Endoscopic exams the upper respiratory tract (URT) are often standard procedure when veterinarians evaluate Thoroughbred yearlings possibly destined for the racetrack. These exams, which evaluate URT function, can satisfy sale conditions and assess a horse’s suitability for racing.

A team of researchers at the University of Glasgow’s Weipers Centre Equine Hospital, in the United Kingdom, recently compared the results of endoscopic examinations in 57 horses at rest versus during exercise to evaluate the potential application of dynamic overground endoscopy when examining Thoroughbred yearlings, Padraig Kelly, MVB, MRCVS, said.

Kelly, an associate at the Weipers Centre Equine Hospital, explained, “Specifically, we wanted to investigate the prevalence of pathology of the upper respiratory tract during longeing exercise and to compare the results of resting and dynamic endoscopic examination.”

Researchers fitted the yearlings at a racing stable in the United Kingdom with a special bridle and saddle pad carrying the endoscope and related instrumentation. The team performed the endoscopic analysis while the horses were resting, while the animals were longed at the canter for five minutes (or until they were unable to sustain the gait), and immediately afterward. Researchers found significant variations in results derived from the resting phases versus the exercising phase