University of Florida’s Equine Treadmill Helps Horses in Their Racing Careers and Beyond

For centuries, horses helped power daily life. They pulled carts, ground grain and drove early machines. Today, their role is very different. Horses are now athletes, partners and an important part of competitive sports.

As this role has changed, so has the way we care for them. At the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, the Equine Performance Lab has been studying horse health since the 1990s. After a recent $1 million renovation, the lab introduced a one-of-a-kind equine treadmill. This treadmill helps researchers understand how horses perform under different medications and supplements.

After the renovation, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority collaborated with UF to advance research on racehorse welfare and performance. HISA sets national rules for Thoroughbred racing. Their goal is to make the sport safer and more consistent for horses, riders and trainers.

The treadmill plays an important role in that work. It can match race-level speeds and test horses under various conditions. This capability allows researchers to collect clear, objective data that guides better decisions about training, treatment and safety.

As equine sports grow, there is a greater need for transparency. Groups like HISA want to make sure medications and supplements do not unfairly affect performance or harm a horse’s health. This attention to the horse’s well-being matters even more because many racehorses retire at a young age and move on to second careers. Their long-term health is key to that transition.

At the same time, less farmland and open space are available, making it harder to place injured horses. Because of this, early detection and prevention are more important than ever. By studying how different factors affect performance, veterinarians can help protect both a horse’s career and its future.

The new treadmill at UF is central to this effort. It allows specialists to track heart and lung function in real time. With this insight, experts gain a clearer picture of how a horse responds to training, treatment and supplements.

With Florida’s seasonal influx of performance horses each winter, the timing of this investment is important. Each day, horses use the treadmill not just for exercise but also to provide valuable data. That information helps veterinarians improve care and support better outcomes — both on and off the track.

“Our goal here at the performance lab is to support science that helps not just the Thoroughbred racing industry but also improves the health and well-being of all horses of all disciplines everywhere,” said Sally DeNotta, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, a UF veterinarian. “Horses have long lifespans, and their ability to go on to become successful riding and sport horses depends entirely on our ability to keep them healthy and sound during their early athletic and racing careers. Work that improves their lifespan is what we do here at the lab.”

Together, UF veterinarians and the horses they care for are moving equine medicine forward. Their work is improving performance, protecting health and creating better paths for horses after their racing careers end.