The University of Kentucky's College of Public Health and the University of Maryland's School of Social Work have released the results of a five-year study into health and safety of workers at Thoroughbred operations.
The survey found the average work week for a full-time employee was 48 hours, for which the average full-time, non-seasonal worker made around $9.50 per hour. Researchers collected information on a total of 284 injuries incurred by workers on 22 farms, ranging from minor contusions to broken bones. Interestingly, only 57 percent of injuries suffered on the job were directly as a result of contact with a horse, with 20 percent of those coming from a kick.