Grand National Safety and Welfare: How the Race Has Changed

The Grand National has always been a race that divides opinion. For its admirers, it is the ultimate test of horse and rider — a spectacle of courage, stamina and skill played out over the most demanding course in racing. For its critics, it has too often been a source of injury and worse, with the unique fences and the large fields creating risks that no other race imposes. Both perspectives have shaped the Grand National as it exists today — a race that has changed more in the last two decades than in the previous century, driven by a genuine commitment to improving horse welfare without destroying the qualities that make the race what it is. It is, at its best, a race that listens.

This guide traces the welfare reforms that have transformed the Grand National, the impact of smaller fields, and the fence-by-fence modifications that have made Aintree safer for every horse that takes the start.

Decades of Change: How the Grand National Improved Horse Welfare

The modern era of Grand National welfare reform began in earnest in the 2010s, following a series of high-profile incidents that generated intense public scrutiny and pressure from animal welfare organisations including the RSPCA and Animal Aid. The response from the Jockey Club (which operates Aintree) and the British Horseracing Authority was not to dismiss the criticism but to engage with it — commissioning independent reviews, consulting veterinary experts and implementing changes that would progressively reduce the risk to horses.

The most significant structural change came in 2026, when the maximum field was reduced from 40 to 34 runners and several fences were modified or relocated. The first fence was moved 60 yards closer to the start, reducing the speed at which horses approach the early obstacles. Becher’s Brook — historically the most controversial obstacle on the course — had its landing area levelled and the fence further modified to reduce the severity of falls. The rationale was straightforward: slower approach speeds and less severe drops mean fewer injuries.

The changes did not happen overnight. They were the product of decades of incremental adjustment. Fences have been levelled, softened and rebuilt. The landing areas have been regraded to reduce the drop. The veterinary protocols on race day have been overhauled, with additional vets stationed at key points around the course and a rapid-response system in place for any incident. The starting procedure has been modernised to reduce the chance of false starts and bunching.

As Brant Dunshea, Acting Chief Executive of the BHA, has observed in a broader regulatory context, British racing has warned repeatedly about the unintended consequences of well-meaning policy decisions. The remark was made in relation to gambling regulation, but the principle applies to welfare reform too: every change to the Grand National must be carefully assessed to ensure it improves safety without creating new, unforeseen risks. The balancing act is constant, and the regulators treat it with the seriousness it deserves.

Smaller Fields, Safer Racing: The Move from 40 to 34 Runners

For decades, the Grand National started with a maximum field of 40 horses. The sheer number of runners — strung out across a wide course, jumping 30 fences in close proximity to each other — was part of the spectacle but also part of the problem. More horses meant more congestion at the fences, more interference between runners, and more opportunities for a single error to trigger a chain reaction. The pile-up at Foinavon’s fence in 1967 and the mass refusal at the Canal Turn in 2001 were extreme examples, but crowded jumps and mid-race collisions were commonplace even in ordinary renewals.

The reduction to 34 was announced as part of the 2026 safety review. The smaller field means less traffic at each fence, more room for jockeys to choose their line, and fewer opportunities for horses to be brought down by fallen runners in their path. The 2026 Grand National saw 21 of 32 starters complete the course — a strong completion rate that reflected both the smaller field and the improved fence design.

The impact on the betting market has been real but manageable. A 34-runner handicap is still one of the largest fields in British racing, and the range of odds — from single-figure prices for the principals to 100/1 for the rank outsiders — remains wide enough to satisfy every type of bettor. The competitive balance has not been diminished; if anything, a tighter field of better-qualified runners has produced races that are more consistently competitive than the sprawling 40-runner fields of the past.

Critics of the reduction argued that it would dilute the unique character of the Grand National — that part of the race’s appeal was its sheer scale. Supporters countered that the character of the race lies in the course, the fences and the distance, not in the headcount. The first few renewals under the new rules have broadly vindicated the supporters: the Grand National remains the most dramatic race in the calendar, and it is demonstrably safer.

Fence by Fence: The Modifications That Made Aintree Safer

The Grand National fences have been progressively modified over the past two decades, with each change designed to reduce the severity of falls without eliminating the challenge of the obstacles.

The most visible change has been to Becher’s Brook, the sixth fence on the first circuit. The drop on the landing side — which historically pitched horses forward and caused some of the most dramatic falls in the race — has been levelled multiple times: first in 2011, when the landing area was raised, and again in subsequent modifications. Separately, the first fence was relocated 60 yards closer to the start in 2026, reducing the speed at which the field approaches the early obstacles. The combined effect of these changes has been to reduce both speed and drop hazards, while still preserving Becher’s as a genuine jumping test.

The Chair, the tallest fence on the course, has been left largely untouched — its height and the ditch on the take-off side demand respect from every horse, and the fence’s injury record is actually better than several less dramatic obstacles. The Canal Turn has been adjusted to ease the sharp left-hand bend on landing, with the course realigned slightly to give horses a smoother trajectory through the turn.

Across the rest of the course, the fences have been rebuilt with more forgiving materials. The spruce dressing on top of the fences is now softer and less dense, which means a horse that brushes through the top of a fence is less likely to be caught up and brought down. The birch cores have been modified to flex on impact rather than resist, and the aprons (the sloping face on the take-off side) have been adjusted to encourage horses to jump cleanly rather than scrape over the top.

Veterinary presence on the course has also been upgraded. Mobile veterinary units are positioned at key fences, and screens can be deployed rapidly in the event of an incident. The protocols for assessing an injured horse have been standardised and accelerated, ensuring that decisions are made quickly and in the best interest of the animal.

None of these changes have made the Grand National easy. The race remains the toughest test in racing — four miles, 30 fences, 34 runners, and a course that punishes the unwary. But it is now a test administered with far greater care for the participants than at any point in its history. A race that listens to its critics and responds with action is a race that earns its right to continue.