Evaluation of Return Rates to Races in Racehorses After Tendon Injuries: Lesion-Related Parameters.

This study investigates the impact of tendon injuries on the return rates to races for Thoroughbred and Arabian racehorses. It specifically examines the prognostic value of ultrasound findings and how lesion-related parameters such as tendonitis and peritendonitis affect the horses’ return to races.

Research Objectives

• The main aim of this study was to assess the rate at which Thoroughbred and Arabian racehorses return to races after suffering from metacarpal flexor tendon injuries.
• The researchers also sought to determine how long these horses stayed away from races as a result of these injuries, and how these parameters differed between cases of tendonitis and peritendonitis.
• They also aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of ultrasound findings in determining the possibility of these horses returning to races.

Methods & Findings

• The researchers reviewed a total of 120 cases of horses diagnosed with either tendonitis or peritendonitis through an ultrasonographic examination.
• It was found that 70% of these horses (84 out of 120) were able to return to races. Among them, a significant majority (82.1%) had tendonitis, while just 17.9% suffered from peritendonitis.
• Out of the horses that could not return to races, 91.7% (33 out of 36) had tendonitis, and 8.3% had peritendonitis.
• While not statistically significant, it was observed that horses with tendonitis remained away from races for longer periods compared to those with peritendonitis. On average, the former group stayed away for about 39.9 months while the latter group had an average absence of 27.1 months.

Conclusion

• The results of the study suggest that the occurrence of tendon injuries, particularly those causing tendon thickening, have a negative impact on the ability of racehorses to return to races.
• They found that horses without tendon thickening had a higher likelihood (86.7%) of returning to races, compared to those with tendon thickening (64.4%).
• Therefore, the researchers concluded that while diagnosis of tendonitis or peritendonitis alone does not significantly affect the return rate to races, the presence of tendon thickening is an important negative factor.