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Topic:Performance Horses
Performance horses are equines specifically trained and conditioned for activities that require a high level of athleticism, such as racing, dressage, show jumping, and eventing. These horses undergo specialized training regimens to enhance their physical capabilities, including speed, endurance, agility, and strength. The management of performance horses often involves tailored nutrition plans, regular veterinary care, and specific conditioning programs to optimize their performance and minimize the risk of injury. This topic covers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the physiology, training methodologies, health management, and performance outcomes of these horses in various competitive disciplines.
Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry to Assess Essential and Performance-Enhancing Metals in the Urine of Racehorses. Recently, an increased tendency to use various metals has been observed in the sports competition fields. Many of these metals and their organic complexes reportedly have good pharmacologic, therapeutic and performance-enhancement uses; they are banned or recommended as controlled medications in competitive sports. The objective of this research was to determine the concentration of pharmacologically relevant metals in urine samples collected from racehorses at various sport events, develop a method and assess the concentrations of above metals using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometr...
In vivo metabolism of the designer anabolic steroid hemapolin in the thoroughbred horse. Hemapolin (2α,3α-epithio-17α-methyl-5α-androstan-17β-ol) is a designer steroid that is an ingredient in several "dietary" and "nutritional" supplements available online. As an unusual chemical modification to the steroid A-ring could allow this compound to pass through antidoping screens undetected, the metabolism of hemapolin was investigated by an in vivo equine drug administration study coupled with GC-MS analysis. Following administration of synthetically prepared hemapolin to a thoroughbred horse, madol (17α-methyl-5α-androst-2-en-17β-ol), reduced and dihydroxylated madol (17α-me...
Industry Perceptions of HERDA in Performance Horses. Hereditary equine regional derma asthenia (HERDA), an autosomal-recessive trait, found in Quarter Horses, causes abnormal collagen structure. Owing to current breeding practices, 3.5% of registered quarter horses and 28.3% of the cow horse population are heterozygote carriers. Research demonstrated homozygote horses develop hyperextensible skin susceptible to injury and other abnormal tissues containing high fibrillar collagen content. No research exists determining the effects of the disease in heterozygote carriers. Currently, 30% of cutting sires are HERDA carriers, potentially increasing t...
Pre- and post-race serum cardiac troponin T concentrations in Standardbred racehorses. Elevated cardiac troponin T (cTnT) concentrations may provide evidence of myocardial injury but physiological post-exercise release also occurs. Reference intervals are not fully established in horses making interpretation difficult. The aims of this study were to establish an upper reference limit for serum cTnT, compare pre-and post-race serum cTnT concentrations, and to evaluate factors that may influence these in a population of healthy, race-fit Standardbred racehorses. Serum samples were collected pre- (n = 108) and 1-2 h post-racing (n = 101) and analysed using a high sensitivity-cTnT a...
Traditional and quantitative analysis of acid-base and electrolyte imbalances in horses competing in cross-country competitions at 2-star to 5-star level. Early recognition and management of acid-base, fluid, and electrolyte disorders are crucial for the maintenance of health and performance in equine athletes. Objective: To analyze changes in acid-base and electrolyte status associated with exercise during cross-country competitions at different levels using traditional and quantitative approaches. Methods: Thirty-eight eventing horses. Methods: Prospective observational study. Jugular venous blood samples were collected before and after the cross-country test of 25 international eventing competitions ranging from 2-star (formerly 1-star) to 5-...
Clinical Pathology of the Racehorse. The assessment of blood analytes in racehorses can provide useful data on performance and health. The horses' adaptive responses to training that occur to optimize performance should be considered when interpreting alterations seen on laboratory results. Similarly, the alterations observed in laboratory test results can identify subclinical and clinical disease and be helpful for identifying organ dysfunction and, in many cases, monitoring progress and response to treatment. This article discusses hematologic and biochemical tests that are important in the evaluation of performance and health ...
Evaluation of Return Rates to Races in Racehorses After Tendon Injuries: Lesion-Related Parameters. Metacarpal tendon diseases are important problems that may cause a decrease in performance and even may finish sport life in equine athletes. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the ratio of return to races and the time of staying away from races and also to detect the prognostic value of ultrasonographic findings in Thoroughbred and Arabian racehorses with metacarpal flexor tendon injury or peritendonitis. Of 120 cases, 84 (70.0%) returned to races. Among these, 82.1% had tendonitis (69/84) and 17.9% peritendonitis (15/84). Among the cases being unable to return to races, 91.7% had tendon...
Evaluation of Dynamic Structural Disorders in the Upper Airways and Applied Rein Tension in Healthy Dressage Horses During Riding in Different Gaits and Head-Neck Positions. Flexion of the horse's head and neck during dressage riding reduces the pharyngeal lumen with the risk of increased upper airway resistance and upper airway obstructions. According to the Fédération Equestre Internationale, hyperflexion is achieved through force, whereas the position low-deep-round is nonforced. The objectives of this study were to evaluate (1) applied rein tension and (2) dynamic structural disorders in the upper airways in dressage horses in different gaits and different head-neck positions (HNPs). Overground endoscopy (OGE) and rein tension were evaluated in 13 clinically...
A Method to Estimate Horse Speed per Stride from One IMU with a Machine Learning Method. With the emergence of numerical sensors in sports, there is an increasing need for tools and methods to compute objective motion parameters with great accuracy. In particular, inertial measurement units are increasingly used in the clinical domain or the sports one to estimate spatiotemporal parameters. The purpose of the present study was to develop a model that can be included in a smart device in order to estimate the horse speed per stride from accelerometric and gyroscopic data without the use of a global positioning system, enabling the use of such a tool in both indoor and outdoor condi...
The Effect of Sedation, Oral Examination, and Odontoplasty on Systemic Inflammation as Measured by Serum Amyloid A in the Adult Performance Horse. Serum amyloid A (SAA) is one of the major acute phase proteins in horses. It serves as a marker for systemic inflammation and infection, as the concentration can increase 100- to even 1000-fold during systemic disease processes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of sedation, oral examination, and odontoplasty on systemic inflammation as measured by SAA in the adult performance horse. This study included 32 clinically healthy adult performance horses. Blood samples were collected immediately prior to sedation, oral examination, and odontoplasty and 48 and 72 hours afterward...
Relationship between Resting and Recovery Heart Rate in Horses. In endurance racing the heart rate (HR) of horses in the veterinary gates has to reach a maximum set to continue racing. There is no literature on the relationship between resting HR (HRresting) and HR after exercise (HRrecovery). This relationship was examined in seven horses and the results were related to their v (speed at which the blood lactate concentration is 4 mmol/L). Horses were submitted to an exercise test to determine v. Thereafter, horses were exercised on a treadmill in randomized order for 10 and 60 min at different speeds. HR was measured before exercise and several times unti...
Capacitive resistive electric transfer modifies gait pattern in horses exercised on a treadmill. Capacitive resistive electric transfer (CRET), a radiofrequency at 448 kHz, resulted in increased superficial and deep temperature and hemoglobin saturation, faster elimination of metabolic and inflammatory products and enhanced sport performance in humans. This research aims to investigate whether the application of CRET affects the locomotor pattern in horses and to assess whether an accumulative effect appears when two CRET sessions are applied two consecutive days. Methods: Nine horses were subjected to two CRET sessions applied in both right and left sides of neck, shoulder, back and cr...
Increased Rider Weight Did Not Induce Changes in Behavior and Physiological Parameters in Horses. Recent studies have reported significant alterations in horse physiological and gait parameters when exposed to increased rider weight during moderate to high intensity exercise. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of increased rider weight (+15% and +25% of the regular rider's bodyweight) on horse behavioral, physiological and gait symmetry parameters during a standard dressage test. Twenty rider-horse equipages performed the same test three times in a randomized, crossover design. Salivary cortisol (SC), heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), behavior and gait symmetry (GS) were ...
Whole-Genome Signatures of Selection in Sport Horses Revealed Selection Footprints Related to Musculoskeletal System Development Processes. Selective breeding has led to gradual changes at the genome level of horses. Deciphering selective pressure patterns is progressive to understand how breeding strategies have shaped the sport horse genome; although, little is known about the genomic regions under selective pressures in sport horse breeds. The major goal of this study was to shed light on genomic regions and biological pathways under selective pressures in sport horses. In this study, whole-genome sequences of 16 modern sport and 35 non-sport horses were used to investigate the genomic selective signals of sport performance, by...
Trot Accelerations of Equine Front and Hind Hooves Shod with Polyurethane Composite Shoes and Steel Shoes on Asphalt. The present study investigated accelerations of the front and hind hooves of horses comparing two different shoe types. A standard steel shoe, with studs, pins, and in some instances with toe grabs, was compared to a steel shoe covered on the bottom with a layer of polyurethane. Four horses were used; they trotted in hand on an asphalt track at their self-selected speed. The results showed significantly reduced decelerations during the stance phase with the polyurethane-covered shoes (10th percentile median steel -2.77 g, polyurethane -2.46 g; 0.06) and significantly increased decelerations i...
Serum acylcarnitine profile in endurance horses with and without metabolic dysfunction. Mitochondrial β-oxidation is essential in fat metabolism and can be monitored with blood acylcarnitine profiling, as partly degraded fatty acids accumulate as their carnitine esters. To guarantee continuous energy supply during long-distance exercise, endurance horses oxidise considerable amounts of fat in the mitochondrion. In endurance races over 80 km, glycogen depletion is evident in equine slow-twitch high oxidative muscle fibres and as a consequence, horses participating in endurance races over 80 km rely almost entirely on β-oxidation of fatty acids. This study investigated mitoch...
A Botanical-Based Equine Nutraceutical Reduces Gastric Smooth Muscle Contractile Force In Vitro. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a botanical-based equine nutraceutical on contractility of gastric smooth muscle in vitro. Gastric ulcers are prevalent in performance horses and negatively impact horse welfare. Gastric hypermotility has been positively associated with the development of gastric ulceration in nonequine species, and reduction of hypermotility may be protective against their development. Stomachs from 12 pigs processed for food at a provincially inspected abattoir were collected within 1 hour of slaughter. Explants of nonglandular gastric tissue were p...
Could a Compliant Foam Anvil Characterize the Biofidelic Impact Response of Equestrian Helmets? The performance of equestrian helmets to protect against brain injuries caused by fall impacts against compliant surfaces such as turf has not been studied widely. We characterize the kinematic response of simulated fall impacts to turf through field tests on horse racetracks and laboratory experiments. The kinematic response characteristics and ground stiffness at different going ratings (GRs) (standard measurement of racetrack condition) were obtained from 1 m and 2 m drop tests of an instrumented hemispherical impactor onto a turf racetrack. The "Hard" rating resulted in higher peak lin...
The Influence of Training and Simulated Race on Horse Plasma Serotonin Levels. Exercise represents a physical stress that challenges homeostasis affecting central and peripheral serotoninergic systems. The influence of the exercise on circulating serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) levels depends on training state as well as the exercise protocol. The purpose of the present research was to determine changes of plasma 5-HT in sport horses in response to training (T) and simulated race (SR) and in addition to assess the possible presence of significant differences on circulating 5-HT between two different sessions of exercise. In particular, the research was carried out...
The Effect of Tree Width on Thoracolumbar and Limb Kinematics, Saddle Pressure Distribution, and Thoracolumbar Dimensions in Sports Horses in Trot and Canter. This study evaluated the effect of saddle tree width on thoracolumbar and limb kinematics, saddle pressure distribution, and thoracolumbar epaxial musculature dimensions. Correctly fitted saddles were fitted by a Society of Master Saddler Qualified Saddle Fitter in fourteen sports horses (mean ± SD age 12 ± 8.77 years, height 1.65 ± 0.94 m), and were altered to one width fitting wider and narrower. Horses were equipped with skin markers, inertial measurement units, and a pressure mat beneath the saddle. Differences in saddle pressure distribution, as well as limb and thoracolumbosacral kine...
A Review of Biomechanical Gait Classification with Reference to Collected Trot, Passage and Piaffe in Dressage Horses. Gaits are typically classified as walking or running based on kinematics, the shape of the vertical ground reaction force (GRF) curve, and the use of inverted pendulum or spring-mass mechanics during the stance phase. The objectives of this review were to describe the biomechanical characteristics that differentiate walking and running gaits, then apply these criteria to classify and compare the enhanced natural gait of collected trot with the artificial gaits of passage and piaffe as performed by highly trained dressage horses. Limb contact and lift off times were used to determine contact se...
Mechanical nociceptive thresholds in endurance horses. Alteration of limb sensitivity is forbidden in equine sports but difficult to enforce. We aimed to develop an objective field method to assess mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) in endurance horses. Methods: A remotely controlled pneumatic actuator (1 mm tip) was used to measure forelimb pastern MNT in 108 endurance horses. Results: Median (IQR) MNT at rest was 1.9 N (0.9-3.5). Icing had no significant effect on limb sensitivity. MNT measured at weekly intervals increased from week 1 (1.2 N (0.6-1.8)) to week 3 (1.9 N (1.2-2.8)) (P<0.05). In 17 horses without impaired sensitivity, MNT ...
Rein Tension in Transitions and Halts during Equestrian Dressage Training. In dressage, the performance of transitions between gaits and halts is an integral part of riding sessions. The study aimed to evaluate rein tension before, during and after the transitions between different gaits and the transitions into halts. The kinematic (inertial measurement units) data for the head and croup, and rein tension data, were collected (128 Hz) from six professional riders each riding three of their own horses, training levels varying from basic to advanced, during normal training sessions. The activities were categorised into gaits, halts and transitions based on video evalu...
Signatures of selection in the genome of Swedish warmblood horses selected for sport performance. A growing demand for improved physical skills and mental attitude in modern sport horses has led to strong selection for performance in many warmblood studbooks. The aim of this study was to detect genomic regions with low diversity, and therefore potentially under selection, in Swedish Warmblood horses (SWB) by analysing high-density SNP data. To investigate if such signatures could be the result of selection for equestrian sport performance, we compared our SWB SNP data with those from Exmoor ponies, a horse breed not selected for sport performance traits. Results: The genomic scan for homoz...
Collisional mechanics of the diagonal gaits of horses over a range of speeds. One of the goals of the neuromotor control system is to minimize the cost of locomotion by reducing mechanical energy losses. Collisional mechanics, which studies the redirection of the downwards motion of the center of mass (COM) by ground reaction forces (GRF) generated by the limbs, represents an important source of energy loss. The primary objective of this study was to compare collisional mechanics and the associated mechanical energy losses in horses performing diagonally-synchronized gaits over a range of speeds. It is to be expected that collisional energy losses will be high when the ...
Could Pressure Distribution Under Race-Exercise Saddles Affect Limb Kinematics and Lumbosacral Flexion in the Galloping Racehorse? Back pain is frequently recognized in racehorses, but saddle fit and design are rarely assessed. In sport horses, relationships between horse-saddle interaction, back pain, and altered kinematics are established, but few studies investigating horse-saddle interaction in racehorses exist. We hypothesized that reducing pressures under saddles at thoracic (T) vertebrae 10-13 in galloping racehorses is associated with improved limb and lumbosacral kinematics. The objectives of the study were to (1) determine pressure magnitude/distribution under 3 frequently used race-exercise saddles and a saddle...
Racing performance of National Hunt thoroughbred racehorses after treatment of palatal dysfunction with a laryngeal tie-forward procedure and thermocautery of the soft palate with or without aryepiglottic folds resection. To assess racing performance of National Hunt thoroughbred (NH) racehorses with a definite diagnosis of palatal dysfunction treated with a laryngeal tie-forward procedure (LTF) and soft palate cautery (SPC) with or without transendoscopic laser excision of the aryepiglottic folds (TLEAF) and to determine correlation between performance measures. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: National Hunt racehorses treated with LTF, SPC ± TLEAF (n = 44) and nonaffected controls (n = 88). Methods: Performance was evaluated by using Racing Post ratings (RPR), race earnings (RE), and perform...
Pharmacokinetics of hydroxyzine and cetirizine following oral administration of hydroxyzine to exercised Thoroughbred horses. Hydroxyzine is a first-generation antihistamine and cetirizine, a second-generation antihistamine and active metabolite of hydroxyzine. Hydroxyzine is commonly used in performance horses and as such its use in closely regulated; however, there are no published studies suitable for establishing appropriate regulatory recommendations. In the current study, 12 exercised Thoroughbred research horses received a single oral administration of 500 mg of hydroxyzine. Blood and urine samples were collected prior to and up to 96 hr postdrug administration and concentrations of hydroxyzine and cetirizin...
The Genetics of Racing Performance in Arabian Horses. Arabian horses are commonly believed to be one of the oldest and most influential horse breeds in the world. The high financial benefits obtained from races tend to search for genetic markers strongly correlated with the results achieved. To date, the modern approaches such as transcriptome, miRNAome, and metabolome analyses have been used to investigate the genetic background of racing performance as well as endurance capacity in Arabians. The analysis of polymorphisms at the genome level has also been applied to the detection of genetic variants associated with exercise phenotype in the Arab...
Osteochondral fragments of the pastern joint at the origin of the collateral ligament of the distal sesamoid bone: performance after arthroscopic removal (2000-2015). To describe the presence of fragments in the dorsal proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint and to report flat racing performance after surgical treatment. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Thirty-nine affected thoroughbred flat racehorses and 169 age- and sex-matched maternal siblings. Methods: Medical records from 2000 to 2015 were reviewed for thoroughbred horses that underwent arthroscopic removal of osteochondral fragments in the dorsal aspect of the PIP joint. The horses' 2-year-old year, 3-year-old year, and career athletic performances were compared with their matched siblings. Resul...
