How do you maximise Equine health and performance?

QUANTIFY TRAINING WORKLOAD In association with Arioneo

One of the primary goals of any trainer is to establish a suitably high workload to develop the desired qualities, while controlling the amount of exhaustion caused by the training. Indeed, an excessive amount of fatigue might lead to the threshold associated with injury. Therefore, measuring a horse's training helps to develop competitiveness while respecting the physical and mental integrity of the horse.

How to adapt an untrained racehorse’s training?

An undertrained horse has never been trained with a workload for what is required during a race as their body would be unable to keep up with the effort. To detect an under-trained horse, the analysis of physiological parameters coupled with the analysis of sports parameters provides a good key to analysis. Indeed, a horse for which exercise has been easy will not reach its maximum heart rate (HR) and its HR curve will drop immediately after the rider stops exercising.

CONCRETE EXAMPLE

In the following example, Monsieur Arion is a Group horse that arrived in October 2020 at his new trainer’s stable. As an Equimetre user, he was able to track Monsieur Arion’s training from the minute he arrived to begin developing his database.

After winning many races, Monsieur Arion’s trainer discovered that his blood results were low after a race. As a result, training was put on hold for a while.

Monsieur Arion continued training after his recovery, but he never achieved the fitness he had before to his racing success.

Here we can see the decrease in fitness level.

Indeed, based on the statistics shown above, Monsieur Arion’s recovery ability has worsened slightly for a same degree of training: his heart rate after exercise is 166 BPM, up from 114 BPM when he came in October. This is also true for his recovery 5 minutes after the effort ends.

 The trainer was also able to evaluate the differing fitness data. By interviewing Monsieur Arion’s previous trainer, he was able to confirm that his training intensity had decreased because of their different training approaches. He decided to increase the training workload by increasing the distance and intensity.

We can see on the data below that thanks to this training individualisation, Monsieur Arion’s fitness has improved: heart rate 5mins after the effort has decreased.

Here we can see the fitness improvement, with better recovery parameters.

With this method, Monsieur Arion’s fitness improved, and it led to another GR 1 victory.  

About Equimetre – Racehorse Monitoring system

Developed specifically for racing professionals, the sensor and the analysis platform allow trainers to collect and analyze their horses’ data simply and quickly.

The X Factor - Growth spurts in young horses: What can we learn from 'human' research into growth and maturation in sport and exercise?

By Alysen Miller

Ask anyone to list five famous Belgians, and odds are that Kevin De Bruyne’s name will make an appearance. The Manchester City midfielder is widely regarded as one of the best footballers of his generation. Yet you might not have heard of him at all were it not for an innovative talent development scheme in his home country that could influence the way we select, train and manage racehorses.

Traditionally young footballers, like racehorses, are grouped age. By contrast, bio banding is the process of grouping athletes on the basis of attributes associated with growth and maturation, rather than chronological age. “Whether you mature earlier or later has quite a lot of bearing in sport, where greater speed, strength or power can be important,” explains Professor Sean Cumming, an affable Orkney Islander based at the University of Bath who studies growth and maturation. “When you look at children in sport, we group them by age for competition and for training. And while age groups are great in so far as it allows you to match kids of similar cognitive development, motor skills and experience, the challenge is that kids can vary hugely in terms of their biological maturity.” Although the effect of this ‘maturity bias’ doesn’t kick in until pubertal onset at around 11 or 12 years of age, the variance in biological maturity can already be anything up to five or six years by that point.

The concept that relative age can play a determinative role in future sporting success is not new. It explains why broodmares are covered in spring to produce foals in February and March. A winter-born colt running in the Derby in early June of its three-year-old year may be up to 10% of its life older than a spring-born animal—an unquestionable advantage. Or is it?

Indeed, it’s not only in horse racing where the orthodoxy around the so-called ‘relative age effect’ holds sway. In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell notes that a disproportionate number of elite Canadian hockey players are born in the earlier months of the calendar year. 

The reason, he posits, is that since youth hockey leagues determine eligibility by calendar year, children born in January are pitted against those born in December. Because the earlier-born children are likely to be larger than those born later (at least until somatic factors kick in), they are often identified as better athletes. 

This, in turn, gives them more exposure to better coaching, and the gap between the two groups widens. Sociologist Robert K. Merton has dubbed this the ‘Matthew Effect’ after a verse in the Gospel of Matthew: "For unto everyone that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance. But from him, that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.”

But, cautions Professor Cumming, this only tells part of the story: “What even a lot of the academics get wrong is that relative age and maturity are not one and the same. In fact, our data shows that only about 8% of the relative age effect in academy football can be explained by physical maturity. It’s quite possible to be the oldest kid in the age group but also the least mature, or the youngest kid in the age group but also the most mature.” 

The focus on relative size and strength alone, in other words, can create a bandwagon effect. “If you’re looking to identify and develop the most talented young athletes, then it’s going to cloud your vision. It’s going to make some kids look fantastic and some kids look quite poor.” Perhaps tellingly, the last January-born Derby winner, Pour Moi, came in 2008. The youngest winner of the last 10 years, Anthony Van Dyck, was born in mid-May.

Machester City and Belgium superstar midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is the Royal Belgian Football Association’s Programme of the Futures’ most famous graduate

Enter De Bruyne. The Royal Belgian Football Association’s Programme of the Futures, as it is known, allows late-developing players to hone their skills by playing mostly friendly matches against teams of the same physical maturity level, irrespective of age. De Bruyne is the scheme’s most famous graduate. Other members of the late-developer club include Dries Mertens, Thomas Meunier and Yannick Carrasco. By deliberately creating a climate in which late-maturing players get a second bite at the cherry, a country with a population of just 11 million has become a global footballing superpower. Unsurprisingly, other nations are starting to catch on, and several similar programmes have sprung up across the UK and Europe.

Every professional football club has a story about the one who got away—the player that was cut from their programme for being too physically small, from Jamie Vardy (released by Sheffield Wednesday at 15) to Harry Kane (the now 6’2” striker was released by Arsenal at the age of nine). But the consequences are more far-reaching than just missing out on the next footballer superstar. There is compelling evidence to suggest that tailoring the training load to the stage of the athlete’s biological maturity can reduce injuries. The amount of time spent off through injury during an athlete’s formative years is thought to be one of the single biggest factors that determines future professional success. 

Since overuse injuries and stress fractures all peak when the athlete is going through their pubertal growth spurt, it is important to identify when an athlete is entering this phase and adjust the load accordingly. As Professor Cumming explains, “Because we know the growth spurt typically takes off at around 85-86% [of the athlete’s predicted adult height] and peaks at around 90-91%, as soon as they move into that phase we can change the training prescription to more developmentally focused stuff—coordination, balance, core strength—all things that are going to help the child transition to a phase when their body is changing rapidly, when they’re more at risk of certain types of injuries.” Early evidence from clubs using the method has pointed to a 72% reduction in injuries.

Daniel & Claire Kubler have been bio-banding their horses using knee x-rays, among other metrics, to determine when to increase a horse’s workload

And it’s not just football clubs that are starting to understand the benefits of bio-banding. Daniel and Claire Kübler have been bio-banding their horses using knee x-rays, among other metrics, to determine when to increase a horse’s workload. “We back most of our own horses and train them away to where they can canter relatively comfortably at a normal speed,” says Daniel. “Once a horse can canter away, that’s when we go in and do that first set of x-rays.” The horses are given a grade based on the degree of fusion in the growth plates in the knee, with A being an open growth plate, B being partially closed and C being a closed growth plate. “Those really open ‘A’ horses, you might say, ‘OK, there’s no point—give it a break,’” says Daniel. The C’s, likewise, tend to be easy cases. “It’s really the B horses that are the interesting ones, where you have to make a bit more of a decision,” says Daniel. “What we don’t want to be doing is increasing the workload on a horse that’s relatively immature.”

Although the growth rate in horses varies somewhat by breed, most horses do not reach full physical maturity until around six years of age, with larger breeds like draft horses still growing until eight years of age. A two-year-old horse is an adolescent; it has reached approximately 97% of its mature height by 22 months but critically, its bones will not fully fuse for another four years. 

@Equine partnership - equinepartnership.ie

Like humans, horses grow distal to proximal—that is, from the feet up—with the pasterns developing first, fusing at around six months, followed by the cannons at around the one-year mark. The pelvis and spine fuse last. It is during the horse’s two-year-old year that the major leg bones—the radius, ulna and tibia—will fuse. It is therefore important to understand when a horse is entering its growth spurt and tailor its regime accordingly. “It’s about injury reduction,” argues Daniel. “Young athletes are highly susceptible to injury, and by recognising and identifying the growth spurt, you’re massively reducing the injury rate by adapting the training load.”

“The knees are the most delicate bit,” he goes on. “That’s where most of your injuries occur that can cause problems down the line. When you’ve got one with poor grading on its knees, it’s being pre-emptive in your training,” he continues. “You would train that horse a bit more conservatively and not push it quite as hard. You might spend more time on an incline gallop, or you might introduce swimming into the horse’s routine so that you’re putting a bit less concussion through those joints. And hopefully you’re getting the benefit down the line, because they haven’t been pushed too hard, too young.”

Joint licence-holders Daniel and Claire have long advocated for the role of science in training racehorses. “We’re not scared of it,” says Claire, who holds a degree in physiology from Cambridge University. “Having the additional awareness of it gives you a greater understanding,” she asserts. Coming from a non-racing background, meanwhile, has allowed Daniel to approach training with something of a fresh perspective: “It’s the critical questioning. A lot of things in racing are done because that’s the way they’ve always been done, and you can work backwards and find that the reason they work is because, scientifically, it stacks up. But there’s other things where you actually go and look at the science, and it doesn’t make any sense to do that.”

“I love reading about human sports science and listening to podcasts to get ideas,” he explains. “Essentially we’re all mammals, and although there are some differences, there are also a lot of similarities.”

Following the science has not only allowed the Küblers to produce happy, healthy horses—“I’d like to say our horses are very sound and durable,” notes Claire—it has helped them manage owners’ expectations. “Owners enjoy the insights and better understanding themselves as to how the horses progress and develop,” she says.

Feedback from work riders is just as important as the science and can provide and can provide as much insight into the horse’s state of growth as an x-ray

“As a trainer, sometimes you can look at a horse and you can see it’s backwards and it needs time,” says Daniel. “What’s helpful about having the knee x-rays is that it’s a very visible thing to show to someone who doesn’t necessarily understand horses particularly well or isn’t used to them. It’s a simple way to say, ‘Your horse is immature.’ That’s a helpful tool as a trainer in terms of being able to communicate very clearly with your owners.” Posting regularly on social media, meanwhile, has attracted interest from outside the sport—including from Professor Cumming himself, who reached out to Daniel through Twitter. 

The science is certainly compelling. But, emphasises Daniel, you cannot rely on data alone. “You can’t solve the challenge of training racehorses purely with numbers in the same way that I don’t think you can solve it purely just by looking anymore, because you’re not looking at bits of information. It’s an example of using a scientific, data-driven, analytical approach to enhance the welfare and time the horse’s development in the right way for that individual,” he says.

“The numbers don’t lie, but still you need the horsemanship,” agrees Claire. Feedback from the work riders, she says, can provide as much insight into a horse’s state of growth as an x-ray. “They can pick up on the horse, whether it’s still maturing and doesn’t quite mentally understand what it’s doing. Then you can come up with ideas together as a team,” she says.

In a climate where racing, and equestrian sport in general, is the subject of increasing scrutiny—both from outside the sport and from within—t is submitted that any sports science techniques that can deliver tangible welfare benefits to the horse should be embraced.

“At the end of the day, they have to go out and race, and they all have to be sound enough to do that,” says Daniel. 

“You’re always trying to find ways to help get an edge on the track—to get more winners,” agrees Claire. “But you also just want to do the best for the horse so you’re getting a sound horse to achieve its optimum best.”

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How to adapt the race distance to win

In association with Arioneo

How often have you heard that a horse is bred to race a certain distance? That may be accurate, but sometimes stride length and frequency data say otherwise. Some research shows the interest in modelling a horse’s race distance using locomotion data. Thus, we could theoretically use the measurement of a horse’s stride frequency to determine his ideal distance.

Although it may not appear to be a big deal, extending 100 or 200m to the regular race distance might help a horse’s season in specific circumstances.

Madame Arionea’s story – Concrete example

·        4yo filly that we will call Madame Arionea

·        During her 2yo season, she raced over 1100m (5.5f) and ran well

·        During her 3yo season, she didn’t show any progress even though she showed good fitness abilities during training

Why did this promising mare fail to advance in her three-year-old season over 1100m (5.5f) while demonstrating strong physical ability in training?

1.      Assessing her fitness

To begin analysing Madame Arionea’s underperformance, we will review her cardiac data from her three-year season.

We can evaluate Madame Arionea’s recovery and thus quantify her fitness level by studying the evolution of heart rate and speed at the same time. If it is insufficient, this may explain her poor performances.

Heart rate and speed curves from the Equimetre platform

Madame Arionea recovers rather effectively after her effort, as seen by a fall in the heart rate curve at the same time as the decrease in the speed curve.

Analytics - Equimetre platform

The data in this table shows the various exercises performed at speeds greater than 60km/h. This enables us to assess recovery capability and its progression following a high-intensity activity.

The data provided above allow us to confirm that Madame Arionea is in excellent physical condition.

Indeed, her recovery ability is classified as normal both immediately after the activity and 15 minutes afterwards.

About Equimetre – Racehorse Monitoring system

2.     A better understanding of the stride profile

Following this discovery, another type of data should be investigated: locomotion. Stride length and stride frequency analysis has been suggested as a technique for modelling a racehorse’s preferred distance. Thus, by quantifying a horse’s stride frequency, one may possibly determine the race distance over which he performs best.

Good to know

·        According to the theory, a large stride length paired with a less remarkable stride frequency correlates to a miler or stayer stride profile. A profile that combines a very high stride frequency with a less spectacular stride length, on the other hand, belongs to a sprinter.

·        It is important to remember that horses are living beings and high-level athletes, and that these principles on the pair stride length/frequency pair do not represent a precise science but provide valuable references.

To assess Madame Arionea’s stride abilities, we shall examine her stride frequency and length at a speed of 60 km/h rather than at top speed. This enables us to make appropriate comparisons between training sessions and investigate this parameter under the same settings.

From the above data, we can define Madame Arionea’s stride profile.

Because her stride frequency does not enable her to compete with horses with the profile of a Sprinter, this mare would be better comfortable at a distance slightly longer than 1100m (5.5f).

3.      Madame Arionea’s acceleration strategy

Let’s have a look at Madame Arionea’s acceleration strategy to round up this examination. This involves measuring her change in stride length and stride frequency during the training’s acceleration phase. This technique enables us to objectively assess Madame Arionea’s acceleration.

Madame Arionea reaches her maximum speed by increasing of her stride length (green curve) first. What does this tell us? Her acceleration time will be longer, but this will allow her to save her energy since the heart rate is based on the horse's stride rhythm. In a longer stride, she breathes longer, and inhales a greater volume of air.  Thus, the race distance chosen should allow Madame Arionea to take the time necessary to reach her maximum speed during the final sprint.

WHAT DECISION DID THE TRAINERS MAKE REGARDING THIS ANALYSIS?

Given Madame Arionea’s positive 2-year-old season over 1100m and her locomotion data, the trainers decided to progressively increase her racing distance and attempt her over 1300 / 1400m (6.5f / 7f).

Madame Arionea was not monitored throughout her two-year-old season, but we can make the following assumptions. The mare’s locomotion changed once she gained strength and endurance. Her stride length grew while her stride frequency decreased. As a result, for her to perform successfully, her racing distance needed to be increased to provide her time to accelerate.

Madame Arionea won her first race over 1300m (6.5 f), and never race again under 1300m. 

The gait of a horse can change as he ages. For example, even if a horse had a good sprint season as a two-year-old, his locomotion evolution must be quantified. You may check that the distance chosen for future races is adequate for his locomotor profile this manner.

Remembering Sunday Silence and his lasting global influence

By Nancy Sexton 

For over a quarter of a century, there has been an air of inevitability within Japanese racing circles. Sunday Silence dominated the sire standings in Japan for 13 straight years, from 1995 to 2007—his last championship arriving five years after his death. He was a true game changer for the Japanese industry, not only as a brilliant source of elite talent but as a key to the development of Japan as a respected racing nation. Any idea that his influence would abate in the years following his death was swiftly quashed by an array of successful sire sons and productive daughters. In his place, Deep Impact rose to become a titan of the domestic industry. Others such as Heart’s Cry, Stay Gold, Agnes Tachyon, Gold Allure and Daiwa Major also became significant sires in their own right. Added to that, Sunday Silence is also a multiple-champion broodmare sire and credited as the damsire of 203 stakes winners and 18 champions. “Thoroughbreds can be bought or sold,” says Teruya Yoshida of Shadai Farm, which bought Sunday Silence out of America in late 1990 and cultivated him into a global force. “As Nasrullah sired Bold Ruler, who changed the world’s breeding capital from Europe to the U.S., one stallion can change the world. Sunday Silence is exactly such a stallion for the Japanese thoroughbred industry.”

Sunday Silence ant Pat Valenzuela winning the 1989 Kentucky Derby

Sunday Silence has been dead close to 20 years, yet the Japanese sires’ table remains an ode to his influence. In 2021, Deep Impact landed his tenth straight sires’ championship with Heart’s Cry and Deep Impact’s rising son Kizuna in third and fourth. Six of the top 11 finishers were sons or grandsons of Sunday Silence. Deep Impact was also once again the year’s top sire of two- and three-year-olds. Against that, it is estimated that up to approximately 70% of the Japanese broodmare population possess Sunday Silence in their background. All the while, his influence remains on an upswing worldwide, notably via the respect held for Deep Impact. A horse who ably built on the international momentum set by Sunday Silence, his sons at stud today range from the European Classic winners Study Of Man and Saxon Warrior—who are based in Britain and Ireland—to a deep domestic bench headed by the proven Gp 1 sires Kizuna and Real Impact alongside Shadai’s exciting new recruit Contrail. In short, the thoroughbred owes a lot to Sunday Silence.

Inauspicious beginnings

Roll back to 1988, however, and the mere idea of Sunday Silence as one of the great fathers of the breed would have been laughable. For starters, he almost died twice before he had even entered training. The colt was bred by Oak Cliff Thoroughbreds Ltd in Kentucky with appealing credentials as a son of Halo, then in his early seasons at Arthur Hancock’s Stone Farm. Halo had shifted to Kentucky in 1984 as a middle-aged stallion with a colourful existence already behind him. By Hail To Reason and closely related to Northern Dancer, Halo had been trained by Mack Miller to win the 1974 Gr 1 United Nations Handicap.

It was those bloodlines and latent talent that prompted film producer Irving Allen to offer owner Charles Englehard a bid of $600,000 for the horse midway through his career. Allen’s idea was to install Halo in England at his Derisley Wood Stud in Newmarket; and his bid was accepted only for it to be revealed that his new acquisition was a crib-biter. As such, the deal fell through, and Halo was returned to training, with that Gr 1 triumph as due reward.

Queen Elizabeth II meets Halo

Would Halo have thrived in England? It’s an interesting question. As it was, he retired to E. P. Taylor Windfields Farm in Maryland,  threw champion Glorious Song in his first crop, Kentucky Derby winner Sunny’s Halo in his third and Devil’s Bag—a brilliant two-year-old of 1983—in his fourth. Devil’s Bag’s exploits were instrumental in Halo ending the year as North America’s champion sire. Within months, the stallion was ensconced at Stone Farm, having been sold in a deal that reportedly valued the 15-year-old at $36 million. Chief among the new ownership was Texas oilman Tom Tatham of Oak Cliff Thoroughbreds. In 1985, Tatham sent the hard-knocking Wishing Well, a Gr2-winning daughter of Understanding, to the stallion. The result was a near black colt born at Stone Farm on March 26, 1986.

It is part of racing’s folklore how Sunday Silence failed to capture the imagination as a young horse—something that is today vividly recalled by Hancock.

“My first recollection of him was as a young foal,” he recalls. “He was grey back then—he would later turn black. 

“I was driving through the farm, and I looked into one of the fields and saw this grey colt running. The others were either nursing or sleeping, but there was this colt running and jumping through the mares. 

"We had a number of foals on the place at the time, and I wasn’t sure which one it was, so I rang Chester Williams, our broodmare manager. I said, ‘Hey Chester, who is this grey foal in 17?’ And he told me it was the Wishing Well colt. He was flying—he would turn at 45 degree angles and cut in and out of the mares. And I remember thinking even then, ‘Well, he can sure fly.’

“Then on Thanksgiving Day later that year, he got this serious diarrhea. We had about 70 foals on the farm, and he was the only one that got it; we had no idea where he got it from. Anyway, it was very bad. I called our vet, Carl Morrison, and between 9 a.m. and midday, we must have given him 23 litres of fluids. 

“We really thought he was going to die, but Sunday Silence just wouldn’t give up. Obviously it set him back some; he was ribby for a few weeks. But I have never seen anything like it in a foal during 50 years at Stone Farm, and at Claiborne before then; and I remember thinking then that it was a spooky thing for him to get it and then to fight through it the way he did.”

Arthur Hancock

As Hancock outlines, Sunday Silence was very much Halo’s son—not just as a black colt with a thin white facial strip but as a tough animal with a streak of fire. Halo had arrived from Maryland with a muzzle and a warning. Confident that a muzzle was an overreaction, Stone Farm’s stallion men worked initially without it, albeit against Hancock’s advice. It wasn’t long until the muzzle went back on. Not long after his arrival, Halo ‘grabbed the stallion man Randy Mitchell in the stomach and threw him in the air like a rag doll.’

“Halo then got on his knees on top of Randy,” recalls Hancock, “and began munching on his stomach. Virgil Jones, who was with Randy, starts yelling at Halo and hitting him with his fist. Halo let go, and they managed to get him off. “After that, the muzzle stayed on.”

Sunday Silence possessed a similar toughness. Indeed, that mental hardiness is a trait that continues to manifest itself in the line today, although not quite to the danger level of Halo.

“Sunday Silence had a lot of guts and courage, even then,” remembers Hancock. “I remember being down at the yearling barn before the sale and hearing this yell. It was from one of the yearling guys, Harvey. Sunday Silence had bitten him in the back—I’d never had a yearling do it before then and haven’t had one since.”

He adds: “When he came back here after his racing days, we had a photographer come to take some shots of him. Sunday Silence was in his paddock, and we were trying to get him to raise his head. I went in there and shook a branch to get his attention. Well, he looked up, bared his teeth and started to come after me—he was moving at me, head down like a cat. And I said, ‘No you’re ok there boy; you just continue to graze’ and let him be.

“He was Halo’s son, that’s for sure, because Wishing Well was a nice mare. Sunday Silence had a mind of his own, even as a yearling. I remember we couldn’t get him to walk well at the sales because he’d pull back against the bit all the time.”

It was that mental toughness and the memory of Sunday Silence flying through the fields as a young foal that remained with Hancock when the colt headed to the Keeneland July Sale. Then an individual with suspect hocks—a trait that still sometimes manifests itself in his descendants today—he was bought back on a bid of $17,000.

Staci and Arthur Hancock

“I thought he’d bring between $30,000 and $50,000,” he says. “So when it was sitting at $10,000, I started bidding and bought him back at $17,000. I took the ticket to Tom Tatham out the back of the pavilion and said, ‘Here, Tom, he was too cheap; I bought him back.’ And Tom said, ‘But Ted Keefer [Oak Cliff advisor] didn’t like him, and we don’t want him.’ 

“I remember we had another one that was about to sell, so I just said, ‘Ok Tom,’ put the ticket in my shirt pocket, walked away and thought, ‘Well, I just blew another $17,000.’ 

Another scrape with death

Hancock then tried his luck at the two-year-old sales in partnership with Paul Sullivan. The colt was sent to Albert Yank in California and catalogued to the Californian March Two-Year-Old Sale at Hollywood Park, again failed to sell—this time falling to World Wide Bloodstock (aka Hancock)—on a bid of $32,000, well below his owner’s valuation of $50,000.

“I told Paul and he said, ‘Well, I’ll take my $16,000 then,’” recalls Hancock.

So the colt was loaded up for a return trip to Kentucky. Then more ill-luck intervened. The driver suffered a fatal heart attack while on a north Texas highway, and the van crashed, killing several of its load. Sunday Silence survived but was injured.

“Sunday Silence was in the vets for about a week,” says Hancock. “He could hardly walk, and then Carl Morrison rings me and says, ‘Arthur, I think he’s a wobbler.’ I said, ‘What are you going to do?’ He said that all he could do was leave him in a paddock and see what happened. 

“So he left him out there, and about a week later, he rings me and says, ‘You need to come to barn 16 and see this Wishing Well colt.’ It was unbelievable. I went down there, and there he was, ripping and running around just like he was a foal. It was a miracle—a spooky thing.”

Therefore Sunday Silence had already lived a pretty full life by the time he joined Charlie Whittingham in California. A true master of his profession, Whittingham handled over 250 stakes winners during his 49 years as a trainer, among them such champions as Ack Ack, Ferdinand and Cougar alongside the European imports Dahlia and Exceller. Appropriately, Cougar would go on to stand at Stone Farm, where he sired Hancock’s 1982 Kentucky Derby winner Gato Del Sol.

“Charlie Whittingham had seen Sunday Silence in California and rang me to ask about him,” says Hancock. “I told him I’d sell him half to $25,000. And he said, ‘But you bought him back for $32,000.’ Well the year before, we’d had Risen Star [subsequent winner of the Preakness and Belmont Stakes] go through Keeneland for $250,000. Charlie had asked about taking half of him, but we had wanted $300,000, so said, ‘Sure you can buy half for $150,000.’ And he had declined. 

“I reminded him of that, and he chuckled and said, ‘Well, I’d better take it this time.’”

He adds: “Charlie was a brilliant horseman with a lot of experience. He was very smart. He had a sixth sense about horses. And he had great patience, like those great trainers do. Without Charlie, I don’t think Sunday Silence would have reached the level that he did. He just took his time with him.” 

Whittingham paid Hancock $25,000 for a half share in the colt and later sold half of that share to a friend, surgeon Ernest Galliard. Within no time, that looked like a good bit of business. 

It is a fine reflection of the trainer and his staff, in particular work rider Pam Mabes, that Sunday Silence’s temperament was successfully honed. In Jay Hovdey’s biography of the trainer, the colt is likened to ‘Al Capone singing with the Vienna Boys Choir’—his morning exercise routinely punctuated by bad behaviour.

“They’d take him out every day before dawn,” recalls Hancock. “I remember he had a thing about grey lead horses. Every time he saw one, he’d just go after it. 

“Charlie called me one morning—4 a.m. his time; he’d always get to the barn at 4 a.m. I answered, thinking, What’s he doing calling me at this time? I said, ‘Hey Charlie, what you doing?’ He said, ‘Just waiting on the help.’ I knew he had something on his mind. Then he said, ‘You know what, this big black son of a bitch can run a little’—Charlie was a master of the understatement.’” 

Brought along steadily by Whittingham, Sunday Silence romped to a 10-length win second time out at Hollywood Park in November 1988. And after running second in an allowance race, he returned at three to win his first two races: an allowance and the San Felipe Handicap.

While he was emerging as a potential Classic candidate on the West Coast, Ogden Phipps’ homebred Easy Goer was laying down the gauntlet in New York. A handsome red son of Alydar with regal Phipps bloodlines trained by Shug McGaughey, Easy Goer was evoking comparisons with Secretariat, capturing the Gr1 Cowdin and Champagne Stakes at two before running out the 13-length winner of the Gotham Stakes in a record time early on at three. To many observers, he appealed as the likely winner of the Kentucky Derby, if not the Triple Crown. Indeed, theirs would become an east-west rivalry that would enthral racegoers during the 1989 season.

The pair met for the first time in the Kentucky Derby. Sunday Silence, partnered by Pat Valenzuela, was fresh off an 11-length win in the Santa Anita Derby. Easy Goer, though, had won the Wood Memorial in impressive style and was therefore the crowd’s choice. Yet on a muddy track, Sunday Silence had the upper hand, winning with authority over an uncomfortable Easy Goer in second.

“Of all his races, the Kentucky Derby stands out,” says Hancock. “We’d been fortunate enough to win it with Gato Del Sol, and I’m a Kentuckian; so to win it again meant a lot. “It was an extremely cold day, it was spitting snow, and Sunday Silence was weaving all the way down the stretch. Yet he still won.” 

With many feeling that the track had not played to Easy Goer’s strengths, he was fancied to turn the tables in the Preakness Stakes. However, once again, Sunday Silence emerged as the superior, albeit following an iconic, eye-balling stretch duel. Easy Goer did gain his revenge in the Belmont Stakes, making the most of the 1m4f distance and Belmont Park’s sweeping turns to win by eight lengths. The Triple Crown was gone, but Sunday Silence would later turn the tables in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, where his ability to deploy tactical speed at a crucial moment turned out to be a winning move against his longer-striding rival.

Charlie Whittingham and wife Peggy with jockey Pat Valenzuela after winning the 1989 Preakness Stakes

“The Breeders’ Cup just sealed everything—champion three-year-old and Horse of the Year,” says Hancock. “It was the great showdown. Chris McCarron was able to use him at just the right time and Easy Goer, with that long stride of his, was closing. It was a great race.” Crowned Horse of the Year, Sunday Silence underwent arthroscopic knee surgery which delayed his four-year-old return to June, when he won the Californian Stakes. A head second to Criminal Type in the Hollywood Gold Cup next time out brought the curtain down on a spectacular career.

No takers

Sunday Silence in the paddock at Belmont Park

Plans called for Sunday Silence to join his sire Halo at Stone Farm. A wonderful racehorse who danced every dance, there were grounds for thinking that Sunday Silence would be an asset to the Kentucky bloodstock landscape. But breeding racehorses even then also adhered to commercial restrictions, and as a cheap yearling with suspect hocks and an underwhelming female line, he did little to spark interest. This was in contrast to Easy Goer, who retired to much fanfare at Claiborne Farm.

“We tried to syndicate him and called people everywhere—Kentucky, England, France, and the answer was always the same,” says Hancock. “It became apparent very quickly that people wouldn’t use him.

“It was spread around the industry that he was a fluke, another Seabiscuit or Citation who could run but that would be no good at stud. It was said that he was crooked, which he wasn’t, and that he was sickle-hocked, which he was as a young horse but grew out of. He was an ugly duckling that grew into a swan.

“We had three people on the books to take shares and two that would send mares. Then I spoke to my brother Seth at Claiborne, and he had 40 contracts to send out for Easy Goer. 

“At the same time, [U.S. President] Ronald Reagan changed the tax laws, and land became worth a lot less, as did shares in horses.”

The Yoshidas had already bought into the horse and suddenly, Hancock was left with little choice.

“At the same time, I got a call from a representative of Teruya Yoshida saying that Shadai would be interested in buying the whole horse,” he says. “They were offering $250,000 per share. I talked to a number of people about it—Bill Young at Overbrook Farm, Warner Jones; and they all said the same thing: that it was a no-brainer to sell. 

“At the end of the day, I had two contracts and three shares sold. I owed money. I had to sell.

“The day he left, I loaded him up myself; and I don’t mind admitting that when that van went down the drive, I cried.”

He adds: “Basically, the Japanese outsmarted everybody.” 

An immediate success

Out of a first crop of 67 foals, Sunday Silence sired 53 winners. A total of 22 of 36 starters won at two, led by champion two-year-old Fuji Kiseki, whose success in the Gr1 Asahi Hai Futurity set the scene for events to come. A tendon injury restricted Fuji Kiseki to just one further start when successful in a Gr2 the following year. Yet that failed to stop the Sunday Silence juggernaut. 

Genuine and Tayasu Tsuyoshi ran first and second in the Japanese 2,000 Guineas and later dominated the Japanese Derby, with Tayasu Tsuyoshi turning the tables. Dance Partner also landed the Japanese Oaks. As such, Sunday Silence ended 1997 as Japan’s champion sire despite the presence of only two crops.

That first crop would also come to include Marvelous Sunday, who led home a one-two for his sire in the 1997 Gp 1 Takarazuka Kinen. In no time at all, Sunday Silence had sealed his place as a successor to earlier Shadai heavyweight Northern Taste.

“I believe Sunday Silence was a stallion that possessed the potential to be very successful anywhere in the world,” reflects Teruya Yoshida. “We were just lucky to be able to introduce him to Japan as a stallion. 

“He changed the Japanese breeding industry completely, especially as he sired successful sons as race horses and stallions. Those sons have again sired successful grandsons.

“It is extraordinary that one stallion continued to produce good quality stallions over three generations. Today, it is said that approximately 60-70% of the Japanese broodmares have Sunday Silence in their female lines.”

Another top two-year-old, Bubble Gum Fellow, emerged from his second crop alongside a second 2,000 Guineas winner in Ishino Sunday and St Leger hero Dance In The Dark. Stay Gold, Sunday Silence’s first real international performer of note by virtue of his wins in the Hong Kong Vase and Dubai Sheema Classic, followed in his third while another Japanese Derby winner followed in his fourth in Special Week, also successful in the Japan Cup.

And so it continued. In all, his stud career came to consist of six Japanese Derby winners (Tayasu Tsuyoshi, Special Week, Admire Vega, Agnes Flight, Neo Universe and Deep Impact), seven 2,000 Guineas winners (Genuine, Ishino Sunday, Air Shakur, Agnes Tachyon, Neo Universe, Daiwa Major and Deep Impact), four St Leger winners (Dance In The Dark, Air Shakur, Manhattan Cafe and Deep Impact) and three 1,000 Guineas winners (Cherry Grace, Still In Love and Dance In The Mood). While a number of those good Sunday Silence runners became fan favourites, there’s no doubt that the best arrived posthumously in the champion Deep Impact. A member of his penultimate crop and out of the Epsom Oaks runner-up Wind In Her Hair, Deep Impact swept the 2005 Japanese Triple Crown and another four Gp 1 races, including the Japan Cup and Arima Kinen, at four. One of Japan’s most popular horses in history, he also ran third in the 2007 Arc.

Fittingly, Deep Impact was also quick to fill the void left at Shadai by his sire’s death from laminitis in 2002.

International acclaim 

The Japanese bloodstock industry during the mid-1990s was still relatively isolated from the rest of the world, better known certainly in Europe as the destination for a slew of Epsom Derby winners. Sunday Silence would change all that.

As word of his dominance at stud grew, so did international interest. Teruya Yoshida was swift to capitalise. In 1998, he sent his homebred Sunday Silence filly, Sunday Picnic, to be trained in Chantilly by André Fabre. It was a successful endeavour as the filly won the Prix Cleopatre and ran fourth to Ramruma in the Oaks. By that stage, Shadai had also entered into a partnership with John Messara of Arrowfield Stud with the principal idea of breeding mares to Sunday Silence on southern hemisphere time. Again, the move proved to be a success. Out of a limited pool of Australian-bred runners, Sunday Silence threw the 2003 AJC Oaks heroine Sunday Joy, who would go on to produce eight-time Gp 1 winner More Joyous and Listed winner Keep The Faith, subsequently a Gp 1 sire.

Sheikh Mohammed also joined the fray, notably by sending a relation to Miesque, the Woodman mare Wood Vine, to Sunday Silence in 1998. The resulting foal, the Irish-bred Silent Honor, was trained by David Loder to win the 2001 Cherry Hinton Stakes at Newmarket. Silent Honor was the opening chapter of a successful association for the Sheikh with Sunday Silence that also came to include Godolphin’s 1,000 Guineas runner-up Sundrop, a JRHA Select Foal Sale purchase, and homebred Gp 3 winner Layman. Layman was foaled in the same 2002 crop as the Wertheimer’s high-class miler Silent Name. Initially trained in France by Criquette Head-Maarek, Silent Name was a dual Listed winner before heading to the U.S., where he won the Gr 2 Commonwealth Breeders’ Cup for Gary Mandella. Similarly, patronage of Sunday Silence also reaped rewards for the Niarchos family as the sire of their influential producer Sun Is Up, subsequently the dam of their top miler Karakontie. At the same time, several Japanese-trained horses were advertising the stallion to good effect on a global scale, notably Zenno Rob Roy, who ran a close second in the 2005 Juddmonte International, and Heart’s Cry, who was third in the King George a year later.

Sunday Silence at Shadai Stallion Station, Japan

Sire of sires

Meanwhile, it was becoming very apparent just how effective Sunday Silence was becoming as a sire of sires. Shadai was initially home to plenty of them, including the short-lived Agnes Tachyon, who left behind a real star in champion Daiwa Scarlet, and Fuji Kiseki, the sire of champions Kinshasa No Kiseki and Sun Classique. Stay Gold’s successful stud career was led by the household names Orfevre, who ran placed in two Arcs and is now a proven Gp 1 stallion for Shadai, and Gold Ship. Japan Dirt Derby winner Gold Allure became a leading dirt sire—his record led by champions Copano Rickey, Espoir City and Gold Dream. Manhattan Café is the sire of five Gp 1 winners. As for Special Week, he sired champion Buena Vista and Gr 1 winner Cesario, now regarded as something of a blue hen. 

Those sons still in production are entering the twilight years of their stud career. The death of Deep Impact in July 2019 robbed Japan of its international heavyweight stallion. Similarly, the announcement that fellow Shadai stallion Heart’s Cry would be retired ahead of the 2021 season removed a very able substitute. Often in the shadow of Deep Impact, Heart’s Cry evolved into an exceptional sire for whom an international profile consisted of the British Gp 1 winner Deirdre, American Gr 1 winner Yoshida and Japanese champion Lys Gracieux, the 2019 Cox Plate heroine. 

However, another Shadai stallion, Daiwa Major, remains in service at the age of 21. Well regarded as a fine source of two-year-olds and milers, he earned international recognition in 2019 as the sire of Hong Kong Mile winner Admire Mars, now also a Shadai stallion. Neo Universe, best known as the sire of Dubai World Cup winner Victoire Pisa, and Zenno Rob Roy are also proven Gp 1 sires as is Deep Impact’s brother Black Tide, the sire of champion Kitasan Black. The latter is also now based at Shadai and the sire of Gp 2 winner Equinox out of his first crop of two-year-olds.

As such, even without Deep Impact, Sunday Silence’s influence as a sire of sires would have been immense. Deep Impact, however, took matters to another level. To date, he is the sire of 53 Gp 1 or Gr 1 winners. As far as Japan is concerned, they cover the spectrum, ranging from Horse of the Year Gentildonna to the 2020 Triple Crown hero Contrail—one of seven Japanese Derby winners by the stallion—and a host of top two-year-olds. Significantly, Deep Impact had been exposed to an international racing audience when third past the post in the 2007 Arc and that played out in a healthy level of outside support when he retired to Shadai for the 2008 season. 

For the Wildenstein family, that reaped major rewards in the form of their Poule d’Essai des Pouliches heroine Beauty Parlour, her Listed-winning brother Barocci and French Gp 3 winner Aquamarine. That early success, as well as his growing reputation in Japan, helped to pique the attention of Coolmore. The Irish powerhouse began sending mares in 2013 and were swiftly rewarded by the 2,000 Guineas winner Saxon Warrior, now part of the Coolmore roster in Ireland, and the Gp 1-placed September out of a limited pool of foals. The Prix de Diane heroine Fancy Blue followed in 2020. 

Yet better was to come in 2021 in the top three-year-old Snowfall. Bred by Coolmore in Japan out of Best In The World, a high-class Galileo sister to Found, the filly made giant strides from two to three for Aidan O’Brien to sweep the Epsom, Irish and Yorkshire Oaks. Her wide-margin victories in those summer highlights placed Snowfall in rarefied company while further illustrating just how well Deep Impact clicked with some of those high-flying Galileo mares. The same cross has one final chance to shine through the stallion’s last, small crop which includes two-year-olds out of the top Ballydoyle race mares Rhododendron, Minding and Hydrangea. Aidan O’Brien’s yard also houses a brother to Saxon Warrior who is out of the top two-year-old Maybe. Similarly, the Niarchos family, who patronised him from the outset, bred Le Prix du Jockey Club hero Study Of Man, whose Classic campaign in 2018 coincided with that of Saxon Warrior’s. Indeed, Deep Impact was at the height of his international powers when succumbing to a neck injury at the age of 17 in the summer of 2019.

Global exposure

While Deep Impact would build on the global foundations laid by his sire, there was a determination during the intervening years between Sunday Silence’s death and Deep Impact’s own success to expose the blood to a global audience. Chief among them was French-based agent Patrick Barbe, who sourced a number of sons to stand in France, and Frank Stronach, who purchased Silent Name to stand at his Adena Springs Farm. Barbe was the force behind importing an eclectic group of Sunday Silence horses to stand at Haras de Lonray during the mid-2000s. They were invariably priced towards the lower end of the market, yet Barbe was rewarded for his foresight, in particular through the addition of Divine Light, whose first French crop yielded the 1000 Guineas and Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Natagora.

“I have worked with Shadai for over 35 years,” he says, “and I thought it would be interesting to bring the Sunday Silence bloodline to Europe—it hadn’t been tried very much at the time. It can be difficult to educate breeders about different blood, but people had already had slight exposure to Sunday Silence, so it wasn’t too bad. 

“Rosen Kavalier was one of the first we brought over. Then we imported Divine Light. Teruya Yoshida had mentioned to me that he thought he was going to do well at stud, as he had been an extremely good sprinter. But he covered only nine mares in his first season in Japan. So we brought him to France, and in his first crop, he sired Natagora.”

As fate would have it, Natagora’s true ability came to light in the months following his sale to the Jockey Club of Turkey. Divine Light left behind just under 100 foals from his time in France and went on to enjoy further success in Turkey as the sire of champion My Dear Son.

“Divine Light was a good-looking horse,” says Barbe. “He was out of a Northern Taste mare and was compact—very similar to Northern Dancer.” He adds: “Sunday Silence was a phenomenal sire, but he also had a pedigree that was similar to Northern Dancer. I feel that was the reason that he did very well with Northern Taste, who was obviously also inbred to Lady Angela [the dam of Nearctic] himself.”

Divine Light wasn’t the only success story out of the French Sunday Silence experiment. While Rosen Kavalier was compromised by fertility problems, Gp 3 winner Great Journey sired several smart runners, while Gp 2 winner Agnes Kamikaze left behind a clutch of winners.

“Great Journey was a very good racehorse and became a consistent sire,” says Barbe. “He did well as the sire of Max Dynamite—a very good stayer—and Soleil d’Octobre, who won two Listed races.”

Today, the sole son of Sunday Silence available in either Europe or North America is Silent Name. Now 20 years old, he has found his niche within the Canadian market as a source of durable, talented runners—in a nutshell, what we have come to expect from the sireline.

Silent Name

Despite never standing for more than C$10,000, Canada’s three-time champion sire is responsible for over 30 black-type winners, making him the nation’s leading sire of a lifetime of stakes winners. They include champion sprinter Summer Sunday, Brazilian Gp 1 winner Jaspion Silent and last year’s Gp 1 Highlander Stakes winner Silent Poet. So although entering the veteran stage of his stud career, momentum behind the stallion continues to remain robust at a fee of C$7,500, as Adena Springs North manager Dermot Carty explains.

“Silent Name started out with us in Kentucky, but in 2008, we decided to bring him to Canada along with Sligo Bay,” he says. “He got three good books off the bat. At the same time, he shuttled to Brazil, and then just as his first Kentucky crop hit, he was sent to New York [where he spent two seasons with McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds]. 

“I pleaded to bring him back to Canada. People were starting to buy them, they were liking them, and the smaller trainers were doing well with them. 

“He’s a really good-looking horse—strong, a little bit sickle-hocked but with good bone. And he’s a tough horse, as tough as they go.

“When we bought him, he was really the only big horse in the pedigree, but it’s a typical Wertheimer family, and it’s improved a lot since then.” In fact, Silent Name is a half-brother to Galiway—a current rags-to-riches story of the French scene whose early crops include last year’s Qipco British Champions Stakes winner Sealiway.

“He’s out of a Danehill mare who is out of a Blushing Groom mare who is out of a Raja Baba mare,” adds Carty. “They’re all big influences.

“A lot of them can run on Polytrack, but they also excel on turf.

“He was the leading sire in Canada for three years straight; the last horse to do that was Bold Executive. Frank has sent a pile of mares to him in recent years and done very well. He’s going to get you a tough horse—people who like to race like him.”

Walmac Farm in Kentucky also made an early foray into Sunday Silence blood with the acquisition of Hong Kong Gp 1 winner Hat Trick in 2008. Latterly based at Gainesway Farm, Hat Trick threw top French two-year-old Dabirsim in his first crop and in turn, that horse sired Albany Stakes winner Different League out of his own debut crop. Noted for siring stock that comes to hand quickly, Dabirsim remains popular at Haras de Grandcamp in Normandy, also home to Deep Impact’s talented son Martinborough. Hat Trick died in 2020 and today, Kentucky representation of the Sunday Silence line relies on the young WinStar stallion Yoshida. A son of Heart’s Cry, he was sourced out of the JRHA Select Sale and went on to land the 2018 Woodward Stakes. He was popular in his first season at stud in 2020, covering 145 mares; and his first foals sold for up to $150,000 at the Kentucky winter breeding stock sales.

Fruitful experiment

Meanwhile, the retirements of Saxon Warrior to Coolmore in Ireland and Study Of Man to Lanwades Stud in Newmarket provide European breeders with quality access to Deep Impact blood. Saxon Warrior’s first crop sold for up to €540,000 as yearlings last year and are now in the yards of Aidan O’Brien, William Haggas and Mark Johnston among others. 

The first crop of Study Of Man are yearlings of 2022. As would be expected from a Niarchos homebred who stands at Lanwades Stud, he is being well supported by his powerful connections, as highlighted by the stud’s owner Kirsten Rausing in a piece with The Owner Breeder magazine last June. 

STUDY OF MAN

“I have sent him all my best mares,” she said. “I have nine from the Alruccaba family and a number of others from different families, including a very nice filly out of [Gp 1 winner] Lady Jane Digby and others out of Cubanita [a dual Gp 3 winner] and Leaderene [dam of current Australian stakes winner Le Don De Vie].

“It’s early days, but he looks to be a true-breeding bay. I would also say that a few of them look to have a bit of Sunday Silence about them.”

From the Niarchos’ point of view, utilising Study Of Man allows them to tap into inbreeding to his granddam, the family’s excellent miler and blue hen Miesque. Hers is one of the finest families worldwide and it is indicative of the high regard in which the Niarchos held Sunday Silence that they chose to support him with several members of the family.

“The relationship between the Niarchos family and Shadai dates back to when they bought Hector Protector from us,” recalls Alan Cooper, racing manager to the Niarchos family. “We had breeding rights in the horse, and we said, well we better send some mares to Japan and use him, which worked out well as we went on to breed [champion] Shiva. 

“And that led us to using Sunday Silence. The Sunday Silence adventure was very fruitful. It was lovely to get some fillies by him, and we’re still benefitting today from them.”

Among the mares sent to Sunday Silence was Miesque’s Listed-winning daughter Moon Is Up. The resulting foal, Sun Is Up, never ran but went on to throw Karakontie, whose three Gp 1 victories included the Poule d’Essai des Poulains and Breeders’ Cup Mile. Study Of Man is out of Miesque’s Storm Cat daughter Second Happiness while another mare, Metaphor, foaled the Listed-placed Celestial Lagoon, in turn the dam of Dante Stakes runner-up Highest Ground.

“We also obviously had a lot of success breeding from Deep Impact through Study Of Man,” says Cooper. “We also have a filly named Harajuku, who won the Prix Cleopatre last year. Another Deep Impact that we bred, Dowsing, is now at stud in Indiana. 

“It’s been a very good experience breeding in Japan. The Sunday Silence line seems to have a bit of character, but I think as with anything to do with Halo, if they’re good, they’re very, very good.”

The Niarchos family are also in the privileged position of owning a two-year-old from the final, small crop of Deep Impact. The filly in question is out of the Listed-placed Malicieuse, a Galileo half-sister to Arc hero Bago.

In Kentucky, meanwhile, the Niarchos family have also thrown their weight behind Karakontie at Gainesway Farm in Kentucky. The son of Bernstein is emerging as one of the most versatile stallions in North America, thanks to a clutch of early stakes winners that range from Princess Grace, a Graded stakes winner on both turf and dirt, to Del Mar Derby winner None Above The Law. Interestingly, Princess Grace is the product of a Silent Name mare, meaning that she is inbred to Sunday Silence. Indeed, she is the first stakes winner outside of Japan to carry his inbreeding.

Too much of a good thing?

Can there be too much of a good thing? In Sunday Silence, the Japanese racing scene has been dominated to such a degree—through both his sons and daughters—that outcrosses aren’t always easily available. And when such an animal does retire to stud in Japan, quite often their success is a reflection of their ability to cross effectively with Sunday Silence-line mares—the likes of Lord Kanaloa and Harbinger being notable examples.

In addition, successful inbreeding to Sunday Silence has taken time to gain momentum. However, in recent years, the tide has started to change.

Aside from Princess Grace, one recent major flag bearer has been the Japanese Fillies Triple Crown heroine Daring Tact. Efforia, who defeated Contrail in last year’s Gp 1 Tenno Sho (Autumn), is another fine advert among a group of 19 stakes winners from a pool of close to 4,000 named foals. 

One of the greatest

Sunday Silence might be receding in pedigrees, but his influence has never been stronger. Many of the line remain easily distinguishable with their dark coat and rangy stature; for the most part, they are hardy runners with a physical and mental toughness to them. 

“All these horses—they ran forever,” says Barbe. “They’re tough, train on and they’re sound. Whatever their level, they are consistent horses with a longevity to them.”

Granted, those descendants of Sunday Silence now coming through at stud in Japan aren’t always helped by having to compete with each other. But at the same time, the omens remain good, particularly in relation to Deep Impact’s own legacy as a sire of sires, which already includes the successful Shadai sires Kizuna and Real Impact. The latter became the first son of his sire to be represented by a Gp 1 winner when Lauda Sion won the 2020 NHK Mile Cup while Kizuna ends 2021 a top-four Japanese stallion, thanks to the exploits of the recent Gp 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup winner Akai Ito and the Prix Foy hero Deep Bond. 

Another young son, Silver State, is Japan’s second leading first-crop sire of 2021; only a minor four-time winner himself, he has already exceeded expectations by throwing the Gp 1-placed Water Navillera in his first crop.

The presence of Saxon Warrior and Study Of Man in Europe and other Gp 1 performers such as Satono Aladdin, Staphanos and Tosen Stardom in Australasia fuels the idea that this branch of the line is only going to become more powerful on a global scale. In short, international respect for the sireline is also at an all time high.

“Thanks to Sunday Silence, the Japanese racehorses earn respect from horsemen around the world today,” says Yoshida. “In return, breeders tend to find good broodmares to send to good stallions—Japanese breeders today buy a lot of good broodmares in the international markets. 

“This enables Japanese breeding to keep developing. So you can imagine how strong Sunday’s impact is to our industry.”

Water treadmills – what can they offer our racehorses?

By Carolyne Tranquille, Dr Kathryn Nankervis & Dr Rachel Murray

Issue 71 of European Trainer (January - March 2021) included an article titled “Understanding hydrotherapy and the benefits of water-based conditioning.” In this issue, we examine the best practices for using water treadmills as part of a training programme.

Water treadmill (WT) exercise is increasingly being used as a routine part of the training of sport horses and now racehorses. However, the research detailing their effects on our equine athletes has only emerged in the last 5-10 years. A WT allows the trainer to provide a pre-determined, very precisely controlled piece of work for the horse. With the addition of water, we can then overlay this most basic piece of work with additional tools due to the properties of water itself: drag and buoyancy. The combined effect of these two forces can yield movement patterns for our horses that are beneficial in supporting training programmes. The million-dollar question then is, how exactly do you select depth and speed of belt to achieve what you want within a training programme?

Contrary to popular belief, heart rates of horses walking in water are not necessarily increased as water levels rise, with horses merely adapting their gait pattern to accommodate for increased drag. Indeed, WT exercise never elicits heart rates of over 120-140 beats/min nor does it elevate blood lactate levels, even when carrying out what might be considered to be the ‘hardest’ type of exercise which is trotting in high water. So, the benefits of this modality clearly aren’t in its ability to act as a substitute for fast work; its benefits are in the responses it can bring about in the horses’ movement pattern and the consequent muscle adaptation that can be provided when horses use it on a regular basis.

In 2019, an international equine hydrotherapy working group produced a WT user guideline document. The following sections highlight the recommendations from the group to obtain the best out of a WT exercise session for our racehorses.

General best practice in water treadmill exercise

• Follow manufacturer guidelines for correct machine operation, water care and cleaning of the machine; and seek help from an experienced user to supplement the initial training received by the manufacturer.

• Handlers should wear personal protective equipment (e.g., hard hat and gloves) during a WT session, and two handlers should be present.

• Horse loading and unloading procedures should be specific to the make and model of the machine, and the environment in which the treadmill is located, with procedures devised to avoid the handlers being directly in front or behind the horse. Loading and unloading of naïve horses seems to present the greatest risk to the handlers.

• To help keep the water clean, the horse should be brushed and/or hosed off to remove superficial dirt, the feet are picked out and the tail wrapped.

• WT exercise should be avoided for horses with any skin lesions, cuts or abrasions that might be below the water level or for a horse that had received a distal limb joint injection within four days.

• If the horse is shod, the shoes should be secure. Shoes with road nails could damage the belt, and large extensions which may affect the flight of the foot in water should be avoided.

• Horses can be worked on a WT in a headcollar, chifney or bridle, provided the natural movement of the head and neck are not restricted.

• Leg protections should be avoided.

• Once the session is complete, the horse should be hosed and dried off, especially the feet, to avoid foot problems.

Introducing horses to the exercise

• Horses habituate to WT exercise more readily if they are given several short sessions (up to 15 minutes) on consecutive days.

• Sufficient time should be allocated to avoid rushing the horse and ensuring he has a positive experience. The horse can be prepared for the belt moving by asking him to step back and forth a few times; then start the belt as the horse takes a step forward.

• The water depth should be increased with each session, provided the horse remains relaxed. Water should be kept at fetlock depth during the first session.

• If a light amount of sedation is going to be used for the first session, this should only be done under the direction of a veterinary surgeon.

• Horses are considered habituated once a relaxed and rhythmical gait is reached.

Correct posture and movement patterns during water treadmill exercise

What is the correct posture, and how should a horse move during WT exercise?

• The horse should be in line with the treadmill and not leaning or rolling from side-to-side.

• The horse should be able to move its head, neck and forelimbs without being obstructed by the front of the treadmill.

• The horse should be able to maintain position in the middle of the belt without falling to the back.

• The horse’s face should be just in front of the vertical.

• The head and neck should be largely still.

• The horse should have a rounded lumbar spine.

• The horse should be ‘pushing’ from the hindquarters.

• A regular rhythm to the footfalls should be heard.

What should a horse not look like and not move during WT exercise?

• The horse’s face should not approach the horizontal.

• There should not be excessive movement of the head and neck (the chicken walk).

• There should not be extension of the thoracic and lumbar spine.

• The horse should not ‘pull’ from the forehand. 

• An irregular rhythm to the footfalls should not be heard during a WT session.

Factors influencing selection of speed, water depth and duration of exercise

• Speed should decrease as water depth increases.

• Walking more slowly than overland is recommended.

• Belt speed should be horse-specific, and a suitable speed for the horse should be found before water is introduced into the chamber.

• The horse should work in a correct posture (as discussed above).

• The benefits of WT exercise can be achieved without trotting. To ensure safety of horse and handler, horses should only trot in the WT once they are confidently walking at various water heights.

• Water depth should be training or rehabilitation goal-specific.

• The best combination of speed and water depth will vary between horses and should be judged according to the individual horse’s response.

• Individual horse fitness, stride length, joint range of movement and capability may change during an individual session or over multiple sessions.

• It is important to monitor movement patterns closely and to observe the horse throughout the session and how movement alters in response to changes in speed or water depth and whether these changes are indicative of fatigue. This is relevant at any given water depth.

Benefits of water treadmill exercise for racehorses

• Reduction of impact shock 

• Increased muscle development of the hindquarters

• Increased joint range of motion of the limbs and the back

• Increased hindlimb range of motion 

• Controlled straight line exercise without the added weight of the rider

• Improved aerobic capacity  

Conclusions

This article summaries the best practice for WT use based on the recommendations of the Equine Hydrotherapy Working Group and the Water Treadmill User Guidelines. WT exercise has many potential benefits if the correct protocols are used, and if the horse is in a correct posture and moving optimally when on the WT. Monitoring horse posture and movement patterns throughout the session are essential to assess whether or not the horse is working optimally. The final published guidelines can be found here: tinyurl.com/water-treadmills

International Horse Movement - under the spotlight

At the annual European Horse Network / MEP’s Horse Group Conference in Brussels

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen opened the conference held in Brussels 16 November 2021 with a message of support. Paull Khan, secretary-general of the European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation, then spoke on international horse movement and, in specific, in the context of the three political and legal factors of Brexit, the EU Animal Health Law and the review of Animal Welfare regulations, particularly the Transport Regulation.

Khan looked at things primarily through a “thoroughbred lens,” but also included other relevant equine sectors. Explaining why horse movement is so important to our sector, Khan pointed out, “Horse racing is not only a serious sport, it is a serious business. We estimated last year that the economic impact of racing in Europe is some €23bn per annum, and the sector directly employs over 100,000 people, mainly in rural areas. 

“Horse racing is widespread across the EU. Seventeen of our European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation members are EU member states—the same for our sister organisation, the European Trotting Union; and movement of thoroughbreds is central to this industry.”

While other agricultural animals will typically only move internationally once, if at all, usually for slaughter, horses, particularly racehorses and sports horses, frequently move between countries for reasons other than slaughter. Khan stressed the importance of repeating this to those outside our sector: “As legislators may have in their minds ‘travel for slaughter,’ when they think of international travel of horses and other animals.” Almost 90,000 equines in a normal year travel internationally within, or to and from, the EU; and it is estimated that nearly 60% of these movements are not for slaughter.

“For thoroughbreds, it starts at the very beginning—at their conception,” said Khan. “So the movement of mares to visit stallions is essential. And it is vital, for the improvement of the breed and in order that Europe retains its competitive pre-eminence in this area, that mare owners are able to select from a broad panel of stallions, which may be based in other countries. There are growing concerns in the Stud Book community about inbreeding. Limiting the geographical footprint is an obvious way to restrict that gene pool.”

He went on to point out that during the horse’s racing career, the better it is, the more likely it will travel internationally to contest the best races. “Again, this process is critical to the improvement of the breed. The performances of a racehorse within any given country are only truly validated when that horse is tested by racing the best in other countries.”

Moving on to the issues posed by Brexit, Khan reminded us that the three countries with the largest thoroughbred industries—France, Ireland and Great Britain—had relied on the former Tripartite Agreement to allow for largely free and unrestricted travel within this bloc. There were over 26,000 international movements of thoroughbreds annually between these three nations alone. Now, movement between Great Britain and EU countries requires blood tests, the involvement of official vets for health certification, further health-check on entry, pre-notification of the movement, both outbound and return, Customs paperwork (four sets for a return trip) and the payment of value added tax. “The burden in terms of cost, time and hassle of moving a horse has risen starkly,” Khan illustrated.

“There are also welfare issues here,” he continued. “World Horse Welfare tell me that the requirements are impacting compliant traffic but not non-compliant traffic. We have heard of people choosing to send horses from France, destined for Britain by the long sea route to Ireland, then traveling up to Northern Ireland and finally across to mainland Britain, all in order to avoid all this. Clearly not in the horses’ welfare interests. And we know of delays of several hours at Border Control Posts (BCPs)  and of horses—most recently a nine-month-old foal, which was sent back to the UK on its own because of a technicality of the paperwork.”  

What is frustrating is that so much of this is unnecessary. Khan said, “Taking the health certification requirements first, they are not serving to solve any existing bio-security problem—there were no issues arising out of the movement of horses to and from the UK throughout the 50 years before Brexit. But putting that aside, the requirement to complete lengthy paperwork is unnecessary, given the existence of a digital alternative.

“And secondly, in respect of the VAT, the vast majority of racing and sport horse movements are return journeys—the horse travels to compete, or breed, and then returns. But even though VAT is not ultimately payable in the case of temporary movements, there is the need for connections of the horse to pay the VAT, or put up security against its value and then reclaim it. This is time consuming, not only for the connections of the horses but also for the revenue officials collecting the money who then have to spend time in repaying that money to the connections when the horse has gone home. Repayments are reportedly typically taking five months from some countries. This is a pointless waste of time and effort for horsemen and officials alike.”

What effect has all this had on movement numbers to and from Great Britain? “It’s very difficult, of course, to split the effect of COVID from that of Brexit; but what we can see very clearly is that, in combination, Brexit and COVID have had a downward impact on thoroughbred movements,” Khan reflected. 

“It is clear that racing movements, i.e. international runners, suffered badly in the first year of COVID, roughly halving from 2019, whether between Britain and the EU or the rest of the world. It is true that, since Brexit, rather than seeing a further deterioration, we have witnessed a recovery. Racing movements this year, despite Brexit, have been higher than in 2020—24% higher to and from the EU, and 59% higher to and from the rest of the world. But, while we must be optimistic that the worst effects of COVID are behind us, we cannot be so confident about Brexit. We just don’t know how owners’ and breeders’ behaviour will be modified in future years by the stark reality of their experience in this, ‘Year One’. Now that they know what the final bill added up to and how long it took for them to receive their VAT repayments, it is not unreasonable to surmise that they may choose not to repeat the exercise in the future.” 

Even given this year’s recovery, he noted that international runners between Britain and the EU have fallen by one-third against 2019 levels, and those with the rest of the world are down by 13%.

“This means that EU owners and trainers have had fewer opportunities to test their horses against those in Britain, and races on both sides of the water have been weakened, both in their appeal to the public and as international testing grounds.

“This could have a long-term damaging effect in an area where Europe leads the world. No fewer than 38 of the world’s top 100 races are run in Europe—more than Asia which has 23, Australasia 26 and the Americas 13. I mentioned the economic impact of European horse racing over €23bn per annum; much of this is linked to the quality of the races that are run here.” 

“Tracing a very different pattern have been non-racing movements (excluding Ireland), which were far more resilient to COVID than were racing movements but which have suffered post-Brexit in a way that racing movements have not. Movements for breeding and other purposes outnumber racing movements by around six to one. 

“Looking at movements between Britain and Continental EU—we don’t have these figures for Ireland because Britain and Ireland share a common Stud Book—we see they have more than halved, from 4,283 to 1,964. An indication of the ‘Brexit effect’ can be inferred from the fact that movements between Britain and the rest of the world only reduced by 13%, despite COVID.

“Non-racing movements to and from Ireland have held up remarkably well, being within 4% of 2019 levels. Overall, thoroughbred journeys between Britain and the EU are one-third down on two years ago.

“This isn’t just affecting racing. The European Equestrian Federation have told me that they have seen reduced numbers, both of British competitors at European events and Europeans travelling to Britain. And, taking the perspective of Ireland, we see a very similar picture. Non-racing movement of thoroughbreds between Ireland and the rest of the EU has fallen from 3,951 to 2,407—a 39% fall.

“Overall movements to and from Ireland would appear to be down by one-quarter—less, therefore, than the one-third fall to and from Britain. As in Britain, racing movements have shown a recovery this year, whereas non-racing movements, except those too and from Britain which have been static, have continued to fall.”

Animal Health Law was the next major issue to be examined in detail by Khan, although as he pointed out, the AHL has only applied since April; and member states are at different stages of their practical implementation. “In brief, it is too soon to gauge its impact on horse movement,” he warned. 

“The new requirements for the registration of operators and establishments, the registration of the place where a horse is habitually kept, the need to record all arrivals and departures, etc., will create additional work. And it could be argued that the problems these measures are being brought in to address are largely absent in the race and sport horse sectors; and they come at a time when the equine sector is already reeling from the impact of COVID.

“What I would say, however, cautiously, is that, from the soundings I have been making, my impression is that, at least in our sector, there are no widespread concerns over the impact of this new legislation per se on horse movements.”

He then moved on to the third piece of legislation, the Animal Transport Regulation. “Here, we’re concerned that some of the recommendations of the European Parliament’s Committee of Inquiry, ANIT, do not eventually become law.”

Subsequent to the Conference, ANIT produced its final report in early December, and Khan has provided us with an update on the current situation.

“We are pleased that a number of the points we and our sister organisations made appear to have been heeded. There was the threat of a blanket ban on transport of live horses to third countries, but this has gone, as has a requirement for a vet to be present at all loadings and unloadings. The fact that mares need to travel to visit stallions in order to conform with the global ban on artificial breeding methods in the thoroughbred world has also been acknowledged. It would seem, too, that the hard-won derogation from the journey limit of eight hours has been retained.

“What we need to concentrate on in the coming months, and make representations to the Commission as appropriate, includes the proposed ban on travelling horses outside of the range -5 degrees to +30 degrees, and ensuring that travel of horses by horsebox on roll-on/roll-off ferries is differentiated from travel by sea vessel. I’m sure our colleagues in the breeding world will also want to ensure that there is a derogation from any ban on travelling unweaned foals even if they are accompanied by their dams, and the proposed ban on animals travelling when in the last third of gestation.” 

Returning to the questions posed at the conference, Khan provided advice on how decision makers can support the industry. “Taking Brexit first, it is the unanimous view of all 26 EMHF member countries, that an easing of movement between the EU and the UK will benefit the whole of the European thoroughbred industry. We need to address avoidable areas of friction, which are only likely to worsen when the UK introduces its own BCPs to mirror those in EU countries. And I come back to the two things I mentioned earlier: unnecessary paperwork and unnecessary VAT payments. We’re hopeful that the newly formed Sanitary & Phytosanitary Committee can help here and we hope that there will be some expert input from the equine sector on that Committee.”

He also called for a commitment to embrace digital technology to replace the current antiquated paper-based systems. “The use of equine e-passports for equine identification is already providing welfare and health benefits through the eradication of tampered and fraudulent passports and improved traceability through real-time validation and audit trails. These digital passports, which have been built by both the sport horse and racehorse sectors—all Thoroughbreds in Ireland and Britain have them—comprise identity, vaccination and veterinary records, movement and ownership. We need governments to work with us to enhance this existing technology through interoperability with the systems of relevant government agencies: vets, Customs, revenue, etc. This will reduce cost, reduce time, reduce the risk of error and fraud. It will also cut down waiting times and workloads at Border Control. Vets at BCPs have many other, far more pressing tasks from which checking high health horses is currently just a distraction; and this can be stopped. 

“Of course, acceptance of e-passports from selected third countries will be necessary to address the Brexit issue, and current EU Law precludes this.

“More generally, we seek the introduction of a system which recognises that, where high health status of a horse population can be demonstrated, the regulatory burden imposed on the movements of such horses should be appropriately reduced. Such an evidence-led, risk-based approach— such as the High Health Breeding “HHB” concept, which the European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders have advocated and is now being examined by the chief veterinary officers (CVOs) of Ireland, France, Germany and the Scandinavian countries, or the similar High Health Horse concept which the racing and sport horse sectors proposed to the Commission some four years ago—would make best use of stretched veterinary and administrative resources, [would] give much-needed respite to the equine sector and benefit horse welfare.

“We also call upon the revenue authorities in member states and the UK to adopt the flexibility, which it is within their gift to do, in agreeing sensible exemptions from the requirement to make payments in relation to value added tax in the case of temporary movements of horses. The racing industries in the most affected countries are all engaging with their respective revenue authorities on this question. Support from MEPs would be very valuable.

And on the Transport Regulation, we ask that our legitimate concerns are taken into account and that we avoid additional provisions in law which would unnecessarily seriously damage the equine sector further.”

Khan concluded on a positive note by pointing out, “I’d just like to underline that those in the racing and breeding community are passionate about their horses. We have long worked closely with World Horse Welfare and others, and we are fully behind their efforts and those of MEPs towards improving conditions for horses.”

MOVEMENT OF HORSES 2021 TABLES

OVERALL THOROUGHBRED MOVEMENTS

GB / IRE BREEDING MOVEMENTS INFERRED FROM COVERING STATISTICS

Showing totals as reported at end-November 2021

Click to view the tables:

OUTBOUND MOVEMENTS FROM GB
GB-TRAINED RUNNERS (RACE STARTS) IN EU/SWI & RoW

RACING MOVEMENTS - INBOUND MOVEMENTS TO GB

IRISH NON-RACING MOVEMENTS

NON-RACING MOVEMENTS - Excludes movements between Great Britain and Ireland

Horse Bedding: Beware the Marketing Hype

By Jo Warrilow

The performance of any racehorse is dependent on a number of factors, but a high standard of stable management and an overriding commitment to the delivery of an exemplary care regimen are paramount if a horse is to remain healthy and in peak condition, enabling it to hopefully enjoy a successful racing career.  

Due to the intense fitness and exercise routine that racehorses are exposed to, a comfortable stable is essential to ensure they are able to rest adequately. 

The choice of bedding is an important consideration for those responsible for running a yard. Not only is bedding used in the stable, but it is also often used when travelling, which of course, is a regular requirement for any competing racehorse. Traditionally, the original choice of bedding was straw, but like so many aspects of stable management, this has evolved dramatically. Now there are a plethora of choices in terms of the different types available. The million-dollar question is, which bedding to choose?  While a deep, luxurious bed may look aesthetically pleasing, does the bedding type represent the best-in-class when addressing factors influencing the horse’s health?

A recent in-depth study by equine scientist Dr David Marlin explored the most popular bedding types (sawdust, flax straw, cardboard, barley straw, straw pellets, miscanthus, hemp, wood fibre, rape straw, wheat straw, wood pellets and shavings) and the findings revealed that when the products are put under scientific scrutiny, the claims made on pack rarely match up to reality.

Dust-free or Dust-y?

An earlier survey in January 2021 indicated that shavings and wood pellets were deemed to be the most popular choice of bedding, with wood shavings clearly leading the way. The appeal of this bedding type is largely attributed to the dust-free claims that many brands make, and Dr Marlin’s lab testing proved that the majority of brands in this sector scored highly in terms of the dust criteria (although technically a dust-free bedding is impossible to achieve)—but not all. Two popular shavings brands earned the top score, but at the same time, another well-known shavings brand and a wood pulp fibre bedding product performed badly in this area. Equally, a natural hemp brand, regularly marketed as a dust-free bedding was found to earn the dubious title of being the dustiest. Three brands of bedding, which carried the marketing claim of being dust-free, were in fact found to be low-dust, moderately dusty and in the case of the hemp-based product included in the study, very dusty.

Hygienic quality

The hygienic quality of various bedding types was also put to the test. On a positive note, all were found to be free of Aspergillus, the major mould species guilty of causing respiratory disease in horses. However, other moulds and bacteria (which are a source of endotoxin and implicated in equine asthma, causing or worsening respiratory health) were identified. These were used as an indicator of how ‘clean’ the bedding was. The worst offender against this marker was once again a hemp-based bedding, followed by a shavings brand which boasts the claim of being ‘ultra-hygienic’ and a fine woodchip bedding brand. 

Absorbency

Absorbency is of course a natural requirement to ensure the comfort of the horse and can also be a key factor influencing foot health. Absorbency may be especially important where only a limited amount of bedding is being used for example, if bedding is laid on top of rubber matting or in situations where a horse may be drinking excessively. The findings here were fairly predictable with the top three performers for absorbency being represented by popular pellet-type beddings. One of these was proved to actually absorb over five times its own weight of water. However, the hemp-based bedding option, which boasts the claim that it is ‘probably the most absorbent bedding money can buy’ once again highlighted the importance of not always believing the marketing hype, lagging behind in eighth place, out of the 12 beddings tested. Equally, one of the shavings brands marketed as ‘super absorbent’ came in third from the bottom (in 10th place), while the worst performing bedding in terms of absorbency—a fine woodchip—carries the promise of being ‘highly absorbent’.

Bedding coverage

A coverage measurement was reviewed, which provides guidance on how much bedding would be needed to make up a bed. The most generous coverage was delivered by two of the pellet brands, closely followed by a fine woodchip bedding. However, this result came at a price, with the top performing pellet brand also representing the most expensive. This should be viewed alongside the fact that while there would be an initial high outlay, the ongoing maintenance with this product was extremely cost effective. Four shavings brands offered the best value options to lay a brand-new bed.

And the winners were …

The research provides a detailed breakdown of the performance of all 12 popular brands. Taking into consideration the requirements for cleanliness, low dust and absorbency, the study pointed to the winners tied between a straw pellet and a pine shavings brand, with further shavings products also offering a good option at an improved value for money price point. 

Commenting on the findings, Dr David Marlin said, “This research proves that once again, many horse owners or those involved in making buying decisions in relation to the management and care of horses are being duped by spurious marketing claims which are not substantiated by scientific data. Some brands are a little shy of the truth, while others are frankly bordering on dishonesty. Not only is this practice unethical and unacceptable, but it can also have a potential detrimental impact on a horse’s health. I’d urge any horse owner or care provider, reviewing the many bedding options available to them, to invest time in reading our comprehensive study prior to committing their hard-earned cash to prevent making any costly mistakes.” 

How the survey was conducted

New, unopened bales of bedding were purchased either directly from manufacturers or approved stockists. Bales were opened, and 1kg samples were removed. Bales were chosen to represent a range of types, prices and popularity based on an online survey of 1885 owners who rated 2,776 beddings which DrDavidMarlin.com carried out in 2021. 

The following techniques were used to analyse the bedding:

Dust

100g samples of bedding were placed in a plastic box 43 x 38 x 28cm -  total volume 45.8 litres. An airtight lid was fitted, and the box was rotated mechanically at 1 revolution per second for 60 seconds. The peak total particles (count per litre) and peak PM2.5 (ug/m3) and PM10 (ug/m3) were recorded at a height of 20cm inside the box (internal height 26cm) with the bedding at the bottom of the box (M2000 2nd generation, Temtop, San Jose, CA 95131, USA). The lab background PM2.5, PM10 and particle count were measured before and after each sample test and subtracted from the value measured for the bedding. The box was then cleaned, vacuumed and wiped before the next sample. Samples were measured in triplicate and the mean reported. 

Hygienic quality

Samples were submitted to an accredited laboratory for measurement of total viable count (TVC) at 30°C, which measures all living organisms in the bedding (i.e., bacteria, moulds, yeasts, protozoa, etc.) as an indicator of hygienic quality. Samples were also analysed for Aspergillus species – a mould commonly associated with equine asthma. 

Absorbency

50g samples of bedding were placed in 25 x 35cm sealable plastic bags. 500ml of water at 15-18°C was then added to the bedding, and the bag hung vertically for 30 minutes. At this time holes were made in the bottom of the bags and the samples allowed to drain to remove excess water for 3 minutes after which the bag was weighed. The final weight minus the initial weight (50g) was expressed as a fold increase over the initial weight (i.e., if no water had been absorbed, the value would be 0; and if all the water had been absorbed the maximum value would be 500/50 = 10-fold increase). Samples were tested in triplicate and the mean reported. 

Spread volume/coverage

The density of each bedding was measured by weighing a fixed volume of bedding. If the bedding was compressed, then it was broken up to represent the form in which it would be used to form a bed. The amount of bedding in kg that would be required to cover one square metre to a depth of 10cm (~4in) was then calculated. 

Raceday Stewards - What can racing learn from other sports who employ professional officials?

By Lissa Oliver

There is an argument in British and Irish racing that all stewards should be professional. The idea of stewards presiding over the sport on a voluntary basis is considered, by some, to be outdated. Yet others would argue that voluntary stewards are incorruptible, giving their time not for financial personal gain but for a genuine love of the sport and desire to support racing.

How would we feel if our politicians and government ministers were unpaid? Would we be more trustworthy if their position was a vocation rather than just an employment choice? Or anxious that lack of salary left them open to bribery? There is no definitive answer, and much depends on the individual holding that position of power.

So how do other sports police their participants? Some have ‘in-play’ referees who are participating alongside the sporting contestants, but there are many sports, like our own, policed from observers on the side-lines. In all cases, with one notable exception, the world’s major sports are overseen by professional panels; although it was only in more recent years that football referees joined those professional ranks. 

The exception is motorsport. Formula 1 racing is policed from a race day control room by marshals who are volunteers and unpaid. Fitness and passion are the only prerequisites, and just a minimum of a year’s experience at motor club level is expected of Formula 1 marshals. 

If we look at other equestrian sports, judges have a training programme in place designed to help them progress their career and all officials must attend an officials’ training event every two years. The average annual salary is said to be around €51,000 / £43,400.

In football, British referees became professional in 2001, and basic annual retainers vary from €35,000 / £30,000 for Premier League assistant and video assistant referees, to €82,000-€235,000 / £70,000-£200,000 for the official referee, plus match fees of €998-€1,800 / £850-£1,500. The restructuring from amateur to professional aimed to improve the overall standard of refereeing and enable officials to go full time. Former FIFA referee Roger Milford observed at the time, “I am sure this will mean more consistency from the officials on points of law which cause controversy. The fact that the referees will meet regularly for training sessions means they will sit down together and watch videos of incidents which have caused controversy.”

Elite cricket umpires receive around €2,400 / £2,000 per match, plus significant payments by tournament sponsors. There is a strict qualification route requiring at least 10 years of experience, with a series of examinations along the way. Meanwhile, following training and a written examination on the rules of tennis, top tennis umpires can command €35,000-€70,000 / £30,000-£60,000 a year and are required to attend and pass yearly certification school.

Although most rugby unions don’t reveal how much they pay their professional referees, a World Cup bonus can boost top referees to €94,000 / £80,000 a year, with match fees around €500 / £425. As with other sports, there is a structured training programme in place, coupled with length of experience. 

American football boasts seven NFL officials on the field per game, rather than observing from off the field, with specific roles and responsibilities. The NFL’s officiating development programme continuously develops a robust talent pool, as well as grassroots clinics and programmes designed to introduce young people to football officiating. Although NFL referees and officials are part-time employees, without work in the closed season, they can earn an average of €181,000 / £154,000) for the season. This is comparable to baseball umpires—with four officiating per game—and similar training and pay brackets exist; although according to Bleacher Report, baseball umpires make more per year than officiating staff from the NFL. Likewise, golf referees in North America command similar salaries.

It is interesting to note that in unifying the rules of golf worldwide—generally viewed as a self-policing sport, it is seen to start at referee level. In Britain, the Official Referee Qualification was launched in February 2021 to establish a clear pathway for aspiring golf officials. Grant Moir, director of rules at golf’s administrative body The R&A, said of the introduction, “We believe that individuals aspiring to become referees and tournament administrators will benefit greatly from this enhanced rules education programme that culminates in an official qualification which will be recognised internationally. We will work closely with our affiliated national federations around the world to introduce the new Referee Qualification and together encourage future officials to take advantage of the opportunity to broaden their knowledge of the rules and develop the skills required to apply them in a competition environment.” 

2021 saw an initial pilot of the programme being run in Australia, Chile, Ireland, Singapore, South Africa and Sweden, in order to gain feedback and make refinements to the programme ahead of a full roll-out in 2022.

These, then, are just some examples that racing authorities might look to if seeking to update race day officiating. It is quite clear throughout that in other sports, officials are salaried and, more importantly, a clear pathway of education is in place, including continuous professional development and training. The switch from amateur to professional football referees to create a greater level of consistency would certainly have pricked a few ears within racing, while the international focus of the new Golf Referee Qualification is definitely something our industry should be paying attention to.

Of course, the race day stewarding system in place differs from one horseracing jurisdiction to the next, and some have already embraced the trend set by other sports. This only serves to highlight the gulf still to be bridged in globally unifying the rules of horseracing.

If we revert back to football, as well as the move from amateur to professional officials, more recently we have seen the introduction of VAR (Video Assistant Referee). Despite early teething problems, VAR has been held up by some trainers as the way forward for race day stewards. The idea of a central office occupied by a panel of full-time professional stewards who can view racing remotely is far less outlandish now that we have all adapted to Zoom and other online platforms. Enabling the same stewards to view each day’s racing, covering more than one meeting, would surely allow for greater consistency in their interpretation of the rules.

Interestingly, this concept has already been trialled in Australia by Racing Victoria. As a result of the operational review led by Robert Cram, Racing Victoria chairman of stewards, the control room has been established as a centrally located race day hub that remotely supports the stewards officiating at a race meeting. It will be interesting to see how successful this may become and whether it will be adopted by other Australian bodies, or indeed by other nations.

Marc Van Gestel, general manager of Integrity and Chairman of Stewards at Racing NSW, tells us, “The NSW model for stewarding is based on the entirety of stewards being professional and full-time. We do not employ honorary staff.  

“Given the geographics of NSW and oversight of approximately 100 racecourses, Racing NSW has the state divided into 10 regions whereby there are full-time stewards based in those regions who report directly to me from our central Sydney office. All stewards operate from Racing NSW offices in those regions. Conferences are held annually and policies, rules updates and important changes to prohibited substance protocols are disseminated to all stewards when changes are made. Stewards also officiate in regions that border their own base, to provide further transparency with our processes. 

“The majority of stewards working for Racing NSW, including myself, have been developed through our traineeship system whereby trainees complete a certificate IV in racing administration (stewarding). This course provides all stewards with a fundamental base to commence their career in the industry. There is also a significant amount of on-the-job training that is provided to all stewards along with formal training sessions.

“The model we have in place provides consistency with decisions made throughout this jurisdiction and in my opinion is best practice.”

Former Racing NSW Deputy Chairman of Stewards Greg Rudolph sets out quite clearly the recruitment process and career path of potential stewards. “The formative years of cadetship are quite tough as they are paid an apprenticeship wage, starting out at $50,000 (€31,600/£27,000) per year. While that can be challenging, it is easier once you move up in rank. Once you move into the senior ranks, it becomes a package with a car and phone package as well as a six-figure salary. The higher positions are well paid, but you have to work your way up the ladder.”

The Hong Kong Jockey Club also provides an apprenticeship pathway into stewarding, with cadet stipendiary stewards. The HKJC Racing Control Department has a team of stipendiary stewards to administer the Rules of Racing and monitor the conduct of industry participants. Cadets are required to have a degree in a subject applicable to the responsibilities of a stipendiarysteward and must complete the Stewards Training Programme. They are also expected to have an active involvement with horses, including the ability to ride, although it is not essential. Salaries are not publicly available but are said to range from €26,000 to €148,000 (£22,000-£126,000) according to the level of appointment, qualifications and experience.

In the USA, stewards are professional and on average can earn between €33,000 / £28,000) and €56,000 /£48,000. The Racing Officials Accreditation Programme (ROAP) is a collaborative effort of industry organisations, supporting the common goal of ensuring the integrity of the horseracing industry. The ROAP works in close collaboration with the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Programme and the University of Louisville Equine Industry Programme to oversee the accreditation of racing officials.

The minimum experience qualifications for Flat Racing Accreditation at the basic level is at least 225 race days of experience as a licenced racing official (in any recognised capacity). A rigid structure dictates that licenced trainers (and similarly licenced jockeys) may receive credit for days of experience for the years where they had 100 or more starts as a licenced trainer. For example, five to nine years equates to a credit of 75 days, leaving them to complete only 150 additional days.

Graduates with a bachelor's degree from an affiliated university receive credit for 100 days of experience, and participants in the ROAP Apprenticeship Programme receive credit for up to 60 days of the apprentice programme. To maintain accreditation, all accredited US racing officials, stewards and judges must attend a continuing education session approved by the ROAP, totalling at least 16 credit hours every two years. 

The concept of professional stewards is not alien to the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) or to the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB). Both jurisdictions employ a combination of unpaid volunteers and paid stipendiary stewards who collectively oversee the integrity of racing and enforce the Rules of Racing. But the role of stipendiary stewards is largely intelligence gathering and monitoring, while it’s the volunteers who form the disciplinary panel and interpret the Rules of Racing on race day.

As volunteers, there is no specified criteria for training or experience, but British and Irish stewards are supported with relevant training and must know the Rules of Racing. IHRB senior stewards serve for a period of two years, following a two-year period as deputy senior steward. Current Senior Steward Harry McCalmont said of his role, “Having spent my life in the business, it’s good to be putting something back and trying to help whenever possible. Stewards have a thankless task, but there is an enormous amount of work done voluntarily which people don’t see, and there is no recompense whatsoever. People do that because they love the sport.”

France also relies upon voluntary stewards, but in a 2019 poll by Jour de Galop, 61% of respondents voted in favour of professional stewards. France Galop Steward Robert Fournier-Sarvolèze told Jour de Galop of his concerns at the average age of the 850 stewards volunteering throughout France. “We note that the age band is getting higher and higher. We have some concern about this. In two years, many men and women will have to stop. The age limit is set at 75 for race stewards.”

He agreed that finding volunteers was not easy but didn’t necessarily believe offering professional positions would help, pointing out that the remuneration would be a major factor. Though not personally in favour, he felt a fixed salary for stewards employed on a year-round basis, rather than a one-off race day payment, might provide a solution. He did not, however, believe a mix of voluntary and professional stewards was workable.

Like McCalmont, Fournier-Sarvolèze acknowledged, “It is a pity that a lot of people do not know all the work done by the stewards.” However, reflecting back on the Racing Victoria remote control room and arguments in favour of a horseracing VAR, Fournier-Sarvolèze made the point, “This may be one of the faults of volunteering—it is not possible to be present every day.”

Stephanie Daburon has been a France Galop steward for 15 years and, like McCalmont, says of her voluntary role, “I have been passionate about horse racing from a young age. Becoming a steward has allowed me to participate in the life of racing in a different way.”

There are arguments both for and against professional stewards, but an important element in stewarding is integrity and the need to preserve the independence of the stewards, while ensuring that their judgment is not affected by any conflict of interest. Remuneration does not enter into that. What it can provide, however, is the stability of a full-time position and consistency. Isn’t lack of consistency in interpreting the rules our greatest bugbear?

There is one final point to note, however. We have been given, where possible, average salaries across all sports and racing jurisdictions. For those racing bodies who do not yet employ professional stewards, can they afford the cost? And where will that additional expense come from?

Scandanavian Horse Racing Breaks New Ground with Common Rules Book

By Dr. Paull Khan

A refrain that can be heard with relentless regularity across the racing world is the call for common rules of racing. I know of no one who does not hold to the view that it would indeed be a great improvement if—like golf, tennis or any number of other sports—racing had a harmonised global rules book. However, with one or two notable recent exceptions, advances towards this prize have been depressingly absent. Racing Authorities are, after all, sovereign in such affairs and, frequently, the attitude that ultimately prevails is “we are absolutely in favour of harmonisation—as long as we don’t have to change our rules.” 

It is, then, all the more heartening to be able to report on an initiative which has overcome such national pride and prejudice and successfully claimed this elusive prize. Since 1 June, the racing industries of Sweden, Norway and Denmark have been governed by a common set of rules encompassing registration and licencing, anti-doping, infection control, raceday equipment and guidelines for sanctions.  

Not that it has been a quick or easy fix. Discussions have been held since before the turn of the century on dovetailing such aspects of racing administration of the three countries. Five years ago, EMHF’s Honorary Life President Bjorn Eklund carried out an exercise to map the differences between the three rules books.

Then, in November 2020, the Swedish Horseracing Authority’s administrative manager, Helena Gartner, was asked to lead a push finally to get the concept over the line. Two representatives were nominated from each of the three countries, with Gartner as project manager. Weekly meetings were held throughout the first half of 2021, paving the way for the June launch.

In part, the recent acceleration of progress can be attributed to COVID as one of the pandemic’s few benefits. Nicolas Cordrey, Danish Jockey Club representative on the group, explains: “There is no doubt that COVID, and the need to use video conferencing on a daily basis, helped in getting the three countries together. It made the process much easier and quicker. We were also lucky to have Helena as project manager, who was always one step ahead.

“Although we are operating in a relatively small market,” explains Gartner, “there is a high degree of international traffic. In 2020, for example, a quarter of the horses that raced in Sweden were trained outside the country—the great majority of them from Denmark and Norway. The same jockeys are riding across Scandinavia. So it is important to have the same procedures and penalties.” 

Exact equivalence of all the Rules has not yet been achieved. Some remain distinct, most obviously Norway’s famous banning of the whip. Gartner again: “I have a list of rules which still differ. While Denmark and Norway use stalls tests; Sweden has qualifier races, for example. Norway has equipment that Sweden and Denmark would not allow: flexible blinkers and ear plugs that can be removed during the race (as are often used in trotting in Scandinavia). I would say that we either succeeded to harmonise quickly or we had to put it on the list, which we have to work with in the future. For Sweden and Denmark there will be more restrictive rules for the use of whip in 2022, which we are discussing at the moment. How close we get to the Norwegian rules is still to be decided.”

These loose ends aside, the experience has been undeniably positive. “Enhanced cooperation between the countries has benefited us all. We share experiences more frequently now and learn from each other. I hope that decisions made by the Stewards will become more and more homogeneous. Now we share members of Appeal Bodies among our countries. We also had a common education for Stewards led by (the British Horseracing Authority’s) Brant Dunshea and Cathy O´Meara in October, which was a big success. I also would like to add that all countries have agreed to let the Swedish Trotting Disciplinary committee decide about violations against the antidoping rules for horses.”

The secret to success down this pioneering route would appear to be compromise and pragmatism as well as acceptance that this is an iterative process, where the countries move closer towards full harmony over time. 

Have the changes been generally accepted by the stakeholders? “Yes, I would absolutely say so,” answers Gartner.

There is a bigger strategic prize that has been an impetus for the project. Establishing a joint Rules Book has been identified as a necessary precursor to technological convergence, with all the synergistic benefits this promises. Gartner again: “Common rules is the first step on our way towards a common Scandinavian database and IT system, and that work has also started!”

The Norwegian Jockey Club’s Liv Kristiansen, also an EMHF Executive Council member, has represented Norway on the project. She elaborates on its perceived advantages:

“As it works now, the three organisations do the same job three times, whether that be registering horses and their breeding, registering owners, licencing or recording race results.”

Cordrey concurs: “One common database, instead of three, will save a lot of administrative time between the three countries and will be much better for our owners, trainers and gamblers. Looking for information and statistics in one place and entering and declaring in one system will make life much easier for a lot of people living in or off racing.”

Kristiansen adds that the system will also address a long-standing inequity. Today, as generally around the world, if a rider incurs a penalty in one country and a second in another country, the first will not be taken into account in any ‘totting-up’ calculations. Top riders can, therefore, move from one jurisdiction to another, free from such concerns. “With our common rules, if a jockey gets fined or suspended for an offence in Norway one day, and then does the same in Sweden the following day, this would be considered a repeat offence.”

Such international cooperation makes sense on so many levels. Common rules are, in and of themselves, to the benefit of all participants and fans. In addition to which, looking beyond one’s own country to outsource certain administrative functions not only increases the talent pool, but also reduces the risks of conflicts of interest. And finally, merging IT systems reduces duplication of work and creates ongoing cost savings. 

Maybe this Scandinavian experiment will act as a beacon for other Racing Authorities to follow suit. 

Photo: Caption: Outgoing IFHA Chair Louis Romanet with EMHF Secretary-General Paull Khan.

BIG CHANGES ON THE WORLD STAGE

4 October 2021 marked the end of a remarkable era in global racing administration. Louis Romanet retired after 27 years as the first and only chair of our global body, the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, thus ending a period of over a century during which the Romanet dynasty has been central to the sport’s development. It was Louis’ grandfather, René, who, as secretary-general of the Societe d’Encouragement (the then French racing authority), chose the name the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for a new prestige race, which made its debut in 1920 shortly after the conclusion of the First World War. Both Louis and his father, Jean, headed the Societe d’Encouragement, and it was Jean’s international outlook and vision that led to the creation of the IFHA. Brian Kavanagh, EMHF chair, has gone as far to say, “Without the Romanet family’s influence in racing, I don’t think racing would be the global sport that it is today.” 

Louis has been a towering figure in world racing for so long, and it was both a relief and a pleasure that we were able to wish him a bonne retraite in person.

Chairmanship of the IFHA passes to Asia, and to Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, who has been CEO of the Hong Kong Jockey Club for the past 15 years. (We in Europe, though, can of course claim Engelbrecht-Bresges as one of our own—having run Germany’s Direktorium for six years in the 1990s). There will be no loss of continuity or experience, however, since he steps up to the top post having been, for several years, one of the IFHA’s three vice-chairs.

This was but one of many changes at the IFHA, which followed both a strategic and a governance review. Perhaps the most far-reaching of these is the decision that the federation’s executives will run affairs from their respective bases around the world, in Lexington, Paris and Hong Kong. Just as COVID provided impetus to the Scandinavian rules project, so it seems to have contributed to the acceptance that organisations no longer need to have a single physical headquarters.

Paris will retain a special place within the workings of the IFHA. The 55-year tradition of holding the annual conference there, following the ‘Arc’, will continue. And European interests will continue to be well represented on the IFHA Executive Council, commanding four of the 11 votes. EMHF Chair Brian Kavanagh remains a vice-chair and is joined on the ‘ExCo’ by France Galop’s Olivier Delloye and new recruits Julie Harrington (CEO of the British Horseracing Authority) and Paull Khan, (EMHF secretary-general, representing the region’s ‘developing’ racing nations). Harrington will chair the Governance Committee, and Delloye the new Commercial and Marketing Committee. In addition, EMHF Executive Council member Henri Pouret will become a director of the new global Executive Office.

In terms of focus areas, it is noteworthy how issues of sustainability and climate change have moved centre stage. At this year’s IFHA Annual Conference, alongside the familiar themes of technological advances and horse welfare was a powerful piece from the Chair of Sport and Sustainability International on the challenges faced by racing and breeding in achieving net zero emission. This came hard on the heels of a talk at this year’s Horseracing Industry Conference in Britain whose strapline was 'Future-Proofing the Racing Industry: Protecting People and the Planet’ and featured an address by the CEO of the British Association for Sustainable Sport. 

In his address to the virtual IFHA Conference, Engelbrecht-Bresges stated, “The time has now come for racing to fully commit to addressing the challenge of climate change” and announced the creation of a new IFHA Committee on sustainability, bolstered by external experts. He expressed confidence that racing could play a leading role among sports on this issue, just as it has in the areas of commercial development and integrity. It seems clear that, from now on and increasingly, the agendas of racing’s leaders will be tinged green.

On the EMHF front, 2020 was, sadly, another year without an in-person meeting. We fervently hope we will be able to meet up for next year’s General Assembly in Warsaw in May 2022. 

This year we welcomed our first two associate members: Romania and Lebanon. The Romanian Jockey Club has hopes of restoring racing in Romania to its former glories. Lebanon no longer stages thoroughbred racing but is hopeful that this can be resurrected in future. Lebanon has moved from a full member to an associate member. Regrettably, we have seen the demise of racing in Lithuania, which is no longer an EMHF member.

On our EMHF Executive Council, Will Lambe has left the BHA and replaced as the vice-chair representing non EU European countries by Julie Harrington. Spain’s Paulino Ojanguren Saez was also elected to the ‘ExCo’ in a four-way contest for the space created by the retirement of Turkey’s Behcet Homurlu.  

Racehorse Bone Health: From a Nutritional Perspective

By Louise Jones

Strong, healthy bones are the foundation for racehorse soundness, but unfortunately skeletal injuries are an issue that every trainer will face. There are many factors involved in the production of strong bones; however, two key factors that we can influence are training and nutrition. 

Every trainer knows how important exercise is to ‘condition’ the bones, and we are constantly striving to improve training programmes so that sufficient strain is applied to signal an increase in bone development, whilst not straining the bones to the point of fracture; this is a difficult balancing. Perhaps more fundamental to this is the role of diet in supporting bone density, strength and repair.  Even minor nutrient deficiencies or imbalances can mean that the horse doesn’t receive the nutrients it requires for healthy bones and thus increases the risk of potential problems down the track.

Understanding how bone is formed and adapts in response to training, alongside the critical role optimal nutrition plays in these processes, can help to ensure skeletal soundness and minimise the risk of bone-related injuries.

Bone formation & remodelling

Bone formation occurs by a process of endochondral ossification; this is where soft cartilage cells are transformed into hard bone cells. Bone consists of three types of cells and an extracellular matrix. This extracellular matrix is made mainly from the protein collagen, which makes up to 30% of mature bone and is a key element in connective tissue and cartilage. The three types of cells in bone are:

• Osteoblasts: These are the cells that lay down the extracellular matrix and are responsible for the growth and mineralisation/hardening of bone.

• Osteoclasts: These cells are involved in the breakdown of bone, so that it can be replaced by new stronger bone. 

• Osteocytes: These cells work to maintain and strengthen when a bone requires modelling or remodelling.

Bone mineral content (BMC) is a measure of the amount of mineral in bone and is an accurate way of measuring the strength of a bone. Interestingly, about 70% of bone strength is due to its mineral content; calcium being the most notable and accounting for 35% of bone structure. A horse’s bones do not fully mature until they are about 5-6 years old. So, whilst a horse will have reached 94% of their mature height when they are a yearling, they will have only reached 76% of their total BMC. 

Although it may seem like mature bone is inert, it is in fact a highly dynamic tissue, and BMC is constantly adapting in response to exercise and rest by a process called remodelling.zBone remodelling is a complex process involving several hormones and nutrients. Essentially when mature bone ages or is placed under stress, such as exercise, small amounts of damage occur. This results in the osteoclast cells removing the old or damaged bone tissue. In turn, this triggers osteoblasts and osteocytes to repair the bone by laying down collagen and minerals over the area, thus strengthening the bones. It’s estimated that 5% of the horse’s total bone mass is replaced (remodelled) each year. It should be noted that during the remodelling process, bone is in a weakened state. Therefore, if during this period, the load applied to the bones exceeds the rate at which they can adapt, injuries such as sore shins can occur.

Bone strength & exercise

When galloping, a horse places up to three times its body weight in force on the lower limbs. The more load or pressure put on a bone, the greater the bone remodelling that will need to take place. Ultimately, this will result in new, stronger bones being formed. 

Studies have shown that correct exercise can increase bone density in the cannon bone, the knee and sesamoid bones; and this can help reduce the likelihood of skeletal injury. However, the intensity of training is key; low intensity exercise (trotting), whilst essential for muscle development, has been shown to only result in small change in cannon bone density. Whereas training at high speeds for a short amount of time (sprinting), rather than repetitive slow galloping, has shown to result in a significant increase in bone density. This is highlighted in a study using a treadmill where short periods of galloping at speeds over 27mph (43 km/hour) were associated with a 4-5% increase in the density of the cannon bone.

Whilst exercise clearly plays a pivotal role in bone density, doing too much too soon can be disastrous and result in issues such as:

• Sore/buck shins: This is a common injury in young racehorses. It is caused by excessive pressure on the bones resulting in tiny fractures on the cannon bone, which may not have fully mineralised (strengthened and hardened). This results in the periosteum (a fibrous membrane of connective tissue covering the cannon bone) becoming inflamed. 

• Bone chips: Another common skeletal injury in racehorses, mostly seen in joints, particularly in the knee. This is when a tiny fracture occurs in the joint, weakening the bone and ultimately resulting in a ‘chip’ of the bone becoming separated. 

When trying to maximise skeletal strength, periods of lower intensity exercise or rest are just as important as gallop work, as they give the bone a chance to remodel. However, prolonged rest will have a negative effect on skeletal health.  Research has looked at the loss of BMC in the cannon bone when horses were placed on box-rest (with 30 minutes on the walker) and found overall BMC was reduced. Therefore, even horses returning to work after a short period of 1-2 weeks of box-rest could potentially have a significant decline in bone density and thus be at increased risk of skeletal injury once exercise recommences. 

It’s also important to bear in mind that when a young horse starts training, it is normally coming from a 12–24-hour turnout. This is where the horse has the ability to gallop and play. However, once training begins, they are typically stabled from long hours with short intervals of low intensity training. Consequently, bone demineralisation can occur. In addition, during this early stage of training, bone will undergo a significant degree of remodelling in response to exercise. Initially this process makes the bone more porous and fragile before it regains its strength. As a result, research has shown that horses can have reduced bone density during the first few months of training, with bones being at their weakest and the horse more prone to issues such as sore shins between day 45–75 of training. 

It should be noted that even when training is carried out slowly, conditions such as sore shins can still happen as bone remodelling occurs at different rates in every horse and is influenced by factors such as track surface and design. While there is some information on exercise and bone development from which to make inferences, a definitive answer as to the perfect amount of exercise to support optimal bone development has not yet been found.

Nutrition & bone health

Exercise is essential to bone health, but nutrition plays an equally important role. Bone is continuously being strengthened, repaired and replaced. And if we can aid bone remodelling with good nutrition, we can decrease the likelihood of skeletal injury. The essential nutrients for bone health are protein, minerals and vitamins, including calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), zinc (Zn) copper (Cu), vitamins A, D and K. 

Protein: Collagen is a protein and forms the bony matrix on which minerals are deposited. Feeding sufficient high-quality protein, rich in essential amino acids such as lysine and methionine, is therefore a key factor in the development of strong healthy bones. When selecting an appropriate feed for horses in training, both the level and quality of the protein it provides should be carefully considered; not all protein is equal.  

Calcium & Phosphorus: It is well documented that these essential minerals are the foundation of strong and healthy bones, making up 70% of the BMC. The ratio of calcium and phosphorus in the diet is also very important for bone mineralisation. This is because imbalances in the Ca:P ratio can result in the removal of calcium from the skeleton and may lead to bone demineralisation. The minimum Ca:P ratio in the diet should be 1.5:1, with the ideal ratio being at least 2:1 for young horses. It is important to note that adding other feedstuffs such as chaffs or cereals to the horse’s feed can alter the Ca:P ratio in the overall diet. For example, adding oats, which are high in phosphorus, will reduce the calcium to phosphorus ratio and this may adversely affect calcium absorption. On the other hand, including some alfalfa, which is high in calcium, can help to increase the Ca:P ratio if required. 

Copper & Zinc: Copper is an important mineral for bone, joint and connective tissue development. Lysyl oxidase is an enzyme that requires copper. It is responsible for cross-linking of collagen, and therefore copper plays an important role in the formation of new bone which requires a collagen matrix. Similarly, zinc is integrally involved in cartilage turnover; and research has shown that horses supplemented with zinc, as part of a complete mineral package, have increased bone mineral density compared to horses fed an unsupplemented diet. Copper and zinc are frequently found to be low in forage and therefore must be provided in the form of a hard feed or supplement. 

Vitamins: A number of vitamins play essential roles in skeletal health. For example, vitamin A is involved in the development of osteoblasts—the cells responsible for laying down new bone—whilst vitamin D is needed for calcium absorption. More recent research has also shown that feeding vitamin K improves the production of osteocalcin, the hormone responsible for facilitating bone metabolism and mineralisation. Furthermore, research in two-year-old thoroughbreds suggests that feeding vitamin K may help increase bone mineral density and thus potentially be beneficial for decreasing the incidence of sore shins. Although standard feed manufactures include vitamin A and D in their feeds, a few also now include vitamin K.

Supplementation for bone health

Young horses in training, those recovering from injury or returning to work following a rest will benefit from additional nutritional support targeted at maintaining improving bone health. In these situations, supplementing with elevated levels of calcium and phosphorus will help improve bone health. Look for a supplement containing collagen, which is rich in type I and II collagen, proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans—all of which aid the bone remodelling process and help to maintain bone health. Choosing a supplement that also contains chelated copper and zinc, as well as vitamins A and D, will also help support bone mineralisation. 

In summary, skeletal injuries have a huge adverse effect on the racing industry and are a common cause of lost training days. Undoubtedly, adapting our training regimes, modifying our gallops and improving our management practices will all help to reduce the risk of bone-related injuries. Equally, the role of nutrition in bone health should not be overlooked. A balanced diet, rich in nutrients, minerals and vitamins, can contribute significantly to bone density and strength. Proper nutrition is an essential parameter of skeletal health, participating in both the prevention and treatment of bone diseases.  To achieve a strong, sound skeleton, you must feed the bones.

The Importance of forage testing

Forage (hay/haylage) is an important source of nutrients for horses in training. However, the levels of minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and copper present can vary enormously and depend on factors such as the species of grass and the land on which it was grown. It is recommended that you regularly test the nutritional value of your forage. This will highlight any mineral excess/deficiencies and allow for the ratios of certain minerals such as calcium and phosphorus to be assessed. In most cases, any issues identified can be corrected through using an appropriate hard feed and/or supplement.

Gut Health - Aspects of bad behaviour and how to fix it

By Bill Vandergrift, PhD

When performance horses behave or react in ways that are less than desirable, we as trainers and handlers try to figure out what they are telling us.  Is there a physical problem causing discomfort, or is it anxiety based on a previous negative experience? Or, is the bad behaviour resulting from a poor training foundation leading the horse to take unfamiliar or uncomfortable situations into their own hands? This usually triggers the fright and flight reflex instead of relying on the handler for direction and stability.  

Often when the most common conditions that cause physical discomfort are ruled out, it may be tempting to assume that the bad behaviour is just in the horse’s head or that the horse is just an ill-tempered individual. In my experience, most unexplainable behaviour expressed by performance horses is rooted in the horse’s “other brain,” otherwise known as the digestive system. In this article, I will explain what causes poor digestive health, the link between digestive health and brain function, and what steps can be taken to prevent and/or reverse poor digestive health.

Digestive health

While most trainers are familiar with gastric ulcers, symptoms and common protocols utilised to heal and prevent them, there still remains a degree of confusion regarding other forms of digestive dysfunction that can have a significant effect on the horse’s performance and behaviour. In many cases, recurrent gastric ulcers are simply a symptom of more complex issues related to digestive health.  Trainers, veterinarians and nutritionists need to understand that no part of the horse’s digestive tract is a stand-alone component. From the mouth to the rectum, all parts of the digestive system are in constant communication with each other to coordinate motility, immune function, secretion of digestive juices and the production of hormones and chemical messengers. If this intricate system of communication is interrupted, the overall function of the digestive system becomes uncoupled, leading to dysfunction in one or more areas of the digestive tract.

For example, a primary cause of recurrent gastric ulcers that return quickly after successful treatment with a standard medication protocol is often inflammation of the small and/or large intestine. Until the intestinal inflammation is successfully controlled, the gastric ulcers will remain persistent due to the uncoupling of communication between the stomach and lower part of the digestive tract.

How do we define digestive health? Obviously, digestive health is a complex topic with many moving parts (figuratively and literally). The main parts of a healthy digestive system include, but are not limited to 1) the microbiome, 2) hormone and messenger production and activity, 3) health of epithelial tissues throughout the digestive system, 4) normal immune function of intestinal tissue and 5) proper function of the mucosa (smooth muscle of the digestive tract) to facilitate normal motility throughout the entire length of the digestive tract.

Microbiome is key

A healthy and diverse microbiome is at the centre of digestive health. We now recognise that reduced diversity of the microbiome can lead to digestive dysfunction such as colic and colitis, development of metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance, reduced performance and increased susceptibility to disease. Research efforts leading to greater understanding of the microbiome have recently been aided by developing more sophisticated techniques used to identify and measure its composition in horses, laboratory animals, pets, livestock and people. While these research efforts have illustrated how little we really understand the microbiome, there have been significant discoveries stemming from these efforts already.  For example, a specific bacteria (probiotic) is now being used clinically in people to reverse depression resulting from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Bifidobacterium longum NCC3001 reduces depression in IBS patients by directly affecting the activity of the vagus nerve which facilitates communication between the brain and the digestive tract. It should be noted that Bifidobacterium longum NCC3001 has been demonstrated to be more effective at reducing depression in IBS patients than antidepressant drugs commonly used in these same cases. While we do not commonly recognise clinical depression as a physiological condition in horses, the same mechanisms that affect the function of the vagus nerve and brain chemistry in IBS patients can affect a horse’s behaviour and reactivity due to intestinal dysfunction, resulting in a horse that bites, kicks, pins its ears or otherwise demonstrates hyper-reactivity for no apparent reason, especially if this behaviour is a recent development.

One case in particular I dealt with years ago that had underlying suggestions of depression in a horse, and underscores the importance of a diverse and healthy microbiome for performance horses, was a horse that had been recently started in training and was working with compliance on the track. The problem was this horse seemed to be unable to find the “speed gear.” The trainer had consulted with various veterinarians, physical therapists, chiropractors and others in an attempt to pinpoint the cause for this horse’s apparent inability to move out; and it was everyone’s opinion that this particular horse had the ability but he simply wasn’t displaying the desire. In other words, he was “just dull.”  After reviewing this horse’s case and diet, I had to concur with everyone else that there was no obvious explanation for the lack of vigor this horse displayed on the track even though his body condition, muscle development and hair coat were all excellent. Despite any outward signs of a microbiome problem other than the horse’s “dullness,” I recommended a protocol that included high doses of probiotics daily, and within 10 days, we had a different horse. The horse was no longer dull under saddle; and when asked to move out and find the next gear, he would readily comply; by making an adjustment to the microbiome, this horse’s career was saved.

There is always a change to the microbiome whenever there is a dysfunction of the digestive system, and there is always digestive dysfunction whenever there is a significant change to the microbiome. Which one occurs first or which one facilitates a change in the other may be dependent upon the nature of the dysfunction, but these two events will almost always occur together. Therefore, efforts to maintain a viable and diverse microbiome will reduce the chances of digestive dysfunction and increase the speed of recovery when digestive dysfunction occurs.

Leaky gut

Even though the physiological basis of leaky gut has been understood for some time, leaky gut has not been a condition recognised to affect behaviour, performance or health in horses until recently. Today, leaky gut is quickly becoming a recognised dysfunction of the digestive system that has a multitude of negative effects on the overall well-being of horses including allergies, insulin resistance, uncharacteristic behaviour, picky appetite and reduced performance. As illustrated in Figure 1, leaky gut refers to a breakdown of the structures, referred to as tight junctions that hold adjacent intestinal cells together.

When the small and large intestines are healthy, the tight junctions between individual intestinal cells remain closed, forming a barrier between the inside of the intestinal lumen and the inside of the horse’s body. This barrier normally serves as a very important function by preventing complex molecules such as undigested proteins and carbohydrates as well as pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria from “leaking” through the intestine and entering the horse’s blood stream. Also note in Figure 1 that as you move your focus from left to right in the diagram, not only do the tight junctions become open, but the intestinal cells become more and more inflamed, eventually leading to total breakdown of the intestinal cells themselves. At this point, you not only have leaky gut, but now the condition has progressed from a leak to a flood, so to speak. This illustrates that the severity of leaky gut can vary from mild to severe with increasing severity also being associated with increasing intestinal inflammation.

Figure 1. Basic Physiology of Leaky Gut

 Image Courtesy of Kemin Industries.

As the severity of leaky gut increases, the communication between the different components of the digestive system is disrupted, and the coordination between the different sections of the digestive tract becomes uncoupled. The production of hormones such as serotonin and dopamine is altered, which has a direct effect on digestive function and brain function concurrently. This is one of the most obvious reasons why intestinal inflammation causes a horse’s behaviour and temperament to change.  Inflammation of intestinal cells initiates a self-propagating process that stimulates additional inflammation of the intestine and initiates systemic inflammatory processes throughout the entire body.  The self-propagating nature of intestinal inflammation is the reason why horses don’t just simply recover from it without assistance. In fact, I have worked with individual horses that have suffered from leaky gut for years based on their case history. The longer leaky gut has existed, the longer it will take to reverse in most cases.

In addition to leaky gut causing changes in behaviour and performance, leaky gut can also alter immune function and metabolic status. There is growing evidence that the initial cause of insulin resistance in many horses is in fact leaky gut. Intestinal inflammation causes a marked change in glucose homeostasis, which in turn reduces insulin sensitivity. Unfortunately, it appears that once insulin resistance is established, it is near impossible to reverse completely even if the leaky gut condition that caused it in the first place is successfully reversed.  

Leaky gut is also a common trigger for allergies in horses. It is well known that the majority of the horse’s immune system is located in the intestine. When the intestine “leaks,” undigested proteins, bacteria and other immune-stimulating agents gain access to the bloodstream, thus putting the immune system on high alert. Many horses respond to this situation by presenting with multiple allergies, many of which are reactive enough to warrant immunotherapy (allergy shots). I often hear in these situations that “my horse is allergic to everything”; and in many instances, this would seem to be the case. Fortunately, by reversing leaky gut and removing these immune-stimulating agents from the horse’s body, many of these allergies simply disappear. Keep in mind that horses can in fact be truly allergic to certain feeds and environmental agents, and these allergies have nothing to do with digestive health. It is best to consult with an experienced veterinarian and nutritionist to distinguish between true allergies and those caused by an overactive immune system triggered by leaky gut.

As illustrated in Figure 2, leaky gut can be caused by many different “triggers.” In performance horses, the most common triggers for leaky gut are: 1) stress (physical and emotional), 2) intense exercise, 3) heat stress and 4) various medications. Of these, stress is the strongest trigger for leaky gut due to the fact that stress of any kind increases circulating levels of cortisol. Cortisol breaks down the tight junctions of the intestine, which in turn results in leaky gut.

Figure 2.  Possible Factors Causing Leaky Gut in Horses

Preventing and reversing leaky gut

Almost all performance horses will present with digestive dysfunction or leaky gut at some point in time in their career. The reason is simple: stress is the strongest trigger for leaky gut, and all performance horses experience stress to one degree or another. Unfortunately, there is no exclusive marker for leaky gut at the present time. Researchers are getting close to developing a reliable diagnostic test for leaky gut as this article is written, but in the meantime it is best to detect digestive dysfunction and leaky gut by evaluating changes and observing symptoms presented by the horse. A partial list of symptoms to look for includes: a) not performing to the previous level or level that is expected, b) change in personality (e.g., grouchy or “leave me alone” behaviour, c) resistance to leg aids especially on right side (right dorsal colon is often inflamed), d) backing ears or biting when being saddled especially when the cinch is tightened, e) dull, f) prefers to eat hay rather than grain, g) manure has a funny odor or consistency, h) low fecal pH (herd specific), i) constantly shifting weight from one hind leg to the other in the stall, j) tight and “sunk in” in flank area, k) tight in back and hamstrings, l) eating a lot of grain but not gaining weight, m) dull coat and/or skin disorders, n) poor hoof quality, o) multiple allergies, p) improves while on omeprazole but quickly reverts when taken off, q) recurrent or chronic diarrhea and r) irreconcilable behaviour. (Note: No two horses will present with all of these symptoms or the same symptoms, but this list provides a guide for the most common symptoms to evaluate.

Since stress is the strongest trigger for intestinal inflammation and leaky gut, steps should be taken to remove as much stress as possible. For example, paying attention to biosecurity measures, transporting at times and with methods that reduce stress, adjusting training schedules to avoid heat stress and overexertion are things that can be done to reduce stress. Keeping forage (hay and/or pasture) in front of horses 24/7 is critical. Controlling the amount of grain-based feed fed per day can help in many cases. As a guideline, if you are having to feed more than 7 kgs (or 15 lbs) of grain per day to maintain a horse’s condition and energy level, you should suspect digestive dysfunction as one of the reasons so much feed is required.

If you suspect your horse is presenting with leaky gut, how can you help reverse it? Begin by continuing to provide “good quality” forage 24/7 and utilise a high-fibre, high-fat, low-soluble carbohydrate feed in place of a grain-based feed.

Second, utilise nutritional tools that are now available to stimulate closure of the tight junctions. These include nutraceuticals such as butyric acid, glutamine, bioactive peptides (plasma or colostrum), specific probiotics such as Bacillus subtillus PB6 and carnitine. There are products available currently that provide one or more of these nutraceuticals in the proper dosage.

Third, support a diverse and healthy microbiome with the use of probiotics and prebiotics. When selecting probiotics, numbers matter! It is preferred that any probiotic strain be dosed at a minimum of 1 billion CFUs (colony forming units) per day. Be sure to understand that this is per strain and not cumulative for a mixture of different probiotic strains. I would rather administer 10 billion CFUs of a single probiotic strain than 5 billion CFUs of a product containing a mixture of seven different strains.  Additionally, for optimal effectiveness of any probiotic, it is imperative that it be dosed in combination with prebiotics such as yeast cultures, mannan-oligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides, or inulin, for example. Prebiotics and probiotics work synergistically to alter the diversity and overall activity of the microbiome in a manner that provides far superior results compared to either one by itself.

Fourth, provide anti-inflammatory activity to the intestine with omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseed, chia seed, hemp oil, and fish oil all contribute to reducing inflammation in the intestine. The omega-3 fatty acid EPA from fish oil is especially effective as an anti-inflammatory agent for the intestine. DISCLAIMER:  In cases of severe leaky gut and severe intestinal inflammation, omega-3s may exacerbate the inflammation rather than reduce it. This will be noted within just 2–3 days by the horse presenting with notable diarrhoea. Additionally, omega-3s and coconut products are contraindicated for horses presenting with severe or chronic diarrhoea, as this is usually a reliable symptom of severe leaky gut, which is often made worse by these dietary components.

Fifth, include nutraceuticals to improve production of intestinal hormones and provide additional protection for intestinal cells. Possible choices include liquorice, slippery elm, aloe, arginine, citrulline, theanine, tryptophan, or alpha lipoic acid. Consult with a reputable supplement company for suggestions on which products and dosage are appropriate for your horse.

Training - 'horses with attitude'

By Ken Synder

“One refuses to run. One can’t run. One gets hurt. One’s a nice horse you have a little bit of fun with.  And one’s a really nice horse that helps you forget the first four,” said trainer Kenny McPeek with a laugh, as he categorized new Thoroughbreds coming into his barn annually.

In some cases, that first one—the horse that refuses to run—really is forgotten, falling through the proverbial cracks of large stables with plenty of “really nice horses.”

 “There’s very few of them we can’t figure out,” he said, “but sometimes we can’t.”

That’s where people like 71-year-old horseman Frank Barnett of Fieldstone Farm in Williston, Florida, (near Ocala) get involved. “I wish you could get to it by skirting the ‘issues,’ but you can’t,” he said.  “That’s how they got to me.” Those issues are not loading into a trailer or starting gate, balking at workouts, throwing riders and—bottom line—acting as if they don’t want to become racehorses.

The principal issue underlying all the others, according to Barnett and Dr. Stephen Peters, co-author with Martin Black of the book Evidence-Based Horsemanship, is forgetting that horses are prey and not predatory animals. “Your horse is constantly asking, ‘Am I safe?’” said Peters.

The question supersedes everything else in a horse’s brain and, unfortunately, isn’t part of most Thoroughbred trainers’ knowledge of how psychologically a horse functions, according to Peters—a neuroscientist and horse-brain researcher. “One of our big problems is the only brain that we have to compare to the horse’s brain is our own, so we develop ideas like respect and disrespect.

“Horses don’t have a big frontal lobe. They can’t abstract things.

“Would you beat a child who couldn’t figure out a math problem? Of course, you wouldn’t. Punishment in a horse’s environment is a predatory threat,” Peters added.

The collaboration between Peters and Black, an Idaho-based horseman who teaches horsemanship,  began when the former observed Black allowing a horse to rest after a training task, waiting and watching for the horse to drop its head, and then waiting for it to lick its lips. Then he would repeat the task or move to a new one. Peters, a neuroscientist and horse brain researcher, immediately knew Black was giving the horse “dwell-time.” In the simplest terms, that is the time between adrenaline subsiding in the horse’s brain from the stress of something like a training task before a “dopamine hit”—relief and, most critically, a feeling of safety. Stress to any degree causes a horse’s mouth to dry. Licking the lips after the stress signals a dopamine hit. The stress is over. I’m safe. Black instinctively knew he needed to wait on the horse.

“It’s almost an art in creating a neurochemical cocktail for your horse,” said Peters. 

Black added, “Instead of drilling for 30 minutes, I would do an exercise taking maybe not even a minute.

“I will stress the horse--get the adrenaline going and then let it get the cocktail. They lick their lips and then they think about it, then they lick their lips again and the next time I ask them for it, it’s like we have been practicing it for a month.”

In their book, Peters and Black posit that dwell-time enables the horse to replay what it has just been through. Scans have shown brain areas used during something like a learning activity are still active while resting. Testing has also shown that subjects given dwell-time between a task learn faster than subjects not given space between learning exercises.

Black, who grew up working cattle on horseback and who also has a deep background with Thoroughbreds, recognized that “Peters had the science but didn’t have the experience. I had the experience but not the science.”

Peters explained, in part, the science: “What we do is introduce something to the horse, and we have to pause. We have to allow the horse a chance to assimilate the information. If not, the horse will get sympathetically aroused [experience increased heart rate, blood pressure, adrenaline activation and increased sweating] or tune you out. They disassociate. They put themselves somewhere else and they go through the motions. But that doesn’t mean they’ve learned what you have tried to teach them.

“Sometimes you’ll create a trauma, and now you have to take 100 good things to overcome that one bad thing because, as prey animals, they’re going to remember, ‘I was not safe.’”  

In practical terms, a horse who was whipped to enter a trailer, for example, will always be difficult when asked to load. McPeek believes horses not only remember abuse but remember who it came from.  “They do it on smell,” he said.

Peters’ and Martin’s book bridges the brain chemistry of horses and horse behavior and “language.”  

Barnett is a Peters-Martin disciple whose training of horses spans experience watching horses and neural explanations for horse behavior provided by people like Peters. He provides another huge key in understanding why horses do what they do from his work: Horses will get a neurochemical release or dopamine hit from bad behavior as well as good. Punishing a horse, like in the example of whipping a horse for balking at trailer loading, will reinforce undesired behavior. Barnett, who works with dressage and eventing horses, said, “A horse stopping at a hurdle gets a dopamine release—stopping is a good thing in the horse’s mind. A good horse who hurdles gets the same kind of neurochemical release in its brain: dopamine endorphins.”  

Barnett provides another example closer to Thoroughbred racing: A horse who fights or dumps an exercise rider in training is, in all likelihood, hurting. “If he’s hurting bad enough, he dumps somebody and then just stands there and stops. That’s going to tell you he’s not a bad horse. He’s just hurting.” 

The problem is not the rider but what the rider is doing, according to Black. For a horse who stops going forward or tries to throw a rider, he would push the horse from behind with the rider still mounted but with the bridle removed. The typical response from an exercise rider will be, “’I need to hang on,’” said Black. “That’s the problem: you’re hanging on to him.

“Riders ride real tight, and horses get sore in their mouths. They might have abscesses. People don’t listen to the horse.” 

Loading into a horse trailer is typically a difficult task for Thoroughbred trainers, particularly for young horses. In their brain, the horse is asking, “Am I safe?” Practically every horse, at least the first time, will balk. It’s a strange new environment. In the horse’s mind, according to Black, he or she might think they’re getting a big shove “off a cliff or into a black hole.” They don’t know if it is safe. 

The remedy is calculated minor stress followed by quiet. “You bring the horse up to the trailer and give him a nudge. He backs out of there. ‘Nope. I’m not going.’ So he leaves. You go with him, and as soon as he turns around to leave the trailer, I get him bothered. I’ll walk him in circles. I’ll cause him some confusion and discomfort. His mind is racing, and he can’t figure out where comfort is.  

“I’m not talking about twitching his ear or inflicting pain but making it so he can’t find relief or peace any place since leaving the trailer.  

“Then I guide him back to the trailer. The closer he gets to it, the quieter I get. It’s like he’s escaping from all the chaos by going to the trailer. He’ll get on.”

The obvious question is how long might this take with a horse. “Might be one minute...might be 15 minutes,” said Black.

“Why does a horse do anything?” asked Peters, “because they’ve created a brain pattern or pathway.  How are those pathways made? They’re dopamine reinforced. If I take my horse onto the trailer and he backs off and gets away and runs to a field, I’ve got to rewire its brain. If the horse gets punished for this, I’m creating a problem on top of a problem.

“Our job is to get dopamine hits set up.”

Black started (the term he uses rather than “broke”) Thoroughbreds for Calumet Farm for 10 years from 1995 to 2005 and believes much of bad Thoroughbred behavior is taught. “They get so many traumatic experiences on the racetrack.” 

He is also doubtful training methods will ever change in the Thoroughbred industry. “They’re not going to change because they can get one in a hundred to win something. So why change?

“I heard this all the time: ‘You don’t understand; these are Thoroughbreds.’ Ok, so your horse won a million dollars. With your program, you have one horse that won a million dollars. You’ve got a hundred of them that dropped out of kindergarten. Every one of mine graduated, so whose program is better?” 

Among the thousand-plus horses that Black estimates he started for Calumet, was Pleasantly Perfect, winner of $7.7 million and the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2003.    

Akin to the example of a horse refusing to work out, there is the story of Seabiscuit, who ran 17 times before breaking his maiden. He didn’t want to run for legendary trainer “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons. He got moved to trainer Tom Smith’s barn. Tom was a Western cowboy with experience working with wild Mustangs. Seabiscuit’s behavior continued...for the first four workouts. Smith was known to sit in the stall for hours with a new horse he had gotten to somehow commune with and get an instinctual feel for that horse. He told an exercise rider with his hands full on the fifth day to drop the reins and let the horse do what he wanted to do. With that, the horse took off—apparently discovering the joy of running and then earned a carrot on the return to the barn, which became a standard reward. The rest is history.

Are methods like that espoused by Peters, Black and Barnett fool-proof? Peters simply said, “Horses are just like humans. Not every human being can play every sport.”

Sometimes, too, the “rehab trainer” like Barnett can only do so much. He recalled a promising horse sent to him by the old Waldemar Farm who wouldn’t load in the starting gate. Barnett got the horse past this fear. “The horse was doing scorching works, and everybody flew in to watch the first start at Gulfstream.

“I got a message on the answering machine after the race asking if, for the same money, I could teach the sonofabitch how to run. Ran last and never won a race.”

That would be McPeek’s category number two.

TopSpec Trainer of the Quarter - François Nicolle

The TopSpec Trainer of the Quarter Award has been won by François Nicolle. Nicolle will receive £1000 worth of TopSpec feed, supplements and additives as well as a consultation with one of their senior nutritionists

By Katherine Ford

In France, ask a racegoer to name the top jumps trainer, and the answer will certainly come back without an instant of hesitation, “François Nicolle.” Outside the country, however, the professional is still somewhat under the radar. And yet, in 2021 the Royan-based handler is about to secure his fourth consecutive French trainers title after amassing almost €10 million in prize money—the double of his nearest rivals both geographically and in results, his South West France neighbours Guillaume Macaire and Hector de Lageneste.

With a stable of around 170 horses, Nicolle’s strike rate is as impressive as his bankroll in 2021, with a win ratio of over 20%. Indeed, his horses often have to settle for second or third best behind their stablemates in France’s most prestigious contests. 

This has been the case during the autumn with Nicolle trios dominating the Gr 2 Prix Georges Courtois at Auteuil and the Gr 2 Prix Leopold d’Orsetti at Compiègne, while he saddled the first two in the Gr 1 Prix Cambacarés hurdle during the feature weekend at Auteuil in November, as well as a fourth success in the Gr 1 Prix la Haye Jousselin with Poly Grandchamp. “We didn’t expect the win,” Nicolle said, “but it’s great to see an old campaigner like him lift a big prize.” 

Nevertheless, the important ‘48h of Jumping’ weekend could have been a great source of disappointment as stable star l’Autonomie was denied in her quest for a 17th career victory in the Gr 1 Grand Prix d’Automne when beaten by veteran and specialist of the race Galop Marin. 

Magnanimous in defeat, Nicolle’s initial reaction was, “We were beaten by a champion. This is Galop Marin’s race,” and with hindsight explained, “We didn’t choose the right tactical option in the race. It’s frustrating as the year is constructed around these big Group 1 races.” 

Kyrov and Gwen Richard on their way to winning the 2021 Prix Cambaceres

From an agricultural background, François Nicolle is never happier than when in his tractor working his training tracks; however, he has adapted well to the big time in Paris. Despite what could represent an organizational nightmare of long journeys from Royan to Auteuil (6 hours for the two-stall horsebox; 8 hours for the larger wagons), and often 10 or more runners at a meeting, he never belies an ounce of stress as his well-rehearsed team go about their business at the track. “Everyone knows their role, as the smallest detail can be important; and with the exception of an occasional hiccup, everything goes smoothly.” 

Throughout an afternoon’s racing, he is invariably found leaning against a bench in ‘his’ corner of the parade ring, observing as staff pass by with tack and jockeys for instructions, and above all, a steady stream of friends, rivals, well-wishers and media who are all received with the same twinkle in his eye, a smile and a joke. 

With the support of many of France’s most powerful owners and breeders, François Nicolle looks likely to dominate Auteuil for seasons to come, however he has a challenge still to fulfil. The trainer discovered British racing at Royal Ascot with his great friend Jean-Claude Rouget who invited him along to enjoy a well-timed success of Ervedya in the Coronation Stakes, and he vowed to return the favour at the Cheltenham Festival. A man of his word, he is waiting for the right horse to keep his promise.

Take a chance on me! Jessica Long in profile

Sweden’s southernmost region Skåne is the home of Jessica Long, one of the most prominent trainers—and breeders—in Scandinavia. We met with Jessica Long to learn about her set-up in Sweden and her views on the future. We also found out about her connection to world-famous composer and musician Benny Andersson—and why Swedish horses are so rarely seen racing abroad. 

Racehorses have been part of Jessica Long’s life for as long as she can remember. She grew up on the family farm surrounded by horses, and her parents devoted their lives to the racing and breeding industry. As a keen rider, Jessica was involved in the family business from an early age, and you would assume that her career choice was an easy one. However, her mind was initially not set on becoming a racehorse trainer. 

“I actually never planned on taking over my parents’ business. Instead, I went to university in Lund and studied molecular biology. To be honest, I found it very boring, and I wanted to change direction; but I didn’t know what to do. Around the same time, one of the members of staff at the farm left, and I decided to fill the vacancy until I had made my mind up. It went well for us that year. My mum became the champion trainer in Denmark, and I got a taste for more. So, I never left,” Jessica says with a smile. 

Well, it is not entirely true that she never left the farm again. Jessica made sure to gain valuable experience abroad, and in total she has spent almost five years in Britain and Ireland. “Initially I worked for the eventer Eric Duvander—he is now the coach of the US eventing team. I also completed the National Stud Diploma Course in Newmarket and later spent three seasons at Coolmore Stud.”

In Ireland, Jessica met Padraig Long, now her husband and the co-manager of the family business. But despite the strong Irish connection, Sweden was the obvious choice when the couple decided to settle down. “We never hesitated. Racing in Sweden was doing very well at the time. There seemed to be a bright future for the industry, and we had a nice farm at home. It was an easy choice to head back to Sweden and try to establish ourselves over here.”  

In 2008, at the age of 29, Jessica took over the business from her parents and became a racehorse trainer in her own right. With multiple years of experience between them, Jessica and Padraig decided to focus on both the racing and the breeding side of the industry, and to run a small stud farm and consignment alongside the racing yard. “It so happens that the farm works quite well for both training and breeding. It is well planned and fits well for both parts—with large fields for turn-out and a small track for exercise,” Jessica says. 

The setup worked very well for quite a few years. But as the number of horses grew, the training facilities at the farm became limited, and for the last three years, the horses in training are now based at Jägersro—a 20-minute drive from the farm.

Set on the outskirts of Malmö, Jägersro is the oldest thoroughbred racetrack in Sweden and the home of almost 250 racehorses, roughly one quarter of the total number of racehorses in Sweden.

The racecourse hosts a handful of Listed events as well as the prestigious Swedish Derby—a race that has been run since 1918. The facility features an oval dirt track for racing and three gallops for training as well as a track for harness racing.

The location in the very south of Sweden is ideal for travelling abroad. Klampenborg, the racecourse in the Danish capital, is within easy reach. Jessica Long does not hesitate to venture further than that, and her four-year-old filly Victoria Placa has made several appearances in Germany during this summer and autumn. “We are aiming for a Listed win in Germany. If everything goes her way, she is good enough to win, which would give her international breeding value.”

Despite the proximity to mainland Europe, Swedish trainers are rarely seen bringing horses to race outside of Scandinavia—with the exception of the occasional Dubai World Cup Carnival participant. “I’m confident that we are good enough and that we have horses that are good enough; but the purses are surprisingly large in Scandinavia, and there is a bonus system for Swedish-bred horses. That is a good thing, of course, but it also means that we tend to stay at home.”

Swedish-bred horses racing in Sweden will receive a bonus on earned prize money in most races, varying from 40% for two-year-olds to 30% for four-year-olds. 

“On top of that, quite often our big races coincide with suitable races internationally. You must choose if you want one or the other, and of course it is easier to stay in Sweden. It makes a lot of sense to stay at home for prize money reasons. But at the same time, I think it is part of racing to try to match your horses abroad and see how far you can go against international competition. I am very grateful that we have horse owners who let us try our wings abroad—to see how good the horses are.”

“Then, of course, you also need a good horse to venture abroad. When you only have a limited number of horses, a good one does not show up so often…”

It must be taken into consideration that most professional trainers in Sweden only have about 20 horses in training, with a few exceptions that would have upwards of 40 horses in the stable. Jessica Long currently has 24 horses in the barn at Jägersro. However, she was lucky that a good horse showed up early in her career. That was Volatile—a homebred gelding who took Jessica, Padraig and the owners to Newmarket, Hamburg, Meydan, Maisons-Laffitte and Royal Ascot. With a Listed win in Dubai and Group placings in England and France, Volatile is one of the most successful horses to ever come out of Sweden.  “Volatile meant a lot to my career as a trainer. It went incredibly fast. We found ourselves in Newmarket only a few weeks after his debut race at Jägersro. He took us on a journey that few of us could have dreamt of or ever will experience again.

Volatile with his entourage of owners

Wherever Volatile raced, he would come with an entourage of owners. “He was owned by a syndicate made up of 20 shares, and many of the part owners were new to racing. It was such a great group; they really embraced the success and travelled with us to most countries where he raced. It was just a wonderful experience. Volatile is retired now, but most of the part owners have shares in other horses.”   

Among the owners in the stable, you will find those who own 5% or 10% of a horse in a syndicate as well as some of the most high-profile owners in Scandinavia. Jessica has received the backing of prominent owner-breeders such as Chess Racing, Stall Perlen, Buck Racing and Light Valley Stud. 

ABBA member Benny Andersson, whose horses race in the name of Chess Racing, may be best known for his British-trained horses including recent Gp. 2 winner Lavender’s Blue. However, he also has horses in training with Jessica and regularly makes the headlines in Scandinavia. Jessica recalls the story of how Benny Andersson came to be a racehorse owner.  “Benny’s wife Mona was previously married to my father, and they have a son together. When Benny was to meet the extended family for the first time, he realised that if he would have something in common with this family, he needed to buy a horse….” 

He did, and it didn’t take long until Benny Andersson was bitten by the racing bug. “He thought it was fun and soon figured that he would like to be involved in breeding his own horses. It is fascinating to be part of choosing the stallion and to see the horses grow up. He has also bought some horses at the sales, but the homebreds are closer to his heart. He is committed and very active with stallion selections, but he would not have a lot of opinions about the training and how we match the horses and so on. With that said, when I have two similar options, I will always ask him what he prefers. We have known each other for so long that rarely does anything come as a surprise; we have similar goals and plans for the horses.”

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Have you considered the stress on your horses legs?

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TopSpec Trainer of the Quarter – Henk Grewe

The choice for Trainer of the Quarter was no easy one, with many notable successes, but it is Henk Grewe who takes the honours. Scooping both the colts’ and fillies’ BBAG auction races for two-year-olds in September, as well as adding his name to the roll of honour for the Deutsches Derby in July with Sisfahan, Grewe most recently won the Gr. 3 Premio Elena E Sergio Cumani in Rome with Flamingo Girl. 

Mister Applebee was an impressive runaway winner of the BBAG auction race at Düsseldorf, and Atomic Blonde fought bravely for her win in the BBAG Johanna and Hugo Memorial; both appear to have a bright future. “Mister Applebee looked very good and is now going to the Ferdinand Leisten Memorial,” Grewe says, hoping to replicate the success of his Horse of the Year, Rubaiyat.

Grewe has 100 boxes at his base in Weidenpescher Park in Cologne. His first notable success came in 2015 with the Austrian Derby, but in the short time since, he has built up a team that has seen him crowned Champion Trainer in 2019 and 2020. 

“It has been a good season, especially because of the Deutsches Derby, even though we haven’t had as many winners as last year,” Grewe says. “Winning the Derby was really special for me because I was under so much pressure. Everyone was expecting me to win it for the last three years and now that I have won it, that pressure is gone; it makes everything easier.”

Sisfahan made it look very easy indeed in Hamburg and was having his first start at Group level. “It's nice that Andrasch was on the horse, my parents are here, my brother is here with my niece, who is having a birthday today. He's a great horse and it's just a dream today,” Grewe said on the day. With Sisfahan’s win, Grewe not only enjoyed the greatest success of his career so far but also topped the meeting as leading trainer.

It hasn’t been all joy for Grewe during this time, and he recently lost the promising Preis der Diana runner-up Isfahani—a Gr. 3 winner at two. “It's incredibly sad; when I got the message from the clinic, I was absolutely shocked. Unfortunately, she never had the chance to show her true colours, and I am still convinced that she was the best horse that I have ever trained,” he says of the tragic filly.

“We have a lot of late horses who we hope will be very good for next year,” he says, looking ahead. “COVID has made everything much more difficult. There has been a lot more paperwork and travelling has been much harder, but my team have really handled it well. For me, our team is the most important thing; they work so hard and without them, none of this would be possible.”

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Sales Incentives - added value

Author - Nancy Sexton

The issue of prize money is not going to be resolved soon, with the average horse running for levels far removed from their contemporaries abroad. But that’s not to say ownership is a guaranteed black hole. British and Irish bloodstock remain highly prized commodities overseas, making it the subject of a frenzied export market. And for the domestic horse population, the opportunities are there to win extra money for those looking to work the system.

It is to the credit of the sales companies that many of these opportunities emanate from their various initiatives, whether it be in the form of sales races or bonus series.

At the higher end of the market, Tattersalls has paid out approximately £6.5 million in bonuses against Book 1 of its October Sale, while this year’s Goffs Orby Sale will be staged alongside a new million euro sales race.

For those value seekers, sales races are also attached to Books 3 and 4 of the Tattersalls October Sale as well as the company’s Somerville Yearling Sale. Anyone shopping at the recent Goffs UK Premier Sale also did so with the incentive of a sales race at York, which comes with its own bonus of a free horse to the winning connections.

Such incentives currently run in tandem with various bonus schemes. The Great British Bonus Scheme (GBB), in which payments of up to £20,000 are awarded to the connections of British-bred and/or sired fillies, has paid out over £3 million since its launch in June 2020. 

New for this season is the IRE Incentive Scheme, which awards a sales voucher of €10,000 to owners of Irish-bred winners from 150 selected races across the British and Irish Flat and National Hunt programmes in 2021. Winning owners then have until the end of the following year to spend their voucher on an Irish-bred at any Irish sale.

It works across the spectrum

Every lot catalogued to Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Sale is eligible for the £20,000 October Book 1 bonus. Owners make a one-off payment to qualify—in 2021, £1,700 paid by March 1—and receive a £20,000 bonus should their Book 1 purchase win an eligible race run during the British and Irish turf Flat seasons.

The scheme was launched for the 2016 season and within no time at all had gained appreciation within the industry. At the time of writing, Tattersalls has paid out 251 bonuses of over £6.5 million, 24 of them in 2021. 

Unsurprisingly, it has proven to be a hit with various syndicates. A number of trainers have also latched on to it, among them Andrew Balding, who sent out Coventry Stakes winner Berkshire Shadow to land a bonus first time out at Newbury and Hoo Ya Mal to win Britain’s most valuable two-year-old maiden, the Convivial at York. Between them, the pair cost 80,000gns out of last year’s sale.

“We have paid out £6.5 million since it was launched,” says Jimmy George, marketing director of Tattersalls. “It’s a huge sum, and owners and trainers who have embraced it have been rewarded. It’s changed buyer behaviour. You have trainers like Ger Lyons, for example, who would have been in the Book 2 camp, but he embraced this scheme and has been successful with horses in that 20,000gns–100,000gns range.

“The beauty of it is the fact that it doesn’t matter if you get beaten in your maiden; you can go again and then again. So it works across the spectrum, allowing it to suit every type of horse.”

The likes of Berkshire Shadow and Hoo Ya Mal prove that while the sale average may hover around 220,000gns, value can be found; in which case, a £20,000 bonus can go a long way. 

That much is also evident in the case of Acomb Stakes winner Royal Patronage, who picked up a bonus for Highclere Thoroughbred Racing when successful at Epsom in July. He was bought by John and Jake Warren for 62,000gns out of last year’s sale.

“The bonus has certainly become part of the mindset when attending Book 1,” says Jake Warren. “It’s a meaningful prize that feels obtainable for each horse we buy at the sale, and it's that aspect that encourages us to make sure we cover the sale entirely as despite what some people might think. There is plenty of value there if you're prepared to look for it.  

“Royal Patronage, for example, was a beautiful yearling. He had an imposing physique with a noticeably deep front and a quality head—very much in the mould of the best sons of Wootton Bassett I've seen.”

If you find the crumbs, you need rewarding

Tattersalls also takes pride in its £150,000 Tattersalls Autumn Race while its sister company, Tattersalls Ireland, stages the €300,000 Super Auction Sales Stakes for graduates of its September Yearling Sale. Both are two of the company’s longer-standing events and remain extremely popular with owners and trainers.

Traditionally run for graduates of Books 3 and 4, the £150,000 Tattersalls Autumn Race will incorporate those from the Somerville Yearling Sale for the first time this year. This year’s Somerville yearlings also have their own race: a 6f event scheduled to be run next August on Newmarket’s July course.

“The £150,000 Tattersalls Autumn Race is one of our well-established events,” says George. “It’s something that is easy for trainers to sell for their owners.”

The race has a firm supporter in trainer Johnny Portman. The Lambourn trainer excels at sourcing value—a fine illustration being the Requinto filly Mild Illusion, who won over £66,000 having been bought for just 1,000gns as a Book 3 yearling.

Mild Illusion didn’t win the Tattersalls October Auction Stakes, but she came very close in 2019 when falling just a head short of Under The Stars. She won approximately £33,000 that day for her enthusiastic owners, the Old Stoic Racing Club, and went on to win the Listed Bosra Sham Stakes. She later sold for 160,000gns to Tally-Ho Stud.

“Every sale needs buyers at every level of the market and if you are one of the pigeons that finds the crumbs, you also need rewarding,” says Portman. “And the rewards are those races, such as the Tattersalls race, for cheaply purchased horses.

“Mild Illusion was offered for sale. Anyone could have bid on her and I was the only one. She was a lovely type and watching her walk round the ring, there was nothing to fault her. Not everyone was a fan of Requinto, but there was no reason not to buy her, especially at that money. And she nearly went on to win a sales race. 

“I’m a great believer in them. I don’t enjoy the sales so much, but I do love scratching around and looking for value.” He adds: “We’d like to find a Mild Illusion every year. They’re very hard to find and we were very lucky, but we’ll keep trying. She was wonderfully straightforward to train and was leased to some wonderful individuals. And her sale to Tally-Ho was an utter joy for some of my creditors!”

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Feeding from the sales ring to racecourse

Author - Cath Dunnett

Horseracing’s international sales rings can perhaps be regarded or compared with the professional show circuit. To achieve optimum interest and price, youngsters not only need to be genetically well endowed but must be appealing to the buyers eye. Youngsters need to be in good body condition, ideally fit but not fat with good muscle tone, sufficient topline and a gleaming healthy coat. However the overall ‘picture’ desirable for the sales ring may not be the most appropriate for full training and competitive racing, and so trainers may find themselves needing to resculpture horses in their early days of training.  

Yearling Prep

Yearlings are prepared (‘prepped’) intensively for the sales ring. Whilst most yearling prep regimes will incorporate some exercise, this tends to be mostly walking; and yearlings may lack the established and better developed musculature needed for racing. There is also a high reliance on feeding to deliver the ‘sales ring look’.

Prep regimes are often short lived and designed to increase weight and condition relatively quickly, and to produce gleaming coat condition and topline—the latter of which can therefore be based on deposition of adipose tissue or fat, rather than muscle development or hypertrophy.

A prep period typically involves feeding a large amount of high energy, starch-rich feed over a relatively short period of time, typically 6-8 weeks. Research tells us that this prep period is likely to be one of the high risk times for non-glandular gastric ulcers to develop. Large starch-rich feeds, confinement, increased periods of stress and restricted access to pasture or forage are all significant risk factors for gastric ulcers.

Some yearlings will inevitably arrive at the trainer or pre-trainers yard with pre-existing non glandular ulcers, which may require veterinary treatment, or at the very least a sympathetic high forage, low-starch and sugar-based ration for early training. It may be controversial to suggest, but a longer slower period of prep for sales would perhaps allow for a greater contribution from exercise to build muscle, combined with a less intense feeding regime. However, time and economics probably contain too much deviation from the existing model. 

Bone Density

Yearlings that move through from studs to sales prep and then into a training yard undergo a very big change in their feed and management that is worthy of consideration. A stud regime and diet are very different to both sales prep and pre-training, in terms of composition and environment. At stud, these young animals spend a large portion of their day at pasture, with a generally small amount of top up feed or balancers to complement the grazing.

A diet, which is typically high in pasture and forage and low in cereals, allows minerals such as calcium to be firmly sequestered in bone, maintaining bone density. In horses on good pasture, this is aided by the high vitamin K1 content of pasture, which is needed to activate osteocalcin involved in the sequestration of calcium in bone. In contrast, with a high-cereal, low-forage prep or pre-training diet—as a result of quite complicated homeostatic mechanisms involving hormones such as parathyroid hormone—calcium can become relatively more mobilised from bone. The characteristic drop in bone density commonly seen in racehorses in the first 60-90 days of training can be the physical result of this phenomenon.  

Forage First

Yearlings may come into training on the larger side of perfect for racing; and so it may, at first glance, seem counterintuitive to feed plenty of forage at this time. However, in early training it is a worthwhile exercise, as it establishes good eating habits.

Horses in training often self limit their forage intake, as training progresses and appetite is reduced, which can contribute to problems including inability to maintain condition, gastric ulcers and tying up if the forage intake drops too low. Better to start from a slightly higher intake early on, than to find a horse on a forage knife edge later in training.

Forage, whether hay or haylage, contributes significantly to energy and electrolyte intake and is a particularly rich source of potassium—an important electrolyte for overall metabolism and muscle function. Leguminous forage such as alfalfa/lucerne is highly digestible and so has a reduced effect on gut fill (hay belly). Alfalfa is equally rich in calcium to help buffer the natural mobilisation and loss of calcium from bone during early training.

A couple of kilograms of alfalfa per day complements a more traditional less digestible hay such as Timothy. The added advantage of feeding a decent amount of forage is that the level of concentrate feed needed will also be reduced. Forage provides energy mainly from fibre and so is not generally associated with excitability, with the energy provided being colloquially known as slow-release energy.

A decent amount of forage for a horse in training is about 1.5% of bodyweight; so for a 500kg horse, that’s about 7-8kg or 4 typical slices. For haylage, this needs to be slightly higher to account for its higher water content.

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Orthopaedic problems in young Thoroughbreds

Helping these future athletes achieve a protective conformation is vital with respect to their welfare, athletic career and sales potential: Orthopaedic conditions have the potential to blight a promising athletic career and prevent young horses reach their full potential. Early diagnosis and management are critical if horses are to be given the best chances of a successful and long career. And this, of course, depends on horsemen being able to pick up on problems as early as possible so they can be dealt with effectively. The Beaufort Cottage Educational Trust is a charity that aims to help disseminate knowledge in the Thoroughbred breeding and racing communities with the ultimate goal of improving horse welfare.

Each year, the charity organises the Gerald Leigh Memorial lectures which are fantastic resources for horsemen. The lecture series is supported by the Gerald Leigh Trust in honour of Mr. Leigh's passion for the Thoroughbred horse and its health and welfare. Most years, the lectures are presented in person in an event at the UK’s National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket; but for 2021, an in-person gathering was not possible and instead, the lectures are available online. For 2021, the charity chose the theme of orthopaedic problems, which are such a common challenge in young Thoroughbreds.

Angular Limb Deformities: Evaluation and treatment in foals and yearlings

Recognising, diagnosing and understanding angular limb deviations in young Thoroughbreds are critical skills for horsemen and an important part of both stud management and veterinary care. Angular limb deformities (ALD) refer to deviation of the limb in its frontal plane, or side to side when evaluating the individual from the front or back. A varus deformity is a medial deviation of the limb below the location of the problem (e.g., toeing in), whereas a valgus deformity is a lateral deviation of the limb below the location of the deformity (e.g., toeing out). Angular limb deformities must be distinguished from a flexural limb deformity, which is in the sagittal plane, i.e., from front to back when evaluating the individual from the side.

Examples of Valgus (left) and Varus (right) ALDs: A Valgus deformity is a lateral deviation of the limb below the location of the deformity (e.g. Toeing out) whereas a Varus deformity is a medial deviation of the limb below the location of the problem (e.g. Toeing in).

How do ALD occur?

ALD can be both congenital and acquired. Congenital means the condition has been present from birth and causes include incomplete ossification or immaturity of the small cuboidal bones, which make up the hocks and knees as well as weakness of the ligaments supporting the joints and periarticular laxity. These issues tend to result in valgus knees and hocks. We also know that ALD can be inherited and that as a breed, Thoroughbreds tend to be varus (toe in). 

Acquired ALD develop after birth and come about through overloading of the physis (growth plate), which is usually caused either from hard ground, an over-conditioned foal or a combination of the two. The biomechanics of equine limb lead horses to bear more weight through the inside of the leg; therefore, the inside of the growth plate, which is inhibited more than the outside and when there is overloading the net effect is that the foal will toe in.

How do ALD impact a foal’s future career?

Carpal and fetlock injuries in racing Thoroughbreds account for a large majority of the reasons racehorses spend time out of training. Intervening while foals are growing and developing to help them achieve a protective conformation gives them the best chance of maximising their potential and enjoying their racing career. 

Diagnosis of ALD

Evaluating young stock is certainly best achieved using a team approach involving owners/managers, farriers and veterinarians. Regular evaluation from a young age is key, as is examination of the foal while static and while walking. Severe deviations should also be evaluated radiographically.

Treatment of ALD

Conservative treatment options can include exercise restriction, corrective farriery and nutritional management. Hoof correction and toe extensions can be extremely helpful in managing foals and yearlings with minor deviations; and farriery can often correct such issues without needing to resort to surgical treatment options.

The surgical treatment of choice for correcting ALD is the transphyseal screw. In general, it achieves the most effective and cosmetic outcome of the surgical options. The procedure involves placing a screw across the growth plate on the side of the leg that is growing too fast. For example, for a foal that is toeing in, the screw is placed on the outside of the leg. This allows the inside of the growth plate to grow faster and so correct the deviation. The screws are placed under a short general anesthetic. The screw does need to be removed to avoid over-correction, but often they can be removed with the horse standing using a mild sedative once the desired correction is achieved.

Radiograph of a foal’s fetlock post surgery; a transphyseal screw was placed on the outside of a front fetlock to correct a varus (teoing in) deviation.

Osteochondrosis – recent advances and diagnosis

Osteochondrosis is one of the most important developmental diseases in young athletic horses. It occurs in young, large-breed horses, including Thoroughbreds, and can cause a variety of clinical signs. The age at which the disease starts to cause clinical signs varies from a young foal to horses over 10 years old. This is because lesions can remain silent and only cause clinical signs later on in life. But even in the absence of any clinical signs, the pathological lesions will have been present since the horses reached skeletal maturity.

How does osteochondrosis affect athletes?

Osteochondrosis often starts to cause problems when the horse is put into training—when they are athletically challenged. This age will differ for different populations, starting earlier in Thoroughbred racehorses than in Warmbloods destined for sports horse disciplines. Often the horse will be sound, or can experience different degrees of lameness and may present with joint effusion. This disease affects more than one joint in an individual in over 50% of cases, and it usually occurs in the same joint on the contralateral limb; but it can also affect multiple different joints. 

How does osteochondrosis develop?

In foals, areas of growth cartilage within the joints will continue to ossify (become bone) after birth. When this process is complete and the animal is skeletally mature, a thin layer of normal articular cartilage will remain supported by subchondral bone. Osteochondrosis is caused by a “failure of endochondral ossification,” which simply means the growth cartilage fails to become healthy bone. A defect, with or without a fragment, is then created in the articular surface of the bone. This dynamically changing area is susceptible to trauma or high biomechanical loads. Recent advances in research, carried out in Norway by Dr. Olstad, suggest that failure of endochondral ossification is likely caused by loss of blood supply to these areas of growth cartilage, which prevents it from ossifying. This has been linked to a heritable predisposition, among other factors such as rapid growth, dietary imbalance, exercise, environment and prior joint sepsis.

Diagnosis of osteochondrosis

Thorough clinical examination and radiography remain at the forefront of osteochondrosis diagnosis. This disease occurs at joint-specific predilection sites as a result of site-specific biomechanical forces and differences in the age at which that site becomes skeletally mature. For example, in the femoropatellar joint (pictured), the most common site of osteochondrosis is the lateral trochlear ridge of the femur. This is predilected by the thick cartilage surface, later age of maturation/ossification, and by the shear forces the patella exerts on the ridge as the stifle flexes and extends. Ultrasonography can also be very sensitive in detecting osteochondrosis in the stifle. Research performed by Dr. Martel in Canada suggests early detection of subclinical lesions in the stifle have been found in foals aged 27-166 days old.  

The photograph on the left shows femoropatellar joint effusion of the left stifle. The radiograph on the right shows a large osteochondrosis lesion of the lateral trochlear ridge of the femur within the femoropatellar joint.

Management of osteochondrosis

Lesions can spontaneously resolve, and the majority will have done so by 12 months old. Otherwise, management recommendations to limit lesion development include keeping horses exclusively at pasture up to 1 year old, not using rough terrain, in large group sizes (>3 brood mares) or in a large pasture size (large pasture size > 1 hectare before 2 weeks old and > 6 hectare before 2 months old). Strict box rest is discouraged, and a convalescence paddock of 33ft x 56ft (10m x 17m) for 60-90 days may help stabilise lesions. 

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Focus on two-year-olds – is the programme working?

Author - Lissa Oliver

We are living in an age of consumerism and disposable products, instant gratification the main aim for many. Now it seems that mentality is spilling over into horse racing. The two-year-old thoroughbred is fighting more than one battle—the balance of precocity over physical development, tough opposition on the racetrack, even tougher opposition in the marketplace competing against the ready-made horse in training, and the ultimate challenge of the limitation of the two-year-old racing programme.

If the trainer had more say in the programme, there would appear to be a consensus of agreement on how the juvenile programme might look. Whether French, German, British or Irish, there are similar needs to assist the average two-year-old to progress and go forward at three. But as Dominik Moser highlights, the programme and framing of races may not be the only contentious issue.

“I think we are beginning to lose the point of why we do this—why we breed and race horses,” Moser says. “In Germany, still, we have a big family line; the pedigree is why we race. My father was a jockey, and I come from the breeding side. I see how much time and luck it takes to bring a horse to the racetrack, and our breeders understand that. We breed for more than one season of racing. 

“I want every horse to be a good broodmare or stallion, and this is my job; but the new generation focuses more on a fast return of investment rather than achieving black type performance with a horse. We have auction races with big prize money for two-year-olds, so the new generation of owners can get their money back quickly and buy a new horse and a future career is not important. It doesn’t matter to them if the horse breaks down; they can just buy a new one.”

Breeding for precocity—or as some would say, for the sales ring—is not a new problem and has been an increasing concern in recent years. But surprisingly, the two-year-old programme doesn’t seem to be catering to the young speedsters either. By mid-summer, the two-year-old sprinter is beginning to run out of opportunities, and this seems to be an issue across the board throughout Europe.

“I would say we’re reasonably happy with the two-year-old programme in Ireland, although the more you get into the season, the fewer the opportunities at 5f (1000m) and 6f (1200m), which is something we keep a careful eye on,” says Michael Grassick, CEO of the IRTA. “Where those races are staged, they attract fewer runners, so it’s hard to argue a stronger need for them.”

Willie McCreery takes that further, arguing, “In Ireland, they don’t cater for sprinters at all. I would love our two-year-olds to have more sprint options at the end of the year. We cater a lot for the top-quality horses—the ones with the big pedigrees who cost big money and will make up into Derby types.”

There is a similar situation in France, Gina Rarick pointing out, “The whole programme is geared to precocious youngsters and speed, but then there are not enough races to place them in. The two-year-olds from Britain and Ireland come over and win all the top two-year-old races because France Galop is not giving us a programme. The early horse has got enough options at the start of the season, but some that are only starting now have no races at their optimum distance.

“The biggest problem for two-year-olds is if they can’t run over 7f (1400m) by September, then basically they’re screwed. There is almost nothing for them at 5f (1000m)—maybe a few 6f (1200m) races for horses that have not run before. It’s really hard to find a race for them over a shorter distance, especially within a reasonable travel distance from the yard.”

Gavin Hernon agrees, pointing out, “There are races there for the sprinter, but from 1 September to the end of November, there are only two conditions races on a straight track and only five races under 1400m (7f). I think there will be more focus put on those opportunities in the future—it’s part of the France Galop plan. The programme is good for the mile to 2400m (12f) two-year-old, but people don’t buy those horses. Even in August, we’re already having 1800m (9f) maidens, and in September we have 2000m (10f) races.”

In Germany, the later spring and later foals dictate the programme to an extent, with two-year-olds not starting until May, and many of them the middle-distance three-year-old in the making, around which the programme is designed. However, the programme is not the biggest difficulty German trainers are facing.

“We can’t start our two-year-olds earlier than May, and nearly 20% of our two-year-olds in training start,” explains Dominik Moser. “I don’t mind this. I like to protect them, and I’m not under pressure from my owners. They’re not thinking about a two-year-old career; they prefer to wait for the big races for three- and four-year-olds. 

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