why race 2-3 year olds?

Question
I am a student doing a debate on racing horses at the age of two and three. I am arguing from the pro side of the argument and was wondering if you could give me some points on why we do start the thoroughbreds as early as we do. I would greatly appreciate your input, Thanks!

Answer
Allison,

It has long been thought by many people that the racing industry is cruel for starting horses at the age of two, or even at three.  These people equate the two year old horse with about a ten year old human, and it simply isn?t so.  A two year old horse could probably be considered far closer in physiological age to an eighteen year old.   Plenty mature enough physically to withstand training, as long as the training is done properly.  

Recent studies done on racehorses indicate that it is actually more beneficial to the horse to begin training at an early age, rather than waiting until age three or even later.  Studies done by The Animal Health Trust in England have shown that horses put into training at age two actually have a lesser risk of catastrophic injury than horses who are put into training later.  It would seem that before about two years of age, tendon grows and adapts in response to weight bearing. After two years of age, degenerative, rather than adaptive changes accumulate in the tendon tissue.

The skeletal system seems to be similar, in that a young horse?s bones will actually lay down new bone where needed to respond to the demands in training, while bone in an older horse will not, greatly increasing the risk of fracture, due to insufficient strength where needed. So proper training can encourage the young horse?s body to adjust to the stresses that racing will put on it, whereas an older horse will likely have a harder time adjusting, if it can adjust at all.  It is far more likely that the older horse will simply injure himself trying to adapt to the strain.

You can probably find a great deal of information on the internet by running a search on  Dr. Robert Smith, Dr. Allen Goodship, or  Dr. David Nunamaker.  Drs. Smith and Allen did the original study for the Animal Health Trust, and Dr. Nunamaker has done some cutting edge work on bone development for New Bolton Center in Pennsylvania.
I hope that this helps with your debate.  If you need additional sources, please let me know, and I?ll try to find you some links, or I could possibly send you the files by email.

Stephanie Frost
www.alchemybloodstock.com