Like poor performance evaluations for horses of any breed or discipline, work-ups on racehorses should include the basics, such as collecting a detailed history and conducting a thorough physical and lameness exam. | Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt/The Horse

“In a sport where races are won and lost by fractions of a second, subtle problems can have a significant impact on performance,” said Ryan Carpenter, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, a racetrack practitioner at Equine Medical Center, in Cypress, California. And spotting causes of subpar performance can take a keen eye and methodical approach on the part of the veterinarian. At the 2018 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 1-5 in San Francisco, California, Carpenter reviewed how he works up cases of poor performance in racehorses, offering pointers that help him arrive at diagnoses in these sometimes-tricky cases.

Objective vs. Subjective Complaints

“With an experienced racehorse, performance can often be defined by racing form,” said Carpenter. For example, decreased finishing position, earnings, or speed figures can suggest diminishing performance.

With younger horses or those without a solid race record, however, complaints are more subjective in nature. The trainer might report these horses are training poorly or unable to reach the level he or she would expect based on physical characteristics or genetic potential