the people that are making the mistakes, if you like, if that's the right word, that I've seen, are not necessarily doing it through neglect in a conscious way.

And so that's why I think education needs to be at the absolute front of this because...

And I think that's why defense is so high, because when people are coming at this, especially on social media, it's, a lot of it's finger-pointing and saying, "Well, you, you know, you can't love your horses if you're doing these things." But what I've seen firsthand is that industry does love their horses.

Does that mean there's things that need to change? Yes, those two things are existing at the same time, um, and I think that's where we've got to tread carefully, that we accept that these people are, in their bones, believing that they love their horses and do love their horses.

But there is definitely things to change.

And one of the things that I said in my post is that- A lot of the things that I'd say the general public or even equestrians that are not involved in that industry see what goes on race day, and there is issues with what goes on race day.

And for example, deaths on course is obviously a huge topic and a very emotive topic.

And I'm not to say that there's any time that is okay, but I don't believe that it's the biggest issue.

It's the easiest one to see because it's there right in front of you on the television.

But I actually think those things are easier to fix in that we can change the expectation of what the horses are asked to do with...

It's not easy, I guess, in terms of getting in front of the right people to do that.

But if they were willing to make those changes, actually that's a few rule changes and a change in expectations.

What I think is a much bigger issue is the daily standard of care.

Done the full circle, if you like, with the racing industry, from the horses that are doing very well to the horses that perhaps weren't ever going to do well in that industry.

You've seen it all, Alex, and we really want to hear what you've experienced.

You mentioned in your Facebook post that got huge outpouring of support and talking points and conversations, it got people going, but you mentioned-

Yeah

... what you'd seen and what you'd experienced.

Can you share that-

Yeah

... with us today?

Yeah, absolutely.

And the first thing that I'll say, Anna, which I know is something we mentioned just before we, we hit record on this podcast, was how even as someone that's not actively involved in the industry right now, which obviously makes it easier for me to speak about these things, I still feel very on edge to open up about these things and because people do get very defensive, and I think that's the first thing I'd want to say before I say anything, is that I do believe, not just the racing industry, but all industries have room for improvement.

And so when I wrote that post, it was the day of the, around the Grand National, and so I focused on that part.

But I have seen similar issues in, in other industries.

But what I will say for them all is that I do believe on the greater part, the heart's in the right place, and the people that are making the mistakes, if you like, if that's the right word, that I've seen, are not necessarily doing it through neglect in a conscious way.

And so that's why I think education needs to be at the absolute front of this because...

And I think that's why defense is so high, because when people are coming at this, especially on social media, it's, a lot of it's finger-pointing and saying, "Well, you, you know, you can't love your horses if you're doing these things." But what I've seen firsthand is that industry does love their horses.

Does that mean there's things that need to change? Yes, those two things are existing at the same time, um, and I think that's where we've got to tread carefully, that we accept that these people are, in their bones, believing that they love their horses and do love their horses.

But there is definitely things to change.

And one of the things that I said in my post is that- A lot of the things that I'd say the general public or even equestrians that are not involved in that industry see what goes on race day, and there is issues with what goes on race day.

And for example, deaths on course is obviously a huge topic and a very emotive topic.

And I'm not to say that there's any time that is okay, but I don't believe that it's the biggest issue.

It's the easiest one to see because it's there right in front of you on the television.

But I actually think those things are easier to fix in that we can change the expectation of what the horses are asked to do with...

It's not easy, I guess, in terms of getting in front of the right people to do that.

But if they were willing to make those changes, actually that's a few rule changes and a change in expectations.

What I think is a much bigger issue is the daily standard of care.