Comparison of racing performance before and after treatment of incomplete, midsagittal fractures of the proximal phalanx in standardbreds: 49 cases (1986-1992).

The research paper assesses the effect of certain types of bone fractures on the racing performance of Standardbreds, a breed of horse. The study found that despite a slight decrease in performance, horses with these fractures have a good prognosis for returning to racing.

Methodology

• The study conducted is a retrospective cohort study examining 49 Standardbred horses received at the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals between July 1986 to December 1992.
• All horses included in the study were diagnosed with a specific kind of bone fracture: an incomplete, midsagittal fracture of the proximal phalanx (P1). This type of fracture refers to a break in the first of the three bones in a horse’s toe. Moreover, the fracture is incomplete and goes from the top (sagittal) direction of the bone.
• The research compared the horses’ racing performance data both before the incident of the fracture and after the treatment.
• In comparing these data, the researchers also controlled for various factors that can affect racing performance. These factors included the individual characteristics of the horse like age and gender, and race details like track length and track condition.

Results

• The research found that after treatment for the fracture, the expected racing time of the horses increased by an average of 0.7 seconds per race.
• Also, the performance index, a measure of the horse’s racing performance relative to others, decreased by 0.7 points.
• However, the researchers found that these changes were substantially affected by the other factors they controlled for. Therefore, the decreases in performance cannot be attributed solely to the effect of the fracture and its treatment.

Conclusions

• Overall, the study found that Standardbred horses with incomplete, midsagittal fractures of P1 have a good prognosis for being able to return to racing following their injuries.
• While these horses may have slightly longer racing times and lower performance indices than they did prior to their injuries, the researchers believe their results indicate that these horses can still compete successfully.