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.
Dalin G, Jeffcott LB.Gait analysis can play an important role in exercise physiology, racetrack ergonomics, lameness prophylaxis, and assessment of performance potential in racehorses. This article concentrates on the methods used for gait analysis and considers some basic data on the different gaits of the horse.
Lovell DK.Through the study of equine exercise physiology, one can learn more about what happens to the body of the performance horse during all forms of exercise. Better understanding of skeletal, joint, tendon, and ligament adaptations to loading and stress may allow adjustments to be made in training techniques to reduce the incidence of injury. The information obtained from exercise research may also facilitate the investigation of questions such as the following: What makes one horse perform better than another? How can one bring out the optimal performance in each horse? How can one tell when a ho...
Rose RJ, Allen JR.Hematology has been widely used in attempts to provide information about disease states, performance problems, and fitness in performance horses. However, owing to factors such as the temperament of the horse and time of collection and feeding, considerable variation in the hemograms can be found. This article reviews some of the hematologic responses to exercise and training.
Robinson NE.The primary function of the equine respiratory system is the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide at a rate that is matched to metabolism. Gas exchange requires ventilation, distribution of gas within the lung, perfusion of blood through pulmonary capillaries, matching of ventilation and blood flow, diffusion of gases between air and blood, and transport of gases to and from the muscles. In this article, the author reviews what is known about each of these processes in the resting and exercising horse.
Physick-Sheard PW.The quality of the overall response to exercise in the horse is very similar to that seen in man and laboratory animals; differences are mainly quantitative and persist when relative body weight is taken into account. The apparently greater flow capacity of the equine muscle bed during maximal whole-body exercise implicates the extent of central circulatory adaptations as the limiting factor in performance but implies a role for increase in arteriolar capacitance/muscle capillarity as an appropriate response to intense endurance training. The blood oxygen-carrying capacity of the horse is ofte...
Soma LR, Laster L, Oppenlander F, Barr-Alderfer V.In 3 groups of horses with exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH), comparisons of racing times and finishing positions were made between the 5 races before the horses were given furosemide and 5 races after furosemide administration. The horses were grouped according to 3 methods used to diagnose EIPH: group 1, observation of hemorrhage at the nostrils within 1 hour after a workout or race; group 2, observation of pulmonary hemorrhage only by endoscopic examination after a race or workout; and group 3, observation of hemorrhage at the nostrils during a race or immediately after a race. G...
Vaughan LC, Edwards GB, Gerring EL.Implants of carbon fibre, made by plaiting a tow of 10,000 filaments of Grafil type HT-S, were used to treat strains and ruptures of digital flexor tendons in 46 horses. The relevant clinical data, the techniques employed and an analysis of the results are described. Apart from two horses in which the implant was extruded and had to be removed, there were minimal untoward consequences of the surgery. Of the 34 horses with acute or chronic tendinitis, 14 returned to racing, seven were used as hunters and seven as hacks. Among the former group, seven suffered a further strain while racing but th...
Kamerling SG, DeQuick DJ, Weckman TJ, Tobin T.The dose-related effects of intravenously administered fentanyl (0.010, 0.005, 0.0025 mg/kg) and saline were studied in mature performance horses using a rigorous experimental protocol. Fentanyl produced a dose-related prolongation of the skin twitch reflex latency but did not increase the hoof withdrawal reflex latency. Dose related increases in stepping frequency, cardiac and respiratory rats were observed following fentanyl, while changes in rectal temperature and pupil area were not. These data indicate that fentanyl, a prototypic mu-agonist, produces a syndrome characterized by analgesia,...
Ungemach FR.Doping in performance horses is defined as the "illegal application of any substance, except normal diet, that might modify the natural and present capacities of the horse at the time of the race." The prohibition of doping is mainly based on the protection of animals. Doping can be performed with various aims: "doping to win" can be regarded as the classical method by mobilization of overphysiological capacities. Such positive doping may be classified as an acute form using psychomotoric stimulants, as a chronic form using anabolic hormones, and as a paradoxical form using small doses of neur...
Anderson GF, Landsheft B.Performance horses should be thoroughly examined before sale to detect any defects that could render them unsuitable for the purchaser's intended use. With the horse in its stall, the eyes, nasolacrimal puncta, external ear canals and mouth are examined, the rectal temperature measured and the heart, lungs, trachea and sinuses auscultated. Moving the horse out of the stall, the head, parotid glands, mandibular lymph nodes, larynx, neck muscles, jugular veins and cervical vertebrae are inspected. The scapula, point of the shoulder, withers, tuber sacrale and point of the hip are palpated, after...
Essén-Gustavsson B, Karlström K, Lindholm A.Venous blood samples and middle gluteal muscle biopsies were obtained from 21 horses taking part in 100 km or 50 km endurance rides. Group A consisted of seven horses competing over 100 km (four horses completed the ride). Group B consisted of the six horses that were among the 10 best over 50 km while the other eight horses of Group C completed 50 km at a slower speed. Blood lactate, glycerol and creatine kinase increased in all groups while aspartate aminotransferase levels were higher only in Group A. No changes was found in blood glucose in Groups B and C while horses in Group A had lower ...
Leach DH, Ormrod K, Clayton HM.An investigation was made of the stride characteristics of horses jumping 2 obstacles during a Grand Prix competition. One obstacle was a picket fence and rail 1.3 m high (fence 2), and the other was a coop and rail 1.52 m high (fence 11). Thirteen distance and 22 timing measurements of 17 horses were extracted from high-speed films, using computer-aided analysis. These data were used to compare takeoff and landing of the lead and nonlead legs, the thoracic limbs and pelvic limbs, and fence 2 and fence 11. Paired t-tests were used to compare means and a stepwise regression analysis was done fo...
Smith JE, Moore K, Cipriano JE, Morris PG.Occasionally, horses are given large amounts of iron to improve performance. Although iron deficiency could limit erythrocyte production and other functions related to nonhematological tissues, it probably only occurs in blood loss. We have developed an enzyme immunoassay for ferritin in equine sera and evaluated its relationship to iron stored in liver and spleen. Serum ferritin correlated significantly (P less than 0.0001) with the concentration of nonheme iron in the liver and spleen. It increased following iron therapy and decreased after phlebotomy. We conclude that serum ferritin provide...
Hodgson DR, Rose RJ, Allen JR, Dimauro J.Muscle biopsy samples were collected from the left middle gluteal muscle of horses participating in competitive barrier trials. Twelve horses were biopsied the day before and within 30 minutes of completion of an 800 m barrier trial. A further six horses were sampled the day before, and within 30 minutes of, completion of a 1200 m barrier trial. Serial muscle sections were examined histochemically for myosin adenosine triphosphatase activity after acid preincubation, to demonstrate type I, IIA and IIB fibres. The glycogen content in the individual fibres was assessed using the periodic acid Sc...
Straub R, Isler R, Gysin J.The incremental three work loads test as a basis test, and the one work load test, in which one measures the heart rate and the serum lactic acid concentration, lead to the performance index values V4 and V150. These values are of great practical importance in judging the performance capacity, the ability to be trained, the trainings effectivity, and determining the optimal work load for interval training.
Dewey EA, Maylin GA.The metabolism of propionylpromazine in the horse was studied. Although propionylpromazine is not currently approved or recommended for use in horses, it has been used illegally to alter their performance. Propionylpromazine hydrochloride was administered intramuscularly at clinical and subclinical doses. Three metabolites were detected in urine. The major metabolite was identified as 2-(1-hydroxypropyl) promazine sulfoxide. The detection of this metabolite in routine drug testing has been described.
van den Hoven R.Venous lactate concentrations were determined in standard-bred trotters following exercise of varying intensity to obtain a useful parameter in determining the working capacity of horses. After standard exercise, well-trained horses produced less lactate than did inadequately trained horses. During the post-exercise resting period, lactate disappeared faster from the blood in well-trained horses and young lightly trained horses than it did in poorly trained horses. Steady-state training resulted in lower lactate levels than those recorded after racing, whereas interval training resulted in the...
Warner A, Mayhew IG.Anhidrosis is loss of the ability to sweat. The problem is seen in horses kept in a hot humid climate, and it may cause severe impairment of thermoregulation in the equine athlete. British Thoroughbreds imported to her tropical colonies are the earliest recorded cases, and since then the syndrome has come to be described as one of Thoroughbreds, usually performance athletes, undergoing acclimatization to heat and humidity. A recent epidemiologic study of cases in Florida has shown, however, that many different breeds, and long time inhabitants of a hot climate, may be affected. Equine sweat gl...
Spurlock GH, Gabel AA.One-hundred and nine apical fractures of the proximal sesamoid bones were diagnosed in Standardbred racehorses at the Ohio State University Veterinary Hospital during a 5-year period ending December 1978. Lateral sesamoids of the hindlimbs accounted for 61 of the 109 fractures, which was a significantly (P less than 0.05) greater proportion than that for fractures in all other sesamoid bones. Two- and three-year-old horses accounted for 73 of the 109 apical sesamoid fractures. The remaining 36 apical sesamoid fractures were in horses 4 to 9 years old. The apical fragment was removed in 80 of t...
Tolley EA, Notter DR, Marlowe TJ.Repeatabilities (t) and heritabilities (h2) of racing time were estimated from data on 7,206 2- and 3-yr-old Standardbred pacers and trotters competing in 1-mile (1.6 km) charted races at six tracks between 1975 and 1978. A total of 38,487 records representing 2,387 sire progeny groups were divided into subsets by gait, age and track. Initially, the designation "class of race" was recognized as a subjective categorization that reflected nonrandom assignments of horses to races. After extensive investigation, we concluded that racing times should be adjusted by linear regression for the time of...
Revington M.Eight hundred and sixteen blood samples were collected from Thoroughbred racehorses at the race track, 1 to 3 h before racing, and subjected to routine haematological examination. Attempts were made to correlate the haemogram with subsequent performance. Races were classified according to age, class and distance, and performances were grouped according to distance from the winner. Intra- and interclass comparisons were made but no relationship emerged between racing performance and the haemogram. The haemograms of individual horses on different occasions were compared with subsequent performan...
McMiken DF.Although different physiological and behavioural attributes are needed for various types of equine competition, successful racing depends primarily on the animal's metabolic ability to convert chemical energy to mechanical energy--the function of muscle. Components of these energetic processes include the rate, efficiency and interaction of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism in muscle and the supply and utilisation of fuel. In anaerobic work like racing, fatigue processes may be largely regarded as a function of an intramuscular fuel (phosphogen) depletion, despite the fact that substrates are s...
Roberts MC.Vitamin B12 and folate concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay in groups of horses in Queensland. Highest serum vitamin B12 levels were found in supplemented performance horses. These, together with pastured horses that included pregnant and lactating mares, had significantly greater serum folate activity than permanently stabled animals. The range of red cell folate concentrations was much narrower in horses in training than from any other group. Red cell folate may be a better indicator of a horse's folate status than the serum folate value. Vitamin B12 and folate concentrations w...
Ríha J, Minár J, Králík O, Krupa V.The adverse effect of blood-sucking dipterous insects (gadflies, gnats, black flies, midges) was determined and checked, as exerted on the working performance of draft horses working in forests; the possibilities of protecting horses with repellents were studied at the same time. The trial was conducted under field conditions in the territory of the Broumov Forest Establishment in the Náchod and Trutnov districts. A 10% water emulsion of the repellent, diethyltoluamide, was used; the horses were treated with the emulsion in a 24-hour interval. Over the seventy working days from the 1st of Jul...
Chiaradia E, Gaiti A, Terracina L, Avellini L.Physical exercise induces a reduction of immune defences and an imbalance of red-ox status. In this study plasma levels of cysteine and homocysteine (Hcy) were determined in horses before and after submaximal treadmill exercise as well as the effect on horse lymphocyte proliferation. The exercise induced a significant increase in plasma Hcy levels, which remained high both after the 20 min recovery period and after 2 h of rest. Moreover, a reduction of lymphocyte responsiveness to the proliferative stimulus induced by Concanavalin A was observed. The effects of different Hcy concentrations on ...
Ungemach FR.Doping in performance horses is defined as the "illegal application of any substance, except normal diet, that might modify the natural and present capacities of the horse at the time of the race." The prohibition of doping is mainly based on the protection of animals. Doping can be performed with various aims: "doping to win" can be regarded as the classical method by mobilization of overphysiological capacities. Such positive doping may be classified as an acute form using psychomotoric stimulants, as a chronic form using anabolic hormones, and as a paradoxical form using small doses of neur...
Denny JE.Horses receiving a pelleted or cubed dietary supplementation with roughage, have serum inorganic phosphate (SIP) concentrations consistently below an accepted mean of 1,032 mmol l-1 or 3, 1 mg dl-1. Further, it has been reported that the best eight, two-year-old Irish Thoroughbred track performers of 51 horses tested over a 10 month period, had significantly lower SIP concentrations than the worst eight track performers. In an endeavour to assess any nutritive effect on SIP concentrations and also to assess any effect of SIP concentrations on track performance, metabolic blood profiles from 30...
Walmsley EA, Anderson GA, Adkins AR.Determine the long-term outcome for Thoroughbreds undergoing desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon (DAL-DDFT) for type 1 flexural deformity of the distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ). Methods: Retrospective matched cohort study Methods: Medical records were retrieved over a 17-year period for Thoroughbreds that underwent DAL-DDFT for type 1 flexural deformity. Long-term outcome was determined by analysis of race records and comparison with maternal siblings. Comparisons between cases and controls included 2-year-old, 3-year-old and total career performance data....
Harding C, Viljanto M, Habershon-Butcher J, Taylor P, Scarth J.YK-11 is a steroidal selective androgen receptor modulator, a compound class prohibited in both equine racing and human sports because of their potentially performance enhancing properties. YK-11 is easily accessible via internet-based supplement vendors making this compound a possible candidate for doping; however, its phases I and II metabolism has not yet been reported in the horse. The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vivo metabolites of YK-11 in urine and plasma following oral administration with three daily doses of 50 mg to two Thoroughbred horses. In vitro incubations ...
Guan F, Uboh CE, Soma LR, Birks E, Chen J, You Y, Rudy J, Li X.Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) and darbepoetin alfa (DPO) are protein-based drugs for the treatment of anemia in humans by stimulating erythrocyte production. However, these agents are abused in human and equine sports due to their potential to enhance performance. This paper describes the first method for differentiation and identification of rhEPO and DPO in equine plasma by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The method comprised analyte extraction and enrichment by immunoaffinity separation with anti-rhEPO antibodies, dual digestion by trypsin an...
Robert C, Valette JP, Jacquet S, Denoix JM.The relationship between osteoarticular status and future athletic capacity is commonly accepted in equine practice, but there is little to support this belief in Thoroughbreds. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of juvenile osteochondral conditions (JOCC) in Thoroughbred yearlings and to investigate the significance of these with regard to subsequent racing performance. The radiographic files from 328 Thoroughbred yearlings born in Normandy were assessed in a consistent manner and entered into a database together with racing records. Logistic regression models were used ...
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 = ...
Smith JJ, Embertson RM.To compare racing performance before and after sternothyroideus myotomy, staphylectomy, and oral caudal soft palate photothermoplasty in Thoroughbred racehorses with intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP). Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Thoroughbred racehorses (n=102) with DDSP. Methods: Retrieved data included signalment, primary complaint, and upper respiratory tract endoscopic finding. Lifetime race records were compared for earnings per start before and after surgery, days to 1st start, and races won postoperatively. Results: Comparing mean earnings per start fo...
McKeever KH, Hinchcliff KW, Gerken DF, Sams RA.Four mature horses were used to test the effects of two doses (50 and 200 mg) of intravenously administered cocaine on hemodynamics and selected indexes of performance [maximal heart rate (HRmax), treadmill velocity at HRmax, treadmill velocity needed to produce a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol/l, maximal mixed venous blood lactate concentration, maximal treadmill work intensity, and test duration] measured during an incremental treadmill test. Both doses of cocaine increased HRmax approximately 7% (P < 0.05). Mean arterial pressure was 30 mmHg greater (P < 0.05) during the 4- to ...
Toft K, Kjeldsen ST, Otten ND, van Galen G, Fjeldborg J, Sinding M, Hansen S.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...
Seeherman HJ, Morris E, O'Callaghan MW.Discovering the cause of poor performance in racehorses can often represent a considerable challenge eluding the more common diagnostic techniques available at the racetrack. Application of sports medicine techniques to these problem cases can aid in the diagnosis of poor performance. Central to the development of this capability has been the use of highspeed treadmills, allowing the racehorse to be evaluated in the controlled laboratory setting, at exercise intensities equivalent to those of racing. Video and cinematographic gait analysis can be used in the diagnosis of subtle lameness condit...
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...
Knych HK, Stanley SD, Arthur RM, McKemie DS.Cetirizine is an antihistamine used in performance horses for the treatment of hypersensitivity reactions and as such a withdrawal time is necessary prior to competition. The objective of the current study was to describe the disposition and elimination of cetirizine following oral administration in order to provide additional serum concentration data upon which appropriate regulatory recommendations can be established. Nine exercised thoroughbred horses were administered 0.4 mg/kg of cetirizine orally BID for a total of five doses. Blood samples were collected immediately prior to drug admin...
Dittmann MT, Latif SN, Hefti R, Hartnack S, Hungerbühler V, Weishaupt MA.The use of horses in competitive sports receives increasing criticism from the public, mainly due to the potential for injury. However, it is unclear if orthopedic and other health issues are more common in competition horses than those in leisure horses. The aim of this study was to assess husbandry, use, and orthopedic health in Swiss riding horses and to compare these aspects between horses owned by self-identified competitive riders (CR) and leisure riders (LR) in Switzerland. A total of 237 owners completed an online survey providing information on their athletic ambitions, their horse's ...
Olsen HF, Klemetsdal G, Odegård J, Arnason T.There have been several approaches to the estimation of breeding values of performance in trotters, and the objective of this study was to validate different alternatives for genetic evaluation of racing performance in the North Swedish and Norwegian cold-blooded trotters. The current bivariate approach with the traits racing status (RACE) and earnings (EARN) was compared with a threshold-linear animal model and the univariate alternative with the performance trait only. The models were compared based on cross-validation of standardized earnings, using mean-squared errors of prediction (MSEP) ...
McKeever KH.Exercise places large demands on the equine cardiovascular system which are further complicated by environmental factors. In many respects, performance is limited by fluid and electrolyte stores and the ability to maintain cardiovascular and thermoregulatory stability in the face of severe sweat losses. Studies in the exercising horse have been primarily descriptive or associative, with only a limited number seeking to identify physiologic mechanisms associated with the control of fluid and electrolyte balance. More mechanistic studies are needed to fully understand the integration of the card...
Bye TL, Lewis V.This study explored the relationship between footedness and postural asymmetry in equestrian riders. 28 female riders completed the Waterloo Footedness Questionnaire- Revised (WFQ-R), giving a score for footedness. They then took part in a test on a riding simulator where measures of saddle force, stirrup force, and degree of lateral tilt of the pelvic, trunk, and shoulder segments were taken over a period of 20 seconds in trot. Symmetry indices were calculated for stirrup force and saddle force. There were no significant correlations between WFQ-R score and any of the measures of postural sym...
Nicodemus MC, Holt KM, Swartz K.The running walk of the Tennessee Walking Horse is often described as a faster variation of the walk, indicating the importance of velocity on the mechanics of the gait. Variations in gait variables create difficulties in clearly identifying the normal and abnormal running walk in a clinical evaluation. The objectives of this study were, therefore, to describe the flat shod running walk and to determine the relationship between velocity and the running walk. From frame-by-frame analysis of 60 Hz film, temporal variables were averaged for 6 strides from 6 horses performing an 'easy' (slow) and ...
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...
Nauwelaerts S, Zarski L, Aerts P, Clayton H.Animals switch gaits according to locomotor speed. In terrestrial locomotion, gaits have been defined according to footfall patterns or differences in center of mass (COM) motion, which characterizes mechanisms that are more general and more predictive than footfall patterns. This has generated different variables designed primarily to evaluate steady-speed locomotion, which is easier to standardize in laboratory conditions. However, in the ecology of an animal, steady-state conditions are rare and the ability to accelerate, decelerate and turn is essential. Currently, there are no data availa...
Muñoz A, Riber C, Santisteban R, Lucas RG, Castejón FM.Metabolic responses to exercise differ between Andalusian horses and other breeds, although changes in plasma muscle enzymes have not been reported and most useful information is obtained from animals subjected to different training programmes. The objectives of this study were to 1) describe the changes in plasma enzymes during exercise in different horse breeds in relation to other biochemical parameters (Experiment A) and 2) assess the effect of training duration on these measures (Experiment B). Twenty stallions, 9 Andalusian (AN), 7 Arabian (A) and 4 Anglo-Arabian (AA), age 5-10 years, we...
Curi RA, Pereira GL, Alvarez MVN, Baldassini WA, Machado Neto OR, Chardulo LAL.The main objectives of this study were to identify and functionally classify SNPs and indels by exome sequencing of animals of the racing line of Quarter Horses. Based on the individual genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs) for maximum speed index (SImax) obtained for 349 animals, two groups of 20 extreme animals were formed. Of these individuals, 20 animals with high GEBVs for SImax and 19 with low GEBVs for SImax had their exons and 5' and 3' UTRs sequenced. Considering SNPs and indels, 105 182 variants were identified in the expressed regions of the Quarter Horse genome. Of these, 72 ...
Heidbuchel A, Van Rossom S, Molenaers N, Minguet P, Jonkers I.In dressage riding, rider posture plays an important role in the performance of the exercises. The purpose of this study was to compare physical fitness and posture on an equestrian simulator between different competitive dressage rider skill levels. Participants (ten expert and twelve novice competitive dressage riders) performed a physiotherapeutic screening test and an equestrian simulator test. The expert rider group (G2) had less variability in both left (P = .002) and right (P = .021) rein force during medium canter on the simulator compared to the novice rider group (G1). The should...
Santamaría S, Bobbert ME, Back W, Barneveld A, van Weeren PR.To quantify variation in the jumping technique within and among young horses with little jumping experience, establish relationships between kinetic and kinematic variables, and identify a limited set of variables characteristic for detecting differences in jumping performance among horses. Methods: Fifteen 4-year-old Dutch Warmblood horses. Methods: The horses were raised under standardized conditions and trained in accordance with a fixed protocol for a short period. Subsequently, horses were analyzed kinematically during free jumping over a fence with a height of 1.05 m. Results: Within-hor...
Human movement scienceJanuary 4, 2013
Volume 32, Issue 1 157-170 doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2012.11.002
Wolframm IA, Bosga J, Meulenbroek RG.The sport of equestrianism is defined through close horse-rider interaction. However, no consistent baseline parameters currently exist describing the coordination dynamics of horse-rider movement across different equine gaits. The study aims to employ accelerometers to investigate and describe patterns of motor coordination between horse and rider across the equine gaits of walk, rising trot, sitting trot and canter. Eighteen female (N=18; mean age±SD: 37.57±13.04) Dutch horse-rider combinations were recruited to participate in the study. Horse-rider coordination was recorded using two tri-...
Allen KJ, Franklin SH.Overground endoscopy is being performed with increasing frequency in the UK. A previous study has shown that the type of exercise test may affect the diagnosis of upper respiratory tract (URT) obstructions. The successful clinical application of overground endoscopy systems requires understanding of appropriate field exercise testing protocols. Objective: The aim of this study was to report the exercise test parameters used during overground endoscopy in UK Thoroughbred racehorses and to investigate potential effects of these on the diagnosis of URT obstructions. Methods: The exercise test par...
Roth IT, Schielke B, Rensing M, Bernau M.To investigate differences in American Quarter Horses conformation suggesting specialization and subpopulations within the breed, a total of 45 horses were studied. These horses were classified according to their specific sport discipline: Western Pleasure (WPL, n = 15), Hunter under Saddle (HUS, n = 15), and Reining (RN, n = 15). Fifteen linear traits (comprising lengths, angles, and circumferences) were measured analogically and photometrically. Afterwards, 9 ratios and differences were calculated, so that a total of 24 traits were examined. The results showed significant differences between...
Hanousek K, Salavati M, Fouladi-Nashta A.To test the hypothesis that gender affects horse scores in eventing competition, data on the scores and points awarded to 681 horses was collected from the British Eventing website. Equal numbers of mares, geldings and stallions were used, all foaled during or after 1994 and aged 4-10 years. The study included five levels of competition (BE90, BE100, Novice, Intermediate and Advanced) and investigated differences in mean phased scores, total scores and rank in competition. Additionally, the mean and median 'BE points per competition' of each gender were compared. Significant differences in per...
Preston SA, Trumble TN, Zimmel DN, Chmielewski TL, Brown MP, Hernandez JA.To characterize lameness during training and compare exercise variables and financial returns among yearling Thoroughbreds that were bought for the purpose of resale for profit. Methods: 40 yearling Thoroughbreds. Methods: Prospective study. Methods: Horses purchased at yearling sales (summer 2004) were trained prior to resale at 2-year-olds in training sales (spring 2005). Horses were monitored daily for diagnosis and treatment of lameness during training. Selected variables, including sex, age, purchase price, lameness, distance (No. of furlongs) galloped during training, and financial retur...
