Astounding
After my last post, I was fairly surprised just this morning to stumble on to the 2/07/08 "International Thoroughbred Digest" article:
"No bones About It: The Prevention of Catastrophic Bone Injuries In Racehorses".
This article notes that Dr. Antonio Cruz et. al. associated with Ontario Veterinary College, have just commenced a study at Woodbine where they will monitor equine leg bones under various exercise prescriptions to determine bone density changes and injury. This is astounding news. Never mind that it took 'em till the year 2008, but these people are actually trying to develop an in shed-row monitoring system to evaluate bone remodeling and bone injury. Some quotes from Dr. Cruz:
"The number one cause of poor performance and career-ending injury in race horses is catastrophic bone failure"
"It is known that up to 30 percent of racehorses entering training leave within three months" (and, i'd add my own musing that close to 100% receive some kind of injury the first three months they're in the conventional shed row.)
"The ultimate goal (of this) research is to reduce such catastropihc injuries. Cruz believes that if trainers can monitor the strength of horse's bones on a routine basis, monthly, e.g., that potential career ending injuries MIGHT BE LARGELY PREVENTED."
"Over the next two years Cruz et. al. will take the knowledge gained and evaluate the changing bones of 2 and 3 year old TBs on a monthly basis at Woodbine during racing season. Specifically the research will moniotor the cannon bones and joint health of these horses and WILL DETERMINE THEIR RESPONSE TO EXERCISE INTENSITY AND DETECT HOW THEY ADAPT TO IT."
Cruz foresees a battery of affordable stall-side tests being developed into routine practice in the shed row to screen for bone injury. While Cruz might be a little overly optimistic as to the practices of our training community (Lukas kicking Tom Ivers and his infrared thermography machine out of his shedrow comes to mind.), I was truly astounded in this article to at last find some support as to the basic tenor of the blog. I have some more studies and will continue next post.
Training: heading to the farm to ride 'em in the snow. We'll see how it goes.
"No bones About It: The Prevention of Catastrophic Bone Injuries In Racehorses".
This article notes that Dr. Antonio Cruz et. al. associated with Ontario Veterinary College, have just commenced a study at Woodbine where they will monitor equine leg bones under various exercise prescriptions to determine bone density changes and injury. This is astounding news. Never mind that it took 'em till the year 2008, but these people are actually trying to develop an in shed-row monitoring system to evaluate bone remodeling and bone injury. Some quotes from Dr. Cruz:
"The number one cause of poor performance and career-ending injury in race horses is catastrophic bone failure"
"It is known that up to 30 percent of racehorses entering training leave within three months" (and, i'd add my own musing that close to 100% receive some kind of injury the first three months they're in the conventional shed row.)
"The ultimate goal (of this) research is to reduce such catastropihc injuries. Cruz believes that if trainers can monitor the strength of horse's bones on a routine basis, monthly, e.g., that potential career ending injuries MIGHT BE LARGELY PREVENTED."
"Over the next two years Cruz et. al. will take the knowledge gained and evaluate the changing bones of 2 and 3 year old TBs on a monthly basis at Woodbine during racing season. Specifically the research will moniotor the cannon bones and joint health of these horses and WILL DETERMINE THEIR RESPONSE TO EXERCISE INTENSITY AND DETECT HOW THEY ADAPT TO IT."
Cruz foresees a battery of affordable stall-side tests being developed into routine practice in the shed row to screen for bone injury. While Cruz might be a little overly optimistic as to the practices of our training community (Lukas kicking Tom Ivers and his infrared thermography machine out of his shedrow comes to mind.), I was truly astounded in this article to at last find some support as to the basic tenor of the blog. I have some more studies and will continue next post.
Training: heading to the farm to ride 'em in the snow. We'll see how it goes.
posted by rather rapid at
1:49 PM
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