I agree with racing...I am pretty sure horses are much more likley to be hurt in Eventing or Cross Country or Jumping - they jump so high and hit so hard on the way down that their fetlocks strain the tendons and ligaments that are meant to cup it and keep it up.

Horses are also very likely to be hurt doing things as mundane has carriage rides. Hitting the solid ground can seriously damage the horses feet, to the point where they need special boots.

Quite frankly though - you see many more horses being injured today in racing than thirty years ago - that's mostly a breeding problem - when they bred for faster they bred for lighter...thats why they get injured.

Barbaro kept on running for a tiny bit even after he was injured - not because his rider wanted him to (I dont think such a tiny guy could keep such a big boy movin' )...but because he wanted to keep running....that should tell you something about these horses - they love to run, they love speed, they love showing and moving...horses are seriously hams - they know when they are being adored or when they are doing something important.

I see it in the program that my school runs - we breed warmbloods and sell them in a big benefit sale in october. With some of the show oriented horses (The hunters, jumpers, eventers, and dressage types) you can just tell - they almost light up when we work with them in the ring (never long enough to injure bones mind you, and never backed). We had one big boy (17hh 1yr old ) named Primo who was a bred jumper - he had top have surgery on his tendons to lengthen them because he was just so dang big, and he was always so grumpy when he had the bandages on...and whenever he got let out to do some exercise he would prance and be happy and bounce (dangerous for the handler...but very funny to watch.)

As far as the crop - I have been smacked by them before...it hurts, but we also have alot more nerves on our skin and alot more hair and thickness to it...when we use whips in training we really just trail them behind the horses to get them moving - rarely do they get touched...if they do its lightly (or when you're inept with the whip and lunge line like me...you whip yourself and the horse starts at the crack and moves faster).

Just some insight from someone who majors in horses.