Topic:Equestrian Sports
Equestrian sports encompass a variety of competitive disciplines involving horses and riders. These sports include show jumping, dressage, eventing, and endurance riding, among others. Each discipline requires specific skills and training for both horse and rider, emphasizing aspects such as agility, precision, and stamina. The performance of horses in these sports is influenced by factors including genetics, training methodologies, and rider expertise. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the dynamics, training techniques, and performance outcomes associated with equestrian sports, as well as the welfare and management of sport horses.
Risk factors for cross-country horse falls at one-day events and at two-/three-day events. The cross-country phase of eventing competitions has been associated with injuries and fatalities to horses and riders. A case-control study was carried out to identify variables that were associated with increased or decreased risk of a horse fall on the cross-country phase at event competitions. After initial analysis, the dataset was split according to the categories of one-day events as compared to two- or three-day events to establish whether significant risk factors varied between the different types of eventing competitions. Data were collected for 121 cases (horse falls) at one-day eve...
Effect of prolonged use of altrenogest on behaviour in mares. Oral administration of altrenogest for oestrus suppression in competition horses is believed to be widespread in some equestrian disciplines, and can be administered continuously for several months during a competition season. To examine whether altrenogest has any anabolic or other potential performance enhancing properties that may give a horse an unfair advantage, we examined the effect of oral altrenogest (0.044 mg/kg), given daily for a period of eight weeks, on social hierarchy, activity budget, body-mass and body condition score of 12 sedentary mares. It was concluded that prolonged ora...
Screening of anabolic steroids in horse urine by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Anabolic steroids have the capability of improving athletic performance and are banned substances in the Olympic games as well as in horseracing and equestrian competitions. The control of their abuse in racehorses is traditionally performed by detecting the presence of anabolic steroids and/or their metabolite(s) in urine samples using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). However, this approach usually requires tedious sample processing and chemical derivatisation steps and could be very insensitive in detecting certain steroids. This paper describes a high performance liquid chromat...
Horse-related injuries in children: a review. Horseback riding is an increasingly popular activity among today's youth, providing them with the opportunity to learn responsibility and respect for animals. However, it can also be associated with severe injury, of which many physicians are unaware. In 2002, there were an estimated 13,400 emergency department visits nationwide for horse-related injuries among children younger than 15 years. When using a severity score to compare it with other childhood injuries, equestrian-related injury ranked second only to pedestrians being struck by a car, and had a higher score than all terrain vehicle,...
[Animal welfare legal aspects of rodeo events]. Rodeo events have been criticised by animal welfare organisations as being adverse to animal protection, for years. This was the motive for TVT to put several of these criticised disciplines to evaluation in terms of animal protection aspects. For that purpose, various rodeo events were visited, and videotaped material of almost all events, which had taken place in Germany in 2003 and 2004, was evaluated. Rodeo events are subject to and 11, sec.1, No. 3d, German Animal Protection Act, which implies compulsory accreditation. In the scope of such events, causing any sort of pain and suffering (a...
Effect of early training on the jumping technique of horses. To investigate the effects of early training for jumping by comparing the jumping technique of horses that had received early training with that of horses raised conventionally. Methods: 40 Dutch Warmblood horses. Methods: The horses were analyzed kinematically during free jumping at 6 months of age. Subsequently, they were allocated into a control group that was raised conventionally and an experimental group that received 30 months of early training starting at 6 months of age. At 4 years of age, after a period of rest in pasture and a short period of training with a rider, both groups were ...
Osteoarthritis of the talocalcaneal joint in 18 horses. Talocalcaneal osteoarthritis (TO) is an uncommon cause of moderate to severe hindlimb lameness, on which only isolated case reports have been published to date. Objective: To review the clinical features of TO and determine optimal methods for diagnosis, management and prognosis. Methods: The case records from 4 referral centres of 18 horses showing hindlimb lameness considered, as a result of clinical investigation, to be caused by TO, were reviewed. Results: TO affected mature sports and pleasure horses (age 7-16 years) and caused moderate to severe lameness, usually of sudden onset with no ...
Effect of training location and time period on racehorse performance in New Zealand. 1. Descriptive analysis. To describe characteristics of Thoroughbred training stables in Matamata and in all other locations in New Zealand combined, over two 19-month time periods in 1996-1997 and 1998-1999, representing equal length periods immediately prior to and after the construction of a new training surface at the Matamata Racing Club. Methods: Retrospective records covering all horses training and racing in New Zealand during two 19-month time periods (1996-1997 and 1998-1999), covering 161 locations, were obtained from New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR). Outcome variables included whether a horse was rac...
Effect of training location and time period on racehorse performance in New Zealand. 2. Multivariable analysis. To investigate training location (horses trained in Matamata vs those trained at all other venues in New Zealand), and time period (1996-1997 and 1998-1999), while controlling for other horse- and race- or trial-related factors, as a means of assessing the possible impact of construction of a new training surface at the Matamata Racing Club on indirect measures of racehorse performance (number of starts, and failure to race within 6 months of any start). Methods: Multivariable logistic regression and poisson analysis were used to analyse data derived using a retrospective cohort approach. Mult...
Effect of prolonged use of altrenogest on behaviour in mares. Oral administration of altrenogest for oestrus suppression in competition horses is believed to be widespread in some equestrian disciplines, and can be administered continuously for several months during a competition season. To examine whether altrenogest has any anabolic or other potential performance enhancing properties that may give a horse an unfair advantage, we examined the effect of oral altrenogest (0.044 mg/kg), given daily for a period of eight weeks, on social hierarchy, activity budget, body-mass and body condition score of 12 sedentary mares. We concluded that prolonged oral ad...
Influence of rider on lameness in trotting horses. Equine lameness is commonly evaluated when the horse is being ridden, but the influence of the rider on the lameness has not been documented. Objective: To document the effect of 2 riders of different training levels on the vertical movement of the head and croup. Methods: Twenty mature horses were ridden at trot by an experienced dressage rider and a novice rider, as well as trotted in hand. Kinematic measurements of markers placed on the horse's head and sacral bone were carried out. The asymmetries of the vertical head and sacral bone motion were calculated as lameness parameters and compar...
A prospective cohort study to investigate risk factors for horse falls in UK hurdle and steeplechase racing. Equine fatalities during racing continue to be a major welfare concern and falls at fences are responsible for a proportion of all equine fatalities recorded on racecourses. Objective: To identify and quantify risk factors for horse falls in National Hunt (NH) racing and to report the frequency of falling and falling-associated fatalities. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted on 2879 horse starts in hurdle and steeplechase races on 6 UK racecourses. Any horse that suffered a fall at a steeplechase or hurdle fence during the race was defined as a case. Data were obtained by intervi...
Overuse injuries in equestrian athletes. Some 30 million Americans are involved in equestrian sports. Although there is significant literature regarding catastrophic injury, there is very little literature that addresses overuse injury and its effect on rider and horse. As the horse and rider function as a unit, overuse injuries to the rider can affect the horse's training and responsiveness. Sports physicians treating riders should understand correct posture in the saddle and its alteration by muscular imbalance and injury. This review discusses common equestrian events, and common overuse injuries in recreational and competitive ri...
Race- and course-level risk factors for fatal distal limb fracture in racing Thoroughbreds. Considerable variation in the rates of equine fatality at different racecourses draws attention to probable risk factors at the level of course or race that might be partly responsible. Distal limb fractures are the most common cause of equine fatality on UK racecourses and identification of risk factors for such injuries and subsequent implementation of intervention strategies could significantly reduce the total number of racecourse fatalities. Objective: To identify race- and course-level risk factors for fatal distal limb fracture in Thoroughbreds on UK racecourses. Methods: A case-control...
Electrospray ionization mass spectrometric characterization and quantitation of xanthine derivatives using isotopically labelled analogues: an application for equine doping control analysis. Isotope-dilution mass spectrometry has been employed successfully in numerous fields of analytical chemistry enabling the establishment of fast and reliable procedures. In equine sports, xanthine derivatives such as caffeine and theobromine are prohibited, and doping control laboratories analyze horse urine specimens regarding these illicit performance-enhancing drugs. Theobromine has to exceed a threshold level of 2 microg/mL, hence a robust and reliable quantitation is required. Stably deuterated theobromine and caffeine were synthesized by the reaction of xanthine or theobromine with iodome...
Variation in free jumping technique within and among horses with little experience in show jumping. To quantify variation in the jumping technique within and among young horses with little jumping experience, establish relationships between kinetic and kinematic variables, and identify a limited set of variables characteristic for detecting differences in jumping performance among horses. Methods: Fifteen 4-year-old Dutch Warmblood horses. Methods: The horses were raised under standardized conditions and trained in accordance with a fixed protocol for a short period. Subsequently, horses were analyzed kinematically during free jumping over a fence with a height of 1.05 m. Results: Within-hor...
Case-control investigation of the factors affecting the risk of horses falling during steeplechase racing in the UK. A concurrent case-control study of 12 UK racecourses was made between March 1, 2000, and August 31, 2001, to identify and quantify the factors associated with the risk of horses falling in steeplechase races. Cases were defined as a jumping effort at a steeplechase fence that resulted in a fall and controls were defined as a successful jumping effort over any steeplechase fence at any of the 12 racecourses within 14 days before or after the case fall. Information on the horse, the jockey and the race were collected and all the fences on all the courses were surveyed. Conditional logistic regre...
Medical management of superficial digital flexor tendonitis: a comparative study in 219 horses (1992-2000). There is a lack of long-term follow-up data for outcome of medical treatment of superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendonitis. Objective: To determine whether intralesional injection of hyaluronan, beta aminoproprionitrile fumarate (BAPN) or polysulphated glycosaminoglycans (PSGAG) or systemic administration of PSGAG yielded better results than a controlled exercise programme alone in the management of SDF tendonitis, with a minimum follow-up period of 2 years after resumption of full work; and to determine whether reinjury rate was related to sports discipline and whether fibre alignment score ...
Whip use and race progress are associated with horse falls in hurdle and steeplechase racing in the UK. Falls during racing present a risk of injury to both horse and jockey and a risk of fatality to horses. Objective: To use video recordings of races to describe the circumstances surrounding horse falls at hurdle and steeplechase fences and to identify and quantify within-race risk factors for horse falls in National Hunt racing in the UK. Methods: A retrospective, matched, nested case-control study using video recordings of races was conducted on 6 UK racecourses. Cases and controls were matched on both race type and jump number at which the fall occurred. Conditional logistic regression analy...
Memory decay and performance-related information bias in the reporting of scores by event riders. We used data from a case-control study investigating risk factors for horse falls in the cross-country phase of eventing in Great Britain (GB) to examine evidence for memory decay and information bias. Responses to two questions obtained by telephone for 173 cases and 521 controls were examined for evidence of differential reporting according to the respondent's case-control status and performance in the dressage and cross-country phases of competitions. Information bias was found in the accuracy of reporting dressage penalty scores when analysed as a function of performance level (good/poor)....
The mosaic of equestrian-related injuries in Greece. This study aims to estimate the burden and describe the profile of equestrian injuries in Greece, where horses, donkeys, and mules are still used in agriculture and where horse riding is a popular leisure activity. Methods: Prospectively collected information on 140,823 injuries reported in the national Emergency Department Injury Surveillance System was examined and 244 equestrian-related injuries that occurred during farming, equestrian sports, or horse racing were analyzed. Results: The estimated countrywide injury incidence for farming and equestrian sports combined was 21 per 100,000 pers...
Equine welfare: risk of horses falling in the Grand National. As in other competitive sports, the famous Grand National steeplechase, which is held at Aintree in the United Kingdom and is watched by 600 million people worldwide, sometimes results in injury. By analysing data from the past 15 Grand National races (consisting of 560 starts by horses), we are able to identify several factors that are significantly associated with failure to complete the race: no previous experience of the course and its unique obstacles, unfavourable ground conditions (too soft or too hard), a large number of runners, and the length of the odds ('starting price'). We also f...
Moments and power generated by the horse (Equus caballus) hind limb during jumping. The ability to jump over an obstacle depends upon the generation of work across the joints of the propelling limb(s). The total work generated by one hind limb of a horse and the contribution to the total work by four joints of the hind limb were determined for a jump. It was hypothesized that the hip and ankle joints would have extensor moments performing positive work, while the knee would have a flexor moment and perform negative work during the jump. Ground reaction forces and sagittal plane kinematics were simultaneously recorded during each jumping trial. Joint moment, power and work wer...
Effects of the rider on the linear kinematics of jumping horses. This study examined the effects of the rider on the linear projectile kinematics of show-jumping horses. SVHS video recordings (50 Hz) of eight horses jumping a vertical fence 1 m high were used for the study. Horses jumped the fence under two conditions: loose (no rider or tack) and ridden. Recordings were digitised using Peak Motus. After digitising the sequences, each rider's digitised data were removed from the ridden horse data so that three conditions were examined: loose, ridden (including the rider's data) and riderless (rider's data removed). Repeated measures ANOVA revealed significa...