Retrospective trainer-reported incidence and predictors of health and training-related problems in standardbred racehorses

Hamlin, Mike; Hopkins, Will G.

doi:10.1053/jevs.2003.133

Cited by 5 publications

(11 citation statements)

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“…Standardbreds that race as 2‐year‐olds have longer careers than horses that first race at an older age . It is also in agreement with the finding that New Zealand Standardbreds aged over 5 years were more likely to develop musculoskeletal problems than 2‐year‐old horses, which suggests that ‘wear and tear’ contributes to the incidence of lameness . However, given the low number of observations, the biological significance of these findings cannot be determined.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 74%

Results of racetrack examinations of Standardbred horses at race meetings in New South Wales

Knight

2019

Aust Veterinary J

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The findings of all prerace and postrace examinations were analysed, and the frequency of observations was recorded. Chi-square testing was used to determine whether the incidence of abnormalities differed between age groups and tracks. A total of 542 meetings were conducted during the period of the study, with veterinary examinations conducted at 395 of these meetings. A total of 520 veterinary examinations (60 prerace and 460 postrace) were conducted. During the period of the study, 3685 horses started 31,393 times. Injuries occurring during the warm-up or start were the most common finding on prerace examination (11 reports) followed by lameness (6 reports). Lameness was the most common problem identified during postrace examinations, occurring at a rate of 2.10 cases per 1000 starts. Other problems identified at a rate of more than 1 per 1000 starts were poor postrace recovery/heat stress (2.04) and lacerations (1.75). Falls occurred at a rate of 1.72 cases per 1000 starts. Twoyear-old horses were less likely to be lame than 3, 5 and 6-yearold horses. There was no difference in the rate of falls or lameness between tracks. This study provides a benchmark against which ongoing improvements in welfare can be assessed.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 74%

Results of racetrack examinations of Standardbred horses at race meetings in New South Wales

Knight

2019

Aust Veterinary J

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“…Interestingly, there have been no studies comparing the effects of different training strategies applied from breaking to the start of the racing career on performance related variables in race horses. However, the volume of high intensity training is positively correlated with increased risk of musculoskeletal problems in race horses [ 9 - 11 ]. Accordingly, one strategy to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal overload injuries could be a reduction of the volume (distance, duration) of high intensity training.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduced high intensity training distance had no effect on VLa4 but attenuated heart rate response in 2-3-year-old Standardbred horses

Ringmark

Lindholm²,

Hedenström³

et al. 2015

Acta Vet Scand

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BackgroundTraining of Standardbred race horses aims to improve cardiovascular and metabolic functions but studies on the effects of different training strategies from breaking till racing are lacking. Sixteen horses with the goal to race as 3-year-olds were studied from breaking (1-year-olds) to December as 3-year-olds. Horses were allocated to either a control (C) or reduced (R) training program from 2 years of age. The aim was to evaluate the effect of reducing the distance of high intensity exercise by 30% with respect to velocity at lactate concentration 4 mmol/l (VLa4), blood lactate and cardiovascular response. All training sessions were documented and heart rate (HR) was recorded. A standardized exercise test of 1,600 m was performed 10 times and a VLa4 test was performed five times.ResultsC horses initially exercised for a longer time with a HR >180 beats per minute compared to R horses (P < 0.05) but after 6–9 months, time with HR >180 bpm decreased in C and were similar in the two groups (P > 0.05). Over the 2-year period, recovery HR after the 1,600 m-test decreased in both groups but was within 2 months lower in C than in R (P < 0.05). C horses also had lower resting HR as 3-year-olds (P < 0.01) than R horses. In C, post exercise hematocrit was higher than in R (P < 0.05). There was a tendency (P < 0.1) towards a larger aortic diameter in C as 3-year-olds (C: 1.75 ± 0.05, R: 1.70 ± 0.05 cm/100 kg BW). Left ventricle diameter and blood volume (in December as 2-year-olds) did not differ between groups. There were no differences between groups in post exercise blood lactate concentration or in VLa4. Both groups were equally successful in reaching the goal of participation in races.ConclusionsHorses subjected to a reduced distance of high intensity training from the age of 2 showed an attenuated heart rate response, but were able to maintain the same VLa4 and race participation as horses subjected to longer training distances.

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“…Musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) are the primary cause of reduced training days and racehorse wastage in Standardbred racehorses (STBR) as well as in Thoroughbred racehorses (TBR) [ 1 - 6 ]. But, only a few research studies have attentively focused on STBR specific problems [ 7 - 10 ], such as middle carpal joint injuries [ 8 ] and proximal sesamoid bone fractures [ 9 ]. Large-scale studies on exercise-related MSI in this population are missing, compared to TBR, probably because in STBR catastrophic events are rare during competitions, thus not raising welfare concerns on racecourse safety.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite the differences in their running style, data from studies on TBR are commonly transferred to STBR, based on the assumption of a theoretical similar exposure to common risk factors. However, different loading patterns may cause dissimilar injury profiles in horses employed for different disciplines [ 10 , 11 ], much as in human athletes practicing different sports [ 12 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, a number of specific risk factors need to be considered, like racetrack banking at the racecourse curves [ 7 ]. Methods employed in STBR training are all conceptually similar [ 8 , 10 ], although the volume and the intensity of training for young animals are variable and they could be considered risk factors for MSI. Generally STBR perform more frequently than TBR during their athletic careers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Epidemiology of musculoskeletal injuries in a population of harness Standardbred racehorses in training

et al. 2014

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BackgroundThere is a substantial paucity of studies concerning musculoskeletal injuries in harness Standardbred racehorses. Specifically, little is known about the epidemiology of exercise-related musculoskeletal injuries. Most studies on this subject involve Thoroughbred racehorses, whose biomechanics and racing speed differ from Standardbred, making comparisons difficult. Here, a population of Standardbred racehorses trained at the same racecourse was studied over four years and a classification system for exercise-related musculoskeletal injuries was designed. The incidence rates of musculoskeletal injuries causing horses’ withdrawal from training for 15 days or longer were investigated. A mixed-effects Poisson regression model was used to estimate musculoskeletal injury rates and to describe significance of selected risk factors for exercise-related injuries in this population.ResultsA total of 356 trotter racehorses from 10 different stables contributed 8961 months at risk of musculoskeletal injuries. Four-hundred-and-twenty-nine injuries were reported and classified into 16 categories, based on their aetiology and anatomical localisation. The overall exercise-related injury rate was 4.79 per 100 horse months. When considering risk factors one by one in separate univariable analyses, we obtained the following results: rates did not differ significantly between genders and classes of age, whereas one driver seemed to cause fewer injuries than the others. Racing speed and racing intensity, as well as recent medical history, seemed to be significant risk factors (p < 0.001), while being shod or unshod during racing was not. On the other hand, when pooling several risk factors in a multivariable approach, only racing intensity turned out to be significant (p < 0.001), since racing speed and the racing intensity were partially confounded, being strongly correlated to one another.ConclusionCharacterizing epidemiology of exercise-related musculoskeletal injuries in trotter racehorses provides baseline incidence rate values. Incidence rates of stress fracture are lower in Standardbreds compared to Thoroughbreds, whereas the opposite is true for tendon and suspensory ligament injuries. In addition to identification of risk factors for musculoskeletal injuries among Standardbred racehorses, results suggest that racing intensity seems to be a protective predictor of risk and recent medical history could be used to identify horses at risk of injury.

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Retrospective trainer-reported incidence and predictors of health and training-related problems in standardbred racehorses

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Results of racetrack examinations of Standardbred horses at race meetings in New South Wales

Results of racetrack examinations of Standardbred horses at race meetings in New South Wales

Reduced high intensity training distance had no effect on VLa4 but attenuated heart rate response in 2-3-year-old Standardbred horses

Epidemiology of musculoskeletal injuries in a population of harness Standardbred racehorses in training

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