Epidemiology of Musculoskeletal Injury during Racing on New Zealand Racetracks 2005-2011.
Authors: Bolwell Charlotte, Rogers Chris, Gee Erica, McIlwraith Wayne
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Between 2005 and 2011, researchers analysed over 188,000 Thoroughbred flat race starts in New Zealand, using Stipendiary Steward reports to identify veterinary events that prevented horses from finishing races. Musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) occurred at a rate of 0.72 per 1000 starts—considerably lower than international figures reported elsewhere—with respiratory events accounting for a separate 0.21 per 1000 starts. Two significant risk factors emerged: track conditions and race distance, with MSI rates substantially lower on dead and slow going compared to good ground, whilst races exceeding 1671 metres showed markedly higher injury rates than shorter races of 1200 metres or less. The authors attributed the relatively favourable injury profile to New Zealand's distinctive horse management and training practices, though they acknowledged that variations in how injuries are defined and documented across different racing jurisdictions may partly explain the discrepancy. For farriers, veterinarians and conditioning specialists, these findings reinforce the protective value of appropriate track conditions and suggest that strategic planning around race distance—particularly managing horses intended for longer distances—represents an important injury prevention consideration within training programmes.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Track conditions matter significantly—soft/slow tracks reduce MSI risk compared to good/firm tracks, suggesting consideration of race scheduling during unsuitable weather
- •Longer races carry greater MSI risk; trainers and veterinarians should implement stricter fitness assessments and conditioning protocols for horses racing at distances ≥1671 m
- •The lower MSI rate in New Zealand may reflect value in local training and management practices worth investigating and potentially implementing in other racing jurisdictions
Key Findings
- •Incidence of musculoskeletal injury on race day was 0.72 per 1000 starts in New Zealand Thoroughbred flat racing (2005-2011)
- •MSI rate was significantly lower on 'dead' and 'slow' tracks compared with 'good' tracks
- •MSI rate was significantly greater in longer races (≥1671 m) compared with shorter races (≤1200 m)
- •Respiratory events occurred at 0.21 per 1000 starts, with overall MSI incidence in New Zealand appearing lower than worldwide reports