Horse racing causes thousands of injuries and hundreds of deaths annually, with welfare debates about the inherent conflict between competition and animal wellbeing.
Racehorses are bred and trained for performance at a cost to long-term soundness. Young horses are raced before skeletal maturity, increasing injury risk. Jump racing subjects horses to falls and collision injuries. Whip use causes pain and fear, and its reduction has been shown not to affect racing outcomes. When horses sustain fractures on the track, euthanasia is generally the only option. The emotional bond between horses and their handlers coexists with a commercial structure that prioritises performance.