Horses used in racing, eventing, and other equestrian sports face significant welfare risks from training regimes, competition demands, and injury rates.
Horses in competitive sports face welfare challenges that arise from the physical demands of training and competition, selection for performance over health, and the commercial interests that drive industry practices. Racehorses routinely sustain musculoskeletal injuries that cause significant pain, and catastrophic injuries during racing result in euthanasia on the racecourse. Training regimes that prioritise performance may not allow adequate rest and recovery for horses with subclinical injuries. Welfare monitoring through systematic injury surveillance, veterinary oversight at competitions, and post-career welfare support for retired sport horses has improved outcomes, but commercial pressures remain a welfare challenge throughout the industry.