RVC launches major study to reduce training-related injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses

(c) Paul Curry Dreamtime.com

Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) have launched a large-scale research
programme aimed at improving the safety and welfare of Thoroughbred racehorses during training. The Training Injury Prevention Study seeks to address a significant gap in current knowledge by focusing on musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) that occur away from the racecourse,

While substantial progress has been made in understanding race-day injuries, far less is known about injuries sustained during daily training, despite these injuries being a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in racehorses worldwide.

This lack of evidence has limited the ability of trainers, veterinarians, and regulators to identify horses at risk and implement effective preventative strategies. The new study aims to provide robust, data-driven evidence to support safer training practices and improve long-term welfare outcomes.

The project is funded by the Horserace Betting Levy Board and the Racing Foundation, with endorsement from the British Horseracing Authority. It aligns closely with the Horse Welfare Board’s Best Possible Safety strategy, contributing to broader industry goals around welfare, sustainability, and public confidence in British racing.

Over a three-year period, the research team will conduct prospective cohort studies involving both flat and National Hunt (jump) Thoroughbreds in training across Great Britain. By following horses over time, the researchers will be able to estimate the incidence of common training-related musculoskeletal injuries, including fractures and tendon and joint injuries. This approach will allow injury occurrence to be linked directly to training practices and workloads.

A central component of the study is the development of novel measures of training workload. Currently, there is little documented evidence describing how racehorses are trained in practice or how variations in workload influence injury risk. By quantifying training intensity and volume, the researchers aim to identify modifiable risk factors associated with exercise-induced injury and determine how training regimes can be optimised to reduce harm.

The project will also trial the use of wearable GPS technology to assess its practicality for large-scale use within the racing industry. These devices will be used to measure parameters such as speed, distance, stride frequency, and stride length, providing objective data to estimate training workloads more accurately over time.

Professor Kristien Verheyen, Professor of Veterinary Clinical Epidemiology at the RVC, emphasised the importance of the work, noting that the study will fill critical knowledge gaps regarding injury occurrence in training. The findings are expected to support evidence-based interventions and highlight examples of best practice within current training systems.

Overall, the Training Injury Prevention Study aims to generate the scientific evidence needed to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injury in Thoroughbred racehorses, improving welfare outcomes while supporting the long-term sustainability and social licence of the racing industry.

The research team encouraged age rracehorse trainers interested in taking part in this study to register their no obligation express of interest, here.

For more information about the Training Injury Prevention Study, see:

https://www.rvc.ac.uk/research/projects/training-injury-prevention-study.