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Overview of horse body composition and muscle architecture: implications for performance.
Abstract: Locomotion requires skeletal muscle to sustain and generate force. A muscle's force potential is proportional to its weight. Since the larger the muscle the larger its potential power output, a better understanding of the proportion of skeletal muscle a horse possesses may lead to a better understanding of horse performance. Several techniques exist to assess body composition, which include dual energy X-ray absorption, underwater (hydrostatic) weighing, derivation from total body water, bio-electric impedance, air displacement, body condition scoring, cadaver dissection and ultrasound. The relevance of each method to the equine industry will be discussed as will the practical information that the existing horse body composition studies have provided. Attention will be given to the data regarding the implications of body composition on the performance horse. The limited number of studies discussing different varieties of muscle architectures and the functional importance of these muscles will also be addressed. These body composition data may provide a better understanding of important issues in horse care that can lead to more optimal horse care techniques and a healthier and safer environment for horses.
Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.
Publication Date: 2002-12-31 PubMed ID: 12505395DOI: 10.1053/tvjl.2001.0702Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
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Summary
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This research paper explores the relationship between a horse’s body composition, specifically its muscle mass, and its performance. It reviews various methods of assessing body composition and discusses their application in the equine industry.
Assessing Body Composition
- The paper starts by explaining that a horse’s potential to generate force is proportional to its muscle weight. Therefore, understanding the proportion of skeletal muscle a horse has can provide insights into its performance.
- It then goes on to detail several techniques available for assessing body composition. These include dual energy X-ray absorption, underwater weighing, deriving from total body water, bioelectric impedance, air displacement, body condition scoring, cadaver dissection, and ultrasound.
- The importance and limitations of each body composition assessment method in the context of horse care are discussed.
Importance of Body Composition in Performance
- The authors delve into existing studies on horse body composition and summarise practical information obtained from those studies. They discuss how specific body composition can affect the performance of a horse.
- The paper also highlights some limitations in the number of studies conducted on different varieties of muscle architectures and their functional importance, suggesting an area for future research.
Implications for Horse Care
- The paper suggests that the data obtained about a horse’s body composition can provide critical answers to various horse care issues. It mentions how this information can help devise optimal horse care techniques, creating a healthier and safer environment for horses.
- The authors conclude by indicating that further research in this area can lead to better horse performance and care methods.
Cite This Article
APA
Kearns CF, McKeever KH, Abe T.
(2002).
Overview of horse body composition and muscle architecture: implications for performance.
Vet J, 164(3), 224-234.
https://doi.org/10.1053/tvjl.2001.0702 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal Science, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Body Composition
- Body Weight
- Horses / anatomy & histology
- Horses / physiology
- Motor Activity / physiology
- Muscle, Skeletal / anatomy & histology
- Muscle, Skeletal / physiology
Citations
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