HE’S A MATE, BUT HE IS NOT MAN’S BEST FRIEND
THERE has been widespread mourning over the death of the steeplechaser Best Mate, with his doleful brown eyes peering out of page one of almost every national newspaper. And even now, more than a week on, the obituaries are still running, which is more than you can say for the horse.
I understand how the owners would be upset over the passing of this supremely athletic and profitable animal and, naturally, they have my sympathies. Anyone who has lost a domestic pet can recall a similar stab of sadness. If my cat had not only displayed a propensity to lick his nether regions in front of the telly, but also return from the bookmakers’ with £ 50 every week or two then I guess I’d have missed him that little bit more keenly when he was run over, too.
But even so, Best Mate was a horse. Get over it. We are a stupendously eccentric nation. Stick an image of a faminehit child on page one and we flick over to pictures from a showbiz premiere without a thought. Put a photograph of a mutt hit by fireworks in its place and outraged letters arrive by the JCB load.
For heavens sake, they even have psychiatrists for dogs now. You can see how that fact alone would mess with their canine minds — are they allowed up on the couch or not? My advice is to give your compassion to your fellow man. Then, if there’s any left over, the animals can get a look in.