Maintenance of bodyweight during a multiple-day chuckwagon race meet.

The research focused on studying the effect of multi-day chuckwagon races on the bodyweight of the competing horses, concluding that racing horses were well managed and maintained their body weight well, despite the harsh physical and mental demands of frequent competition.

Study Design and Participants

• The study’s subjects were 40 Thoroughbred geldings, with an average bodyweight of around 521.5 kg. These horses participated in a 5-day chuckwagon race meet.
• The researchers took the horses’ bodyweights before and after racing each day. They also determined the horses’ Body Condition Score (BCS) at the start and end of the competition.

Findings: Bodyweight Loss and Recovery

• The results showed that each race led to an average bodyweight loss of 3.5 kg (0.7% of the initial weight) for each horse. Remarkably, this figure did not change, regardless of the number of consecutive days the horse raced.
• The most significant drop in bodyweight happened within the 24-hour period following the first race, with an average loss of 5.3 kg (1% of the initial body weight).

Findings: Weight Deficit and Body Condition Score

• Horses that raced for 2-5 consecutive days maintained a stable bodyweight deficit of 4.8 kg. This deficit sustained throughout the remaining days of the race meet.
• In terms of BCS (ranging from 1-9 scale), horses began the competition with an average score of 4.9. By the end of the race meet, their BCS had slightly decreased to an average of 4.7.

Conclusion

• Despite the strenuous physical and psychological demands of multi-day chuckwagon racing, the horses sustained their bodyweight quite well. This indicates that they were well managed throughout the competition—not only in terms of physical care but possibly their diet and recovery management as well.