Horse racing has significant welfare problems including catastrophic injuries and the use of performance-altering drugs. Reform efforts are increasing but face industry resistance.
Horse racing presents a welfare challenge that resists easy resolution because the activity involves inherent physical risk at speeds and over distances that stress equine anatomy. The most tractable welfare improvements focus on reducing preventable risks: better track surface management, injury surveillance that identifies high-risk horses before catastrophic events, elimination of drug use that masks pain and allows injured horses to race, and age restrictions that prevent racing before skeletal maturity. The cultural and economic pressures within the racing industry work against welfare reform, but public attention following high-profile deaths at tracks like Santa Anita has accelerated regulatory change. The fundamental question of whether racing is compatible with acceptable welfare standards is actively contested among veterinarians, ethicists, and reformers.