Page 1016 - Adams and Stashak's Lameness in Horses, 7th Edition

982 Chapter 9

4. Hindlimb fetlock OA racing. The median age was 9 years and the horses
2
5. Hindlimb pastern joint OA weighed an average of 509 kg. Sixty percent were exam­
VetBooks.ir BARREL RACING because of a change in the horse’s performance. The
ined due to an owner complaint of lameness, and 40%
6. Forelimb foot pain
most common performance problem reported by own­
the first (usually right) barrel or ran past it and down
Description of Event ers was that the horse refused to turn correctly around
the arena. Other complaints included a decrease in the
Barrel racing is a timed event. The pattern consists of horse’s speed, failure to enter the arena, and failure to
three barrels (55‐gal. steel drums) in a cloverleaf pattern. take the correct lead around the barrel.
The distance covered for the pattern varies with arena
size, but generally the distance from the starting line to
the first barrel is 14–18 m. The distance between the first Musculoskeletal Injuries
and second barrel is 21–27 m and between the second The right forelimb was most frequently affected by
and third is 27–32 m. The horse and rider start at the lameness (48%), followed by the left forelimb (43%),
alleyway or entrance into the arena, run at full speed to left hindlimb (26%), and right hindlimb (21%). Bilateral
the first barrel (the contestant chooses to take the right forelimb lameness (26%) was more common than bilat­
or left barrel first), and then slow down (rate) and com­ eral hindlimb lameness (5%). The majority of horses
plete a 360° turn around the first barrel. The horse and that had a performance problem related to the first
rider then speed up and run toward the second barrel (right) barrel had right forelimb lameness.
and turn 360° around it (Figure 9.33), repeat the process The most common musculoskeletal problems diag­
with the third barrel, and then sprint to the finish line. nosed in horses used for barrel racing were forelimb
The fastest time to complete the pattern varies with foot pain only (33%), distal tarsal joint OA only (14%),
arena size, but a good run for a large arena pattern is suspensory ligament desmitis (13%), forelimb foot pain
15–16 seconds. If a rider gets too close to a barrel and with distal tarsal joint OA (10%), and bruised feet (9%).
tips it over, a 5‐second penalty is assessed. If the horse Eighty‐one of 118 (69%) horses had the affected joint(s)
and rider fail to negotiate the pattern correctly, they are treated with intra‐articular medications.
disqualified. The majority of barrel horses begin the cloverleaf
Although the event is called barrel racing, it is impor­ pattern by going to the right barrel. The horse runs at
tant for the veterinarian to realize that these horses do full speed and then slows to turn 360° around this first
not sustain the same type of injuries encountered by flat barrel. The first barrel is the hardest to turn because at
racing horses. The barrel horse does not run at top speed this point in the pattern, the horse is at maximum speed.
over long distances like flat and steeplechase racehorses; As the horse turns to the right, the inside right forelimb
thus, injuries generally associated with speed and fatigue may be under great strain. As the horse approaches the
(such as superficial flexor tendinitis or metacarpophalan­ two left turns (second and third barrels), its speed is
geal and carpal chip fractures) are usually not common slower than it was for the initial approach to the first
in barrel‐racing horses. barrel, which may account for slightly less left forelimb
A recent study evaluated musculoskeletal injuries sus­ lameness. Perhaps these horses refuse to turn sharply to
tained by more than 100 horses used solely for barrel the right because they have subtle right forelimb lame­
ness and are trying to avoid a painful stimulus. This has
been previously suggested by other veterinarians who
work on barrel racing horses.

REINING HORSES
Description of Event

Reining horses are judged individually as they com­
plete 1 of 11 specified patterns (Figure 9.34). One or
more judges score each horse between zero and infinity,
with 70 denoting an average score. Each horse automat­
ically begins the pattern with a 70. The judge can either
add or deduct up to 1.5 points on each maneuver in
half‐point increments based on the quality of the maneu­
ver. Penalties are also allocated for minor deviations
from the pattern; major deviations result in a zero score
for the go. As the judges watch the execution of the pat­
tern, individual scribes keep track of each judge’s maneu­
ver scores as well as penalty marks on a score sheet.
Scores are tabulated and announced at the end of each
run.
The judge’s sheets with individual maneuver scores,
Figure 9.33. Barrel horse and rider turning a barrel. penalties, and total scores are then posted for the benefit