What We’re Learning From Horse Racing Research
Researchers worldwide are examining ways to prevent injuries in racehorses; their findings could help prevent issues in sport horses, as well
When a racehorse suffers a catastrophic injury in a high-profile race, the industry makes headlines … for all the wrong reasons. In recent decades mainstream media has shone a spotlight on racing injuries, and industry organizations have poured thousands of dollars into investigating why they occur. As a result, we know a lot about the forces placed on these elite athletes’ bodies.
Much of the research has revolved around identifying risk factors for and ways to prevent catastrophic injuries and fatalities. Here, several university researchers from North America and abroad share recently published and ongoing studies on this topic, along with their potential impact on racehorse and sport horse health down the road.
Identifying Early Warning Signs
Preventing injuries is important not only for racehorse health but also jockey safety and public perception, says David Horohov, PhD, chair of the University of Kentucky’s (UK) Department of Veterinary Science and director of the Gluck Equine Research Center, in Lexington. He and his colleagues have been working on a series of studies investigating injury prevention TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com. Already have an account?Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.
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Written by:
Sarah Evers Conrad
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