Science‐in‐brief: Risk assessment for reducing injuries of the fetlock bones in Thoroughbred racehorses

Abstract

In March 2020, a symposium was held in Newmarket, UK, aiming to discuss measures which could be used internationally to reduce the risk of catastrophic fracture associated with the fetlock joint. The meeting was supported by the Gerald Leigh Charitable Trust, the Beaufort Cottage Charitable Trust and the Jockey Club with additional contributions from a number of industry stakeholders (Data S2). On the first day a panel of international experts (Data S1: The FRAT Group) discussed risk assessment protocols, particularly those based on imaging features which might indicate increased risk of imminent fracture. This was followed by a wider discussion with a diverse invited audience (Data S3), on how our current knowledge of fracture pathophysiology and risk factors for injury could be used to target risk assessment protocols. A delegates' survey on the key discussion points allowed quantification of opinions. This editorial highlights key meeting outcomes and identifies actionable items that can be taken forward with immediate effect. AUTH O R CO NTR I B UTI O N S All authors gave their final approval of the manuscript.

Factors Associated with Mortality in Ontario Standardbred Racing: 2003–2015

“…This requires planning, consistency, moderation, and an emphasis on longevity, informed management and continuous monitoring as basic operating strategies. Horses at risk of mortality could perhaps be identified by tools such as performance profiling [64], and mortality thus prevented. The same approach could be applied to identify horses most in need of withdrawal from competition.…”

Factors Associated with Fatality in Ontario Thoroughbred Racehorses: 2003–2015

“…3 Mean interval in days from last recorded work event to death. 4 % distribution of presenting problem by FPOS group. 5 Fatality rate per 1000 group-specific race events by FPOS group.…”

“…Injuries and fatalities in horse racing are issues for the general public [1][2][3] as well as for the industry [4], and have the potential to damage the industry's social license to operate because of the associated welfare concerns. These issues have led to extensive research to identify underlying causes [5][6][7][8].…”

Letter to the Editor: Validation of standing cone beam computed tomography for diagnosing subchondral fetlock pathology in the Thoroughbred racehorse

“…Screening the racehorse fetlock to mitigate the risk of catastrophic injury is an area of intense current public interest and the subject of a large volume of ongoing veterinary research; 1 however, it remains the case that across the profession there is considerable variation in expertise in relation to imaging of this site. This is evident in the recent study reported by Curtiss et al, 2 which contains methodological weaknesses that I believe deserve highlighting here.…”

“…Current best practice involves the use of multiple flexed dorsopalmar radiographic projections when there is a clinical suspicion of subchondral injury involving the fetlock; multiple projections are even incorporated as standard in the pre‐purchase protocols of leading Thoroughbred practices in the UK and Europe. The existing literature 5,6 (as referenced by Curtiss et al) is inadequate to allow conclusions to be drawn about the sensitivity and specificity of current radiographic techniques in relation to condylar fracture, and it is therefore incorrect to do so; this has been identified as a priority for future investigation by key researchers in this field 1 . Until such time as this has been properly established it is important for the authors to be aware of current best practice (of both technique and interpretation) 7 when considering publishing in this space, as any misrepresentation of the potential usefulness of radiography in detection of condylar fracture risks discouraging first opinion clinicians from engaging effectively in screening for early fetlock injury.…”