Horse racing raises welfare concerns across the horse's career from the physical demands of training and competition through injury management to often inadequate provision for retirement.
Racehorses face welfare challenges throughout their careers: early training places physical demands on immature skeletal systems; racing involves the risk of catastrophic injury; injuries are sometimes managed to allow continued training rather than recovery; and retirement often comes without adequate planning for the horse's post-racing welfare needs. Reform across the racing industry is ongoing but progress is uneven.