The 1,000 racehorses killed in just six years: Rights campaigners call on punters to be more aware of suffering inflicted on animals A race meeting held a fortnight ago saw Hired Hand die at Bangor-on-Dee He became the 1,000th horse to die on a racecourse since 2007 Animal rights campaigners ask if it is price worth paying any longer Earlier this year the Grand National made history after jockeys were urged to slow down The love of horseracing is ingrained in the culture and history of Britain unlike almost anywhere else in the world. But the toll of horses who die or are destroyed on racecourses each year is leading to a wave of public disgust. A race meeting held a fortnight ago saw Hired Hand - a seven-year-old gelding - die at Bangor-on-Dee. Earlier this year the Grand National asked jockeys to slow down to cut the number of injuries and deaths to horses during the historic race He became the 1,000th horse to die on a racecourse since Animal Aid began their Death Watch in 2007. Animal rights campaigners say the sport is exacting is a dreadful price on the horses that compete in it and are questioning whether it is a price worth paying any longer. They say that while the sport is undoubtedly popular - attracting millions of people each year - punters should be more aware of the suffering it causes the horses. Animal rights campaigners say that while the sport is undoubtedly popular punters should be more aware of the suffering it causes the horses Dene Stansall, Animal Aid's horseracing consultant, said: "If horses are to die so that someone can enjoy a bet, punters should be aware of a basic truth. And this is that betting on horses means horses will suffer and die. Earlier this year the Grand National made history after jockeys were urged to slow down to cut the number of injuries and deaths to horses during the historic race. The instruction was one of a series of measures introduced after the death of one race favourite, Synchronised, as well as According to Pete, in the 2012 event led to a major outcry from the watching public and animal welfare charities. Animal rights campaigners say the sport is exacting is a dreadful price on the horses that compete in it and are questioning whether it is a price worth paying any longer And the RSPCA says the horse race has to change if it is going to survive. Gavin Grant, chief executive of the RSPCA, said the Grand National is on "trial." He added: "I simply don't think the public will tolerate another National like the ones we've had the last few years." In the event two horses - Little Josh and Battlefront - died during the three -day meeting at Aintree this year. Animal Aid says 10 horses died or were destroyed on British racecourses in the space of a month this year. 23 July Hired Hand was destroyed after being injured at Bangor-on-Dee; Sunglasses was destroyed after breaking a hind leg at Southwell. 20 July Galaxy Rock was destroyed after falling and being injured at Market Rasen. 16 July Autumn Draw died after a starting stall incident at Kempton. 15 July Bad Girls was destroyed at Newton Abbot after pulling up injured. 4 July Kaolak suffered a fatal heart attack during a race at Perth; at the same meeting Now I Win Again suffered an injury to its foreleg and was destroyed. 28 June Francisca was injured and destroyed at Doncaster. 26 June Cruise Control died after falling at Worcester. 24 June Shesadanser collapsed and died after a race at Thirsk. Around 17,500 horses competed on racecourses in Britain last year while around 6,600 - 38 per cent - are calculated to have participated in jump racing. An estimated 157 horses died as a result of jump racing last year and Animal Aid claims that this equates to a one in 42 chance of a jump horse dying over the course of a year. But the British Horseracing Association fiercely rejected the claims, pointing out that horses were raced several times a year. Animal Aid's figures show that the Cheltenham racecourse topped the league for the highest number of horses killed since 2007 with 42 animals. It is followed by, Sedgefield on 44, Market Rasen, 40, Newton Abbot, 32, and Aintree with 31. However the true number of deaths is suspected to be significantly higher. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) confirmed in response to a recent parliamentary question that there were 162 more equine fatalities over the past three years than Animal Aid has recorded. But a BHA spokesman said: "Racing is a sport that carries risk, and British racing is honest and open about the risks involved. British racing is very proud about the welfare standards which are required in the sport - in which we are considered world leaders - and has nothing to hide. Last week Animal Aid wrote to David Heath, minister at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, calling for the BHA to publish the full data on recorded horse deaths. It said: "Given the special place that horses have in British culture, such a national discussion would be very much in the public interest. We urge you to take immediate steps to ensure that all such relevant information is placed in the public domain.