Hello, and welcome to this lesson about equine welfare in the horse racing industry. I'm Rick Baedeker, Executive Director of the California Horse Racing Board. Horse racing as a sport dates back to the Greeks and Romans. And today, racing meets can be found on every continent on Earth. But the sport is not without its controversies. In this module, we'll look at the history of the sport, and the efforts underway here in California and elsewhere to assure the welfare of these elite equine athletes. Let's start with when and how horse racing as a sport began. Horses were first domesticated in Central Asia around 4500 BC. And it's not a stretch to picture one nomad telling another my horse is faster than yours. Organized horse racing can be traced back to the Romans and ancient Greek Olympics which included both chariot and running horse events. Racing continued as a sport in a number of cultures. But modern racing began to take shape in the 12th Century with the arrival of the Arabian in Great Britain. From the 12th to 16th centuries, English knights brought Arabian stallions back with them to Great Britain, and those were bred to English mares. Almost all thoroughbreds today can trace back to one of three Arabian Stallions, the Darley, Godolphin or the Byerly Turk. The offspring of these horses competed in match races, meaning a race between just two horses. Match races were mostly enjoyed by the affluent of British society, hence the name sport of kings. These original offspring also would form the basis of the modern thoroughbred. The breed that today dominates racing worldwide. In recent study, researchers have confirmed that almost all English thoroughbreds contain DNA from the famous stallion Eclipse, a Godolphin offspring. Which makes just about all modern race horses his descendants. In the early part of the 18th century, horse racing became a professional sport in England. The general public could now wager on multi-horse races. The popularity of racing has continued to grow from these early roots. And the racing industry today generates over $115 billion in revenues worldwide, supporting millions of jobs. The Jockey Club, the breed registry for thoroughbred racing, reports that in 2015, there were 42,219 races in North America alone. That's 53,365 starters running in 329,974 races, resulting in an average field of about 6 horses per race. For these races, the purses, that's the money paid to the winner, totaled $1.2 billion. And the handle, or the amount of money wagered, was over $11.2 billion. Along with the growth of the racing industry, and its increasing economic impact, regulatory agencies have also emerged to ensure the safety of the horses, the jockeys and the public. There are a total of 46 regulatory agencies in North America, with 41 in the U.S. and 5 in Canada. These bodies adopt and enforce all laws relating to parimutuel horse racing. Parimutuel wagering is different than house banked games found in casinos. In parimutuel wagering the players wager against each other, with the race track collecting all the monies wagered and distributing the pay offs to the winners. Parimutuel wagering is highly regulated with track safety, license requirements, medication guidelines and penalties being just a few of the areas that are controlled. Internationally, the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, the IFHA, includes 59 countries on 6 continents, representing North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East. This organization strives to promote best racing practices internationally. Antarctica by the way, is the lone continent on Earth that is racing free. One of the primary ways the racing industry strives to keep the rider and horse safe while allowing them to turn in a peak performance is through medication regulations. Every jurisdiction has extensive regulations governing the administration, use and testing of drugs for horses and humans. Only a few medications are permitted on race day. In California alone, more than 40,000 post-race urine and blood samples are tested each year. And each one of those is screened for more than 2,000 prohibited substances. Fewer than three in 10,000 results in a positive test. And those violations are vigorously prosecuted. For horses, many of the medication guidelines are modeled after the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, the RMTC recommendations, an organization which was founded in 2001. The Association of Racing Commissioners International, ARCI, is another industry group that collaborates with racing officials throughout North America in the area of medication regulation, as well as all other regulatory aspects of the sport. In addition to medication regulations, the industry addresses the welfare of both the jockey and horse through other initiatives, some of which are listed here. One of the most aggressive programs developed on behalf of the race horse is the California Horse Racing Board's Racing Safety Program. This unique program was launched in 2010 and was developed in conjunction with the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. The program focuses on identifying the factors contributing to equine injuries and fatalities in all racing facilities under the jurisdiction of the CHRB. When a horse suffers a life-ending injury, a necropsy is performed. The results are studied to look for indicators of the cause, past performances, medication and training history are some of the areas investigated. The results of this research are compiled and made available to trainers, veterinarians and anyone who shares an interest in equine welfare. You can review some of that research and educational material in the resources section. In 2010, the CHRB also established it's Safety Steward Program, the first of it's kind in the country. Safety stewards at each race rack, makes sure jockeys and exercise riders are wearing approved helmets, safety vests, and the newest riding crops, which are softer and much shorter than before. In addition, the safety safety stewards cooperate with CHRB investigators to insure that all race day medication restrictions are followed. Other measures designed to protect the integrity of the sport include out of competition testing, random inspections of barns and vehicles, and individual detention barns for horses on race day. And every horse entered to run is physically examined on race day by the official veterinarian. Mistreatment of animals is never tolerated in horse racing. In California, neglect or abuse of a race horse is not only a violation of racing board rules, but may also be a crime. A number of changes have been made over the last few years to improve horse welfare, including modification of the riding crop ande restrictions upon its use. Crops are now shorter and softer, with foam padding covering the shaft of the crop. And use of the riding crop is strictly limited. It cannot be used more than three times in succession, or when a horse is not responding to it, or has dropped out of contention. Since race horses retire from the track at a relatively young age, what about life after the track? North America has a variety of retirement programs and opportunities for horses. For example, in the west, the California Retirement Management Account, CARMA, helps to fund retirement programs. CARMA is a charitable organization that raises money to assist thoroughbred retirement facilities. In January of 2016, the CARMA board awarded over $500,000 to 25 different retirement programs that find ways for California's retired race horses to transition into their second careers as sport and pleasure horses. Canada also has many retirement programs for their race horses. The Canada Race Horse Retirement Foundation works primarily with horses coming from the harness world. The Adena Retirement Program is based in Aurora, Ontario, and focuses on thoroughbreds. Internationally, the racing industry is equally invested in taking care of racehorses after their time on the racetrack is done. Which may include retraining them with a new skill set, or simply allowing them to live out their days in peace. The Australian Racing Board requires owners and trainers to notify Racing Industry Services Australia when a horse is retired. And the Hong Kong Jockey Club requires that owners post a bond that goes towards a horse's relocation, rehabilitation and, or retraining. A horse race is one of the sporting world's most exciting events, 40 years ago horse racing was the main form of wagering. Today, sports betting, fantasy sports, and casinos, are accessible to anyone who is interested in making a bet. Therefore, horse racing is no longer the centerpiece that it once was. But still has brought appeal to fans that appreciate the beauty and grace of the race horse and jockey in unison coming down the stretch. The industry of horse racing is complex, but the horse is always at the center of attention. Those involved with the sport enjoy the company of the horses and appreciate their athleticism. So it makes sense that they would address animal wealth fare issues, such as medication, injury prevention, and retirement. Racing's number one asset it the race horse, and so it rightfully remains at the forefront of all decisions regarding the racing industry. For racing to continue to be one of the most exciting sporting events in the world today, all of its participants must have an unwavering commitment to the safety and welfare of the racehorse. Thanks for joining me today. In the next lesson, we'll take a look at working horses outside the racing industry, and the international efforts to ensure their welfare.
