Author: Cathrynne Henshall, Post Doctoral Fellow-School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University

The death of one of Australia’s most-loved thoroughbreds, Black Caviar, brought an outpouring of grief from the racing industry and fans across the world. It also sparked some uncomfortable questions about what retirement actually means for a champion mare like her and what really goes into breeding a racehorse. Some questioned the quality of care she was given and whether she was valued for more than just her ability to produce foals. Many were surprised at how thoroughbred breeding works in practice, even for champions like Black Caviar. Does good care always mean good welfare? The background Black Caviar gave…