Abstract
This review addresses the question of whether Thoroughbred horse racing is sustainable in the context of current social values. A recently acknowledged framework, known as ‘Social License to Operate’ (SLO), provides us with a lens through which to view and assess racehorse welfare. In multiple surveys of the general public, the horse owning public, and university students, the primary topics of concern regarding Thoroughbred racing show considerable concordance: concern about catastrophic injuries—particularly as related to track surfaces, concern over the racing of two-year-olds, whip use by jockeys, drug/medication policies, and aftercare opportunities for retired Thoroughbred racehorses. Legitimacy of an industry, consent from industry stakeholders, and trust between the community players, are all essential to have and maintain SLO. In the current era of 24/7 global media access, and the proliferation of social media providing an interactive platform for all interested parties, a dramatic change has occurred in commentary related to racehorse welfare concerns. The situation at Santa Anita (California, USA) from late December 2018 through mid-November 2019 demonstrated just how tenuous the SLO for horse racing is. This article will provide a brief review of what ‘Social License to Operate’ is, along with a brief literature review of five of the areas of primary concern voiced by stakeholders.
Highlights
Social License to Operate (SLO) is the public or ‘social’ acceptance, which grants permission or a ‘license’ to an organization to undertake its activity; i.e., to ‘operate’ [1]
The purpose of this paper is to explore racehorse welfare through the lens of the racing industry’s
Other Medication Used in Racing and Training—“Doping”. Another concern often voiced on social media is the issue of “doping.” In general, most issues related to drugs and medications, are lumped together in this category. ’Doping in performance horses is defined as the “illegal application of any substance, except normal diet, that might modify the natural and present capacities of the horse at the time of the race” [89]
Summary
Part of the Agricultural Economics Commons, Animal Sciences Commons, Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons, and the Veterinary Medicine Commons. Jill; Fiedler, Julie; Peterson, Michael L.; Brady, Colleen; Wickens, Carissa; and MacLeod, James N., "Thoroughbred Racehorse Welfare through the Lens of ‘Social License to Operate—With an Emphasis on a U.S Perspective" (2020). Thoroughbred Racehorse Welfare through the Lens of ‘Social License to Operate—With an Emphasis on a U.S Perspective. This review is available at UKnowledge: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/agecon_facpub/20 sustainability. Thoroughbred Racehorse Welfare through the Lens of ‘Social License to Operate—With an Emphasis on a. Peterson 4 , Colleen Brady 5 , Carissa Wickens 6 and James N. Received: 13 December 2019; Accepted: 15 February 2020; Published: 25 February 2020
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