Application of thermography in the assessment of physical effort on body surface temperature distribution in racehorses.

This study explores the use of thermography to assess how regular physical activity affects the body surface temperature of the upper areas of young racehorses.

Objective

The objective of the research was to assess the effectiveness of thermography as a diagnostic tool to measure the changes in body surface temperature of young racehorses in response to regular physical effort.

Study Design

• The researchers observed a total of 33 three-year-old racehorses over a period of three months.
• In this period, they conducted three imaging sessions, measuring body temperatures before and after training sessions.
• The measurements focused on the neck, upper parts of the forelimbs, and the hindlimbs on both sides of the horses.
• Three regions of interests (ROIs) were selected for analysis – the base of the neck, the elbow, and the quarter, on both sides of the body.

Findings

• Prior to the physical effort, the average temperatures in all regions of interest (ROIs) did not reveal any significant differences between the right and left side of the horse’s body.
• Post physical training sessions, the average surface temperatures at specific locations such as the left side of the elbow and quarter were noticeably higher than the opposite side.
• The temperature at the base of the neck was higher on the right side when compared to the left.
• All ROIs showed increased body surface temperatures after physical effort, with the most substantial increase observed in the elbow and the least in the base of the neck.
• The researchers identified positive correlations between the average surface temperatures on the left and right side of the horse’s body, both pre and post training sessions.
• Post physical effort, there was a strong positive correlation between the average temperatures in the analysed ROIs, especially between the elbow and quarter, and least between the quarter and the base of the neck.

Conclusion

The research concludes that thermography is an effective diagnostic tool to identify changes in the upper parts of a horse’s body in response to physical effort. This can provide useful insights into how a horse’s body assimilates to various training regimes.