Racing Injuries

Here is a list of common reasons for retiring Quarter Horse, Thoroughbred, and Standardbred racehorses. This is a survey done by M. E. Ensminger, B.S., M.A., Ph.D. From surveying racing farms, he also stated, "Experienced trainers estimate that one-third of the horses in training require treatment in one form or another."

Rank	Thoroughbred	Standardbred	Quarter Horse	Three Combined
1	Bowed Tendons (23%)	Bowed Tendons (34%)	Bowed Tendons(27%)	Bowed Tendons(25%)
2	Osselets (21%)	Splint (14%)	Bucked Shins (18%)	Knee Injury (16%)
3	Knee Injury (20%)	Fractured Fibula (12%)	Knee Injury (12%)	Osselets (16%)
4	Splint (6%)	Curb (5%)	Fractured Sesamoid (9%)	Bucked Shin (7%)
5	Bucked Shin (5%)	Knee Injury (5%)	Osselets (8%)	Splint (7%)
6	Fractured Sesamoid (4%)	Supsensory Ligament (4%)	Splint (5%)	Fractured Sesamoid (5%)
7	Sand crack (3%)	Osselets (3%)	Suspensory Ligament (2%)	Fractured fibula (3%)
8	Fractured Fibula (2%)	Ringbone (2%) Parasites (2%)	Sand crack (2%)	Sand Crack (2%)
9	Suspensory Ligament (1%)	Sidebones (2%)	Shoulder Injury (2%) Arthritis (2%)	Suspensory Ligament (2%)
10	Other (15%)	Other (11%)	Other(13%)	Other(17%)