Columbus, OH — The U.S. Trotting Association announced on Monday (June 17) the launch of the beta version of a new Equine Health & Wellness Database (EHWD). The initial phase is for the collection of data. When sufficient data is available, it will all be made available to the public.

Any current USTA member that is connected to a horse including veterinarians, owners, trainers, caretakers, track or state employees, as well as race officials can contribute to assist in the collection of data through their USTA My Account. The link to submitting an incident report for a horse can be found under “Miscellaneous.” Anyone can sign up for a free My Account by clicking here.

“The EHWD will allow the industry to identify clusters and types of racing injuries, help all of us investigate the causes, and act as a data repository that can be mined when developing safety measures and policies going forward,” said USTA Executive Vice President and CEO Mike Tanner. “Thankfully, the incidence of Standardbreds that experience catastrophic injuries is, and always has been, extremely rare.

“It is the responsibility of everyone in the industry to participate and contribute to help build the foundation of information in the database,” added Tanner. “The USTA also welcomes any feedback from industry participants on how to improve the process and database.”

The database will include any type of injury and is not just limited to racing but also for training, off-track, on the farm or in transportation.

An incident report requires the horse’s or dam’s name and registration number and allows the reporting on the details of the incident, any injury, illness or disease, the presence of any pre-existing conditions plus any other pertinent, additional information.

In the future, the database will also include additional information such as test results and vaccinations.

For further information or to get assistance in using the Equine Health & Wellness Database, contact member services at memberservices@ustrotting.com or by calling toll free 877.800.8782.