Why do racehorses who become injured while competing have to be immediately euthanized?

Question

thanks Ty C.. i knew there's likely a good reason, but ever since the last horse that was put down (on the news about a month ago) and this one recently, i have been wondering if there is any possible way to repair their legs. it does seem cruel that they are bred for human entertainment/win money and some have to die for it. hopefully it doesn't happen as often as it has in recent months.

Answer 1

Not all horses are euthanized after injury. Eight Belles injuries were too serious to treat. They couldn't even move her from the racetrack.

Answer 2

Not every horse that gets injured gets euthanized.  A few years ago, a horse by the name Charismatic, winner of the 1999 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, was injured on the home stretch of the Belmont Stakes, breaking his front left leg in two places.  They performed surgery on the horse and he has lived as a stud ever since.

Answer 3

They are only euthanized if they break their leg/s - and it doesn't just apply to racehorses, all horses are euthanized on breaking their legs.

It seems cruel to people who don't know much about horses, but unfortunately it is very necessary.

Unlike humans, horses don't understand that they have to keep still while healing, and in fact it is impossible for a horse to remain still for a long period of time (such as the time it takes to heal a broken leg!). This is because their digestive systems rely on movement (horses have 4 stomachs and food has to be processed in all of these) to work properly. It is also impossible for horses to lie down for extended periods of time as they can't breathe well in that position, so if they break more than one leg there is no way to keep them breathing and motionless. Horses aren't made to hobble along on three legs, so even if they only break one, unless it is a very minor break there is no chance of it healing without compromising other areas of the horses health. These are particular problems if the horse breaks one or both of its front legs as horses carry 60% of their weight on their front legs.

There is just no way to keep a horse alive after the sort of injury that was inflicted on Eight Bells in the KD (which i assume is what triggered this post), consider what the poor horse would have had to endure to stay alive... Respiratory system compromise, no way to properly digest food and get the proper nutrients to keep healthy, unimaginable pain(!!!!) and racehorses in particular are bred and born with a love to run... There is no way to keep them still and it is cruel to try.

Edit: Thank you for *asking* why it is so rather than jumping in a shouting about it being cruel and inhumane while knowing nothing about the subject as i have seen many others do on this site on this topic.

Answer 4

Nadadime is correct.

Not ALL are euthanized. Barbaro wasn't immediatley put down until after an infection had set inabout a year later. He had fully recovered from his fracture. There are ways to fix them but it isn't common.

Eight Belles tragic injury was so severe that the vet that saw her on the track after the race in fact said that he had never witnessed an injury like that in his life.

I suppose it all depends on the injury itself.