Support has been growing on Twitter for Jockey Ruby Walsh who was last week the subject of death threats on the social media site over his comments about the putting down of a horse.

Walsh had said horses were replaceable following the death of previous Triumph Hurdle winner Our Conor who had to be put down after sustaining a back injury last Tuesday.

“You can replace a horse. It’s sad, but horses are animals, outside your back door. Humans are humans, they are inside your back door,” he said.

His comments resulted in a storm of Twitter users saying they hoped he would die in a fall and that he as a jockey would be replaceable if he died. One poster said Walsh should have his “skull crushed”.

The jockey, who is recovering from surgery on a broken arm on Friday following a fall in at the Cheltenham Festival, has begun receiving messages of support on Twitter.

Several posters yesterday said that threats against him were “disgusting” .

“This is utterly disgusting!! Some humans are vile people!!” one users said. Another asked: “Are people really that sad and mentally challenged enough to make death threats to Ruby Walsh over saying a dead horse is replaceable?”

Others said that while the threats should not have been made, Walsh had been wrong and insensitive to make the comments about the horse.

Following his initial comments Walsh had later clarified his words, saying he did not mean to sound callous.

“We look after horses like they’re pets,” he said. “There’s a huge difference between your pet and your family. That’s the point I was making.

“There’s a big difference between you going home tonight and something’s happened to your dog, and you go home tonight and something’s happened to one of your kids. There’s a huge difference.”