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  • How Much Does Racehorse Insurance Cost? An Owner’s Premium Breakdown

    Racehorse insurance costs roughly 4.85% to 6.5% of the horse’s insured value every year. On a $50,000 colt that is about $2,425 a year, or a little over $200 a month, for mortality cover alone; add the standard surgical endorsement and the all-in number sits near $2,625 a year. The rate is not flat. It…

  • What Is HISA in Horse Racing? An Owner’s Guide to the Federal Safety Regulator

    HISA is horse racing’s federal safety regulator — the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, created by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020 and supervised by the Federal Trade Commission. Its rules run at 41 racetracks in 19 states, and they arrive in two parts: the Racetrack Safety Program, live since July 1, 2022,…

  • Laminitis in Horses: What Racehorse Owners Need to Know About the Condition Behind Many Hard Endings

    The short version Laminitis is the inflammation and separation of the laminae that hold your horse’s coffin bone suspended inside the hoof. When that attachment fails, the bone can rotate or sink — and that is what turns a foot problem into a life-or-death one. Most laminitis today is not caused by “too much grass.”…

  • Racehorse Major Medical & Colic Insurance: What Your Mortality Policy Doesn’t Cover

    Mortality insurance pays if your racehorse dies. It does not pay the $6,000–$15,000 bill when that horse survives emergency colic surgery — that bill is covered only if you bought a separate major medical or surgical endorsement, and most first-time owners don’t learn the two are different products until the vet is already asking for…

  • Why Do Racehorses Get Put Down? What Owners Need to Know About On-Track Injuries and Euthanasia

    Racehorses get put down for one dominant reason: a catastrophic limb injury that cannot be repaired and cannot be survived humanely. In 2025, that happened at a rate of 1.07 per 1,000 starts in North American Thoroughbred racing — about one fatality in every 935 starts, the lowest rate since national record-keeping began in 2009.…

  • How to Choose a Racehorse Trainer: An Owner’s Vetting Checklist

    Choosing a racehorse trainer comes down to three things: fit, evidence, and accountability. Match the trainer to your horse’s class and your own goals, then verify them with the public performance record, references from current and former owners, and an in-person barn visit before you sign anything. This is the most consequential hire you make…

  • Racehorse Mortality Insurance: What Owners Actually Need to Buy (and What Syndicates Cover)

    Racehorse mortality insurance pays out the horse’s insured value if it dies or has to be humanely destroyed, and for a racing thoroughbred it typically costs about 5% of that value a year — roughly 4.85% to 6.25%, sliding lower as the horse’s price rises. It does not cover surgery, vet bills, or a career-ending…

  • What Is Fractional Horse Ownership? A Buyer’s Guide to What You Actually Own (and Don’t)

    Fractional horse ownership means buying a small, defined share of a racehorse — from a few percent down to a fraction of one percent — so a group of people split the purchase price and the running costs instead of one owner carrying all of it. The entry point can be as little as around…

  • What Is the National Thoroughbred League? A Buyer’s Guide to Team Racing

    The National Thoroughbred League (NTL) is a team-based professional racing league — a spectator and entertainment product, not a way to own a racehorse. Ten city-branded teams, backed by celebrity ownership groups, race for season points toward a championship. If you came to it hoping to buy a share of a runner, that is the…

  • Foal, Colt, Yearling & 2-Year-Old: Racehorse Age Stages Explained for Buyers

    A foal is any Thoroughbred under one year old, of either sex; a colt is a male horse four years old or younger. That is the whole muddle in one line: foal, weanling, yearling, and 2-year-old are age stages, while colt and filly mark sex. The same horse can be a filly, a foal, and…

Race Horse Ownership 101 · The First Furlong

Race Horse Ownership 101 is an independent publication for first-time and curious thoroughbred owners. Coverage focuses on United States Thoroughbred racing, with regular notes on overseas campaigns where US-owned horses run abroad.

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Race Horse Ownership 101 publishes educational content about thoroughbred ownership. We are not financial advisors, tax advisors, lawyers, bloodstock agents, or syndicate managers. Nothing on this site is personal advice for your situation. Tax content reflects publicly available information as of the date of publication and is not a substitute for professional guidance. Before making any ownership decision, consult qualified professionals in your jurisdiction.

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