Transitioning the Retired Race Horse

Since there are a lot of race horses in our area being retired from the tracks this time of year we thought it was a good idea to post some helpful guidelines for a smooth transition.

American Association of Equine Practitioners

TRANSITIONING THE RETIRED RACEHORSE

Racehorses can be very useful in other careers after retiring from racing. Many are donated 

to retirement facilities that provide permanent sanctuary or provide retraining and 

adoption to suitable homes. These horses’ uses may range from non‐ridden, companion 

animals to athletic sport horses. As in most equine endeavors, the intended use of the horse 

has a large bearing on its rehoming potential. The equine practitioner can assist, both at the 

track and at the retirement facility, with the potential use of these horses after they retire 

from racing. There are many variables that must be considered in this determination. While 

there are no absolutes, there are conditions associated with physical limitations which will 

likely prevent a horse from future athletic endeavors.  Foremost for the equine practitioner 

are the soundness of the individual animal and the identification of various conditions that 

may affect future usability. 

Based on their professional experience, most veterinarians will have a personal 

perspective regarding which medical conditions can be consistent with various uses. These 

guidelines will outline the common health issues encountered and offer opinions based on 

the committee’s collective expertise. There is minimal scientific data on which to base these 

prognostic decisions and ultimately recommendations may be founded solely on 

professional veterinary opinion.  As improved documentation of experience with injury 

rehabilitation becomes available, more accurate prognostic decisions will be possible.  The 

veterinarian advising or making recommendations as to the future use of a horse should be 

familiar with the demands and health requirements of that use, and it is recommended that 

the veterinarian’s prognosis for athletic ability in a specific horse be conservative in order 

to avoid situations where failed expectations result in a horse becoming unwanted. 

The first step in determining the prognosis for a racehorse to be transitioned to another 

use is a comprehensive evaluation. This should include as detailed a medical history as is 

available and a thorough musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiac and ophthalmic 

examination.  Because many horses that are to be examined have had recent medication for 

various infirmities, it may be necessary to examine an animal more than once to assess its 

accurate health status.  Arrival exams are standard procedure for most of the major 

retirement organizations. Good records of these exams are necessary. Often these exams 

are the responsibility of the facility to which the animal is donated, at which time a medical 

history is likely unavailable.  The AAEP recommends that responsibility for the horse’s 

evaluation be borne by the horse’s donor, thus saving the facility funds and allowing them

to more effectively triage the animal.

Many retirement facilities have very limited capacity and lack resources to support animals 

for a long period. Therefore, it is in the interest of both the horse and the facility to make 

prudent and efficient decisions regarding individual animals in order to responsibly 

manage financial resources. Humane euthanasia is a legitimate consideration for animals 

that have chronic unsoundness that renders them unsuitable candidates for adoption, or 

for animals that are uncomfortable to the extent they cannot humanely live out their days 

in a field. 

Physical Assessment

For the purpose of these guidelines, the following definitions are used to describe the levels 

of recommended use for the transitioned horse. 

• Level I:  Pasture turnout, non‐ridden. 

• Level II:  Light use, to include trail riding at the walk and occasional trot on good 

footing. 

• Level III: Moderate use such as flat work at the walk, trot, canter and varied terrain. 

Occasional jumping in good conditions generally with fences less than two feet. 

• Level IV:  Full athletic work; no exclusions. 

In addition to physical condition, temperament is a critical factor in determining successful 

placement of these horses. Most retirement facilities are managed by experienced horse 

people whose assessment of a horse’s temperament, demeanor, socialization (human and 

equine) and tractability will be important. Such evaluation requires a good history and 

regular monitoring by experienced observers. While the veterinarian may have input as to 

an animal’s temperament for a specific purpose, such decisions should be made in consultation with management. Stallions and colts should be castrated before transitioning.

The following is a listing of conditions commonly seen in retiring racehorses and the 

prognosis for these animals for various uses. 

Musculoskeletal Conditions:

Fetlock

Lameness due to chronic osteoarthritis is common in retiring racehorses and may 

often be the precipitating cause of the horse’s retirement. The degree of lameness 

can be highly variable, and is not always consistent with radiographic findings.  

However, it is unlikely that a horse demonstrating grade 2/5 lameness due to 

fetlock disease will be serviceable as a performance horse. These horses may be able 

to be used for Level II activities, but should still be expected to require an increased 

level of care to maintain their existing level of soundness. Horses with a significant 

decrease in fetlock flexion even if not exhibiting lameness may be compromised for 

significant athletic use (Level III‐IV).  If the adopting agency or person is willing to 

institute therapy to mediate osteoarthritis of the fetlock, the costs should be 

outlined as well as prognosis. Intra‐articular therapies and / or surgery will render 

a number of these animals useful at lower levels (Level I‐III). In general, if a horse 

cannot be maintained for racing with appropriate therapy, it will be difficult to 

maintain that animal for any use other than very low level work in other capacities. 

In particular, these animals will be unlikely to be able to be sound enough for 

jumping or dressage. 

Small osteochrondral fragments should have minimal impact on future soundness if 

the animal is given appropriate therapy and time to recover. Fractures of the 

proximal sesamoids vary greatly and must be individually assessed. In general, 

small apical fractures and basilar fractures without extensive degenerative joint 

disease and marked suspensory disease will be serviceable for moderate level use 

(Level I‐III). Full body fractures often render an animal unsound for any athletic 

activity.

Carpus

The degree of damage to the carpus can dictate future usefulness. If the damage to 

the joint surfaces is not extensive, the horse will be able to transition to low and 

moderate sport horse use including jumping.  If there is extensive osteoarthritis 

involving any of the joint surfaces, the prognosis is quite guarded. Chip fractures can 

be removed and improve the athletic prognosis in many cases. Palmar fractures 

generally carry a less favorable prognosis for any use other than very light pleasure. 

Foot

“No foot, no horse” is a universal truth that crosses all equine disciplines.  Foot 

conditions are often managed on the racetrack with therapeutic shoeing and 

medication and without a specific diagnosis. 

Poorly conformed feet that have to perform on harder surfaces than the track will 

often lead to lameness. Good farriery over time can remedy many hoof conditions, 

and if the adopting group is willing to invest the time, these horses may transition to 

many uses. Chronic quarter cracks can often be healed and corrected. Horses with 

chronic foot pain are poor candidates for use on hard surfaces.  Animals that have 

had laminitis also may be poor candidates for use over firm surfaces. Such horses 

require detailed examination to assess potential serviceability. Since there are many 

causes of foot pain, establishing a diagnosis is key to identifying reasonable athletic 

expectations.  Animals that have been treated with a palmar digital neurectomy will 

require open documentation and careful placement by the adopting group. Wing 

fractures of the third phalanx (coffin bone) often have a good prognosis for other 

uses but should be documented.  Coffin bone fractures involving the joint surface have a poor prognosis for riding soundness. Solar margin fractures generally have a 

favorable prognosis and feet with chronic inflammatory changes may be able to be managed. 

Tarsus

Hock lameness is common and often manageable in both the racing and sport horse. 

Chronic osteoarthritis of the lower joint spaces of the hock will limit usefulness as a 

jumping or dressage horse but may not be inhibiting for lighter work. Many 

appropriate therapies may extend the usefulness of these horses if the adopting 

group is willing to invest in such. In most of these cases, rest alone is not adequate 

for returning a horse to serviceable soundness. 

Stifle

Chronic stifle lameness will prevent most racehorses from transitioning to moderate 

or intense sport use. Osteochrondral fragments (in the absence of osteoarthritic 

changes) typically respond well to surgery, which coupled with appropriate 

intraarticular therapies, will return many of these horses to usefulness for low or 

moderate level activities.  Meniscal or ligamentous damage will limit use to low 

levels of activity. 

Tendon and Ligamentous Injury

Tendonitis of the superficial flexor tendon is a common cause of retirement from 

racing.  The severity of this injury will determine the prognosis for other uses. The 

majority of “bowed” tendons, if treated appropriately and given enough time, will 

transition to most uses other than racing. Most cases will require 10‐12 months to 

be serviceable. 

Suspensory ligament injuries may range from a mild strain to complete failure.  The 

latter is not amenable to transition, and unless extensive treatment is instituted, is a 

life‐threatening injury with a poor prognosis for survival. Chronic severe 

suspensory desmitis will prevent transition to Level III or IV activity. Horses with 

mild to moderate desmitis, if treated appropriately and given considerable rest, may 

be useful for low‐level activity. 

The external appearance of soft tissue structures (tendons and ligaments) may not 

reveal the extent of an injury and it is advisable that ultrasonography be used as an 

adjunct to physical examination to document the degree of injury in cases where 

soft tissue injury is of concern. 

Respiratory Conditions:

Upper Airway Conditions

Laryngeal hemiplegia (“roaring”) is a common cause for racing retirement. 

Although the degree of obstruction will determine future usefulness for other 

purposes, affected horses are very useful as long as speed isn’t required. Horses 

experiencing soft palate problems while racing may not show the same 

symptoms at slower speeds and may be useful for exercise at Levels I‐III.  

Arytenoid chondritis may severely limit a horse’s athletic potential.  Although 

medical and surgical treatments for each of these respiratory conditions may 

improve airway function, a well documented history and endoscopic 

examination prior to referral to the retirement facility is appropriate to help 

clarify the athletic potential of affected horses. 

Lower Airway Disease

Inflammatory airway disease is not uncommon and must be managed if the 

horse is to be transitioned at all. Many horses with an undiagnosed chronic 

cough may transition to lower level uses but should be properly diagnosed for 

the best prognosis.  Horses with exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage in 

racing will rarely experience bleeding at other uses unless speed is required 

such as eventing or barrel racing. 

Gastrointestinal Conditions:

Underweight

A thorough physical examination may define the cause of a lower body condition 

score (<2/9).  Adequate nutrition and good general care will reverse most 

underweight conditions.  Horses may also lose condition after leaving the 

racetrack, particularly if managed in groups and fed together.  An aggressive, 

competitive race horse may still end up at the bottom of the social hierarchy 

when transferred to a new facility. Intact males are often a management problem 

and should be castrated. 

Gastric Ulcers

Gastric ulcers are a common cause of a lower body condition score and may 

require gastroscopy for accurate diagnosis. Elimination of the stress of 

competition may improve this condition but some horses will require 

appropriate therapy. Alternatively, the horse may be treated empirically for 

ulcers and its response to therapy evaluated 

Chronic diarrhea is a serious condition and will require extensive workup and 

treatment. 

Costs

The cost of housing, retraining and rehoming retired race horses can be considerable. 

These costs are increased if the horse requires significant veterinary medical care. We have 

discussed many of the common problems associated with this transition. There is little 

national data to reference the costs of veterinary care for these animals.  Many adoption 

facilities enjoy close relationships with veterinary practices that render care at significantly 

reduced costs. These practices see this care as a service to the horse and the facilities 

providing care.