Sports Medicine

All aspects of caring for performance horses

Barbaro Remains an Inspiration On and Off the Track

Led to the gate for the first race of his career, Barbaro shied away, reluctant to get started.


A mile later, after an eye-catching 81/2-length victory on Oct. 4 at Delaware Park, trainer Michael Matz and owners Gretchen and Roy Jackson

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Bone Chips: When the Chips Are Down

In the case of bone chips, sometimes bigger is better. In a study performed in 2006, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center theorized that bone chip characteristics in a horse’s knees were an indicator of the severity of

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Quarter Horse Jockey Under Investigation

A quarter horse jockey is under investigation for allegedly using an electronic buzzer on his horse during the second race at Fairplex Park last Sunday (Sept. 24).

“There’s an allegation. As a law enforcement agency, we take these

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Not Such a Stud on the Treadmill?

Treadmill training can be detrimental to your stallion’s fertility, say Swiss researchers who recently published a paper on the topic. Not only can repeated strenuous treadmill sessions adversely affect sperm quality and freezability, but the

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Barbaro’s Cast Could be Replaced by Splint

He’s looking good, feeling good and eating well these days, yet Barbaro is still a long way from leaving the hospital.

The Kentucky Derby winner went for his daily walk outside the intensive care unit at the New Bolton Center on Tuesday,

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Head Position Affects Intraocular Pressure

Intraocular (inside the eye) pressure readings are used in the diagnosis of equine glaucoma. However, researchers with the University of Pennsylvania have found that the position of the horse’s head can impact the pressure reading, which could

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Boot on Barbaro’s Laminitic Hoof Replaced With Bandage

According to veterinarians at Penn’s George D. Widener Hospital, Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro continues to gradually improve. “He had an excellent week,” said Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, chief of surgery. “We replaced the boot on his left

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An Equine Athlete’s Heart

Trainers, owners, and researchers have long pondered the effects of a large heart (one that is naturally occurring and not a result of disease), and have even attempted to use heart size as a predictor of athletic ability.

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Del Mar Gets Initial Approval for Synthetic Track

The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club gained unanimous approval Sept. 12  to install an $8 million synthetic surface  from the board of directors of the agricultural district that oversees the seaside track.

Craig Fravel, Del Mar’s

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California Implants Microchips in 500 Thoroughbreds

Under a no-cost-to-the-owner, voluntary program approved by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) utilizing federal grants, microchips have been implanted in almost 500 Thoroughbreds at Southern California racetracks over the last two months

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