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.
Legg KA, Weston JF, Gee EK, Bolwell CF, Bridges JP, Rogers CW.The welfare of horses in endurance competitions has been the focus of recent media attention. Epidemiological studies have examined the sport at the international (FEI) level. However, much of the participation in the sport occurs at a national level in preparation for FEI level competition. The aims of this study were to describe participation in, and risk factors for elimination, from New Zealand endurance competitions. Data were collated from all endurance competitions (≥40 km) held in New Zealand during the 2010/11-2015/16 competition seasons. There were 6885 starts (n = 775 horses, n = ...
Baldwin CM, Smith MRW, Allen S, Wright IM.Slab fractures of the third carpal bone (C3) are a common injury of Thoroughbred racehorses. Results of arthroscopically guided repair have not been reported since the initial description of the technique in 1986. Additionally, fracture details and racing outcomes in a population of Thoroughbreds racing under UK jurisdiction have not previously been described. Objective: To report the frequency distribution of C3 slab fractures and to determine the impact on racing performance following arthroscopically guided repair in a population of Thoroughbred racehorses. Methods: Retrospective case serie...
Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, Szmatoła T, Łątka J, Długosz B, Ropka-Molik K.Horse musculature has been shaped through evolution by environmental and human factors, which has resulted in several extraordinary adaptations to physical effort. Skeletal muscle plasticity results from the response to mechanical stimulation causing hypertrophy, where sarcomeres increase the muscle's cross-sectional area under the influence of contractile forces. The aim of the present study was the evaluation of transcript abundance of the telethonin () gene, which is a part of the sarcomere macromolecular mechanosensory complex in the gluteus medius muscle, and the whole blood of Arabian ho...
Hertzsch R, Richter A.Based on their performance-enhancing potential, caffeine and theophylline are prohibited substances in equine sports. Residues in horses can be caused by wilful application or by unintended uptake of contaminated feed. The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities recently introduced international residue limits (IRLs) to facilitate the discrimination between pharmacological relevant and irrelevant concentrations in doping samples. The objective of this study was to investigate the scientific validity of these IRLs. A systematic analysis was performed to assess the IRLs by different ...
Lewczuk D, Metera-Zarzycka E.Many horse breeds in the world are reserved as genetic resources; however, their characteristics seem to be insufficiently clarified, especially in terms of horse performance. Two jumping ability evaluation methods have been used to compare different types of performance breeds and on this basis their applicability for precision phenotyping has been determined. Methods: Jumping data of 186 young Polish Warmblood stallions (27 with an endangered status) bred for sport and multipurpose use was collected during their performance tests organised under identical environmental conditions following t...
Musiał AD, Ropka-Molik K, Piórkowska K, Jaworska J, Stefaniuk-Szmukier M.In horses, the identification of the genetic background of phenotypic variation, especially with regard to performance characteristics and predisposition to effort, has been extensively studied. As α-actinin-3 function is related to the regulation of muscle contraction and cell metabolism, the ACTN3 gene is considered one of the main genetic factors determining muscle strength. The aim of the present study was to assess the genotype distribution of two SNP variants within the equine ACTN3 gene (g.1104G > A and c.2334C > T) across different utility types and horse breeds. The ana...
Trevorrow P.In this sensational case, it was alleged that after jinking unexpectedly and throwing its rider, racehorse Ile de Chypre, had been nobbled by an ultrasonic emitter concealed within a pair of binoculars. Ile de Chypre was 4-1 favourite at the King George V Handicap at Ascot on June 16, 1988 and a good distance away from the pack, a clear winner albeit for this alleged act of sensational intervention.
Giunta K, Donnell JR, Donnell AD, Frisbie DD.Proximal suspensory desmitis (PSD) is a frequent cause of lameness in the performance horse. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (EST) and platelet rich plasma (PRP) have become common treatments for PSD yet clinical data on efficacy is limited. The main objective of this randomized, prospective clinical study was to compare long-term effectiveness of EST and PRP in Western performance horses. One hundred horses with lameness localized to the proximal suspensory ligament received treatment with either PRP or EST following baseline ultrasonographic evaluation. A veterinarian and agent evaluated th...
Brown K, Stefanovski D, Davidson E.Decline in high speed treadmill (HSTM) exercise testing may be attributed to the rise of over-ground endoscopy and telemetric electrocardiography, in addition to concerns of adverse events during treadmill exercise resulting in injury or inadequate testing. Objective: To describe adverse events occurring during HSTM exercise tests at a single institution and determine their effect on likelihood of completing diagnostic HSTM exercise testing. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Pearson's chi-square test was used to determine if a significant difference in frequencies of adverse events...
Graham RJTY, Rosanowski SM, McILWRAITH CW.Osteochondral fragmentation of the carpus is a common cause of lameness in racehorses. Prognosis following arthroscopic removal of the fragments was reported in 1987, but little is known of recent success rates. Objective: To identify associations between the severity and location of osteochondral fragments in the carpus, and to describe the racing performance of horses pre- and post-surgery in Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses. To identify factors associated with a horse racing post-surgery. Methods: Retrospective study of clinical records (2006-2016). Methods: Surgical and racing records for ...
Wilson M, Williams J, Montrose VT, Williams J.Most stallions within breeding programmes are expected to breed and compete concurrently. The exercising of stallions with regards to training regimes during the breeding season is a controversial subject. Daily exercise at low intensities is important for the mental and reproductive well-being of the stallion, however higher intensities of exercise, as seen in competing stallions, may have detrimental effects on seminal quality. To calculate if competition does affect semen quality, this study investigated the effect that equestrian discipline and timing of competition had on a range of stall...
Prisk AJ, García-López JM.To determine the long-term return to performance of horses with impinging and/or overriding dorsal spinous processes (ORDSP) treated with interspinous ligament desmotomy (ISLD) and to determine the prognostic value of radiographic and scintigraphic grades. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Seventy-one horses with ORDSP treated with ISLD. Methods: Medical records were reviewed for signalment, physical examination, gait evaluation, and number of interspinous spaces treated. Preoperative radiographic and scintigraphic images were evaluated with grading scales. Follow-up was obtained with a t...
Parkes RSV, Weller R, Pfau T, Witte TH.Objective gait monitoring is increasingly accessible to trainers. A more comprehensive understanding of 'normal' gait adaptations is required. Forty two-year-old thoroughbred racehorses were recruited when entering training and followed for 22 months. Gait analysis was performed by equipping each horse with an inertial measurement unit with inbuilt GPS (GPS-IMU) mounted on the dorsum. Horses were exercised as per their regular training regimen. Data were analysed using a linear mixed model. For two-year-old horses, there was a non-linear pattern of stride duration (SD) over time ( < 0.001) ...
Bennet ED, Parkin TDH.Endurance riding competitions are increasingly popular, with a corresponding awareness of the frequency of Failure to Qualify (FTQ) due to lameness or metabolic problems. Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) rules require a minimum number of days between competitions, known as a mandatory rest period (MRP). Objective: To analyse the impact on FTQ outcomes of MRPs which applied between January 2014 and December 2016, and model potential changes to MRPs to establish which rule change could lead to the largest further reduction in the number of FTQ outcomes. Methods: Retrospective cohort st...
Best R, Standing R.Global positioning systems (GPS) have recently been shown to reliably quantify the spatiotemporal characteristics of Polo, with the physiological demands of Polo play at low- and high-goal levels also investigated. This study aims to describe the spatiotemporal demands of Polo across 0-24 goal levels. A player-worn GPS unit was used to quantify distance, speed and high-intensity activities performed. Data were divided into chukkas and five equine-based speed zones, grouped per cumulative player handicap and assessed using standardized mean differences. Average distance and speed per chukka inc...
Di Battista C, Conte M, Pepe M, Petrizzi L, Beccati F.There is limited information on risk factors for elimination from endurance rides and changes over the years. The objectives of this study were to describe elimination for irregular gait and metabolic reasons from Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) endurance rides in Italy (2004-2015) and to assess risk factors and to investigate changes in elimination rates and speed over the long term. Data for FEI endurance rides were collected from three websites. Year, month, day, location, class (Concours de Raid d'Endurance International [CEI]*/**/***), restriction to young riders, distance (km)...
Warnock WR, Marsh CA, Hand DR.The purpose of this study was to report long-term outcome following arthroscopic debridement of articular cartilage lesions of the distal interphalangeal joint, diagnosed with high-field magnetic resonance imaging. Diagnosis was based on the results of diagnostic anesthesia, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and arthroscopy. Ten horses underwent arthroscopic evaluation for cartilage injury and received various intra-articular therapies after surgery. Three of ten horses had lesions that were surgically inaccessible. Four horses became sound and returned to their preoperative level of athletici...
Plancade S, Clark A, Philippe C, Helbling JC, Moisan MP, Esquerré D, Le Moyec L, Robert C, Barrey E, Mach N.An integrated analysis of gut microbiota, blood biochemical and metabolome in 52 endurance horses was performed. Clustering by gut microbiota revealed the existence of two communities mainly driven by diet as host properties showed little effect. Community 1 presented lower richness and diversity, but higher dominance and rarity of species, including some pathobionts. Moreover, its microbiota composition was tightly linked to host blood metabolites related to lipid metabolism and glycolysis at basal time. Despite the lower fiber intake, community type 1 appeared more specialized to produce ace...
McCoy AM, Smith RL, Herrera S, Kawcak CE, McIlwraith CW, Goodrich LR.To report the outcome of horses engaged in Western performance disciplines after stifle arthroscopy and identify prognostic factors for return to performance. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Eighty-two Western performance horses undergoing stifle arthroscopy. Methods: Medical records were reviewed for horses involved in athletic performance/training for various Western performance disciplines and undergoing arthroscopy for lameness localized to the stifle. Follow-up was obtained ≥2 years postoperatively by telephone interviews with the owners. Preoperative and intraoperative f...
Le Moyec L, Robert C, Triba MN, Bouchemal N, Mach N, Rivière J, Zalachas-Rebours E, Barrey E.Endurance racing places high demands on energy metabolism pathways. Metabolomics can be used to investigate biochemical responses to endurance exercise in humans, laboratory animals, and horses. Although endurance horses have previously been assessed in the field (i.e., during races) using broad-window Nuclear Magnetic Resonance metabolomics, these studies included several different race locations, race distances, age classes, and race statuses (finisher or elimination). The present NMR metabolomics study focused on 40 endurance horses racing in three race categories over 90, 120, or 160 km. T...
Witkowska-Piłaszewicz O, Bąska P, Czopowicz M, Żmigrodzka M, Szczepaniak J, Szarska E, Winnicka A, Cywińska A.Sport training leads to adaptation to physical effort that is reflected by the changes in blood parameters. In equine endurance athletes, blood testing is accepted as a support in training, however, only the changes before versus after exercise in creatine phosphokinase activity (CPK) and basic blood parameters are usually measured. This study is the first longitudinal investigation of the changes in routinely measured blood parameters and, additionally, serum amyloid A (SAA), during seven months, in Arabian horses introduced to endurance training and competing in events for young horses. It h...
Shaw DJ, Rosanowski SM.Epiglottic entrapment is a condition in racing horses, associated with abnormal respiratory noises and exercise intolerance. Epiglottic entrapment has been linked to both poor and superior athletic performance, leading to concerns regarding whether surgery is indicated, and whether surgical correction may have a deleterious effect on future race performance. The objective of the current study was to assess the race-day performance of horses racing with epiglottic entrapment and the effect of surgical correction on performance outcomes using an intra-oral technique in anaesthetised horses. A ca...
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...
Coelho CS, Adam GL, Agra de Omena E Silva G, Silva de Carvalho R, Cuña de Souza VR, Fazio F.Measurement of heart rate (HR) and velocity before, during, and after training exercises under field conditions indicates health and fitness level and intensity of imposed physical effort and allows rapid adjustments in training and nutritional protocols, improving welfare of athletic horses. The aim of this study was to monitor HR of Mangalarga Marchador horses during a marcha field test. Fifteen Mangalarga Marchador horses were evaluated during an aerobic exercise (marcha) for 40 minutes using a HR monitor system with GPS (Polar RS800CX-G3). Results were analyzed through Polar ProTrainer 5 ...
Best R, Standing R.The implementation of global positioning systems (GPSs) has become widely supported in a variety of sports, owing to the insight it provides into athlete workloads, training parameters, and playing styles. Despite widely reported use of GPS in equine settings, few studies have quantified the reliability of spatiotemporal characteristics in a dynamic environment of high-intensity gameplay. Owing to the unique game demands of Polo for both riders and horses, this study aimed to assess the interunit reliability between a traditional GPS placement between the shoulder blades and a Polo-specific pl...
Derham AM, O'Leary JM, Connolly SE, Schumacher J, Kelly G.Racehorses may perform poorly because of impinging dorsal spinous processes (DSPs) of the thoracolumbar vertebrae. No study has looked objectively at the long-term outcome of racehorses undergoing desmotomy of the interspinous ligament as a treatment for horses with poor performance caused by impinging DSPs. The aim of this study was to examine objectively, by using pre-operative and post-operative racing records, the effectiveness of desmotomy of the interspinous ligament (DISL) in improving the performance of racehorses with impinging DSPs. Medical records of all horses undergoing desmotomy ...
Curtiss AL, Aceto H, Embertson RM.Epiglottic entrapment can occur in yearling Thoroughbreds (TB); however, race performance following surgical correction is unknown. Objective: To determine the race performance of horses treated surgically for epiglottic entrapment as yearlings as compared to an untreated cohort. A second objective was to identify risk factors for treated horses not racing post-operatively. Methods: Retrospective cohort and case-control studies. Methods: Medical (1989-2014) and race records of 66 treated TB racehorses were reviewed. Observed abnormalities on pre- and post-operative endoscopic images and surgic...
Crispe EJ, Lester GD.Exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) occurs commonly in horses undergoing strenuous exercise. Reported risk factors include racing in cold temperatures and wearing of bar shoes. In horses with documented moderate to severe EIPH, increasing the interval between races and adopting a negative race pace strategy may reduce the severity of EIPH in subsequent races. EIPH seems to have an impact on performance only when moderate to severe. This occurs in a small number of starters, approximately 6%. EIPH often is erratic in severity from race to race, although across a population it is weakly...
Bonomo CCM, Michelotto PV, Viccino C, Barussi FCM, Fernandes WR.Pulmonary haemorrhage occurs in sport horses performing high-intensity exercise, but the factors involved in the occurrence of pulmonary haemorrhage in jumping horses have not been elucidated. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of pulmonary haemorrhage and factors involved in competitive jumping horses. Fifty adult jumping horses competing in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, were included. The horses were divided into two groups based on jump height at competition: Low group (LG, n=26), with jump height between 1.00 and 1.20m, and High group (HG, n=24), with jump height between 1.30 a...
Waraksa E, Kowalski K, Kłodzińska E, Rola R, Ciekot J, Filipiak W, Bieńkowski T, Namieśnik J.Gamma-oryzanol (GO) has gained special attention in the equine sports industry in recent years due to its touted properties, including the fact that it may cause anabolic effects on muscle growth and reduce fatigue. Many manufactures offer supplements containing GO as a naturally occurring anabolic substance; however, some producers do not declare its presence in product compositions. Taking into consideration the touted properties of GO, its ambiguous effectiveness and the open character of the Prohibited Substances List established by the Fédération Equestre Internationale, there is an urg...
Schott HC, McGlade KS, Molander HA, Leroux AJ, Hines MT.To investigate effects of prolonged exercise on fluid and electrolyte losses in horses competing in 50- and 100-mile endurance competitions, with emphasis on recovery. Methods: Changes in body weight (BW); PCV; serum osmolality; plasma total protein, lactate, aldosterone, and serum electrolyte concentrations; and exchangeable cation content were measured in 12 and 7 horses before and after and before, during, and after successful completion of 50- and 100-mile endurance rides, respectively. Methods: BW was measured by use of a portable load bar scale, and blood samples were collected during th...
Mukai K, Kitaoka Y, Takahashi Y, Takahashi T, Takahashi K, Ohmura H.We investigated whether moderate-intensity training of horses in moderate hypoxia for 4 weeks elicits greater adaptations in exercise performance, aerobic capacity, and glycolytic/oxidative metabolism in skeletal muscle compared to normoxic training. In a randomized crossover study design, seven untrained Thoroughbred horses (5.9 ± 1.1 years, 508 ± 9 kg) completed 4 weeks (3 sessions/week) of two training protocols consisting of 3-min cantering at 70% of maximal oxygen consumption ( ) in hypoxia (HYP; F O = 14.7%) and normoxia (NOR; F O = 21.0%) with a 4-month washout period....
Holden-Douilly L, Pourcelot P, Desquilbet L, Falala S, Crevier-Denoix N, Chateau H.Longitudinal sliding of horse's hooves at the beginning of stance can affect both performance and orthopaedic health. The objective of this study was to compare two measurement methods for quantifying hoof slip distances at training trot. The right front hoof of four French Trotters was equipped with an accelerometer (10 kHz) and kinematic markers. A firm wet sand track was equipped with a 50 m calibration corridor. A high-frequency camera (600 Hz) was mounted in a vehicle following each horse trotting at about 7 m/s. One of the horses was also trotted on raw dirt and harrowed dirt tracks. Lon...
Verheyen KL, Price JS, Wood JL.This study aimed to determine the effects of exercise on racecourse performance in horses racing on the flat. Daily exercise and race records were obtained over a 2-year period for a cohort of racehorses in training for which injury data were also available. Multivariable regression techniques were used to investigate associations between canter, training gallop and race distances accumulated in the 30 days prior to each race and the odds of winning the race, earning prize money and the amount of prize money won. Higher cumulative high-speed (gallop+race) distances were associated with increas...
Trilk JL, Lindner AJ, Greene HM, Alberghina D, Wickler SJ.Blood lactate measurements are used widely in horses to assess athletic performance, but there are few published data on using lactate as a guide for endurance improvement. The velocity at which blood lactate concentration ([LA]) of 4 mmol/l is reached (v4) is widely used to determine fitness. In an earlier study of v4, exercise at low intensities for longer duration was more effective at improving endurance than shorter, higher intensities. However, the prescription was unchanged during the study (6 weeks). We hypothesised that, to produce greater improvement in v4 in the same time frame, it ...
Human movement scienceMay 13, 2009
Volume 28, Issue 3 394-405 doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2009.04.002
Witte K, Schobesberger H, Peham C.As a consequence of the three interacting systems of horse, saddle, and rider, horseback riding is a very complex movement that is difficult to characterize by a limited number of biomechanical parameters or characteristic curves. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is a technique for reducing multidimensional datasets to a minimal (i.e., optimally economic) set of dimensions. To apply PCA to horseback riding data, a "pattern vector" composed of the horizontal velocities of a set of body markers was determined. PCA was used to identify the major dynamic constituents of the three natural gaits o...
Beard WL, Bramlage LR, Schneider RK, Embertson RM.Medical records for 64 Thoroughbred and 45 Standardbred horses with osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) of the tarsocrural joint that were treated by means of arthroscopic removal of the fragments before 2 years of age and before beginning racing were reviewed. Lesion site was recorded for all horses. The other foals from the dams of these surgically treated horses (siblings) were identified from mare progeny records. Racing data, including number of starts and money won during the 2- and 3-year-old racing years were obtained from the Jockey Club and the United States Trotting Association for affe...
Hoyt DF, Wickler SJ, Garcia SF.Although there have been reports of oxygen consumption measurements of horses running on the level and incline, there are no measurements during decline locomotion. This may be due, in part, to the potential for muscle damage produced by eccentric contractions. In man, running on a 10% decline, VO2 decreased by 35% and stride frequency (SF) decreased by 3% when compared to level locomotion. Objective: The rate of O2 consumption and SF would be decreased in horses on a 10% decline when compared to the level. Methods: Six horses (average 467 +/- 68 kg) were acclimated to trotting on the level an...
Ropka-Molik K, Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, Musiał AD, Piórkowska K, Szmatoła T.The ACTN3 gene codes for α-actinin-3, a protein localized in the Z-line in the skeletal muscle. Actinin-3 is critical in anchoring the myofibrillar actin filaments and plays a key role in muscle contraction. ACTN3 (α-actinin-3) cross-links glycogen phosphorylase (GP), which is the key enzyme catalysing glycogen metabolism. The aim of present study was to establish the expression level of the ACTN3 gene (for both isoforms separately and together in the gene expression analysis) in the gluteus medius muscle in order to verify if the α-actinin-3 gene can be related to training intensity in Ara...
Santamaría S, Bobbert MF, Back W, Barneveld A, van Weeren PR.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 ...
Spike-Pierce DL, Bramlage LR.Proximal sesamoiditis has been a common and confusing radiographic diagnosis in Thoroughbred yearling surveys. This study categorised the radiographic appearance of yearling proximal sesamoid bones and determined their effect on the number of races started and earning potential for racing at ages 2 and 3 years. Objective: Yearlings with moderate to severe proximal sesamoiditis have decreased performance at age 2 and 3 years. Methods: Survey radiographs of 487 Thoroughbred yearlings were reviewed. Proximal sesamoid bones were examined and findings placed into 7 categories, 5 of which measured s...
Snow DH, Baxter P, Rose RJ.An investigation into fibre composition and glycogen depletion pattern within the middle gluteal of 16 horses participating in an 80 km endurance ride was carried out. Although the proportion of slow twitch high oxidative (ST) fibres in the horses varied between 7 and 38 per cent, it was found that the horses with the highest proportion of these fibres usually had the best performance records. The cross-sectional area of the fast twitch low oxidative (FT) fibres was greatest, with the ST and fast twitch high oxidative (FTH) being similar in size. Most marked histological evidence of glycogen d...
Knych HK, Stanley SD, Arthur RM, Mitchell MM.The use of firocoxib in horses and its ability to affect performance and potential to allow a horse to compete when it otherwise should not, necessitates establishing appropriate withdrawal time guidelines prior to performance. Objective: To describe plasma concentrations and characterise the pharmacokinetics of 3 firocoxib formulations following multiple administrations of the label dose, with respect to recommended plasma thresholds for performance horses. Methods: Balanced 3-way crossover prospective study. Methods: Nine healthy mature horses were administered firocoxib injectable solution ...
Lanovaz JL, Clayton HM.Estimations of segmental inertial parameters are required for true inverse dynamics calculations during the swing phase of locomotion. This study attempts to quantify the effect of inertial parameter errors on inverse dynamic solutions. Swing phase forelimb net joint moments and powers at the trot (mean +/- s.d 3.03 +/- 0.16 m/s) were calculated with sagittal plane kinematic data from 5 Dutch Warmbloods using inertial parameters based on published regression equations for the breed. Significant peaks in the net moment and power curves for each forelimb joint were identified and measured. Net j...
Kilgenstein HJ, Schöniger S, Schoon D, Schoon HA.After their retirement from sports, performance mares often show a poor breeding success. The objective of this study was the microscopic evaluation of endometrial biopsies of retired sports mares (n = 189) to search for alterations that may explain subfertility. Mares of this study aged 3-23 years showed endometritis (30%) and endometrosis (77%); mild forms predominated. In regard to those mares biopsied during the breeding season (n = 99), 50% had glandular differentiation disorders, i.e. glandular inactivity (8%) or irregular glandular differentiation (42%). Compared to literature d...
Burbage J, Cameron L.For female horse riders, breast pain, bra issues and breast size may be important concerns which have yet to be considered. This study aimed to establish the prevalence of breast pain and bra issues in female horse riders and explores the impact of breast size on breast pain and bra issues. A 6-part, 32 question online survey was completed by 1324 females who participated in horse riding activities. Descriptive and chi-squared (χ) analyses were utilised; data for 1265 participants were included in the final analysis. Breast pain was experienced by 40% of all participants and this was signific...
Best R, Standing R.Global positioning systems (GPS) have recently been shown to reliably quantify the spatiotemporal characteristics of Polo, with the physiological demands of Polo play at low- and high-goal levels also investigated. This study aims to describe the spatiotemporal demands of Polo across 0-24 goal levels. A player-worn GPS unit was used to quantify distance, speed and high-intensity activities performed. Data were divided into chukkas and five equine-based speed zones, grouped per cumulative player handicap and assessed using standardized mean differences. Average distance and speed per chukka inc...
Pourmohammad R, Mohri M, Seifi HA, Sardari K.Limited information existed on performance tests in Iranian Arab horses. Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate time related changes of cardiac troponin I (cTnI), atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and oxidative/antioxidant biomarkers in the serum of Arabian horses before and after regular training. Methods: Blood samples were collected from jugular vein of 25 Arabian horses before exercise; 5 h and 18 h after exercise and used to measure the cTnI, ANP, malondialdehyde (MDA), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) ...
Schmutz A, Chèze L, Jacques J, Martin P.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...
Harkins JD, Beadle RE, Kamerling SG.The running abilities of 25 Thoroughbred racehorses were measured at distances of 1200, 1600 and 20000 m. Various physiological variables were measured subsequently on the treadmill and correlated with running speed. There was a negative correlation for running speed with the velocity (VLa4) and work rate (WLa4) at which blood lactate reaches a steady-state concentration of 4 mmol/litre and a positive correlation with peak plasma lactate, suggesting that plasma lactate concentrations of faster horses rise more rapidly and to higher levels than do those of slower horses. The correlation between...
Morris EA, Seeherman HJ.Forty-six racehorses with a history of poor performance underwent endoscopic evaluation of laryngeal and pharyngeal function while exercising on a high-speed treadmill. This evaluation allowed the definitive diagnosis of intermittent or continual upper respiratory tract obstruction as a cause of poor performance, as well as the documentation of the dynamic functional anatomy of the obstruction. Ten of the horses (22%) were determined to have a functional abnormality of the upper respiratory tract. These abnormalities included epiglottic entrapment (1 horse), persistent dorsal displacement of t...
Clayton HM, Schamhardt HC, Hobbs SJ.In this study, sagittal plane ground reaction forces (GRFs) in ridden elite dressage horses performing 'collected trot' and in 'passage' over ground were determined. In-ground force plates captured GRF data from four Dutch Warmblood and four Lusitano horses ridden by their trainers. At least three stance phases were analysed for forelimbs and hind limbs per horse. The variables extracted were vertical and longitudinal (braking, propulsive) force maxima, their times of occurrence and the respective impulses for forelimbs and hind limbs. Lusitanos had lower vertical impulses than Dutch Warmblood...
White A, Reyes A, Godoy A, Martínez R.1. Packed cell volume (PCV), blood glucose, total plasma proteins (TPP) and plasma electrolytes, osmolality, cortisol and aldosterone alterations produced by transport and racing, were investigated in race horses. 2. Plasma cortisol, sodium and blood glucose, found after transport, were higher, while aldosterone was lower than control levels. 3. After racing, PCV, blood glucose, TPP and plasma cortisol, sodium and osmolality were higher than control, while chloride diminished and aldosterone returned to control values. 4. These results demonstrate that transport and racing are different kinds ...
Ferrari M, Pfau T, Wilson AM, Weller R.The influence of training on stride parameters is controversial and to date there is no information on how training influences stride parameters during high-speed locomotion in the field. Objective: To determine the influence of training on stride variables during high-speed locomotion in Thoroughbred racehorses. Methods: Speed, stride frequency, stance and protraction times were quantified in 8 Thoroughbreds with foot mounted accelerometers and GPS sensors during their first week of canter after the summer break and 6 months into training. Results: At a speed of 11 m/s, stride frequency was (...
Murray R, Guire R, Fisher M, Fairfax V.Girths are frequently blamed for veterinary and performance problems, but research into girth/horse interaction is sparse. The study objectives were (1) to determine location of peak pressure under a range of girths, and (2) to compare horse gait between the horse's standard girth and a girth designed to avoid detected peak pressure locations. In the first part of the study, and following validation procedures, a calibrated pressure mat placed under the girth of 10 horses was used to determine the location of peak pressures. A girth was designed to avoid peak pressure locations (Girth F). In t...
Kraus BM, Parente EJ, Tulleners EP.To evaluate efficacy and safety of laryngoplasty with vetriculectomy (VE) or ventriculocordectomy (VCE) for treatment of laryngeal hemiplegia (LH) in draft horses. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: One hundred four draft horses used for competitive hitch competitions. Methods: Medical records and postoperative endoscopy for competitive hitch draft horses diagnosed with left LH and treated with laryngoplasty and VE or VCE between January 1992 and December 2000 were reviewed. Follow-up information was obtained from telephone interviews with owners and trainers, and performance scores of 1 t...
Miranda MC, Queiroz-Neto A, Silva-Júnior JR, Pereira MC, Soares OA, Borghi RT, Ferraz GC.To compare five different protocols for estimating the lactate minimum speed (LMS) with that for estimating the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) in Arabian horses, in order to obtain a more rapid method for monitoring aerobic capacity and prescribing training schedules. Methods: Eight purebred Arabian horses were conditioned to exercise on a treadmill for 12 days then submitted to three to five exercise sessions to determine the MLSS. Blood samples were collected from a jugular catheter at specific intervals for measurement of lactate concentrations. The MLSS was the velocity maintained dur...
De Cocq P, Prinsen H, Springer NC, van Weeren PR, Schreuder M, Muller M, van Leeuwen JL.During trot, the rider can either rise from the saddle during every stride or remain seated. Rising trot is used frequently because it is widely assumed that it decreases the loading of the equine back. This has, however, not been demonstrated in an objective study. Objective: To determine the effects of rising and sitting trot on the movements of the horse. Objective: Sitting trot has more extending effect on the horse's back than rising trot and also results in a higher head and neck position. Methods: Twelve horses and one rider were used. Kinematic data were captured at trot during over gr...
Colón JL, Bramlage LR, Hance SR, Embertson RM.The purpose of this study was to examine the longevity of postoperative careers and quality of performance of 461 Thoroughbred racehorses after arthroscopic removal of dorsoproximal first phalanx (P1) osteochondral fractures. Six hundred and 59 dorsoproximal P1 chip fractures were removed arthroscopically from 574 joints in 461 horses presented for lameness or decreased performance attributed to the chip fractures. Radiological and arthroscopic examination revealed an average of 1.43 fragment sites/horse, 1.15 fragment sites/joint and 1.25 affected joints/horse. Eighty-nine percent of the hors...
Schambardt HC, Merkens HW, Vogel V, Willekens C.Using a force plate, ground reaction force (GRF) patterns at take-off and landing between the hooves and the ground were recorded for all limbs of 5 Dutch Warmbloods jumping a 0.8-m vertical fence from the right-leading canter. Distribution of the GRF and force impulses over the 4 limbs at take-off and landing were considerably different from those recorded at the normal canter. At take-off, the propulsory GRF of the hind limbs were 3 to 5 times higher than at the normal canter, depending on the jumping technique of the horse. At landing, the propulsory GRF were mainly increased in the trailin...
