Developing the young foot
First published in European Trainer issue 58 - July - September 2017
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I remember my first yearling and two-year-old-in-training sales at Keeneland, Woodbine, and Tattersalls.To my untrained eye, and despite tracing backwards through the bloodlines, each and every horse appeared sound and fit, looking like a million bucks.
Although few horses ever actually sold for that amount, every inch of those young racehorse wannabes was gleaming from nose to toes. Even their feet were buffed and polished as perfectly as a pair of Usher’s coveted shoes.
Possibly because young horses for sale are primped and preened to the gills, few potential buyers actually ever pick their feet up to inspect them. Instead, buyers tend to focus on joints and throats, using the extensive repository to review joint radiographs (X-rays) and scoping prospects’ throats. “The horses in the September (yearling) sales are simply glamorous, including their feet. I would estimate that only 10% of buyers ever actually pick up at foot at those sales,” remarks Sam Christian, a Kentucky-based farrier servicing several top-level operations such as Shadwell Farm.
In general, the expectation appears to be that if the throat and joints are clear and the young horse appears straight, their feet must also be in good condition. While some horses may have hidden surprises once their party shoes are removed (indicating that some of those fancy feet are in fact simply mutton dressed as lamb), Mark Dewey, a highly sought-after racing farrier, attests this is not generally the case.
The benefits of salt
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First published in European Trainer issue 57 - April '17 - June '17
Diagnosis of laryngeal problems: hocus pocus or cutting edge science?
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First published in European Trainer issue 57 - April '17 - June '17
Acting up - the psychology of why horses can act up before a race
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First published in European Trainer issue 56 - January '17 - March '17
Gait and lameness analysis - the Singapore way
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First published in European Trainer issue 56 - January '17 - March '17
Condylar Fractures - how early detection can reduce raceday breakdowns
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First published in European Trainer issue 56 - January '17 - March '17
Testosterone and the thoroughbred - more than just about muscle
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First published in European Trainer issue 56 - January '17 - March '17
Merial performance horse seminar - Newbury & Newmarket 2016
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This article appeared in - European Trainer, Issue 55, October to December 2016
The spread of Equine Flu
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This article appeared in - European Trainer, Issue 55, October to December 2016
Dental infections - how do they affect the racehorse?
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This article appeared in - European Trainer, Issue 55, October to December 2016
Joint Injections - Which medications give the best results?
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Metabolomics - The key to understanding equine gut health
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The UK’s first Equine Flu Awareness Month (EFAM) set for April
The UK’s first Equine Flu Awareness Month (EFAM) is being launched in April with the aim of raising awareness, understanding and virus surveillance of this highly contagious evolving disease, say the organisers.
The Animal Health Trust (AHT) and Merial Animal Health have joined forces to create the initiative. The AHT’s head of epidemiology and disease surveillance, Dr Richard Newton, believes that the campaign is a significant step in the battle against equine flu: “The creation of Equine Flu Awareness Month is an important step forward for the equine industry.
“There have been 52 recorded outbreaks of equine influenza in the last two years, and whilst this may sound considerable, we believe it’s actually just the tip of the iceberg,” he says.
“An equine influenza surveillance scheme at the AHT provides ongoing free sampling to all practices registered to the service, funded by The Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB).
“We are fortunate that the HBLB invests in this important scheme which also benefits the industry as a whole. We know that approximately just 40% of the total UK herd is vaccinated, so when you consider that all racehorses and many other competing and performance horses are vaccinated under compulsory rules, that leaves the remainder of the herd even less protected and the total percentage well short of the 70% required in order to prevent an epidemic¹,²,” he adds.
“Many horses that don’t travel are still at risk of equine influenza, but frequently go unvaccinated. These animals are not only at risk of contracting and amplifying virus from their stable-mates that do travel, but are also at risk of airborne infection as equine flu is capable of travelling over a mile as an aerosol on the wind,” he concludes.
For more information on Equine Flu Awareness Month visit www.equinefluawareness.com
References
1. Baker D. Equine Vet J 1986;18(2):93–96.
2. Merial Proactive Insight benchmarking 2015.
About Merial
Merial is a world-leading, innovation-driven animal health company, providing a comprehensive range of products to enhance the health, well-being and performance of a wide range of animals. Merial employs 6,200 people and operates in more than 150 countries worldwide with close to €2 billion of sales. Merial is a Sanofi company. www.merial.com
Exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage – a progressive disease affecting performance?
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