the age of two. However, not all horses are able to sustain the same level of training without significant stress or injury. There is a need for continued investigation of the welfare and safety implications of current policies and procedures employed to sell, condition and race two-year-olds.


Other practices that will improve the safety of the racehorse include the development of a consistent protocol for pre-race examinations by regulatory veterinarians as well as uniform criteria for scratching horses. Currently there is variation in these procedures among the 38 racing jurisdictions. There also is lack of uniformity in reporting racehorse injuries, particularly those that occur during morning workouts. Judicious application of a standardized reporting system will increase the racing industry’s ability to monitor and address racing and training injuries.


In most racing jurisdictions there is no institutional program to care for horses that can no longer race. The view of most racing facilities is that the responsibility for the care of horses rests entirely with the owner. This view is entirely appropriate. However, if a horse owner does not provide responsible care for retired racehorses, the industry becomes vulnerable to attack for apparent lack of concern for equine welfare. The resulting negative impact on horse racing’s image can contribute to disenfranchisement of racing fans.


The AAEP acknowledges that the following recommendations for modification of the business model of racing will have significant economic implications (some positive, some negative) for racing managers. We do not make these recommendations lightly. Further, we emphasize that one of our highest priorities as an industry must be to reduce equine injuries. The greatest potential for decreasing injury exists in making procedural and policy changes within the business model of racing, particularly in the claiming arena.


In order to put the safety and welfare of the horse first in the business model of racing, the AAEP recommends:


• A critical analysis by the racing industry of the safety and welfare implications of the current schedules, procedures and policies surrounding the conditioning, sale and racing of two-year-old horses.


• A period of rest for all horses to provide an opportunity to refresh and diminish the volume of persistent cyclic loading that occurs in the absence of rest.


• No horse shall be permitted to race within 10 days of its last start. • Every horse entered to race shall be on association grounds in sufficient time to have a pre-race veterinary inspection for racing soundness by the regulatory veterinarian.


• Standardization and enhancement of pre-race and post-race veterinary examinations with mandatory cross-jurisdictional sharing of information.


• In those jurisdictions that practice it, racetrack management must discontinue the coercion of trainers to enter horses according to stall allotment.


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