Thoroughbred horse racing involves significant welfare risks including musculoskeletal injuries, medication use, and breeding practices that prioritize speed over soundness.
Catastrophic injuries during racing — fractures that are typically unsurvivable — occur at tracks in ways visible to public audiences, prompting welfare scrutiny. Less visible is the day-to-day management of musculoskeletal pain with joint injections and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that allow horses to continue training and racing despite underlying injury. The breeding emphasis on speed has created a population of animals with thin leg bones relative to body mass, inherently increasing fracture risk.