Musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses: a study of three large training yards in Newmarket, UK (2005-2007).

This study catalogs and analyzes the common musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses from three large training yards in Newmarket, UK, revealing patterns and incidence rates which may aid in better understanding and prevention of such injuries.

Introduction and Methodology

• The researchers grounded their study in the observation that musculoskeletal injuries are the primary cause of lost training days in young Thoroughbred racehorses in flat race training. However, regional patterns of these injuries, as regularly observed by clinicians, have not been extensively researched.
• To address this, they conducted a study in Newmarket, UK to determine the prevalence of these injuries. They analyzed veterinary records of all horses inhabiting three large training yards with over 100 horses each.
• They focused on significant musculoskeletal injuries and recorded 248 injuries in 217 individual horses out of a total population of 616.

Findings

• The most common injuries observed were fractures of the tibia, which made up 20.7% of all injuries, and the proximal phalanx, constituting 14.5% of all injuries.
• The study also found that the overall injury rates were similar across all yards, ranging between 23-26% annually. However, seasonal trends were observed for some types of injuries.
• Certain injuries such as P1, metacarpal/metatarsal condylar, pelvic fractures, and superficial digital flexor tendonitis, had varied incidence rates across different yards.
• The research also noted an interesting detail that most cases of carpal, P1 fracture, and superficial digital flexor tendonitis were found to be right-sided.

Implication

• These findings are crucial as they provide invaluable insights on the incidence and patterns of common musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses, especially in large training yards.
• The details unearthed from this study can significantly aid veterinary practitioners in devising preventative measures and treatments. This will ultimately contribute to enhanced horse welfare, minimized training disruption, and improved performance.