Breakdowns

[3nutmeg]

What is the most common causes of breakdowns? I understand fatigue, pre-existing injury,a bad step,accidents, or pre-existing injuries masked by medication. How common are breakdowns at tracks during training and racing and are they at all preventable? On the NY gaming website( http://breakdown.gaming.ny.gov/ ) I was researching equine deaths and injuries. Many deaths/injuries were from left front leg fractures. Some hind legs, shoulders,pasterns, cardiac, and freak accidents. I know there is a lot of pressure on horses legs when the run. Are there any signs before a horse goes out to the track? Maybe filling in the legs? Is it over training? I noticed that Todd Pletcher had many of these deaths/injuries. Maybe he just has more horses out there. It must be hard to work at the track and witness so many breakdowns. I do know some tracks or surfaces have a reputation of being harder on horses legs. Does anyone know if breakdowns are occurring more/less than 50-60 years ago? What about training techniques then and now? Thanks for your input.

[3nutmeg]

On the same website I counted only 12 harness racing deaths versus about 86 Thoroughbred deaths for the year to present. I realize the dynamics of movement in Standardbred and Thoroughbred racing are different.

[Worksoplad]

One of the many causes IMHO is the fact that in the US the majority of racing and training is done on dirt and virtually every track is left handed, so that horses continually train and race with most stress on the left front leg. In Europe most races are run on turf, often with a lot of give in the ground due to the weather, and there is a very good mix of left handed and right handed tracks. Also, most training is not done at the track but on privately owned gallops. So horses in Europe get a chance to train and race in both directions rather than continually stressing one side.

And don't get me started on race day medications.

[BenB]

In Europe there are not much tight bull rings, overhere we have an small track it,s 8 furlongs, that,s rare in Europe.

[Sylvie Hebert]

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... -step-myth

[3nutmeg]

Thank you Sylvie. The info was helpful.