The influence of breed, age, gender, training level and ambient temperature on forelimb and back temperature in racehorses.

The article discusses how factors such as breed, age, gender, training level, and weather conditions influence the body temperature of racehorses in particular areas, known as “regions of interest”. These findings could help understand the usual thermal responses in racehorses undergoing intensive training.

Identification of Regions of Interest

• The research took off from an earlier thermographic study that had identified 13 areas in a racehorse’s body—termed “regions of interest” or ROIs—as being relevant for observing the impact of training on these animals.
• However, this previous study did not consider the influence of certain variables on these ROIs: breed, age, gender, and level of training intensity.

Purpose and Methodology of the Current Study

• The current study aimed to investigate whether these factors, along with the influence of ambient temperature, played significant roles in influencing the temperature of these ROIs on racehorses’ bodies.
• The study was primarily observational and used a multivariate analysis approach. It collected thermographic measurements from 53 racehorses of three different breeds.
• All the horses were in regular training, for over 10 months, and each one underwent 13 thermographic examinations in each racing season.

Findings of the Study

• After the data was processed and analysed by using a backward stepwise multiple linear regression model, it was found that ambient temperature and breed contributed significantly to the prediction of ROI temperature at all the identified 13 regions.
• The level of training intensity was also found to impact the model. However, its influence was noticeable at only some ROIs: the thoracic vertebrae, the left third metacarpal bone and the left fetlock joint.
• Surprisingly, gender and age did not contribute significantly to the model at any identified ROI. This suggests that these factors may not be as influential in varying the ROI temperature in racehorses as was perhaps expected.

Implication of the Findings

• The research suggests that factors such as ambient temperature, breed and training intensities affect the body surface temperature of racehorses in some areas of the forelimbs and the back.
• This increased understanding of normal thermographic responses can contribute to more effective management of training programs for racehorses. It may also aid in identifying any abnormal changes indicative of potential injuries or illnesses in the early stages.