Radiography of the tuber calcis and its use in thoroughbred training.

The research article discusses a study on the correlation between delaying the training of thoroughbred horses until the epiphyseal closure of the tuber calcis (heel bone) is complete and the reduction in the incidence of lameness.

Methodology

• The researchers began a project several years ago, aiming to compare radiographic epiphyseal closures in differently aged horses, starting from one-day-old horses.
• During the course of the study, they observed the time variation in the closure of the tuber calcis and noted that most closures occurred between sixteen to twenty-four months of age.
• Based on this finding, they hypothesized that postponing the training until the epiphyseal closure of the tuber calcis is complete might decrease the stress damage during the training period.

Study Design

• Over a span of three years, the researchers took radiographs of 218 Thoroughbred horses to evaluate their degree of maturity.
• They also decided to withhold certain horses from training until the closure of the tuber calcis epiphysis was confirmed through radiography.

Findings

• Comparing the data from the past two training seasons, the researchers noticed a reduction in the number of horses removed from training due to lameness.
• The trainer and veterinarian involved in the study credited this lower incidence of lameness to the additional maturity some horses achieved before being introduced to training.

Overall, the study suggests that waiting for the epiphyseal closure of the tuber calcis to complete before starting training can potentially reduce the rate of lameness in thoroughbred horses. This might alter the traditional training timeline for younger horses to ensure their health and longevity in the sport.