Factors associated with failure of thoroughbred horses to train and race.
Authors: Wilsher S, Allen W R, Wood J L N
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Between 2001 and 2003, researchers tracked 537 Thoroughbred foals from birth through their racing careers to quantify the scale and causes of "wastage"—the failure of young horses to train and race productively in the UK. By monitoring horses entering training at ages 2 and 3 years with 161 registered trainers, they documented their performance records and the incidence of nine common injuries and illnesses, including musculoskeletal problems, respiratory conditions, and metabolic disorders. Only 61% of 2-year-olds in training ever competed, with just 5% earning enough prize money to offset training costs; at 3 years old, these figures improved marginally to 76% racing and 17% recouping fees. Sore shins and inflammatory airway disease dominated the injury profile at 2 years, whilst joint problems and sore shins were most prevalent at 3 years, with colts and geldings suffering significantly higher rates of musculoskeletal injuries than fillies. These findings underscore the economic and welfare inefficiency of early flat-race training and highlight specific injury and disease targets—particularly developmental orthopaedic disease and respiratory conditions—that merit investigation into their prevention, suggesting that nutritionists, farriers, physiotherapists and veterinarians should prioritise evidence-based interventions during the critical growth and early training phases.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Sore shins and inflammatory airway disease are major limiting factors in young Thoroughbred training; early intervention and prevention strategies should be prioritized
- •Sex differences in musculoskeletal injury rates suggest that colts and geldings may require modified training protocols or closer monitoring than fillies
- •The poor financial return (5% of 2-year-olds and 17% of 3-year-olds covering costs) indicates systemic issues with training intensity, timing, or selection criteria that warrant review
Key Findings
- •Of 1022 Thoroughbred foals born in 1999, only 52% entered training at age 2 years, with 28% exported and 6% kept for National Hunt racing
- •Only 61% of 2-year-olds in training competed at least once, with just 5% earning enough prize money to cover training fees
- •Sore shins and inflammatory airway disease were the most common ailments in 2-year-olds; joint problems and sore shins predominated in 3-year-olds
- •Colts and geldings suffered significantly higher rates of musculoskeletal injuries compared to fillies, with only 17% of 3-year-olds recouping their training fees