Impact of injuries and disease on a cohort of two- and three-year-old thoroughbreds in training.
Abstract: A prospective study of injuries and disease in a cohort of Australian thoroughbreds in training was conducted with the participation of 24 trainers. From the horses catalogued at a major yearling sale in 1995, 169 were enrolled in the study and followed through their two- and three-year-old racing seasons. The principal aim was to quantify the time lost in training as a result of the various categories of injuries and disease, recorded as either days of modified training, or weeks rested at pasture. Shin soreness was the most common condition in two-year-olds (affecting 42 per cent of the horses that had entered training), followed by fetlock problems (25 per cent), and coughs and nasal discharge (16 per cent). Lameness, excluding lacerations and traumatic injuries, was the most common reason for lost training days (56.2 per cent of total days modified) and for resting horses at pasture (81.2 per cent of total weeks rested for injury or disease). Of the individual categories of injury or disease, lacerations and traumatic injuries, coughs and nasal discharge, shin soreness, carpal problems and fetlock problems were the most important causes of modified training days. In terms of weeks rested at pasture, fetlock problems, shin soreness, carpal problems, and coughs and nasal discharge had the greatest impact. Major injury was uncommon in young horses in training, but there was a high incidence of relatively low-grade injuries and disease during the training of two-year-olds.
Publication Date: 1999-12-22 PubMed ID: 10596871DOI: 10.1136/vr.145.17.487Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article examines the impact of injuries and disease on a cohort of two- and three-year-old thoroughbred horses in training, shedding light on the prevalence and severity of various health conditions and the subsequent time lost in training due to these conditions.
Research Methodology
- The researchers conducted a prospective study involving 169 two-year-old and three-year-old thoroughbreds from a major yearling sale in Australia in 1995. These horses were followed throughout their racing seasons.
- The study involved the participation of 24 horse trainers, providing a diverse collection of data and experiences.
- The primary aim was to measure the effect of various health conditions on the horses’ training schedules, quantified in terms of days of modified training, or weeks rested at pasture.
Findings and Observations
- The study found that shin soreness was the most common ailment in two-year-old horses (affecting 42% of the trained horses), followed by fetlock problems (25%), and coughs and nasal discharges (16%).
- It was observed that lameness (excluding lacerations and traumatic injuries) was the chief reason for lost training days, accounting for 56.2% of the total modified training days.
- Lameness also led to the highest number of resting weeks at pasture, making up 81.2% of the total weeks rested due to injury or disease.
- Lacerations and traumatic injuries, coughs and nasal discharges, shin soreness, carpal problems, and fetlock problems were identified as the primary causes of modified training days among individual ailments.
- Regarding weeks of rest at pasture, it was found that fetlock problems, shin soreness, carpal problems, and coughs and nasal discharges had the most significant impact.
Conclusions
- Despite major injury being uncommon among young horses in training, there was a high prevalence of relatively less severe injuries and illnesses during the training of two-year-old horses.
- The study emphasizes the need for careful monitoring and management of the health of thoroughbreds in training to prevent these common ailments and minimize lost training time.
Cite This Article
APA
Bailey CJ, Reid SW, Hodgson DR, Rose RJ.
(1999).
Impact of injuries and disease on a cohort of two- and three-year-old thoroughbreds in training.
Vet Rec, 145(17), 487-493.
https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.145.17.487 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University Veterinary Centre (Camden), NSW, Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Husbandry
- Animals
- Cough / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Incidence
- Lameness, Animal / etiology
- Male
- Prospective Studies
- Wounds and Injuries / veterinary
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