Effect of third carpal slab fracture and repair on racing performance in Thoroughbred horses: 31 cases (1977-1984).
Abstract: Between 1977 and 1984, 31 Thoroughbred horses (mean age, 2.8 years) were surgically treated for slab fractures of the third carpal bone. All fractures involved the articular surfaces of the intercarpal and the carpometacarpal joints in a frontal plane and had a cuboidal or slab shape. In 20 of the horses, the bone was fractured during racing and in 8 of the horses, the bone was fractured during race training. The right limb was affected more frequently than was the left limb (24 vs 7, P less than 0.05). Twenty-one (67.6%) horses raced at least once after recovery from the surgery. Data were available from 11 claiming horses that had raced at least twice before their injuries and 4 times after recovery. A claiming horse is one that competes where any horse entered is subject to being purchased for the designated amount of the claiming race; therefore, each race tends to automatically attract entrants of similar ability. In this group of 11 horses, claiming value decreased from a mean of $13,900 to a mean of $6,500 (P less than 0.05), and the mean finish position was 5.8 +/- 3.16 before injury and 5.8 +/- 3.30 after recovery. The mean claiming value for horses that had not raced before injury, but had raced after recovery (n = 5) was $8,150.
Publication Date: 1988-07-01 PubMed ID: 3417521
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research examines the implications of surgical treatment for slab fractures of the third carpal bone in Thoroughbred racehorses, tracking recovery and subsequent racing performance of 31 cases between 1977 and 1984.
Methodology and Sample Selection
- The study was conducted over a period of seven years between 1977 and 1984.
- The sample included 31 Thoroughbred horses with an average age of 2.8 years that underwent surgical treatment for slab fractures to the third carpal bone.
Nature of Fractures and Injury
- The fractures were specifically located in the articulating surfaces of the intercarpal and the carpometacarpal joints and had a cuboidal or slab shape.
- Most injuries occurred during racing (20 horses), while the rest occurred during race training (8 horses).
- The right limb was found to be more frequently affected than the left one (24 vs 7).
Post-Recovery Performance
- Two-thirds of horses (21 out of 31) were able to race at least once after they had recovered from the surgery.
- Data on pre-injury and post-recovery performances were available for 11 claiming horses: these are horses competing in a race where any horse entered may be bought at a designated price, which thereby ensures a field of competitors with similar abilities.
- In the post-recovery races, the mean claiming value decreased significantly from approximately $13,900 to $6,500.
- However, the mean finish position remained constant at around 5.8, both before and after the injury.
- The mean claiming value for horses that hadn’t raced before injury but raced after recovery was found to be lower at $8,150.
Conclusion
- The research indicates that while surgical intervention for this type of fracture in race horses does enable them to return to racing, the perceived value of the horse (as indicated by the claiming price) significantly decreases after recovery.
- Despite the decrease in value, the horses’ performance, as measured by their mean finish position, does not seem to be affected post-recovery.
Cite This Article
APA
Martin GS, Haynes PF, McClure JR.
(1988).
Effect of third carpal slab fracture and repair on racing performance in Thoroughbred horses: 31 cases (1977-1984).
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 193(1), 107-110.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge 70803-6410.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Carpus, Animal / injuries
- Female
- Forelimb / injuries
- Fractures, Bone / physiopathology
- Fractures, Bone / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / physiopathology
- Horses
- Male
- Retrospective Studies
- Sports
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Steel C, Ahern B, Zedler S, Vallance S, Galuppo L, Richardson J, Whitton C, Young A. Comparison of Radiography and Computed Tomography for Evaluation of Third Carpal Bone Fractures in Horses.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Apr 25;13(9).
- Miyakoshi D, Watanabe A, Ikeda H, Mizuguchi Y. Arthroscopic guided repair of a slab fracture of the fourth carpal bone in an 8-month-old thoroughbred horse.. J Equine Sci 2021 Dec;32(4):143-146.
- Uhlhorn H, Eksell P, Sandgren B, Carlsten J. Sclerosis of the third carpal bone. A prospective study of its significance in a group of young standardbred trotters.. Acta Vet Scand 2000;41(1):51-61.
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