Topic:Athletic Performance
Athletic performance in horses refers to the physical capabilities and endurance of horses in various equestrian activities, including racing, dressage, show jumping, and eventing. This topic encompasses the study of physiological, biomechanical, and genetic factors that influence a horse's ability to perform athletically. Research in this area often focuses on aspects such as muscle function, cardiovascular capacity, and respiratory efficiency, as well as training methods and nutritional strategies that can enhance performance. This page collates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the determinants, assessment, and enhancement of athletic performance in horses.
Effect of different workload and hydrocortisone in vitro on platelet aggregation in athletic horse. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the platelet response to different workload in athletic horse and the influence of hydrocortisone on this response. For this purpose, six Sella Italiana gelding athletic horses, ranging in age from 8 to 10 years and clinically healthy, were subjected to four different exercises: horse-walker, treadmill, obstacle course of 1.00 m and obstacle course of 1.25 m. From all the horses, citrated plasma samples were collected at rest, immediately after exercise and 30 min after the end of the exercise to assess the maximum degree of platelet aggregati...
Echocardiographic changes in heart size in hypohydrated horses. Hypohydration causes transient echocardiographic changes in pigs, dogs, humans, and cats. These changes mask the diagnosis of some cardiac diseases (valvular regurgitation, dilated cardiomyopathy) and promote the diagnosis of others (hypertropic cardiomyopathy and infiltrative disease), thus inhibiting accurate echocardiographic evaluation. Objective: To describe the echocardiographic changes associated with hypohydration in normal horses. Methods: Ten adult horses without detectable cardiac disease. Methods: Experimental study. Echocardiographic examinations were performed on horses in the eu...
A genome-wide SNP-association study confirms a sequence variant (g.66493737C>T) in the equine myostatin (MSTN) gene as the most powerful predictor of optimum racing distance for Thoroughbred racehorses. Thoroughbred horses have been selected for traits contributing to speed and stamina for centuries. It is widely recognized that inherited variation in physical and physiological characteristics is responsible for variation in individual aptitude for race distance, and that muscle phenotypes in particular are important. Results: A genome-wide SNP-association study for optimum racing distance was performed using the EquineSNP50 Bead Chip genotyping array in a cohort of n = 118 elite Thoroughbred racehorses divergent for race distance aptitude. In a cohort-based association test we evaluated geno...
Circadian regulation of locomotor activity and skeletal muscle gene expression in the horse. Circadian rhythms are innate 24-h cycles in behavioral and biochemical processes that permit physiological anticipation of daily environmental changes. Elucidating the relationship between activity rhythms and circadian patterns of gene expression may contribute to improved human and equine athletic performance. Six healthy, untrained mares were studied to determine whether locomotor activity behavior and skeletal muscle gene expression reflect endogenous circadian regulation. Activity was recorded for three consecutive 48-h periods: as a group at pasture (P), and individually stabled under a ...
[Risks in sport riding – a critical survey of safety standards in sport riding].
Sportverletzung Sportschaden : Organ der Gesellschaft fur Orthopadisch-Traumatologische Sportmedizin
Equitation is associated with a high rate of injuries and lethal accidents. The head is the most frequently concerned body part. Hence in the majority of the cases deaths results from head injuries. In this study injuries as well as causes of deaths were analyzed in 21 cases. Actual safety standards in equitation were appraised and suggestions for improvement were formulated. Methods: Between 1996 and 2008 21 equestrians suffered from a fatal accident in the greater area of Hamburg. In a retrospective analysis, equestrians' records which bases on the documentation of the institute of forensic ... Nutrition assessment of horse-racing athletes. Athletes involved in horse racing face weight restrictions like wrestlers and dancers; however, the literature is sparse pertaining to nutritional habits of jockeys. The practice of "making weight" causes these athletes to engage in potentially unhealthy practices. A gap in nutritionally sound practices and methods used by jockeys was identified and a desire for nutrition education was expressed to Cooperative Extension of Delaware by representatives of the riders at Delaware Park Race Track. Nutrition assessment was done using the Nutrition Care Process. Twenty jockeys were interviewed using ...
Comparative analyses of rider position according to skill levels during walk and trot in Jeju horse. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rider position at walk and trot as a function of rider skill level by analyzing joint angles. Participants included three advanced riders and six beginners, and training was conducted for one hour, twice a week for 24 weeks. In the walk stage of the beginners' group, the elbows and shoulders sustained postures comparable to those of the advanced riders group; the trunk tilted forwards at first, but later it tilted slightly behind the vertical. The knee, ankle, and left-right angle kept stable postures after 12 weeks of training (p<.05). The fron...
The effect of the 162 km endurance ride on equine peripheral blood neutrophil and lymphocyte functions. Strenuous exercise is recognized as a stress, which may induce functional immunodeficiency and increase individual susceptibility to infection. It has been shown in equine athletes, that alterations in leukocyte functions occur after moderate and submaximal exertion, however, no data deal with the effect of extreme physical exertion. In this study, we evaluated leukocyte functions (neutrophil oxidative burst and lymphocyte proliferation activity in response to mitogens) in horses following the CEI 3* 162 km endurance ride. Exercise-induced stress was manifested as neutrophilic leukocytosis and...
Swing phase kinematic and kinetic response to weighting the hind pasterns. It is considered that specific exercises to strengthen limb musculature would be helpful. Objective: To describe swing phase kinematic and kinetic changes in the hindlimbs of trotting horses in response to the addition of leg weights to the hind pasterns. Methods: Six horses were prepared by placing reflective skin markers on the hindlimbs, the withers and fore hooves. Horses were evaluated at trot for 6 trials with and without leg weights (700 g) attached around the pasterns, with the 2 conditions applied in random order. The markers were tracked to determine peak heights of the flight arc of...
High speed field kinematics of foot contact in elite galloping horses in training. Mechanical characterisation of the high speed gallop has significant importance for animal welfare and basic biology. Kinematic parameters such as the velocity of each foot at contact can inform theories of why animals gallop, and supplant epidemiological investigation into the mechanisms of musculoskeletal injury. Objective: To determine the velocity at which the fore and hind hooves of elite galloping horses impact the surface. Methods: High speed videography was used to measure the horizontal and vertical velocity of the hoof immediately prior to impact, and the subsequent sink (vertical) a...
Arthroscopic removal of fractures of the lateral malleolus of the tibia in the tarsocrural joint: a retrospective study of 13 cases. There is limited information on the treatment of lateral malleolus (LM) fractures in the horse, with no previously published case series for the outcome following arthroscopic removal of such fractures. This report reviews and evaluates findings of a retrospective study of 13 horses admitted to a private equine referral hospital over a 10 year period (1999-2009) that underwent arthroscopic removal of fractures of the LM. Hospital records were reviewed and details including patient history, aetiology of the fracture and limb affected, results of all diagnostic tests and surgical reports were do...
Effects of athletic conditioning on horses with degenerative suspensory ligament desmitis: a preliminary report. Equine degenerative suspensory ligament desmitis (DSLD) is a debilitating condition that has limited response to rest and stall confinement. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that mild to moderate DSLD is not worsened by consistent exercise. Paso Fino and Peruvian Paso horses (two normal horses and four horses with DSLD) were exercised for 30 min every other day for 8 weeks and then pasture rested for 4 months. Gait analysis, radiographs, ultrasound and serum insulin and glucose concentrations were performed prior to the exercise trial and at each time point. Vertical impulse incr...
Lateralised motor behaviour leads to increased unevenness in front feet and asymmetry in athletic performance in young mature Warmblood horses. Foot stance in grazing significantly influences hoof conformation and development from foal to yearling age. Objective: To conduct a longitudinal study to establish if the relationship between motor laterality and uneven front feet persisted in 3-year-old horses at the time of studbook selection and to investigate if such laterality and unevenness might influence the horses' ability to perform symmetrically while trotting, cantering and free jumping. Methods: Seventeen clinically sound but untrained (with only minimal experience of handling) and sound Warmblood horses that had participated in ...
[Select changes in the upper airways of the horse – an overview]. Horses are obligate nasal breathers and depend on patency of their nasal passages. Several dynamic obstructive diseases in the pharyngeal and laryngeal area can be differentiated by high speed treadmill endoscopy and may be responsible for impaired exercise tolerance in the equine athlete. The anatomical specialty of guttural pouches predisposes the horse to species-specific diseases.
Ventricular arrhythmias during race recovery in Standardbred Racehorses and associations with autonomic activity. A lack of information on normal heart rhythm at maximal effort hampers investigation of poor performance and sudden death in Standardbred racing. Objective: To characterize rhythm variations during scheduled racing in clinically normal Standardbred horses. Methods: Two hundred and eighty-eight Standardbred horses competing in 40 scheduled races at a Southern Ontario racetrack. Methods: Observational study, convenience sampling: Heart rhythm was monitored by ECG from harnessing to postrace recovery and assessed visually and by examining heart rate intervals. Rhythm variations were used as respo...
Gender differences in exercise–induced intravascular haemolysis during race training in thoroughbred horses. Exercise-induced intravascular haemolysis and "sport anemia" are widely reported in human sports medicine. It has been recognized also in horses, however, the clinical importance and the onset of this condition seem different than in human. In this study we investigated the episodes of intravascular haemolysis, indicated by the increase in plasma haemoglobin and the decrease in serum haptoglobin levels, after routine training sessions in race horses. Heart rate and changes in haematological parameters confirmed, that the exertion was relatively high. Intravascular haemolysis did not appear in ...
Effect of temperature on race times on a synthetic surface. Differences in racing times have been noted on synthetic track surfaces that appear to depend on the temperature of the track. No published study to date has considered this effect in a systematic manner. Objective: To investigate the relationship between temperature of track and speed of horses racing on a synthetic surface. Potential changes in the wax component of the synthetic track were investigated as one possible cause of changes in the track speed at the temperatures observed. Methods: At Del Mar racetrack (California, USA), the air, surface and subsurface temperatures at 4 depths in t...
A comparison of the moment arms of pelvic limb muscles in horses bred for acceleration (Quarter Horse) and endurance (Arab). Selective breeding for performance has resulted in distinct breeds of horse, such as the Quarter Horse (bred for acceleration) and the Arab (bred for endurance). Rapid acceleration, seen during Quarter Horse racing, requires fast powerful muscular contraction and the generation of large joint torques, particularly by the hind limb muscles. This study compared hind limb moment arm lengths in the Quarter Horse and Arab. We hypothesized that Quarter Horse hind limb extensor muscles would have longer moment arms when compared to the Arab, conferring a greater potential for torque generation at the...
Multiple osteochondral autografts for treatment of a medial trochlear ridge subchondral cystic lesion in the equine tarsus. To adapt the multiple osteochondral autograft technique for treatment of a subchondral cystic lesion (SCL) of the proximal medial trochlear ridge (MTR) of the equine talus and assess long term outcome. Methods: Case report. Methods: Quarter horse stallion with SCL of the proximal MTR of the talus. Methods: Osteochondral autograft techniques used in dogs and humans were adapted and optimized in equine cadavers. A horse with a SCL of the MTR of the talus was treated by osteochondral autografting. Three osteochondral autografts were harvested from the distal lateral trochlear ridge of the talus i...
Retrospective study of 108 foals with septic osteomyelitis. To determine the clinical characteristics, short-term outcome and future athletic performance of foals with septic osteomyelitis. Methods: Retrospective clinical study of 108 Thoroughbred foals with radiographic evidence of bone infection that were presented at the Scone Veterinary Hospital between August 1995 and December 2001. Medical records were reviewed and information concerning signalment, the clinical, laboratory and radiographic findings, treatment and outcome was obtained. Racing records were obtained and evaluated for surviving foals that had reached racing age. Results: Mean age of...
A sequence polymorphism in MSTN predicts sprinting ability and racing stamina in thoroughbred horses. Variants of the MSTN gene encoding myostatin are associated with muscle hypertrophy phenotypes in a range of mammalian species, most notably cattle, dogs, mice, and humans. Using a sample of registered Thoroughbred horses (n = 148), we have identified a novel MSTN sequence polymorphism that is strongly associated (g.66493737C>T, P = 4.85x10(-8)) with best race distance among elite racehorses (n = 79). This observation was independently validated (P = 1.91x10(-6)) in a resampled group of Thoroughbreds (n = 62) and in a cohort of Thoroughbreds (n = 37, P = 0.0047) produced by the same trainer...
Transcriptional adaptations following exercise in thoroughbred horse skeletal muscle highlights molecular mechanisms that lead to muscle hypertrophy. Selection for exercise-adapted phenotypes in the Thoroughbred racehorse has provided a valuable model system to understand molecular responses to exercise in skeletal muscle. Exercise stimulates immediate early molecular responses as well as delayed responses during recovery, resulting in a return to homeostasis and enabling long term adaptation. Global mRNA expression during the immediate-response period has not previously been reported in skeletal muscle following exercise in any species. Also, global gene expression changes in equine skeletal muscle following exercise have not been reported...
Postoperative race performance is not correlated with degree of surgical abduction after laryngoplasty in National Hunt Thoroughbred racehorses. To (1) assess the degree of arytenoid cartilage abduction lost after laryngoplasty (LP) in Thoroughbred National Hunt racehorses and (2) to correlate postoperative racing performance with degree of arytenoid abduction after LP. Methods: Case series. Methods: National Hunt Thoroughbred racehorses (n=68). Methods: Grade of postoperative arytenoid abduction for National Hunt racehorses that had LP with ventriculocordectomy was assessed at 1 day, 6 days, and 6 weeks after LP. Race records were analyzed to ascertain if there was correlation between the degree of arytenoid cartilage abduction and va...
Race performance after laryngoplasty and ventriculocordectomy in National Hunt racehorses. To evaluate the effect of laryngoplasty (LP) on race performance in longer distance (National Hunt) Thoroughbred racehorses. Methods: Case-control study. Methods: National Hunt Thoroughbred racehorses (n=71) and race-matched controls (n=126). Methods: Race records for National Hunt racehorses that had LP and ventriculocordectomy were analyzed and racing performance was compared with race-matched controls. Results: Sixty-three of 71 cases were matched with controls. Postoperatively, 78% of cases raced, 47% improved their individual performance and cases were as likely to start in 1 or 3 races a...
Effect of exercise on thicknesses of mature hyaline cartilage, calcified cartilage, and subchondral bone of equine tarsi. OBJECTIVE-To investigate effects of exercise on hyaline cartilage (HC), calcified cartilage (CC), and subchondral bone (SCB) thickness patterns of equine tarsi. SAMPLE POPULATION-30 tarsi from cadavers of horses with known exercise history. PROCEDURES-Tarsi were assigned to 3 groups according to known exercise history as follows: pasture exercise only (PE tarsi), low-intensity general-purpose riding exercise (LE tarsi), and high-intensity elite competition riding exercise (EE tarsi). Osteochondral tissue from distal tarsal joints underwent histologic preparation. Hyaline cartilage, CC, and SCB...
Relationships between racing times of Standardbreds and v4 and v200. The objective of the study was to examine the validity of v(4) [velocity run under the defined conditions inducing 4 mmol/L of blood lactate concentration ([LA])] and v(200) (velocity run under the defined conditions inducing a heart rate of 200 beats/min) to differentiate performance level among Standardbred racehorses. For this purpose, 19 Standardbred trotting racehorses with differing racing time records in 2 training yards were submitted to a standardized exercise test to determine their v(4) and v(200) (6 horses of one yard only). The test consisted of 4 or more consecutive intervals dep...
Evaluation of athletic performance in horses with jugular vein thrombophlebitis: 91 cases (1988-2005). To evaluate effects of thrombophlebitis of 1 or both jugular veins on athletic performance of horses. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 91 horses with jugular vein thrombophlebitis. Methods: Medical records of horses with jugular vein thrombophlebitis examined between 1988 and 2005 were reviewed for signalment, history, clinical signs, diagnosis, and treatment. Performance was evaluated in 2 ways. A questionnaire was used to obtain a subjective assessment from the owner or trainer of the horse's performance after thrombophlebitis, compared with the performance before thrombophlebiti...