The association between clinical parameters recorded at vet gates during Fédération Equestre Internationale endurance rides and the imminent risk of elimination.

The research article focuses on recognizing risk factors in horses during endurance rides that could lead to their elimination in subsequent laps. These risk indicators are noted during veterinary inspections at the end of each phase of these rides.

Objective and Methods

The article’s main objective was:

• To identify the risk factors associated with horses getting eliminated in the succeeding stages of the race. These risk factors are noted on the “vet cards” during veterinary inspections at the end of each stage.

To achieve this, a retrospective cohort study was conducted, where data from 3213 horse starts globally in international events in 2014 was analyzed. The authors used univariable logistic regression to distinguish potential risk factors which could later be included in a final multivariable logistic regression model. The models were gradually built using a backward-removal approach and then evaluated by the Bayesian information criterion.

Results

The result of this study was:

• Identification of several risk factors allowing for real-time risk profiling for each horse as they progress through the race.
• Some recurring risk factors were abnormal gait and high heart rate, both of which were strongly associated with immediate disqualification.

Conclusions

The limitations of the study were acknowledged, including the relatively small size of the cohort considering the data available at the time. Although they had extensive ride history data for each horse through the main FEI database, they lacked data on their training.

Nevertheless, the results of this study are significant as they provide an evidence-based method to identify horses at risk of immediate disqualification during the veterinary inspections conducted at the end of each stage or loop.
By identifying strong associations between certain observations during inspections and subsequent eliminations, the study can contribute to educational initiatives and revisions of racing standards. This can inform veterinarians and delegates how to utilize inspections to detect horses at risk effectively.