Despite the fact that 20% of racehorses in the southern United States are affected by anhidrosis–the inability or decreased ability to sweat–the underlying causes of this medical condition remain unknown.
Sweating is the primary mean
Dutch researchers report that a different technique for assessing adaptation to training gives a more accurate picture than the usual approach of measuring muscle enzyme levels. In the study, researchers
The first-ever FEI World Endurance Championship in Malaysia was held Nov. 7-8 in Terengganu. Meg Sleeper, VMD, Dipl. ACVIM, and her horse, Syrocco Reveille, competed on the team representing the United States.
While the competition didn’t
Half-Arabian Elmer Bandit trotted under the finish line to set a new competitive trail mileage record of 20,720 miles, 201 days after his 37th birthday. The North America
According to a group of researchers from the United Kingdom, heart murmurs are common in athletic horses, but do not negatively impact racing performance.
“A high prevalence of heart murmurs is known to exist in horses,” explained Lesley
Horses with atrial fibrillation (AF, disorganized electrical conduction and pumping of the atria) can have a difficult time with exercise. Scientists have shown that the condition influences the properties and blood flow in horses during
Many exercise-induced problems could be avoided by applying common sense limits to performance stresses. If you plan to compete at eventing and endurance riding, make sure both you and your horse are appropriately prepared.
It becomes obvious that acclimating to a new environment is a challenge for the competing horse, involving everything from wellness and altitude to circadian rhythms involving time zones. It also becomes obvious, based on research, that there is no
An Australian researcher reported he’s found a reliable way for trainers to monitor Thoroughbred racehorse fitness using global positioning system (GPS) technology measurements of velocity and heart rate during normal fast gallop training
Over the past two decades, the work of Hilary Clayton, BVMS, PhD, has elevated equine sports medicine to a whole new level. As the first incumbent of the Mary Anne McPhail Chair at Michigan State University, Clayton brings an element of modern
Sometimes horses die suddenly when they aren’t involved in athletic competition. You walk out to stall or paddock one morning and your good trail horse or companion animal is lying dead, even though it had appeared normal and healthy when you fed the
Researchers at Oklahoma State University (OSU) recently completed a study on airway cooling and mucosal injury during cold weather exercise. Using the Thoroughbred racehorse as a model, scientists found that even cantering in sub-freezing
Exercise exhaustion can occur after relatively brief maximal exercise or after prolonged submaximal exercise.
Spring is in the air! Oh, to be sure, we aren’t finished with cold weather in many parts of the country, but it won’t be long before we will be ready to head out trail riding or be off on the spring horse show circuit. Here are some tips to help prepare your horse for the spring riding season.
While visibly obvious, fatigue is hard to quantify. Electromyography (EMG) measures conduction along nerves in a particular muscle group–as muscle fibers fatigue, EMG signals shift from high to low. Taking EMG readings during galloping is
For a horse to perform well as an athlete, all body systems must be in good working order. When one or more systems “breaks down,” the horse is no longer able to perform up to his potential, and the owner, rider, and trainer will likely notice a
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