Horse racing is a major global industry that generates billions in revenue but involves documented welfare harms from training injuries, race fatalities, and post-career management.
Horse racing welfare requires confronting the conflict between the commercial value of racehorses and their welfare interests. Horses bred for maximum racing speed carry genetic vulnerabilities that create unavoidable injury risk in high-speed competition. Drug use that masks pain and enables horses to race beyond their physical limits represents one of the most direct welfare violations in the industry. Reform is possible — stricter medication rules, better track surfaces, and mandatory retirement funding can significantly reduce welfare harm without eliminating the sport.