Can the Newly Launched Horse Racing Safety Rules Truly Minimize Athlete Injuries?

Horse racing?has been a sport of entertainment for centuries, or more specifically, since at least classical antiquity. The sport has held an importance passed on as a baton from one year to another, remaining rooted in the tradition of them all. Though the primary course of the racing has remained the same, people have evolved to implement amends and demands specific to the era of existence, from combats to chariots and polished skills to specialized breeds.

The industry, with its growth, undoubtedly provides a solid ground to quench the curiosity of those passionate and enthusiastic. However, in doing so, it is always on the brink of being under scrutiny for involved practices. While growing to suit the standards of the persisting community, the horse racing industry has constantly faced the wrath of ethical measures, pressingly focusing on integrity concerns over negligence and safety issues.

A look at the numbers in the horse racing community

The racing community is no stranger to the issue of horse fatalities. According to reports, 1.5 horses die out of every 1,000 starts in the United States. In data represented from 2009-2021, more than 7,200 horses died or were euthanized nationwide because of racing-related injuries, according to the Jockey Club. As for the jockey, for every 1,000 jockeys, over 600 are reported to have medically treated injuries. With every fall of the horse is the jockey’s fall, expanding upon the fatalities. A 2013 analysis of data showed 184 jockey injuries from 360 reported falls.

The presented numbers weigh varyingly upon mere accidents and downright negligence, with the onlookers’ focus lying on the latter. While both factors contribute without clear substantiation, the statistics remain unkind. Foul play, track conditions, and training missteps are a few of the bases that remain a significant cause, at least in recent cases.

Live examples of the displayed figures

The most recent heart-wrenching news overtook the community days ahead of the awaited Breeders’ Cup. Two of the race entries met an unwelcomed fate within two days. While Practical Move collapsed out of cardiac arrest, Geaux Rocket Ride suffered an injury during the training session, further leading to euthanasia. The incident sparked a response from the monitoring authorities stating that processes of protocols were in place, mindful of the safety of human and equine athletes. Interestingly, the committee involved witnessed its establishment following another horrifying instance that overtook the industry.

One of the biggest news that shook the horse racing industry arrived in 2019 at Santa Anita Park. About 42 horses died at the venue. Though the majority of the reason points to injured limbs, the factors for all remain unknown.?“It was the perfect storm of terrible weather, a dearth of horses ? many of them who shouldn’t have been running here,”?said Rick Arthur, the equine medical director for the California Horse Racing Board,?according to the New York Times.?Another one of the reports also includes evidence of the involved foul play. Following the incident in 2020, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) was launched to monitor safety across race courses in the US.

The implementation of safety measures

Across its presence in the industry, HISA has constantly worked to implement the necessary regulations. The steps have been adaptive measures toward the ever-evolving society, and with persisting conditions, the measures lie above the existence of the sport itself in a matter of importance. These impositions haven’t only been limited to the race track limitations for equines but also extend towards anti-doping measures. Some of the initially introduced measures include jockey safety, a six-use limit of the riding crop, prohibition of devices used to mask horses’ pain, streamlining drug testing and standardized punishment for offenders, and racetrack accreditation and reporting of training.

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With the establishment of HISA, measures, and impositions were introduced from state to state. However, with recent amendments, track safety, and anti-doping measures have reigned to maintain uniformity.?Getting into the Breeders’ Cup with a persisting spirit, the races have worked alongside the organization to impose safety measures. Equine security and surveillance, enhanced veterinary exam procedures, injury management protocols, and racing surface maintenance fall on the list. With the first step under the jurisdiction, the industry might be looking at a potential improvement in the conditions.

Possible impact of the introduced measures on the horse racing community

It is no lie that the racing industry has required a tweak at times in terms of its functioning. The primary involvement of horses and the practices necessary calls for approval from the society at bay. While no amount of affection from a minority base may influence the onlookers, strong implementations on a higher level are the steps the racing industry needs. Though the HISA has been a newer introduction, the awareness and the scrutiny surrounding it have made their points focus increasingly on equine and jockey safety.

According to reports, over the past decade, CHRB recorded a 30% reduction in racehorse fatalities. It isn’t a far-fetched deal for the industry to achieve the feat recently, especially with its evolved mindset and ever-increasing inventions. However, despite all this this, it ultimately leads to the intentions of the equestrians and authorities present in the industry.

“This sport involves an animal that can’t speak for itself,”?says Lazarus, CEO of HISA. “If we want a social license to operate, we need to be able to convince the public that animal welfare is our primary concern.”?The anti-doping measures have been in place for five months, and The Guardian gives us positive hope moving forward.?“I think there have been seismic changes in the industry since we launched [the anti-doping strategy] in May,”?the site reported Lazarus saying.

If the leader leads well, the rest will know where to follow. Lazarus also added that they have charged about 150 people with anti-doping violations since the implementations. The correct numbers and the proper measures seem to stir the industry in the right direction.

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