Some Help

At left, Max Planck (1858-1947) , credited with discovering quantum theory. A physicist.

With links from Southwest Research Institute and Max Planck Institut, posted again below, possibly enough info now from human bone research to stretch out some conclusions for our equines.

First, these links provide some terminology. From SW Research:

Bone Quality
Bone Strength
Bone Mineral Density
Bone Fracture Toughness
Bone Micro Damage

Somewhere way back I wanted to build a model. Something like FR = X. Do we have it now?

FR= Bone Quality + Bone Strength + Bone Mineral Density + Bone Fracture Toughness - Micro Damage.

Note relevant distinctions between quality, strength, toughness etc., the terms being used in a scientific sense to describe differing bone characteristics at the micro level, whereas on the blog I've used "fracture resistance" (FR), something contrasted again since this refers to bone withstanding force of a horse race!

But, do these terms mean-- "bone quality" etc.? And, is the above formula correct. E.g. If we have mineral density as opposed to Type 1 Bone Collagen predominance might we merely have a more brittle bone instead of a stronger bone? On these we have the help of the Max Planck piece that essentially discusses the formation of collagen, the mineral salts, etc.

I'm getting to this late, and Sunday is a road day. but thinking, when we look in wonder at our horse's radiating cannon post race, that possibly we'll know a little more than to think we merely have micro damage.

http://www.mpie.de/index.php?id=2697

http://www.swri.org/cms/Index.asp?ID=38

Training:
Fri. 12/4. fairly worthless pasture romp in bad weather. But we got something in.
Sat. 12/5 Last speed work now 4 days ago. It's above freezing today, and so near dark horses put in paddock for riderless speed work and Art limps in. Lost front left shoe. Unbelievable. Rod is driven at speed intermittently for 10 min. 2f spurts. He's into it, and its a nice work. On the downside, the formerly calm Rod now Mr. Spook. Panicked 3 times at the feed tub in today's wind. Nob declines to get on. We'll run Art in the morning before the trip.

From the Max Planck Institut

Can you in fact "build up your bones" by tapping on them with a stick per last post video? I kept waiting for that second fellow to head butt the rocks.

Consider what's happening there with those hard body trainers tapping themselves 100 times a day. Might we equate the concussive effect with our horse's hoofs striking the race track at speed? In terms of fracture resistance (FR) consider the trainer who puts his horses through this training every 9 days or longer spacing compared to Preston Burch and his every 3 day speed work. Is it the same effect in terms of "bone remodeling"?

And, the bone image above is there for a reason, to be referred to. I'm ready to draw some conclusions particularly with regard to the class assignment below which, while it supports many of the suppositions previously posted here, also caused a fairly radical change in my thinking with regard to exercise and the ossification/calcification process.

So, let's focus, get down to business, and find out what is really happening when we "strike" those bones. Here is a 2008 research paper from the Max Planck Institut. This refers to Hansma's work, but adds to Hansma, indicates exactly how those calcium deposits happen, and what they consist of. Next post will discuss this right on the money bit of research:

http://www.mpie.de/index.php?id=2697

Training:
Fri. 12/4: 25 degrees at training time. Wanted fast riderless paddock work, last speed being 3 days ago. Paddock too hard, dried crusted frozen mud. Thus a pasture romp, unsuccessful as it turned out. Horses insisted on galloping out of sight. There was at least once decent spurt though per usual the horses refused to extend on the hard going. The cold came in before the ground completely dried. We're batting 0.00 this year with the weather.

"Bone Remodeling"

Avoid confronting the above alone in dark alleyways, but, if you do, look out for that first guy's head.

Training:
Thurs. 12/3 we take the day off for reasons nefarious. As I consider, temps are 30 degrees colder today. Might be good to let TB (and, human) lungs adjust.

Training

Next bone post slowed by a mountain of new research material being gone through, some of it seemingly relevant. Hopefully tomorrow. We're giving the horses 36 hrs. from the last training session due to weather blowing in. December is officially here.

Conclusions Re Ossification/Calcification And Exercise

For the reader (hypothetically speaking), believe I'm honing in on the role of calcification/ossification. This was to be a post about conclusions, but then, in reviewing Hansma:

http://hansmalab.physics.ucsb.edu/index.html

I bumped into the term "biomedical bone research" where Hansma informs there are literally thousands of papers on this per year. Epiphany. You've got to know where to look. "Biomedical bone research" indeed googles to numerous bone papers, and RR becomes immediately distracted by a mountain of info. I'll be looking through these.

The blog question of the moment concerns the role of ossification/calcification in FR, whether this influences bone strength, and the extent to which the exercise program might affect this.

When we lay a horse off for a lengthy period, let's say 5 months, we might believe that in this lay off period there will be a reduction in cannon bone structure (and hence strength) due to lack of training. I have/had always had a vague notion that in the layoff period the cannon bone actually loses calcium and that on commencement of training we have to rebuild the lost calcium.

But, if we believe horse cannons lose calcium structure during layoffs, do we then have to also believe that horses rebuild this calcium structure when they get back into training--i.e. training causes calcification/ossification? If you believe one, you then must also believe the other.

BUT, is this what happens in the first place? After due considering I'm highly skeptical that the ossification process has much to do with FR, and will commence with these conclusions, next post.

Training:
Mon. 11/30: off
Tues. 12/1: On what I expect will be the last 60 degree day for quite a while--November temperatures were superb--Rod trots 5f before again throwing Mr. Nob. Without damage this time. Art goes 9f trot with a few f of gallop before also spooking in near dark. Both horses were then put in the paddock for riderless play for 10 min. They were into it with numerous full speed bursts.

Dec. 1 Farm Report

Faust: "I wish a tally daily to be taken
how much the trench in hand is gaining room."

--Goethe

The "trench" at the farm has been gaining very little room, although we're presently in two weeks of good weather, an act we've seen played out repeatedly. We get the horses just back into it then the next monsoons come in and knock out the track for 2 or 3 weeks.

The mid-November rains came as I'd built up some hope for a trainable December--if we could gallop through November followed by a decent December we'd be on the way. Never happened of course, and possibly this caused the final mental transformation in yours truly in terms of trying to train here in KCMO.

I have now basically given up the idea that, due to wet climate, we can make any progress at all at the farm, and will merely keep the horses in as good a condition as weather permits until we can determine a track situation and move them there.

How is this latter aspect going? We're considering several things--Eureka, although I'm unable to imagine after two years of constant rain without any race meets that there's any surface left there--Will Rogers in February, St. Louis starting in April, or Prairie Meadows.

A major concern is that after all this non-racing time that the horses still have their speed. I am worried about that in terms of major track competition. At any rate, there's nothing going on racing-wise within hailing distance at the moment, and we thus have the luxury of sitting back and preparing to the extent we can.

Next bone post hopefully up later today.

Training:
Sat. 11/28: Art: .8 +.8 trot. Rod: the suddenly spooky three year old a dangerous ride of late. Walk-trot for 10 min.
Sun. 11/29: Art: .8 +.8 mostly trot with ending with a 2f of strong gallop. The track is still only about 1/2 usable due to mud. Rod: tack work cancelled due to dark. Horse was driven riderless intermittently as fast as conditions allowed--short bursts of :14s.
Mon. 11/30: Off