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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2023; 13(5); 789; doi: 10.3390/ani13050789

A Review of Three Decades of Research Dedicated to Making Equine Bones Stronger: Implications for Horses and Humans.

Abstract: Much research has been conducted in an attempt to decrease skeletal injuries in athletic horses. The objective of this literature review is to compile the findings of over three decades of research in this area, make practical recommendations, and describe how research can develop over the years. An initial study investigating the role of bioavailable silicon in the diets of horses in race training produced the unexpected finding of decreased bone mineral content of the third metacarpus subsequent to the onset of training. Further studies revealed this decrease to be associated with stall housing eliminating high-speed exercise, leading to disuse osteopenia. Only relatively short sprints (between 50 and 82 m) were necessary to maintain bone strength and as few as one sprint per week provided the needed stimuli. Endurance exercise without speed fails to elicit the same benefits to bone. Proper nutrition is also required for optimal bone health, but without the right exercise, strong bone cannot be maintained. Several pharmaceuticals may have unintended consequences capable of impairing bone health. Many of the factors influencing bone health in horses also exist in humans including a sedentary lifestyle, improper nutrition, and pharmaceutical side-effects.
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Publication Date: 2023-02-22 PubMed ID: 36899647PubMed Central: PMC10000203DOI: 10.3390/ani13050789Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research paper overviews findings from thirty years of studies aimed at preventing bone injuries in racehorses, drawing lessons for both horse care and human health. It addresses topics such as silicon’s role in equine diets, the impact of housing and exercise patterns on bone health, and the possible negative effects of certain pharmaceuticals.

Role of Silicon in Equine Diets

  • The initial study mentioned in the article investigates the importance of bioavailable silicon in the diets of racehorses.
  • The unexpected finding of the study was that there was a decrease in the bone mineral content of the third metacarpus (a bone in the horse’s leg) after the horses began their training.

The Impact of Housing and Exercise Patterns

  • Further investigation uncovered that this decrease in bone mineral content was related to stall housing that eliminated high-speed exercise, leading to a condition known as disuse osteopenia which is a decrease in bone density due to reduced activity.
  • The research also found that only relatively short but high-speed sprints (between 50 and 82 meters) were necessary to maintain bone strength, and even one sprint per week was enough to provide the necessary stimulus for maintaining strong bones.
  • Endurance exercise without speed, on the other hand, failed to offer the same benefits.

Nutrition and Exercise

  • Proper nutrition is important for bone health, but without the correct type and amount of exercise, strong and healthy bones cannot be maintained.

The Impact of Pharmaceuticals

  • Some pharmaceuticals may have unintended side effects that could damage bone health.

Implications for Humans

  • Many of the factors impacting bone health in horses also apply to humans, including a sedentary lifestyle, improper nutrition and the side effects of some medications.
  • This implies that the research findings can not only help in the prevention and treatment of bone injuries in horses, but also provide valuable insights into human bone health.

Cite This Article

APA
Nielsen BD. (2023). A Review of Three Decades of Research Dedicated to Making Equine Bones Stronger: Implications for Horses and Humans. Animals (Basel), 13(5), 789. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13050789

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 5
PII: 789

Researcher Affiliations

Nielsen, Brian D
  • Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, 474 S. Shaw Ln, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The author declares no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Micheau L, Audigié F, Moiroud C, Jacquet S. New Model of Disuse-Induced Bone Density Loss in Horses. Animals (Basel) 2025 Oct 29;15(21).
    doi: 10.3390/ani15213137pubmed: 41227467google scholar: lookup
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