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Home / Equine Research Bank / Acta Vet Scand / Significance of ossificated ungular cartilages regarding the...
Acta veterinaria Scandinavica2014; 56(1); 74; doi: 10.1186/s13028-014-0074-y

Significance of ossificated ungular cartilages regarding the performance of cold-blooded trotters.

Abstract: Ossification of the ungular cartilages (OUC) in the foot of horses has been studied for more than 100 years. There is a high heritability of this condition but its clinical relevance has remained questionable. Nevertheless, modern equine orthopedic literature ranks OUC as one of top 10 causes of lameness in cold-blooded trotters and stallions of these breeds are excluded from breeding if they have more than mild levels of side bones. Cold-blooded trotters have been used for racing for many decades and official sports data have been available since 1923. A decreased performance is often the only obvious clinical sign noticed by trainers and owners motivating them to seek professional help from veterinarians and farriers. By comparing various performance parameters in Swedish-Norwegian cold-blooded trotters without and with different grades of OUC, we aimed to determine the clinical relevance of ossified hoof cartilages in a population of high-performance horses. Front hooves from 649 Swedish-Norwegian cold-blooded trotters were evaluated radiologically regarding OUC. Breeding index and official sports data originating from strict protocols kept by groups of officials in trotting associations was used for comparison of performance of these horses that together had competed in more than 23,000 races between 1973 and 2009. Generalized linear mixed models were used for the statistical analyses. The response variable was modeled using ordinal logistic models with a multinomial distribution and a cumulative logit link function. The horse was used as a random factor. Results: Significant effects of gender on performance were demonstrated, but no correlations were found between different positions nor grades of ossified ungular cartilage and number of starts, running pace, race winnings, number of races completed in a regular gait. Conclusions: Ossification of the ungular cartilages does not cause decreased performance in cold-blooded trotters and is therefore most likely not a cause of clinical or subclinical lameness in this breed. Results from this study can assist equine professionals in evaluating and interpreting the clinical relevance of radiological findings on ossified hoof cartilage among heavy and high-performing horses.
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Publication Date: 2014-10-25 PubMed ID: 25344341PubMed Central: PMC4220060DOI: 10.1186/s13028-014-0074-yGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The research demonstrates that the ossification of the ungular cartilages (hardening of cartilage in a horse’s foot) does not affect the performance of Swedish-Norwegian cold-blooded trotter horses, debunking the common belief that it might be a cause of lameness or reduced performance.

Background

  • The study addresses the longstanding question of the impact of ossified ungular cartilages (OUC) on a horse’s performance, especially in the case of cold-blooded trotters.
  • An OUC, a condition where the cartilages of the hoof harden and turn into bone, has a strong degree of heritability. However, the clinical significance of this condition, particularly if it affects the performance of trotters, has remained uncertain.

Methods

  • The study compared the performance parameters of Swedish-Norwegian cold-blooded trotters with different grades of OUC to ascertain its clinical relevance.
  • A total of 649 trotters were evaluated radiologically for OUC.
  • Breeding index and official sports data, sourced from regulated trotting association records and encompassing more than 23,000 races from 1973 to 2009, were used for the comparison.
  • The analyses were conducted using generalized linear mixed models with the horse used as a random factor.

Results

  • The research found that the gender of the horse significantly affected performance.
  • However, no correlation was found between the position or grades of OUC and several performance metrics, including the number of starts, pace, race winnings, and number of races completed in regular gait.

Conclusion

  • The study concludes that, contrary to prevailing assumptions, OUC does not lead to decreased performance or subclinical lameness in cold-blooded trotters.
  • The findings can inform equine professionals, helping them interpret the clinical relevance of OUC-related radiological findings in high-performance horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Hedenström UO, Wattle OS. (2014). Significance of ossificated ungular cartilages regarding the performance of cold-blooded trotters. Acta Vet Scand, 56(1), 74. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-014-0074-y

Publication

Acta veterinaria Scandinavica
ISSN: 1751-0147
NlmUniqueID: 0370400
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 56
Issue: 1
Pages: 74

Researcher Affiliations

Hedenström, Ulf O
  • National Equine Education Centre, Wången AB, SE-83593, Alsen, Sweden. ulf.hedenstrom@wangen.se.
Wattle, Ove S
  • Division of Diagnostics and Large Animal, Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007, Uppsala, Sweden. ove.wattle@slu.se.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Cartilage / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Foot Diseases / etiology
  • Foot Diseases / physiopathology
  • Foot Diseases / veterinary
  • Hoof and Claw / physiopathology
  • Horse Diseases / etiology
  • Horse Diseases / physiopathology
  • Horses
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Norway
  • Ossification, Heterotopic / etiology
  • Ossification, Heterotopic / physiopathology
  • Ossification, Heterotopic / veterinary
  • Running
  • Sweden

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. El Brini Z, Mhar I, Bouktaib FE, Piro M, Daniel C, Alyakine H. Common Radiographic Findings in Moroccan Working Equids: A Retrospective Study (2015-2022). Vet Sci 2026 Jan 8;13(1).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci13010060pubmed: 41600716google scholar: lookup
  2. Hedenström UO, Olsson U, Holm AW, Wattle OS. Ossification of ungular cartilages in front feet of cold-blooded trotters--a clinical radiographic evaluation of development over time. Acta Vet Scand 2014 Oct 30;56(1):73.
    doi: 10.1186/s13028-014-0073-zpubmed: 25359553google scholar: lookup
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