The effect of neonatal dysphagia on subsequent racing performance in Standardbred horses.

This research studies the impact of early life swallowing difficulties (neonatal dysphagia) on race performance in adult Standardbred horses. The findings suggest that horses affected by dysphagia as foals due to environmental contamination were not significantly impaired in their racing abilities as adults compared to their healthy counterparts.

Objectives and Methodology

• The research sought to understand if foals suffering from dysphagia – a condition linked to exposure to high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in well water – are less likely to participate in races as adults, and if their overall athleticism differs from healthy foals.
• The research method included a prospective cohort study involving all foals born on the affected Pennsylvania (PA) farm and an unaffected New York (NY) farm between 2014 to 2017. Dysphagic foals with conditions unrelated to PAH exposure were excluded from the research.
• The key performance indicators to measure athleticism included: proportion of foals that raced, age at their first race, ‘Earnings Per Start Index’ and ‘Speed Index’. Comparative analysis was conducted between dysphagic foals and healthy foals using Chi-Square and Wilcoxon Rank Sum Tests.

Results and Conclusion

• A total of 116 foals met the inclusion criteria for the study. The research revealed no significant difference in the percentages of foals from the PA and NY farms that raced as adults. Both healthy and dysphagic foals showed similar probabilities of racing.
• The median age at first race, as well as the ‘Earnings Per Start Index’ and ‘Speed Index’, were also not significantly different between the previously dysphagic foals and those that were healthy right from birth.
• Despite the small sample size and the unique type of dysphagia focused in the study, the conclusion pointed towards a surprising lack of negative impact on the athleticism of foals that suffered dysphagia due to environmental toxicity. Their ability to participate in races and their subsequent performance did not show appreciable damage compared with healthy foals.