Best racehorses are born with or without potential. Timeform rating 35% heritability & 65% environmental factors such as nutrition, training etc. Diet, disease, nail trimming, shoeing and even luck all play a role then comes training. The aim of training should be to maximize the genetic potential of a horse. Knowing that training can improve poor horses, ruin good horses and vice versa there can be no doubt that training racehorses is a challenge. Too low of a training load = the horse performs below expectations Too high of a training load = the horse will be at high risk for injury particularly musculoskeletal injury – one, cartilage, ligament, tendons and to a lesser extent muscles. Getting it right for each horse is certainly a combination of art, science and skill. Why are training horses such a challenge? Part of the problem is the way in which different body systems or components respond to training. Bone chips/Chip fractures of horses are properly termed Osteochondral fragments. Osteo (latin for bone) and chondral (latin for cartilage). 2 reasons for one to chip/fracture Defective development of the bone (Osteochondrosis) Repetitive cyclic trauma to normal one – damage due to repetitive loading exceeds the rate of repair (subchondral bone which is the bone beneath the articular cartilage is constantly in a state of remodeling and repair). Too rapid a progression with training when joint bones are not yet able to keep up with the damage can play a role in the development of bone chips. The amount of debris the chip shreds is highly significant the debris serves to irritate the joint and if the shredding continuous can cause ongoing inflammation resulting to arthritis. The 2 raw bone surfaces rub together like 2 rocks shredding little bits of sand into the joint. This debris causes pain, lameness and poor performance. The more strenuous motion the more lameness will occur. When a horse is running at speed, the knee and fetlock joints absorb a great deal of concussion. At 1 point during each stride all of the horse’s weight is suspended on 1 front limb. Mineral imbalance to genetics, overfeeding, rapid growth, endocrine problems, nutrition, mechanical stress and trauma are factors why chips fly. Arthroscopic surgery involves inserting a 4 mm in diameter instrument (arthroscope) through small stab incisions to view and complete surgery within a joint such as removing a cartilage fragment. Treatment with an injection of a joint fluid supplemented Hyaluronic Acid (Adequan) or an anti inflammatory agent (Phenylbutazone). A key element in successful arthroscopic surgery involves a period of rest in the wake of the surgery to promote healing.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 14:05:21 +0000
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