Australia’s horse racing industry is under scrutiny due to allegations of tranquilliser use on horses for training purposes, which may breach racing rules. Acepromazine is commonly used to calm horses, but it can compromise proprioception and lead to various health risks, including impaired blood clotting and respiratory depression.

Thoroughbreds in the racing industry are bred to be highly reactive and move at high speeds, making them difficult to control during trackwork and routine management. The lack of appropriate training and confinement can lead to behavioral issues, such as bucking and taking off. Horses have fundamental needs for friends, forage, and freedom, which are often not met in modern racehorse management, leading to the need for tranquillisers.

High-intensity work and lack of access to grazing and social interaction can increase horses’ arousal and make them hard to control. The routine use of tranquillisers in the industry is seen as a band-aid solution to the underlying issues of confining, over-feeding, and under-training horses. Monitoring and publishing data on the use of tranquillisers could be a first step in addressing these issues in the racing industry.