Bone Mineral Density Changes in Growing and Training Thoroughbreds

Bone mineral density contributes to bone strength, and can be measured accurately in the distal limb of growing or training young horses. In training horses, changes occur within less than 3 months, and consist of trabecular thickening in the subchondral area and specific areas of the body of the epiphysis of longbones and the cuboidal bones. In the growing horse, variation in mineral density between foals becomes much less in the first months of life. The current most practical method for accurate non-invasive quantification of bone changes in the distal limb is peripheral quantitative computed tomography, using a portable axial CT scanner. Authors’ address: Equine Research New Zealand, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand. © 2000 AAEP.