I CANNOT understand why Peter Nelson (The Press, April 16) entered his beloved horse, which he says was “part of the family”, into such a cruel race as the Grand National which consists of a series of trick fences, tackled by exhausted horses battling shoulder to shoulder.

Has he never misjudged the depth of a step and felt his legs give way? This must be what a horse feels like when it jumps a fence and has a huge drop at the other side.

I would have thought Mr Nelson would be well aware of the dangers of this race, it is in the news every year, but he still risked his horse in what he called “a daft race”. I think it is time the race was banned or at least have the fences lowered and do away with the ditches on landing.

Lesley Potter, Holly Tree Croft, Dunnington.