Appraising the Welfare of Thoroughbred Racehorses in Training in Queensland, Australia: The Incidence, Risk Factors and Outcomes for Horses after Retirement from Racing.
Authors: Crawford Kylie L, Finnane Anna, Greer Ristan M, Phillips Clive J C, Woldeyohannes Solomon M, Perkins Nigel R, Ahern Benjamin J
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Retirement outcomes for racehorses remain poorly documented globally, prompting researchers in Queensland to conduct the first prospective investigation into why Thoroughbreds leave training and what happens to them afterwards. Over 13 months, trainers were surveyed weekly about 110 retired horses, with follow-up tracking extending to a median of 14 months post-retirement; musculoskeletal injuries accounted for 36% of retirements, whilst involuntary retirements (triggered by injury, respiratory/cardiac disease, or behavioural issues) represented 51% of cases overall. Notably, 98% of horses were repurposed within the study period, with nearly half (46%) entering performance careers—and those retired voluntarily due to racing form were 2.28 times more likely to transition to performance work than those forced into retirement through injury or illness. The findings underscore a critical gap in industry welfare monitoring: whilst most retired racehorses do find secondary careers, there is currently no systematic traceability to ensure their ongoing welfare, and preventative strategies should focus on reducing voluntary retirements through optimised training and racing protocols rather than managing forced retirement alone. Practitioners involved in retraining retired racehorses should recognise that horses with prior musculoskeletal or systemic health issues may require particularly careful assessment and rehabilitation before competing in new disciplines.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Musculoskeletal injuries remain the leading cause of retirement—trainers and veterinarians should focus on injury prevention strategies and early detection to improve career longevity and voluntary retirement rates
- •Nearly all retired racehorses can be successfully repurposed, but current industry lacks traceability and accountability systems; establish monitoring protocols to track welfare outcomes in horses' second careers
- •Horses with declining racing form are more likely to be voluntarily retired; develop evidence-based criteria for optimal retirement timing to improve post-racing outcomes and prevent involuntary retirement due to injury
Key Findings
- •Retirement incidence in thoroughbred racehorses was 0.4% per week, with musculoskeletal injuries accounting for 36% of retirements (40/110 horses)
- •Involuntary retirements comprised 56% of cases (56/100), driven by musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiac conditions and behavioural issues
- •Odds of voluntary retirement increased with additional race starts (OR 1.05) and racing starts per year (OR 1.21), but decreased with winning record (OR 0.94)
- •98% of retired horses (108/110) were repurposed within median 14 months, with 46% becoming performance horses; voluntarily retired horses had 2.28 times greater odds of performance horse repurposing