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.
Clayton HM, St George L, Sinclair J, Hobbs SJ.Show jumping horses must execute fences of varying height and width, but the effect of this on jumping kinematics during the airborne phase have not been described. The aim of this study was to describe differences within- and between-horses in CM trajectory, trunk orientation and average trunk angular velocity in a group of elite horses executing three fences: vertical fence (1.60 m), spread fence (1.50 × 1.80 m), water jump (4.5 m) during an Olympic competition. Two-dimensional kinematic data (60 Hz) were collected from video cameras set perpendicular to each fence. After manual digitizat...
O'Connor S, Hitchens PL, Bolwell C, Annan R, McGoldrick A, Fortington LV.Jockey injuries are common in professional horse-racing and can result in life-threatening or career-ending outcomes. Robust injury data are essential to understand the circumstances of injury occurrence and ultimately identify prevention opportunities. This study aimed to identify jockey injury surveillance practices of international horse-racing authorities (HRAs) and the specific data items collected and reported by each HRA. A cross-sectional survey of representatives (e.g. Chief Medical Officer) from international HRAs was conducted. An online and paper questionnaire was designed comprise...
Dyson S, Pollard D.The Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE) comprising 24 behaviours was developed to facilitate the identification of musculoskeletal discomfort, with scores of ≥8/24 indicating the presence of pain. The median RHpE score for 147 competitors at World Cup Grand Prix events from 2018 to 2020 was three (interquartile range [IQR] 1-4; range 0-7). The aim of the current study was to apply the RHpE to 38 competitors at the Hickstead-Rotterdam Grand Prix Challenge and 26 competitors at the British Dressage Grand Prix National Championship in 2020. The median RHpE scores were four (IQR 3-6; range 0-8) an...
Campbell MLH.Growing ethical concern about equestrian sport is reflected in publications by regulatory authorities, animal charities, and the lay press; and in government debate and social media. However, attempts by regulators and stakeholders to address ethical issues in equine sport have been discipline specific and ad hoc. Ethical frameworks can help stakeholders to make contextual decisions about what should or should not be done in a particular situation. However, when existing animal welfare frameworks and existing sports ethics frameworks are reviewed in this paper, it becomes clear that none provi...
Guan F, You Y, Fay S, Li X, Robinson MA.To address the limitations of current targeted analytical methods that can only detect known doping agents, a novel methodology that permits untargeted drug detection (UDD) has been developed to help in the fight against doping in sports. Fifty-seven drugs were spiked into blank equine plasma and were treated as unknowns since their exact masses and chromatographic retention times were not utilized for detection. The spiked drugs were extracted from the plasma samples and were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). The acquired LC-HRMS raw ...
Bollinger L, Bartel A, Küper A, Weber C, Gehlen H.High elimination rates and the concern for horse welfare are important issues in endurance riding. An improved understanding of the causes of elimination could increase completion rates in this sport. We have identified pre-ride risk factors that allow an assessment of potential elimination before the ride. A longitudinal cohort study was performed among 49 healthy horses competing in the 160 km endurance ride at the 2016 World Championship of Endurance Riding in Samorin/Slovakia. Blood samples were drawn before the ride. For statistical evaluation, horses were categorized in three groups: fin...
Hogg RC, Hodgins GA.The horse-rider relationship is fundamental to ethical equestrianism wherein equine health and welfare are prioritized as core dimensions of sporting success. Equestrianism represents a unique and important form of interspecies activity in which relationships are commonly idealized as central to sporting performance but have been largely unexplored in the sport psychology literature. Horse-rider relationships warrant particular consideration in the elite sporting context, given the tension between constructions of "partnership" between horse and rider, and the pragmatic pressures of elite spor...
Tozaki T, Ohnuma A, Iwai S, Kikuchi M, Ishige T, Kakoi H, Hirota K, Kusano K, Nagata S.Gene doping is banned in human sports, horseracing, and equestrian sports. One possible form of gene doping is to administer exogenous genes, called transgenes. Several transgene detection methods based on quantitative PCR have been developed. In this study, we investigated the robustness of digital PCR and real-time PCR in transgene detection using primers and probes that matched (P-true) or incompletely matched (P-false) the template DNA. Fluorescence intensity was significantly reduced when substituted probes were used compared to that using the matched probe in both digital and real-time P...
Kędzierski W, Kowalik S, Mojsym W, Janczarek I, Tkaczyk E.Development of the musculoskeletal system occurs, in part, through an impact on regulatory proteins, such as activin A and decorin. Activin A induces atrophic effects on skeletal muscle, and decorin regulates the formation of connective tissue proteins like collagen and elastin in tendons and ligaments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different intensities of exercise on blood plasma activin A and decorin concentrations in horses. Ten young purebred Arabian horses were subjected to routine training sessions on a racetrack, and another 11 adult horses of the same breed pa...
Radmann A, Hedenborg S, Broms L.The study analyzes and explains the impact of social media influencers on stable cultures in Sweden and Norway, contributing to the understanding of the complex relationship between equestrian sports and social media-a relationship that is important for the welfare of horses. Since equestrianism is one of the most popular sports in Sweden and Norway, influencers' social media communication greatly impacts followers' perception of the human-animal relationship. Despite the popularity of equestrian sports, studies thereof are rare, and research combining equestrian sports and social media is alm...
Dyson S, Pollard D.There is considerable debate about the social license to compete with horses and controversy about training methods for dressage horses. The objectives were to: 1. apply the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE) to dressage horses competing at elite Grand Prix level; 2. compare RHpE and judges' scores; and 3. document deviations in gaits from Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) guidelines. Video recordings of 147 competitors from nine World Cup competitions were assessed. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient tested the correlation between RHpE and judges' scores. The median RHpE score wa...
MacKechnie-Guire R, Fisher M, Mathie H, Kuczynska K, Fairfax V, Fisher D, Pfau T.Thermography is a non-invasive method for measuring surface temperatures and may be a convenient way of identifying hypo/hyperthermic areas under a saddle that may be related to saddle pressures. A thermal camera quantified minimum/maximum/mean temperatures at specific locations (left/right) of the thoracic region at three-time points: (1) baseline; (2) post lunging; (3) post ridden exercise in eight non-lame sports horses ridden by the same rider. A Pliance (Novel) pressure mat determined the mean/peak saddle pressures (kPa) in the cranial and caudal regions. General linear mixed models with ...
O'Reilly C, Zoller J, Sigler D, Vogelsang M, Sawyer J, Fluckey J.Despite the fact that horseback riding is a popular sport, there is little information available on horseback riding as a physical activity. The objective of this experiment was to quantify energy expenditure of participants (n=20) during three riding tests: a 45min walk-trot-canter ride (WTC), a reining pattern ride and a cutting simulation ride while wearing a telemetric gas analyzer. Total energy expenditure (tEE), mean and peak metabolic equivalents of task (MET), heart rate (HR), respiratory frequency (RF), relative oxygen consumption (relVO2), and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were as...
Poškienė I, Gruodytė R, Autukaitė J, Juozaitienė V, Antanaitis R.Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) has described equine endurance racing as the second largest discipline in the world, above which is only show jumping. The Žemaitukai is an ancient indigenous Lithuanian horse breed known since the 6th or 7th century. The Arabian horse breed is one of the oldest human-developed horse breeds in the world. Compared with other race horse breeds, the muscle tissue of Arabian horses is characterized by significant differences in structure-a predominance of oxidative fiber type I is observed in Arabians, making them the prevailing breed in endurance racing...
Tuomola K, Mäki-Kihniä N, Valros A, Mykkänen A, Kujala-Wirth M.Bit-related oral lesions are common and may impair horse welfare. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of oral lesions and their risk factors in a sample of Finnish event horses. The rostral part of the oral cavity (the bit area) of 208 event horses (127 warmbloods, 52 coldbloods, and 29 ponies) was examined in a voluntary inspection after the last competition phase, i.e., the cross-country test. Acute lesions were observed in 52% (109/208) of the horses. The lesion status was graded as no acute lesions for 48% (99/208), mild for 22% (45/208), moderate for 26% (55/208) and s...
Szabó C, Vizesi Z, Vincze A.Heart rate is one of the gold standards used to assess the workload level and fitness of horses. However, when slight differences need to be detected, it is not sensitive enough. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test the effect of competition level and phase of exercise on the heart rate and heart rate variability parameters in show jumpers. Fourteen horses were examined competing on three different levels: 100 cm (n = 4), 120 cm (n = 6), and 130 cm (n = 4). The length of work (min); average and maximum heart rate; average, maximum and minimum RR intervals (ms); SD1 and SD2 (ms); RMSSD ...
Mathew B, Philip M, Perwad Z, Karatt TK, Caveney MR, Subhahar MB, Karakka Kal AK.Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) stabilizer belongs to a novel class of pharmacologically active substances, which are capable of inducing the endogenous erythropoietic system. The transcriptional activator HIF has been shown to significantly increase blood hemoglobin and is well set for the treatment of anemia resulting from chronic kidney disease. This research work reports a comprehensive study of the most popular HIF stabilizer roxadustat and its metabolites in thoroughbred horse urine after oral administration. The plausible structures of the detected metabolites were postulated using liqui...
Uldahl M, Christensen JW, Clayton HM.Riders need core stability to follow and guide the horse's movements and avoid giving unintended or conflicting signals. This study evaluated the rider's performance of exercises on a gymnastic ball with on-horse performance and indicators of stress in the horse. Twenty experienced riders were scored performing three exercises on a gymnastic ball and for quality and harmony when riding based on evaluation of video recordings in which conflict behaviours were evident. The horse's heart rate and number of conflict behaviors during the riding test and cortisol levels after completion of the test ...
Mikhail E, Siccardi E, Bawazir A, Rajesh A, Prathyush S, Al Wazani DMK, Sabeek M, John T.IOX-2 is a potent inhibitor of enzyme prolyl hydroxylases-2 (PHD) that plays a critical role in regulating hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) abundance and oxygen homeostasis. Federation for Equestrian Sports has listed HIF activators as prohibited substances to prevent their usage in doping. Consequently, it became essential to develop adequate knowledge and testing methods to detect it in equine sports drug testing samples. The validated method utilizes ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry in order to detect extremely low concentration of the ...
St George L, Clayton HM, Sinclair J, Richards J, Roy SH, Hobbs SJ.Selection and training practices for jumping horses have not yet been validated using objective performance analyses. This study aimed to quantify the differences and relationships between movement and muscle activation strategies in horses with varying jump technique to identify objective jumping performance indicators. Surface electromyography (sEMG) and three-dimensional kinematic data were collected from horses executing a submaximal jump. Kinematic variables were calculated based on equestrian-derived performance indicators relating to impulsion, engagement and joint articulation. Horses ...
Broberg MN, Knych H, Bondesson U, Pettersson C, Stanley S, Thevis M, Hedeland M.Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) have anabolic properties but less adverse effects than anabolic androgenic steroids. They are prohibited in both equine and human sports and there have been several cases of SARMs findings reported over the last few years. The aim of this study was to investigate the metabolite profile of the SARM ACP-105 (2-chloro-4-[(3-endo)-3-hydroxy-3-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-8-yl]-3-methylbenzonitrile) in order to find analytical targets for doping control. Oral administration of ACP-105 was performed in horses, where blood and urine samples were collect...
Halama A, Oliveira JM, Filho SA, Qasim M, Achkar IW, Johnson S, Suhre K, Vinardell T.Equine performance in endurance racing depends on the interplay between physiological and metabolic processes. However, there is currently no parameter for estimating the readiness of animals for competition. Our objectives were to provide an in-depth characterization of metabolic consequences of endurance racing and to establish a metabolic performance profile for those animals. We monitored metabolite composition, using a broad non-targeted metabolomics approach, in blood plasma samples from 47 Arabian horses participating in endurance races. The samples were collected before and after the c...
Stucki M, Voegel CD, Binz TM, Kraemer T, Lavaud A, Voelter K.Equine sport agencies list steroids as prohibited substances for competing horses. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate if the controlled substances dexamethasone and prednisolone are detectable in equine serum and urine samples during and after treatment with eye drops and if this can generate a positive doping test. Methods: Prospective cohort study. Methods: The study cohort included 11 horses. One eye of the horses was treated with either dexamethasone (Maxitrol 0.1%, n = 5 eyes) or prednisolone (Pred forte 1%, n = 6 eyes) eye drops 3 times daily for 14 days. Dexa...
Ishii H, Shibuya M, Leung GN, Nozawa S, Yamashita S, Yamada M, Kushiro A, Kasashima Y, Okada J, Kawasaki K, Kijima-Suda I.GW1516 is a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-δ (PPAR-δ) agonist that is banned in horseracing and equestrian sports. Long-term detection and longitudinal distribution of GW1516 in the mane of a horse are reported for the first time and this hair analysis could prolong the detection window of GW1516 for doping control. Methods: Mane hairs were divided into three segments (0-7, 7-15, and >15 cm from the cut end) and completely pulverized and homogenized for analysis. The pulverized hair samples were extracted with methanol followed by further purification and the extracts were a...
Witkowska-Piłaszewicz O, Grzędzicka J, Seń J, Czopowicz M, Żmigrodzka M, Winnicka A, Cywińska A, Carter C.Assuring a high level of animal welfare is a critical aspect of contemporary animal husbandry. Equine athletes begin their careers at a very young age when they are still developing and they are both physically and mentally immature. Lack of scientific knowledge of the stress related to horse racing impedes the development of optimal training programs to attain equilibrium between the best sport results and optimal welfare. This study aimed to determine the influence of the intensity and type of physical activity on peripheral blood cortisol concentration. Thirty untrained Arabians, 9 enduranc...
Best R, Standing R.When compared with other equestrian sports, Polo players engage in a high number of player-pony interactions. To ensure optimal performance of the player-pony dyad, an understanding of the workloads performed by each pony and the physiological cost placed on the rider are required. This investigation examined the relationship and interaction between Polo pony performance (speeds attained, distance covered, and movements performed) and the corresponding heart rate responses in Polo players, within and between games across a 16-goal Polo tournament. Descriptive statistics revealed Polo is played...
Cheung HW, Wong KS, To NS, Bond AJ, Farrington AF, Prabhu A, Curl P, Wan TSM, Ho ENM.Selective androgen receptor (AR) modulators (SARMs) are potent anabolic agents with a high potential of misuse in horseracing and equestrian sports. In this study, we applied label-free proteomics to discover plasma protein biomarkers in geldings (castrated horses) after administration with a popular SARM named RAD140. Tryptic peptides were prepared from plasma samples and analyzed by nano-flow ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (nano-UHPLC-HRMS/MS) using data-independent acquisition (DIA) method. Orthogonal projection on latent structure-discr...
Dyson S, Pollard D.The Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE) comprising 24 behaviours was developed to facilitate the identification of musculoskeletal discomfort, with scores of ≥8/24 indicating the presence of pain. The median RHpE score for 147 competitors at World Cup Grand Prix events from 2018 to 2020 was three (interquartile range [IQR] 1-4; range 0-7). The aim of the current study was to apply the RHpE to 38 competitors at the Hickstead-Rotterdam Grand Prix Challenge and 26 competitors at the British Dressage Grand Prix National Championship in 2020. The median RHpE scores were four (IQR 3-6; range 0-8) an...
Burattini B, Fenner K, Anzulewicz A, Romness N, McKenzie J, Wilson B, McGreevy P.The broad traits of boldness and independence in domestic horses can affect their usefulness and, indirectly, their welfare. The objective of the current study was to explore associations between attributes that reflect equine boldness and independence with both the age of horses and the age at which they were started under saddle, as well as other variables including breed, colour and primary equestrian discipline. All data were sourced from responses (n = 1940) to the 97-question online Equine Behaviour Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ). Twenty E-BARQ items from the dataset were...
Negro S, Bartolomé E, Molina A, Solé M, Gómez MD, Valera M.The stress level is suggested to have a negative effect on horses during equestrian competitions, specifically in trotter racing. The main objectives of this study were to measure stress levels in Spanish Trotter Horse races with a reliable non-invasive method, and determining the threshold level of stress that leads to the best performance results and also shows when the stress perceived by the horse becomes distress. One hundred and thirty individuals were evaluated, measuring their performance (based on racing time per kilometre (TPK)) and their stress (based on eye temperature, assessed wi...
Reardon RJ, Boden LA, Mellor DJ, Love S, Newton JR, Stirk AJ, Parkin TD.Superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendinopathy is a common injury in Thoroughbred horses racing over hurdles. Identification of risk factors may allow the introduction of measures to minimise the incidence of this injury. Objective: To identify risk factors for SDF tendinopathy in Thoroughbred horses in hurdle races in the UK. Methods: Potential risk factors for SDF tendinopathy were studied between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2009 using a retrospective cohort study design with 1031 case starts and 168,637 control starts. Potential risk factors were screened using univariable logistic regres...
Krüger L, Hohberg M, Lehmann W, Dresing K.Horse riding is a popular sport, which bears the risk of serious injuries. This study aims to assess whether individual factors influence the risk to sustain major injuries. Methods: Retrospective data were collected from all equine-related accidents at a German Level I Trauma Centre between 2004 and 2014. Logistic regression was used to identify the risk factors for major injures. Results: 770 patients were included (87.9% females). Falling off the horse (67.7%) and being kicked by the horse (16.5%) were the two main injury mechanisms. Men and individuals of higher age showed higher odds for ...
Jones JH, Carlson GP.The metabolic power required for sustained exercise in the horse is proportional to running speed. Moderately fast speeds require substantial energy expenditure and result in the generation of a massive metabolic heat load. Quantitative estimates of energy expenditure and heat production of horses at various running speeds were developed using empirically derived data from treadmill studies. Total metabolic power represents the sum of aerobic power indicated by the rate of oxygen consumption and net anaerobic power indicated by the rate of plasma lactate accumulation. These data were applied t...
Meyer HL, Scheidgen P, Polan C, Beck P, Mester B, Kauther MD, Dudda M, Burggraf M.This retrospective cross-sectional epidemiological study deals with sport-specific injury patterns in show jumping. A total of 363 show jumpers of all levels (S) answered a retrospective questionnaire about injuries and overuse damages which occurred in the course of their careers. Demographic data and information on injuries in various body regions were collected. In addition to descriptive analysis, significance tests were performed. For better statistical comparability with other sports, exposure time was extrapolated with total career duration and weekly training hours, and injuries per 10...
O'Farrell DA, Irshad F, Thorns BS, McElwain JP.A series of pelvic and acetabular injuries caused by horse riding accidents is reported. The importance of wearing appropriate protective clothing when riding is emphasised.
O'Brien D.All horse-riding is risky. In competitive horse sports, eventing is considered the riskiest, and is often characterised as very dangerous. But based on what data? There has been considerable research on the risks and unwanted outcomes of horse-riding in general, and on particular subsets of horse-riding such as eventing. However, there can be problems in accessing accurate, comprehensive and comparable data on such outcomes, and in using different calculation methods which cannot compare like with like. This paper critically examines a number of risk calculation methods used in estimating risk...
Schröter C, Schulte-Sutum A, Zeckey C, Winkelmann M, Krettek C, Mommsen P.Equestrian sports are one of the most popular forms of sport in Germany, while also being one of the most accident-prone sports. Furthermore, riding accidents are frequently associated with a high degree of severity of injuries and mortality. Nevertheless, there are insufficient data regarding incidences, demographics, mechanisms of accidents, injury severity and patterns and outcome of injured persons in amateur equestrian sports. Accordingly, it was the aim of the present study to retrospectively analyze these aspects. Methods: A total of 503 patients were treated in the emergency room of th...
Elmeua González M, Šarabon N.Equestrian sports have been a source of numerous studies throughout the past two decades, however, few scientists have focused on the biomechanical effects, including muscle activation, that the horse has on the rider. Because equitation is a sport of two (the horse-human dyad), we believe there is a need to fill in the knowledge gap in human biomechanics during riding. To investigate the differences between novice and advanced riders at a neuromuscular level we characterized the motor output of a set of riders' key muscles during horse riding. Six recreational riders (24 ± 7 years) and nine ...
Rovere G, Ducro BJ, van Arendonk JA, Norberg E, Madsen P.Sport performance in dressage and show jumping are two important traits in the breeding goals of many studbooks. To determine the optimum selection scheme for jumping and dressage, knowledge is needed on the genetic correlation between both disciplines and between traits measured early in life and performance in competition in each discipline. This study aimed to estimate genetic parameters to support decision-making on specialization of breeding horses for dressage and show jumping in Dutch warmblood horses. Genetic correlations between performance of horses in dressage and show jumping were ...
Piccolo L, Kienapfel K.Too much rein tension while riding may compromise the welfare of the horse. But who generates the tension on the reins-the horse or the rider? The primary aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the maximum rein tension that horses voluntarily maintain without a rider compared to rein tension with a rider. A secondary aim was to evaluate conflict behaviours in relation to rein tension. Thirteen horses were used, all fitted with customised "Animon" rein tension sensors (25 Hz, up to 600 N range), free-moving with side reins set in dressage competition frame with the noseline on the vertical. Re...
Carrillo EH, Varnagy D, Bragg SM, Levy J, Riordan K.According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 30 million people ride horses each year in the United States. Horseback riding related injuries are common, with an estimated 50,000 emergency room visits annually. The popularity of recreational horseback riding has increased in South Florida and the incidence of associated traumatic injuries is a reflection of this. Methods: Retrospective review of patients admitted to a state designated Level I trauma center that sustained horseback riding associated injuries between January 2000 and December 2003. Information ex...
Voigt MA, Hiney K, Richardson JC, Waite K, Borron A, Brady CM.The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of stock-type horse show competitors' understanding of welfare and level of concern for stock-type show horses' welfare. Data were collected through an online questionnaire that included questions relating to (a) interest and general understanding of horse welfare, (b) welfare concerns of the horse show industry and specifically the stock-type horse show industry, (c) decision-making influences, and (d) level of empathic characteristics. The majority of respondents indicated they agree or strongly agree that physical metrics should b...
Balendra G, Turner M, McCrory P, Halley W.To provide a breakdown of injury incidence from amateur jump racing (also known as point to point racing) in Great Britain and Ireland during 1993-2006 and to compare the injury epidemiology with professional horse racing in Great Britain, Ireland and France. Methods: Retrospective review. Methods: Great Britain and Ireland. Methods: Amateur jockeys. Methods: Injury rates. Results: Injury data suggest that point to point racing is more dangerous from an injury point of view than professional jump racing, which has previously been shown to be more dangerous than flat racing. Amateur jockeys hav...
Tozaki T, Ohnuma A, Kikuchi M, Ishige T, Kakoi H, Hirota KI, Hamilton NA, Kusano K, Nagata SI.Gene doping is prohibited in horseracing and equestrian sports. In previous studies, we developed non-targeted transgene and genome editing detection methods based on whole genome resequencing (WGR) using genomic DNA extracted from whole blood. In this study, we aimed to develop a WGR method using DNA extracts from hair roots. Hair roots are a preferred substrate because their collection is less invasive than blood collection. Hair is also easier to store for long periods of time. Although almost all genomic DNA extracted from hair root samples stored for years at room temperature was degraded...
Zak A, Siwinska N, Slowikowska M, Borowicz H, Szpot P, Zawadzki M, Niedzwiedz A.Capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin are alkaloids with analgesic effects in humans and animals. When used locally, both of them minimalise pain sensation by defunctionalising nerve endings. According to the Federation Equestrian International Prohibited Substances List, these are substance banned in horse competitions. The aim of the study was to determine the detection time of capsaicin in both plasma and serum after long-term use of a gel recommended for commercial use and applied as intended. The objective of the study was to select the best material for the detection of capsaicin as a doping su...
Pinchbeck GL, Clegg PD, Proudman CJ, Morgan KL, French NP.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...
Marlin DJ, Allen JC.Knowledge of the competitive demands of different sports or activities is important for designing appropriate training programmes to ensure that animals reach a sufficient level of fitness to reduce the risk of overexertion and injury or illness and to achieve the best possible performance in relation to an individual's genetic potential. Whilst the physiological demands of many equestrian sports have been described, to the best of our knowledge the cardiovascular demands of polo have not. The aims of the present study were therefore to record heart rate during and after competitive polo games...
Entenfellner J, Gahan J, Garvey M, Walsh C, Venner M, Cullinane A.The international governing body of equestrian sports requires that horses be vaccinated against equine influenza within 6 months and 21 days of competing. The aim of this study was to compare the antibody response of young sport horses to six-monthly booster vaccination with equine influenza vaccines of different formulations. An inactivated vaccine was allocated to 35 horses and subunit and recombinant vaccines were allocated to 34 horses each. After vaccination, all horses were monitored for evidence of adverse reactions. Whole blood samples were collected at the time of vaccination and on ...
Art T, Franck T, Gangl M, Votion D, Kohnen S, Deby-Dupont G, Serteyn D.In man, exercise of any type has been shown to induce neutrophil degranulation and respiratory burst activity, as well as an increase in plasma myeloperoxidase (MPO), a specific enzyme of neutrophil azurophilic granules with a strong oxidative activity. Until now, it is not known whether this is the same in horses. Objective: To study whether degranulation of blood neutrophils may be induced by exercise by measuring the total concentration of MPO and assess the possible influence of type of competition on this exercise-induced adjustment. Methods: Blood was sampled before, and 30 min after, th...
The Journal of traumaMay 7, 2004
Volume 56, Issue 3 643-647 doi: 10.1097/01.ta.0000053470.38129.f4
Petridou E, Kedikoglou S, Belechri M, Ntouvelis E, Dessypris N, Trichopoulos D.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...
Nielsen BD, Turner KK, Ventura BA, Woodward AD, O'Connor CI.While Quarter Horses are recognised as the fastest breed of horse, direct comparisons to race times with other breeds can be misleading. Quarter Horse races begin when the starting gates open. Thoroughbred and Arabian races begin a short distance from the gates after horses have started running. This study compared speeds of these breeds as they accelerate from the starting gates and during the middle and end of races. Objective: To compare racing speeds of the 3 breeds, and to compare speeds during various segments of the races. Methods: Video tapes of races were obtained from a local track. ...
Inness CM, Morgan KL.Polo, one of the world's oldest sports, is unique in merging human skill and balance with animal agility and performance in a contact sport. These modern-day 'centaurs' offer medical, dental and veterinary scientists an unrivalled, if quirky, opportunity to collaborate. Collection of epidemiological data on injuries to UK polo riders and ponies is the first step. Objective: To measure the reported risk and risk factors for injuries to UK polo ponies, their perception and mitigation by player-owners. Methods: A retrospective cohort design and telephone interviews were used. Methods: Data on equ...
Munsters CC, van den Broek J, van Weeren R, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM.Little is known about wastage in riding horses and the factors like fitness and workload that may reduce injuries and maximise welfare. To evaluate fitness, workload and reasons for premature training ends (PTEs) and temporary training breaks (TTBs) during a nine week training period, two groups of riding horses were used: Group A consisting of 58 horses used for student equitation courses (32 with training prior to admission and 26 without) and Group B consisting of 26 horses owned by two riding schools (school-I and school-II). To assess fitness, all horses performed a standardised exercise ...
Visser EK, Kuypers MMF, Stam JSM, Riedstra B.Understanding equestrians' noseband tightening practices and intentions is necessary to target welfare improvement strategies. Firstly, we measured tightness in dressage and show jumping horses in The Netherlands, shortly after implementation of the two-finger rule by the Royal Dutch Equestrian Federation. Noseband tightness decreased with age, was less tight in dressage horses than in show jumpers, and was dependent on the interaction between competition level and discipline. Fifty-nine percent of the riders tightened nosebands to such an extent that they adhered to the new regulation. Second...
Zsoldos RR, Licka TF.During both locomotion and body movements at stance, the head and neck of the horse are a major craniocaudal and lateral balancing mechanism employing input from the visual, vestibular and proprioceptive systems. The function of the equine neck has recently become the focus of several research groups; this is probably also feeding on an increase of interest in the equine neck in equestrian sports, with a controversial discussion of specific neck positions such as maximum head and neck flexion. The aim of this review is to offer an overview of new findings on the structures and functions of the...
