Effect of track surface firmness on the development of musculoskeletal injuries in French Trotters during four months of harness race training.

The research study investigates the impact of the degree of hardness of race tracks on the likelihood of muscular and skeletal injuries in French Trotter horses during a 4-month period of race training. The results indicate that a harder track surface increases the risk of such injuries.

Objectives and Methodology

• The researchers aim was to assess influence of track surface firmness on development of musculoskeletal injuries in 3-year-old French Trotters during a four-month period of training for harness racing.
• 12 healthy horses were included in the study and grouped into pairs based on their gender and body mass. Each pair was then randomly allocated to either a hard-surface track or a soft-surface track group.
• The same counter-clockwise training regime was applied in both groups and the hardness of each track was monitored throughout the training period.
• All four limbs of each horse were examined using radiography, ultrasonography, MRI, and scintigraphy before training, after two months, and after four months of training.
• Any identified lesions were specifically described and their severity was classified along a five-point scale (ranging from 0 for no lesions to 4 for severe lesions).

Results

• During the study, 86 lesions were identified wherein 46 (53.5%) were classified as potentially clinically relevant (severity grade of 2 or higher).
• Of the 18 moderate to severe lesions, 15 were found in horses that were part of the hard-track group. Moreover, 10 of these were located in the forelimbs of these horses.
• Significant tendinopathy of the superficial digital flexor tendon in the forelimb developed in half of the horses in the hard-track group. Interestingly, none of the horses trained on the soft track developed this condition.
• The hard-track group also had a higher incidence of metatarsal condyle injuries compared to the soft-track group.
• All severe lesions were found on the horses’ left limbs only.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

• The results clearly show that the firmness of the track surface is a significant risk factor for musculoskeletal injuries in horses trained for harness racing.
• The investigation therefore has implications for the design of training regimes for horses, highlighting the need to consider track surface firmness as a variable in the prevention of training related injuries.