Page 108 - June 2021

VETERINARY VIEWS
OPTIMIZING A HORSE’S ABILITY TO RUN
By Nancy S. Loving, DVM
For an athletic horse to run at peak effort, appropriate age and careful training prepa- ration complement an inborn talent for
speed. Yet, many elements affect a horse’s health and soundness with even the smallest details having a significant impact on how well an equine athlete can reach its genetic potential.
Some basic management strategies have everything to do with a horse’s health and soundness, how well his body metabolizes the offered nutrition, and how well his cardiovascular system and musculoskeletal structures respond to exercise and training.
SOUNDNESS IS PREMIUM
Soundness, attitude, and alertness are critical to optimize a horse’s ability. A horse’s appetite determines how well he maintains weight and energy. Performance at workouts is an indicator of a horse’s fitness and soundness.
Conditioning strategies implemented by trainers develop cardiovascular “fitness” while veterinarians are tasked with identifying a soundness issue and how it might affect a horse’s performance.
One major soundness issue revolves around hoof care. Hoof balance and basic general hygiene of the foot are the best ways to avoid problems such as thrush, cracks, and white line disease. Hoof issues can be problematic if not caught early; consult with your farrier to keep a close eye on developing problems. House the horse in clean, dry bedding, and ensure that the groom pays daily attention to foot care.
It is helpful to have your veterinarian examine horses for lameness issues
before they compete or after a below par performance. Many lameness conditions
are identified when a horse is jogged on a hard surface in hand yet may not be obvious
on track or arena surfaces. The opposite can be true as well, so watching a horse move on all surfaces provides information.
Specialized equipment, like a high-speed treadmill, is useful for tracking down gait abnormalities. Observation and audible foot falls on a firm surface sometimes identify a gait abnormality before it is obviously visible. A thorough clinical exam repeated at frequent intervals is critical to detecting a problem so
it can be investigated early on. A thorough lameness workup couples a clinical exam with the use of diagnostic nerve blocks to isolate
an area of concern as accurately as possible. This may then be followed with diagnostic imaging procedures, such as ultrasonography, radiography, MRI technology, and/or nuclear scintigraphy. Once a diagnosis is achieved, steps can be taken to best manage and treat the horse’s lameness condition.
Hoof balance and basic general hygiene of the foot are the best ways to avoid problems such as thrush, cracks, and white line disease.
106 SPEEDHORSE June 2021