Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-68ccn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-09T14:25:54.304Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Linear and temporal changes in the trot of 2-year-old Thoroughbred racehorses in relation to early exercise and race training

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2010

C W Rogers ,
L Kidd  and
E C Firth
C W Rogers*
Affiliation:
Massey Equine, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North, New Zealand
L Kidd
Affiliation:
School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
E C Firth
Affiliation:
Massey Equine, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North, New Zealand
*
*Corresponding author: c.w.rogers@massey.ac.nz
Get access

Abstract

The assessment of the effect of race training on the locomotory apparatus can be confounded by tissue responses to the increasing training load, such as dorsal metacarpal disease. The aim of this paper was to examine the changes in gait during the early stage of race training in a cohort of 19.2-year-old Thoroughbreds, 11 of which had previously been exposed to spontaneous pasture exercise and also to preconditioning exercise from an early age (CONDEX), and the remainder had been exposed to only spontaneous pasture exercise (PASTEX). Data were collected 52, 60, 77, 109 and 176 days after the horses had entered the racing stable. At each examination, the horses were trotted in-hand on a hard asphalt surface, and kinematic data were collected. The horses trotted slowest on the first examination day, with a significantly longer and slower stride and associated percentage stance time. On day 77, the CONDEX horses trotted faster, had a longer stride length and achieved mid-stance earlier than the PASTEX horses. Across both groups, the introduction of galloping was associated with a significant reduction in stride duration (0.69 ± 0.01 vs. 0.66 ± 0.01 s, P = 0.001), stride length (2.49 ± 0.03 vs. 2.38 ± 0.02 m, P = 0.004) and stance duration (27.3 ± 1.0 vs. 32.0 ± 1.0%, P = 0.001). The changes in gait appeared to be associated with the introduction of galloping and the associated tolerance of the CONDEX group to the musculoskeletal loading.

Keywords

horsestrainingracingkinematicstrotThoroughbreds
Type
Research Paper
Information
Comparative Exercise Physiology , Volume 7 , Issue 2 , May 2010 , pp. 65 - 71
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Drevemo, S, Dalin, G, Fredricson, I and Bjorne, K (1980). Equine locomotion: 3. The reproducibility of gait in Standardbred trotters. Equine Veterinary Journal 12: 71–73.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2van Weeren, PR, van den Bogert, AJ, Back, W, Bruin, G and Barneveld, A (1993). Kinematics of the Standardbred trotter measured at 6, 7, 8 and 9 m/s on a treadmill, before and after 5 months of prerace training. Acta Anatomica 146(2–3): 154–161.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3Leleu, C, Cotrel, C and Barrey, E (2005). Relationships between biomechanical variables and race performance in French Standardbred trotters. Livestock Production Science 92(1): 39–46.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4Ferrari, M, Pfau, T, Wilson, AM and Weller, R (2009). The effect of training on stride parameters in a cohort of National hunt racing thoroughbreds: a preliminary study. Equine Veterinary Journal 41(5): 493–497.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5Munoz, A, Santisteban, R, Rubio, MD, Vivo, R, Aguera, EI, Escribano, BM et al. . (1997). Training as an influential factor on the locomotor pattern in Andalusian horses. Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series A – Physiology Pathology Clinical Medicine 44(8): 473–480.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6Rogers, CW, Firth, EC and Anderson, B (2005). Musculoskeletal responses of 2-year-old thoroughbred horses to early training. 5. Kinematic effects. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 53(2): 95–100.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7Boston, RC and Nunamaker, DM (2000). Gait and speed as exercise components of risk factors associated with onset of fatigue injury of the third metacarpal bone in 2-year-old thoroughbred racehorses. American Journal of Veterinary Research 61(6): 602–608.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8Verheyen, KLP, Henley, WE, Price, JS and Wood, JLN (2005). Training-related factors associated with dorsometacarpal disease in young thoroughbred racehorses in the UK. Equine Veterinary Journal 37(5): 442–448.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9Bailey, CJ, Rose, RJ, Reid, SW and Hodgson, DR (1997). Wastage in the Australian thoroughbred racing industry: a survey of Sydney trainers. Australian Veterinary Journal 75(1): 64–66.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10Perkins, NR, Reid, SWJ and Morris, RS (2005). Profiling the New Zealand thoroughbred racing industry. 2. Conditions interfering with training and racing. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 53(1): 69–76.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11Cogger, N, Perkins, N, Hodgson, DR, Reid, SW and Evans, DL (2008). Profiling training preparation in young Australian thoroughbred racehorses. Australian Veterinary Journal 86(11): 419–424.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12Barneveld, A and van Weeren, PR (1999). Conclusions regarding the influence of exercise on the development of the equine musculoskeletal system with special reference to osteochondrosis. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 31: 112–119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13van Weeren, PR, Firth, EC, Brommer, H, Hyttinen, MM, Helminen, HJ, Rogers, CW et al. . (2008). Early exercise advances the maturation of glycosaminoglycans and collagen in the extracellular matrix of articular cartilage in the horse. Equine Veterinary Journal 40(2): 128–135.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14Brama, PA, Karssenberg, D, Barneveld, A and van Weeren, PR (2001). Contact areas and pressure distribution on the proximal articular surface of the proximal phalanx under sagittal plane loading. Equine Veterinary Journal 33(1): 26–32.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15Brama, PA, TeKoppele, JM, Bank, RA, Barneveld, A and van Weeren, PR (2002). Development of biochemical heterogeneity of articular cartilage: influences of age and exercise. Equine Veterinary Journal 34(3): 265–269.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16McIlwraith, CW (2000). Global Equine research alliance to reduce musculoskeletal injury in the equine athlete – 21-22 February 2000, Mt Maunganui, New Zealand. Equine Veterinary Education 12(5): 260–262.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17Bailey, CJ, Reid, SW, Hodgson, DR and Rose, RJ (1999). Impact of injuries and disease on a cohort of two- and three-year-old thoroughbreds in training. The Veterinary Record 145: 487–493.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18Rogers, CW, Firth, EC, McIlwraith, CW, Barneveld, A, Goodship, AE, Kawcak, CE et al. . (2008). Evaluation of a new strategy to modulate skeletal development in racehorses by imposing track-based exercise during growth: the effects on 2-and 3-year-old racing careers. Equine Veterinary Journal 40(2): 119–127.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19Rogers, CW, Firth, EC, McIlwraitth, CW, Barneveld, A, Goodship, AE, Kawcak, CE et al. . (2008). Evaluation of a new strategy to modulate skeletal development in Thoroughbred performance horses by imposing track-based exercise during growth. Equine Veterinary Journal 40(2): 111–118.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20Perkins, NR, Reid, SWJ and Morris, RS (2005). Profiling the New Zealand Thoroughbred racing industry. 1. Training, racing and general health patterns. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 53(1): 59–68.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21Back, W, Barneveld, A, Bruin, G, Schamhardt, HC and Hartman, W (1994). Kinematic detection of superior gait quality in young trotting Warmbloods. Veterinary Quarterly 16: 91–96.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22Rogers, CW and Firth, EC (2004). Musculoskeletal responses of 2-year-old thoroughbred horses to early training. 2. Measurement error and effect of training stage on the relationship between objective and subjective criteria of training workload. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 52(5): 272–279.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23Dykgraaf, S, Firth, EC, Rogers, CW and Kawcak, CE (2008). Effects of exercise on chondrocyte viability and subchondral bone sclerosis in the distal third metacarpal and metatarsal bones of young horses. Veterinary Journal 178(1): 53–61.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24Rogers, CW, Davies, AS, Pfeiffer, DU and Davie, PS (1999). Temporal changes in the trot between the first and third horse inspections at a CCI*** 3-day event. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 30: 254–257.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
25Rogers, CW, Rivero, JLL, van Breda, E and Linder, A (2007). Describing workload and scientific information on conditioning horses. ICEEP7 – Workshop – Workload and conditioning. Equine Comparative and Exercise Physiology 4(1): 1–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar