Sixty-seven million pounds of horsemeat derived from American horses were sent abroad for human consumption last year. Horses are not raised as food animals in the United States, and mechanisms to ensure the removal of horses treated with banned substances from the food chain are inadequate at best. Phenylbutazone (PBZ) is the most commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in e...

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY There are few published data to support the ages of emergence of permanent dentition widely reported in horses. OBJECTIVES To clarify the chronology and sequence of permanent premolar (PM) tooth emergence in Thoroughbred racehorses. METHODS A prospective study was undertaken in which records were kept of deciduous PM 'cap' extractions performed during routine de...

REASON FOR PERFORMING STUDY Studies on the prevalence and predisposing factors of bite and kick injuries in horses have not been reported in a population-based data sample. OBJECTIVES To investigate the prevalence of bite and kick injuries in horses and associated risk factors in a representative sample of horses in Switzerland. METHODS A questionnaire on the incidence of disease and injury...

various forms of intensive sport place stress on the musculoskeletal system of the horse, during both racing and training. the musculoskeletal system of the horse has an inherent ability to adapt to the demands of high speed exercise, but exceeding the threshold of adaptive capacity may result in some form of damage. continuing racing or training may delay the repair process and put the horse a...

The purpose of this study was to compare the training methods used in two stables and their effects on selected blood parameters and race results. A total number of 36 thoroughbred race horses was examined in two groups, trained by two trainers. Twenty-four horses (group A) were trained at Sluzewiec and the remaining twelve horses (group B) were kept and trained in a private stable. The experim...

A linear dose response to furosemide in terms of attenuation of the exercise-induced pulmonary capillary hypertension does not exist in Thoroughbred horses. Furosemide 2.0 mg/kg IV given 4 h before exercise further significantly ( p , 0.05) attenuates the exercise-induced pulmonary capillary hypertension compared with the 250-mg dose routinely used at Illinois racetracks. Authors’ address: 212 ...

BACKGROUND Training of young Thoroughbred horses must balance development of cardiopulmonary function and aerobic capacity with loading of the musculoskeletal system that can potentially cause structural damage and/or lameness. High-speed equine treadmills are sometimes used to supplement exercise on a track in the training of young Thoroughbreds because the horse can run at high speeds but wit...

The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) molecule, carrying genes encoding for respiratory chain enzymes, is a primary candidate for demonstrating associations between genotype and athletic performance in mammalian species. In humans, variation at seven protein encoding mitochondrial loci has been implicated in influencing fitness and performance characteristics. Although thoroughbred horses are selected ...

Every equine practitioner appreciates the delicate nature of the equine gut. Problems related to the small intestine and large intestine are well understood and routinely treated. What may be surprising to many is how often the stomach is affected. Specifically, the incidence of gastric ulcers is extremely high, particularly in performance horses. This article will review why horses suffer from...

To perform at Olympic-caliber competitions, horses must consistently maintain a level of athletic performance that strains their muscular, skeletal, and digestive systems. As the consulting nutritionist to the Australian Equestrian Team, I am primarily concerned with the nutritional challenges of our equine athletes. Much of the equine nutritional research and product development effort is dire...