This year’s Albany Law School Institute on Racing and Gaming Law devoted a full day to matters of equine health, focusing primarily on Thoroughbred retirement and aftercare.

On Aug. 15, veterinarians, horse owners, politicians, equine welfare advocates, racetrack managers, horsemen, and aftercare organization representatives spoke on panels on a variety of welfare issues, including a report prepared by the New York State Task Force on retired horses; certification and inspection of breeding farms, sanctuaries, and rescue centers; recognizing inhumane treatment; and racetrack safety.

Despite the name of the program, which offers continuing legal education credits, the day was short on legalities and long on anecdotes, with representatives from a variety of aftercare organizations describing the services they offer, their successes, and their challenges.

Not surprisingly, the two biggest problems racing aftercare programs deal with are a surplus of horses and a lack of funding. While much of the racing industry is concerned about the effects of a declining horse population on racing and breeding, as far as aftercare organizations are concerned, there are still too many horses, even with a foal crop that has declined by a third in recent years