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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet J / A veterinary review of endurance riding as an international ...
Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)2012; 194(3); 288-293; doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2012.06.022

A veterinary review of endurance riding as an international competitive sport.

Abstract: The popularity of competitive endurance riding is growing worldwide and this has led to considerable changes in the discipline (e.g., fitter and faster horses and different types of injuries), which create challenges to all involved in the sport, including veterinarians. During endurance competitions, horses are closely monitored by veterinarians throughout the ride, with the aim of removing from the competition animals whose welfare appears to be endangered. This close monitoring provides veterinarians with an insight into problems during competitions. However, there is a relatively small amount of clinically relevant, evidence-based data published on endurance horses, and this article reviews the evolution of the discipline, the published information on epidemiological data on endurance rides, the problems veterinarians face at competitions, and highlights those areas where research is warranted.
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2012-07-21 PubMed ID: 22819800DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2012.06.022Google 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 article discusses the increasing popularity of the international competitive sport of endurance riding, the evolving challenges it presents to horses and veterinarians, and the areas where further research is warranted.

Endurance Riding: An Evolving Sport

  • Endurance riding is a horse-riding sport that is growing in popularity worldwide and undergoing considerable changes. These changes include having fitter, faster horses participating and a shift in the types of injuries that horses sustain.
  • The evolution of this sport creates challenges for all who are involved, including veterinarians who play a vital role in maintaining the welfare and safety of the participating horses.

Critical Role of Veterinarians

  • During endurance competitions, veterinarians closely monitor the competing horses’ health and wellbeing. This involves constant evaluation of the horses’ fitness levels and any potential injuries they might sustain.
  • The primary aim of these monitoring efforts is to remove any animals from the competition whose welfare appears to be in jeopardy.
  • Such close monitoring allows vets to gain singular insight into the problems that can occur during these particularly demanding competitions.

Need for Evidence-Based Research

  • Despite the increasing prominence of endurance riding, the research article posits that there is currently a lack of clinically relevant, evidence-based data specifically related to endurance horses.
  • This knowledge gap underlines the need for more targeted research into endurance riding, particularly concerning the types of injuries seen by vets during these competitions and the effects of the sport on the longer term welfare of the horses involved.
  • The paper reviews the current epidemiological data on endurance rides and discusses the challenges faced by veterinarians during competitions. It also identifies areas of the sport where further research would be particularly beneficial.

Cite This Article

APA
Nagy A, Dyson SJ, Murray JK. (2012). A veterinary review of endurance riding as an international competitive sport. Vet J, 194(3), 288-293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2012.06.022

Publication

Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
ISSN: 1532-2971
NlmUniqueID: 9706281
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 194
Issue: 3
Pages: 288-293

Researcher Affiliations

Nagy, Annamaria
  • Centre for Equine Studies, Animal Health Trust, Lanwades Park, Kentford, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 7UU, UK. annamaria.nagy@aht.org.uk
Dyson, Sue J
    Murray, Jane K

      MeSH Terms

      • Animals
      • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
      • Horse Diseases / physiopathology
      • Horses / physiology
      • Physical Conditioning, Animal
      • Physical Endurance
      • Sports
      • Veterinarians

      Citations

      This article has been cited 14 times.
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        doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31874pubmed: 38845925google scholar: lookup
      5. Brito G, Damián JP, Suárez G, Ruprechter G, Trigo P. Characterization of Raid Hipico Uruguayo Competencies by Ride Type: Causes of Death and Risk Factors. Animals (Basel) 2023 May 10;13(10).
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        doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1115776pubmed: 37180073google scholar: lookup
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        doi: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.12.016pubmed: 36618977google scholar: lookup
      8. Cappelli K, Mecocci S, Capomaccio S, Beccati F, Palumbo AR, Tognoloni A, Pepe M, Chiaradia E. Circulating Transcriptional Profile Modulation in Response to Metabolic Unbalance Due to Long-Term Exercise in Equine Athletes: A Pilot Study. Genes (Basel) 2021 Dec 9;12(12).
        doi: 10.3390/genes12121965pubmed: 34946914google scholar: lookup
      9. Verdegaal EJMM, Howarth GS, McWhorter TJ, Boshuizen B, Franklin SH, Vidal Moreno de Vega C, Jonas SE, Folwell LE, Delesalle CJG. Continuous Monitoring of the Thermoregulatory Response in Endurance Horses and Trotter Horses During Field Exercise: Baselining for Future Hot Weather Studies. Front Physiol 2021;12:708737.
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      10. Bollinger L, Bartel A, Küper A, Weber C, Gehlen H. Age and Hydration of Competing Horses Influence the Outcome of Elite 160 km Endurance Rides. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:668650.
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      11. Ropka-Molik K, Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, Musiał AD, Velie BD. The Genetics of Racing Performance in Arabian Horses. Int J Genomics 2019;2019:9013239.
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      12. Rajão MD, Leite CS, Nogueira K, Godoy RF, Lima EMM. The bone response in endurance long distance horse. Open Vet J 2019 Apr;9(1):58-64.
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