Abstract
Injuries are one of the lead causes of waste in the horse racing industry and leave owners stuck in financial and moral quandaries. Given a severe injury which renders the horse unable to run, an owner now must decide what to do with the animal: continue to pay for its upkeep, attempt to rehome it, or put it down. Besides the significant financial losses to the owner, horse injuries and deaths also
exacerbate animal cruelty arguments against the sport and ultimately threaten its longetivity. All parties in the racing industry benefit from the reduction of horse injuries and deaths. This paper studies the impact of track surface type (dirt vs. turf) on injury and fatality incidence rates. Using linear probability modeling on injuries and deaths recorded by the state of New York, my research concludes that turf is the significantly safer surface type with horses nearly half as likely to expire when compared to dirt tracks. Specifically, the findings suggest that increased safety of turf tracks comes not from an overall decrease in the quantity of injuries, but rather a decrease in the overall severity. Beyond surface type alone, the park at which a horse races also significantly impacts their probability of death and injury which should prompt greater investigation into parks’ individual track maintenance and composition. Ultimately, these results add to the existing body of literature which supports a transition of tracks from dirt to turf surfaces to reduce musculoskeletal injuries and fatalities.
Sports and Society Statement
This study on racehorse safety is a relevant sports and society issue as injuries and deaths constitute both a financial loss for owners/trainers as well as a moral issue of whether or not the sport constitutes animal cruelty.