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PloS one2021; 16(9); e0257581; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257581

Drivers of exit and outcomes for Thoroughbred racehorses participating in the 2017-2018 Australian racing season.

Abstract: The destinations of Thoroughbred (TB) racehorses exiting the racing industry is a high-profile issue with ethical and welfare implications of interest to both animal welfare groups and racing regulators. This cross-sectional study investigated the reasons that TBs temporarily or permanently exited racing and training in Australia in the 2017-2018 racing season and the outcomes for these horses post-racing. An online questionnaire was sent to the last registered trainers of a representative sample of 2,509 'inactive' TBs. Inactive horses were defined as those horses that were recorded as 'active' but had not trialled or raced in the last 6 months of the racing season or had an inactive status recorded in the Racing Australia database. Of the 1,750 responses received, the largest group of inactive TBs had permanently exited the racing industry (45% retired, 5.3% deceased). A relatively large group exited racing temporarily (43%) but participated in the racing industry in the following season. The reasons for retirement were predominantly voluntary, such as poor performance or owner's request. Almost one third of retirements were due to injuries with tendon or ligament problems the most frequently conditions listed. The median age at retirement was five (Q1 4; Q3 7) years. Extrapolation of the survey results to the population of horses racing or training in Australia in 2017-2018 (n = 37,750) show that that 17% of the population retire each year and 2.1% die. These estimates provide benchmarks for industry and animal welfare organisations to resource and measure the effectiveness of interventions.
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Publication Date: 2021-09-21 PubMed ID: 34547036PubMed Central: PMC8454983DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257581Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study investigates the reasons why Thoroughbred racehorses permanently or temporarily exit the racing industry in Australia and looks at the outcomes for these horses post-racing. Data was collected from trainers via an online questionnaire regarding a sample of ‘inactive’ horses during the 2017-2018 racing season.

Study Method

  • The researchers conducted a cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire, which was sent to the last registered trainers of a sample of 2,509 ‘inactive’ Thoroughbred racehorses.
  • ‘Inactive’ was classified as those horses recorded as ‘active’ but had not trialled or raced within the last six months of the 2017-2018 racing season, or those with an ‘inactive’ status in the Racing Australia database.

Study Findings

  • Out of 1,750 questionnaire responses, the researchers found that the majority of inactive Thoroughbreds had permanently exited the racing industry. Among these, 45% retired while 5.3% were deceased.
  • A significant group of horses – 43% – were found to have exited temporarily, with these horses returning to participate in the racing industry in the following season.
  • The reasons for retirement were mainly voluntary, often due to poor performance or upon the owner’s request. Notably, almost one-third of retirements were attributable to injuries, with tendon or ligament problems being the most frequently reported conditions.
  • The median age at retirement was five years.

Implications of the Findings

  • The results of this study offer some insight into the demographic trends of racehorse retirement and mortality in the Australian Thoroughbred racing industry during the 2017-2018 season.
  • By extrapolating the survey results to the entire population of horses (n = 37,750) racing or training in Australia in 2017-2018, it’s estimated that16.9% of the population retire each year, and 2.1% die.
  • The outcomes from this study provide useful benchmarks for those involved in the racing industry and for animal welfare organisations to allocate resources effectively and measure the impact of intervention measures.

Cite This Article

APA
Shrestha K, Gilkerson JR, Stevenson MA, Flash ML. (2021). Drivers of exit and outcomes for Thoroughbred racehorses participating in the 2017-2018 Australian racing season. PLoS One, 16(9), e0257581. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257581

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 16
Issue: 9
Pages: e0257581
PII: e0257581

Researcher Affiliations

Shrestha, Kshitiz
  • Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, Asia-Pacific Centre for Animal Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Gilkerson, James R
  • Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, Asia-Pacific Centre for Animal Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Stevenson, Mark A
  • Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, Asia-Pacific Centre for Animal Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Flash, Meredith L
  • Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, Asia-Pacific Centre for Animal Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.

MeSH Terms

  • Animal Welfare
  • Animals
  • Australia
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / etiology
  • Horses / injuries
  • Ligaments / injuries
  • Ligaments / pathology
  • Male
  • Physical Conditioning, Animal
  • Seasons
  • Sports
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Tendon Injuries / etiology
  • Tendon Injuries / veterinary

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have read the journal’s policy and have the following competing interests to declare: Racing Victoria Ltd. provided support for MLF in the form of a thesis stipend. However, the stipend is part of a research contract for a separate project (Racing Vic 045083 15/16) and not associated with this study. AgriFutures Australia provided support for KS in the form of a thesis stipend. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. There are no patents, products in development or marketed products associated with this research to declare.

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Citations

This article has been cited 6 times.
  1. Van Cauter R, Serteyn D, Lejeune JP, Rousset A, Caudron I. Evaluation of the appearance of osteochondrosis lesions by two radiographic examinations in sport horses aged from 12 to 36 months. PLoS One 2023;18(5):e0286213.
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