174 horses have died since last March in horse racing in the UK:

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/racing/
mckelvey-is-174th-horse-to-die-in-a-race-in-just-one-year-805235.html (URL wrap warning)

[QUOTE]The RSPCA said the race had been made safer following negotiations with the racing authorities.[/QUOTE]

The races would be a lot safer for the horses if they didn't happen.

The most popular horse race day in Australia, Melbourne cup day, this year claimed a life on-track (as horse racing often does):

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22712132-5001028,00.html

Most horses that die for racing are the forgotten ones; unsuccessful in racing, they go to the slaughterhouse and become pet food, after a career of abuse.

For more info on what's wrong with racing, visit http://www.horceracingkills.com/

People never stop coming up with new ways to inflict suffering on animals, for their own convenience or amusement. A new trend in "sport horse" ownership is described in this article, wherein nursemare foals are deliberately produced and discarded to allow the mare to nurse a "more important" foal. However, people are out there rescuing them:

http://www.equestrianmag.com/news/orphaned-foals-saved-horses-rescue-7-07.html

This isn't the only way foals become a by-product of an unnecessary industry. PMU (pregnant mares' urine) products like Premarin invlove keeping horses pregnant so that their urine can be collected, for use in HRT (hormone replacement therapy). For more info on PMU and alternatives see http://www.nopmu.org