Current Issues Assignment Ideas by Rachael Tolfrey

Racing is the training age too young

2019-02-26 14:00:32 UTC

Tanner et al., (2013)- The association of 2-year-old training milestones with career length and racing success in a sample of Thoroughbred horses in New Zealand;
- positive associations with early starts on racing career and career length.
- some reports have shown that 50% of foal crop fails to race (doesn't say why though)
- musculoskeletal injuries main factor for loss of training but if earlier start reduces this there may be potential for less training interruption with an equine who starts training earlier.
- many sections of training milestones
1. register with trainer
2. entered into a trial to assess potential and readiness.
3. competing in a first race.
aim examine association between reaching milestones and racing success in a year.
used crop from 2001-2002 taken from new Zealand data base

Surfaces: Do different surfaces increase the risk of injury? (Alice)

2019-02-26 14:02:31 UTC

Identification of risk factors for lameness in dressage horses (Murray et al., 2010)

- Lameness is the most common injury in the equine world. More than 30% of horse owners reported that there horse had had at least one episode of lameness in their career.
- The manner in which the most used riding surface reacted during wet conditions was associated with the likelihood of lameness
- Horses that most often trained on surfaces that became boggy (OR = 1.52) or deeper (OR = 1.41) during wet conditions, were more likely to have been lame in the previous 2 years
- Horses that most often used an arena with a sand surface were 1.36 times more likely to have been lame compared with horses that used other surfaces.

- Despite this, there was a negative correlation between the number of times per week that a horse trained on sand and the likelihood of lameness - for every extra sand-based training session per week the likelihood of lameness reduced by 0.91 times.
- Study said there was no difference in the prevalence of lameness in elite or non - elite dressage horses (check to see reliability of this) however elite horses tended to be off for longer.

Is the advancement in technology reducing the need for subjective lameness evaluation? OR Should it be common practice for Veterinarians to use technological advances in diagnosing lameness? OR Should veterinarians use gait analysis systems when diagnosing lameness? (Megan S)

2019-02-26 14:02:56 UTC

Keegan et al., (2009)
- agreement between vets when subjectively evaluating lameness in horses in low
- 131 horses were evaluated by 2-5 vets
- used the AAEP lameness scale
- agreement was classified by the vets picking the same limb as lame or not lame regardless of severity
- when horses trotted in straight line = 76.6% agreement
- after full lameness evaluation = 72.9% agreement
- when AAEP scale was above >1.5 = 93.1% agreement
- when AAEP scale was <1.5 = 61.9% agreement
- conclusion = mild lameness subjective evaluation is not very reliable
- need to develop objective and reliable method of lameness evaluation

Studs: The influence of number and placement of studs on the equine limb.

2019-02-26 14:16:15 UTC

Harvey, A.M., Williams, S.B. and Singer, E.R., 2012. The effect of lateral heel studs on the kinematics of the equine digit while cantering on grass. The Veterinary Journal, 192(2), pp.217-221.

- This study aimed to assess the effect of lateral heel studs on foot–ground interaction in the horse by quantifying foot slip during stance whilst cantering on a grass surface.
- Nine horses ridden with and without studs.
- High speed cameras used to track hoof markers and quantify foot slip.
- Results showed decrease in slip distance with studs.
- This demonstrates increased traction and a more stable foot–ground interaction.
- However, energy has to be dissipated somewhere - through the limb or through the ground deformation.

Hagen, J., Hüppler, M., Geiger, S.M., Mäder, D. and Häfner, F.S., 2017. Modifying the height of horseshoes: Effects of wedge shoes, studs, and rocker shoes on the phalangeal alignment, pressure distribution, and hoof-ground contact during motion. Journal of equine veterinary science, 53, pp.8-18.

- This study was designed as a comparative study with the intention to accumulate fundamental data on a wide variety of farriery methods - including studs.
- Twenty-five horses were divided into five groups.
- They underwent radiological and kinetic examination of the barefoot hoof, the shod hoof with a standard horseshoe, and finally a modified horseshoe.
- Pressure distribution showed studs to cause an increased pressure load on both the toe and the heels on a firm surface.
- Conclusion was that modified shoes had unintended side effects on biomechanical parameters, although these varied depending on the ground surface.

Does the Riders Position Influence the Horse’s Kinematics During a Jump?

2019-02-26 14:30:02 UTC

Powers, P., Harrison, A. (2002) ‘Effects of the Rider on the Linear Kinematics of Jumping Horses.’ Sports Biomechanics, 1 (2) Pps. 135 – 146

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of the rider on the linear projectile kinematics of show jumping horses.

Horses were recorded over a jump under two conditions: loose and under tack. Once recordings were digitised, rider’s data was removed from the ridden horse data so there were three conditions investigated: loose, ridden, and rider less with tack.

A significant was seen between the ridden and loose conditions for the CG height at take-off, CG distance to the fence at take-off, maximum CG during the suspension phase, CG position over the centre of the fence, CG height at landing and vertical velocity at take-off. This shows that the rider’s position does not affect the horse’s kinematics over a jump, however the rider’s instructions influence the horse’s kinematics.