Elimination from elite endurance rides in nine countries: a preliminary study.
Abstract: Endurance is the fastest growing Féderation Équestre International (FEI) discipline and the large number of eliminations on veterinary grounds needs to be investigated. Objective: To document elimination rates and explore potential risk factors for elimination due to lameness or metabolic reasons in 9 countries representing 5 continents. Methods: Data for rides of ≥ 100 km ('elite endurance rides') in Australia, France, Italy, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates (UAE), UK, Uruguay and USA were collected from the FEI website. Data were collected for all started horses on the country, number of horses in the class, ride distance, class (e.g. young rider class) and the average speed of the winning horse. Retirements, eliminations for lameness, metabolic and other reasons were recorded. Uni- and multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess the effect of country, number of horses in the class, ride distance and young rider class on 2 outcomes (elimination for lameness and metabolic reasons). Results: Data for 157 classes at 91 events were analysed. The UAE had the highest number of entries (1497), followed by France (1029) and Spain (408). Of 4326 started horses, 46.0% finished the ride. Lameness was the most common cause of elimination in all countries followed by metabolic reasons (69.2 and 23.5% of all eliminations, and 31.8 and 10.8% of all started horses, respectively). Eight percent of horses were retired by the rider, having passed the veterinary examination. In multivariable analysis, the risk of elimination for lameness was associated with the country in which the ride was held, and the risk significantly increased (OR = 1.60) for horses competing in rides with ≥ 80 entries. The risk of elimination for metabolic reasons was also significantly associated with the country in which the ride was held and the risk significantly increased (OR = 2.17) for horses competing in rides with ≥ 100 entries in the multivariable analysis. Conclusions: Elimination rates vary between countries, with lameness being the most common reason for elimination globally. Analysis of retrospective data showed country and number of started horses to be risk factors for elimination due to lameness and for elimination due to metabolic disorders. A prospective study is needed to assess the effects of environmental conditions, individual horse speed and other variables on the risk of specific causes of elimination.
© 2010 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2011-05-27 PubMed ID: 21059073DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00220.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Athletic Performance
- Clinical Study
- Competition
- Diagnosis
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Etiology
- Endurance
- Epidemiology
- Equestrian Sports
- Equine Health
- Exercise Physiology
- Horse Training
- Horses
- Lameness
- Metabolic Health
- Performance Horses
- Retrospective Study
- Risk Factors
- Veterinary Care
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
Summary
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The study focuses on investigating the large number of disqualifications in International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) endurance rides due to veterinary issues. Specifically, it documents elimination rates and explores possible risk factors for disqualification due to lameness or metabolic reasons in nine different countries.
Methodology:
- The researchers obtained data for elite endurance rides of ‘≥ 100 km’ (classified as endurance rides) in nine countries: Australia, France, Italy, South Africa, Spain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the UK, Uruguay, and the USA from the FEI website.
- They collected information on all started horses in each country, the number of horses in each class, the distance of each ride, the type of class (such as a young rider class), and the average speed of the winning horse.
- Details on retirements, eliminations for lameness, and elimination due to metabolic issues and other reasons were also recorded.
- Logistic regression models were utilized to assess the effect of country, the number of horses in a class, ride distance, and being in a young rider class on two outcomes: elimination due to lameness or metabolic reasons.
Results:
- The study analyzed data from 157 classes at 91 events. The UAE had the highest number of entries (1497), followed by France (1029) and Spain (408).
- From 4326 started horses, only 46.0% finished the race. Lameness was the top cause of elimination in all nine countries, followed by metabolic reasons (69.2 and 23.5% of all eliminations, and 31.8 and 10.8% of all started horses, respectively).
- Eight percent of horses were retired by the rider, even though they had passed the veterinary examination.
- The risk of elimination due to lameness was related to the country hosting the ride, and the risk significantly increased (OR = 1.60) for horses competing in rides with ‘≥ 80 entries’.
- The risk of elimination due to metabolic reasons was also significantly related to the country hosting the ride and the risk significantly increased (OR = 2.17) for horses competing in rides with ‘≥ 100 entries’.
Conclusion:
- The researchers concluded that the rates of elimination vary between countries, with lameness being the most common reason globally for a horse’s disqualification.
- The analysis revealed that the country and the number of started horses are risk factors for elimination due to lameness and elimination due to metabolic disorders.
- The research concludes with the suggestion that a prospective study is required to explore the effects of environmental conditions, the individual speed of a horse, and other variables on the risk of particular causes of elimination.
Cite This Article
APA
Nagy A, Murray JK, Dyson S.
(2011).
Elimination from elite endurance rides in nine countries: a preliminary study.
Equine Vet J Suppl(38), 637-643.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00220.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Centre for Equine Studies, Animal Health Trust, Lanwades Park, Newmarket, UK. annamaria.nagy@aht.org.uk
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horses / injuries
- Horses / physiology
- Lameness, Animal
- Metabolic Diseases / etiology
- Metabolic Diseases / veterinary
- Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
- Physical Endurance / physiology
- Risk Factors
- Sports
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- 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).
- Pakula PD, Halama A, Al-Dous EK, Johnson SJ, Filho SA, Suhre K, Vinardell T. Characterization of exercise-induced hemolysis in endurance horses.. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1115776.
- Marichal G, Trigo P, Soto C, Meikle A, Suárez G. Hydroelectrolytic and Acid-Base Parameters after 80 to 115 km Endurance Races (Raid Uruguayo) and Their Association with the Comfort Index.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Feb 14;13(4).
- Plisak U, Szczepaniak J, Żmigrodzka M, Giercuszkiewicz-Hecold B, Witkowska-Piłaszewicz O. Changes in novel anti-infalmmatory cytokine concetration in the bood of endurance and race horses at different levels of training.. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023;21:418-424.
- Verdegaal EJMM, Howarth GS, McWhorter TJ, Delesalle CJG. Is Continuous Monitoring of Skin Surface Temperature a Reliable Proxy to Assess the Thermoregulatory Response in Endurance Horses During Field Exercise?. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:894146.
- 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.
- Legg KA, Weston JF, Gee EK, Bolwell CF, Bridges JP, Rogers CW. Characteristics of Endurance Competitions and Risk Factors for Elimination in New Zealand during Six Seasons of Competition (2010/11-2015/16).. Animals (Basel) 2019 Aug 27;9(9).
- Luck MM, Le Moyec L, Barrey E, Triba MN, Bouchemal N, Savarin P, Robert C. Energetics of endurance exercise in young horses determined by nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics.. Front Physiol 2015;6:198.
- Younes M, Robert C, Cottin F, Barrey E. Speed and Cardiac Recovery Variables Predict the Probability of Elimination in Equine Endurance Events.. PLoS One 2015;10(8):e0137013.
- Whay HR, Dikshit AK, Hockenhull J, Parker RM, Banerjee A, Hughes SI, Pritchard JC, Reix CE. Evaluation of changes in equine care and limb-related abnormalities in working horses in Jaipur, India, as part of a two year participatory intervention study.. PLoS One 2015;10(5):e0126160.
- Viry S, Sleimen-Malkoun R, Temprado JJ, Frances JP, Berton E, Laurent M, Nicol C. Patterns of horse-rider coordination during endurance race: a dynamical system approach.. PLoS One 2013;8(8):e71804.
- Campbell ML. The role of veterinarians in equestrian sport: a comparative review of ethical issues surrounding human and equine sports medicine.. Vet J 2013 Sep;197(3):535-40.
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