It’s All About the Data: How Digital Tools Factor into a Trainer’s Work

Article by Jennifer Kelly

The tools for training horses have changed in the last two decades. This new technological era has compelled the centuries-old practices of preparing equine athletes to move with the times, especially with new regulations adding another dimension to the job. Stopwatches and notebooks now have digital counterparts in smartphones and tablets, allowing trainers with multiple barns to stay on top of their operations even if they are thousands of miles away. 

With a variety of tools available now, what are trainers using as they develop their horses while also meeting the requirements of external agencies? How do they handle the influx of information and make it work for their operations? In this new age, trainers are defining their workflows with the tools that work best for them while wrestling with the added costs of the self-education necessary to incorporate these new technologies and meet the increased regulations of the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA). 

Options Abound

The digital age brings high-tech options like smartphones and tablets that free users from their desks. Such tools may have a learning curve but that has not stopped multiple conditioners from integrating them into their routines. “I never thought in a million years that I would see Hall of Fame trainers sitting on their horse texting or that I would see [them] recording videos of their horses working” Ron Moquett, trainer of champion sprinter Whitmore, observed. 

Now, trainers have many digital options for managing their horses and their employees. A search for apps and software yields tools like Tlore, a web-based management service developed by former exercise rider and assistant trainer Tracy Attfield, and apps like Sleip and Equimetre, which collect data for assessing a horse’s performance. 

Attfield’s Tlore, which is accessible on a smartphone or a desktop computer, serves as a one-stop shop for everything from accounting to tracking a horse’s workouts and daily care. “We do everything through Tlore. I've been on Tlore for a long time,” shared Jena Antonucci, trainer of 2023 Belmont Stakes winner Arcangelo. “[It] organizes everything: herd health, Coggins (an equine blood test), communication with owners, [and] can upload videos, pictures, and updates that owners have access to. So centralizing data, if you wanted to take a picture of a horse when it comes in, see how it's doing, take a 30-day follow-up or whatever, and be able to assess how they are and whatnot. It's all in one spot, easily accessible by smartphone or desktop.” 

Tools like the Equimetre, developed by the French company Arioneo, collect physical performance measurements, and improve on earlier iterations of the technology, allowing users to select what data they want rather than offering multiple readings that trainers have to sort through to find what they need. Both Tom Amoss and Tom Morley are currently testing this tool in their barns to see if the data generated is a benefit to their programs. “[We’re] trying to decide whether or not that system is going to benefit us,” Amoss shared. “The old system, compared to that, is literally using a stopwatch and observing with your eyes how the horse is going. So this gives us a little bit more accurate reading in terms of times, specifically when horses work out, which is about once a week for us.”

Alongside the Equimetre is Sleip, a Swedish app that uses artificial intelligence to analyze a horse’s gait and help trainers to pick up on even the slightest variation to get ahead of potential issues. Casse has been using the app for two years as another layer of care, videoing his horses daily as part of his care regimen. “When I was introduced to Sleip, I liked it because I felt like every assistant could have one. And it takes about a minute if you know what you're doing to video it. We get the results back in less than five minutes, and I can know it can be done in Toronto, and I can have the results in my hand in Ocala within minutes.” 

In addition to Attfield’s Tlore, trainers like Moquett, Casse, Morley, and John Shirreffs are using readily available services and apps to maintain the data generated by their horses. Moquett and Casse both report using spreadsheets created on either Numbers, an iPhone app, or Microsoft Excel, the nearly forty-year-old software available for use on everything from a smartphone to a desktop. 

“Feed charts, the shoeing charts, the day-to-day set lists are all done on an Excel program. It means that I can be sat in Ocala, and I can put a set list together and just email it off to each division, and then they know what they're doing.” Morley reported, emphasizing the flexibility and simplicity of that software, something that Casse echoed in talking about his process. 

“I did use Tlore for a while, but now we have our own deal. It's an Excel sheet that I developed over 25 years ago. I can go back and tell you, since a horse arrived, whether it was five years ago or four years ago, what the horse has done every day for those four years,” Casse shared. “We keep track of entries there, who we are going to enter, where we're going to run, where they're located through the morning. As every track is done, our assistants then send us [their information]. It tells how every horse trained that day. If it worked, there'll be the workout time, and then they put what they would like to do tomorrow, and I will then review them all. I review it every day.”

Moquett uses a custom chart that he maintains in the Numbers app for keeping up with his horses’ preparations and care and then Tlore for the financial side of his business. The iPhone app serves as the ideal tool for his barn because “you go in there and you make your own log sheets and then it saves it and shares it with whoever you want to,” he shared. “So, we use that as data keeping, [maintaining] our training charts, our workout deals, our notes. All that is there. And it's pretty cool because on that we have the people in charge of shipping, the people in charge of billing, the people in charge of payroll, and the people in charge of everything use that to get the information to feed Tlore.” 

California-based Shirreffs uses several apps to cover everything from taking notes about daily training to scanning his vet book to logging his employees’ hours. The GoodNotes app, available for Apple products, serves as his training log and a repository for notes and other information. He also uses a journaling app called Day One to keep up with day-to-day conditions and Numbers for maintaining charts. All of his tools are linked and the data saved to the iCloud service. “Then if I'm somewhere, I can just look things up on my iPhone because it goes from device to device, [and then] it all goes to the cloud,” the Derby-winning trainer said. 

Morley and Amoss also use handicapping tools like the Daily Racing Form’s Formulator, Ragozin sheets, and Ed Tucker’s ThoroManager to help them evaluate potential competition as well as horses that they are interested in claiming or purchasing. Such programs allow users to access detailed past performances, take notes about a potential claim’s performances and evaluate pedigree information, including how well a horse’s family ran at a particular distance or on a specific surface or racetrack. 

With all of this data available to these trainers from their chosen tools, is it possible to have too much data? Each has developed systems that work for their operations, which allows them to cut out unnecessary information and focus on what is most useful. Arioneo’s Equimetre and Attfield’s Tlore are ready-made products specifically geared toward the equine industry with not only multiple options for use, but also adaptability that prevents data overload. Apps and software like Numbers, Excel, and other readily available tools allow even more flexibility, giving conditioners the ability to streamline their processes and focus on the most valuable information for their horses’ development and care.

“If you try ten new things, and only one of them is worth it, it's worth the nine failures. In the past, I have used a few different things that I thought just was too much and too time consuming,” Casse said. “We only have so much time, and you always have to decide, do the assets outweigh the liabilities? Do I get enough out of this to take my time up? And if the answer is not yes, then I move on. And I have used other things, and I've moved on.”

As digital tools evolve and their usability is more easily tailored to each trainer’s needs, they become essential parts of the daily workflow, especially now that HISA requires conditioners to register themselves, their employees, and their horses, and maintain records of treatments, medical procedures, and more. 

Hello, HISA

Since July 2022, the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority has required trainers to maintain records about their horses in an online portal. For some, adding the portal to their lists of tasks was another use for the data they were already collecting. “We already had it, so now we're giving it to them,” Moquett shared. “So, it was a priority for us to make sure we were staying legal, to write down what we were doing, and now it's priority to keep it, to make sure we're staying compliant with the rules that they have set.”

What digital tools like Tlore do goes beyond bookkeeping and the care and feeding of horses: they help trainers track the data HISA requires documented. “You just have to play by the rules and input what you're supposed to be inputting and keep track of your horse's medical records,” Antonucci shared. “If it gets ace (acepromazine), it goes in. Like checking joints, it gets put in. So that's just very basic. Whatever the veterinarian does, anytime they touch a horse at a racetrack gets put in.” 

“Every little thing we do now, we record. Definitely, that's what HISA was there for,” Casse said. “HISA is saying, look, we need to let everybody know when a horse changes hands, what's been done previously, and that's important. It's a pain, but in the end, it's going to save horses’ lives, and that's what we're all trying to achieve.”

The portal gives claiming trainers data they did not previously have. “Now, if you claim a horse, you are privy to their medical records for the past 60 days,” Morley shared. “So, you can not only see when they were vaccinated and wormed, et cetera, et cetera, but also if they've had intra-articular injections, if they've had a period of colic or sickness, et cetera, over the last 60 days.” This enables trainers to understand what the previous barn had been doing with the horse as they integrate the new trainee into their program. 

Even though the portal does add another task to trainers’ to-do lists, it does have value, as Morley pointed out: “That's actually a very good portal for keeping track of records. So rather than us having to flick back through our veterinary records as to when they were last vaccinated, et cetera, it's all logged in HISA anyway.” 

Still, while this new requirement does have its upsides, the portal and the work needed to maintain the required data has become yet another task on a trainer’s long to-do list.

More Data, More Work

But this kind of digital diligence has its disadvantages. In addition to keeping up with their horses’ day-to-day management, both on the track and off, trainers must document all medical and therapeutic treatments and log that data into HISA’s portal in order to stay compliant. This is especially important for horses coming off a long layup at an off-site facility. Tools like Tlore and other digital workflows might help conditioners maintain this needed information, but those tasks also use two valuable resources: time and money. 

For Amoss, the added layer of HISA meant adding another full-time employee to his operation, one in charge of keeping up with the required information to adhere to these new regulations. “The biggest thing with HISA is that the requirements that we have are not only costly to the trainer to manage it, but it's costly to the owner in terms of the things that we have to do. In a world where the day rate, which is what an owner pays a trainer every day to train their horse, the margins for almost all of us are very razor thin. And now we've got to add a new dimension to that,” Amoss observed. 

John Shirreffs points out the simplicity of the training process prior to HISA and its requirements. “I think that we all feel like we're being second-guessed, though. We have to substantiate our decision. Before these new tools, I didn't have to keep up with anything. All I had to do was mark the trainer card, and that would be written in the vet book, and that was it. I didn't really need to have all this.” 

“I think they all detract from the ability to train because I think it takes time. And that's taking time to enter all this stuff where I could be walking down the shed row and observing a horse or talking to a groom about a horse or something like that,” he shared. “Because I need to keep records, it takes away from the time available, because, by 11:00, you want to wrap things up, so the horses have a chance to rest. You don't want to be standing in front of the stall staring at them when they want to take a nap.”

Amoss, who worked for Jack Van Berg and Frank Brothers before going out on his own, remembered that “they did all their bookwork and all their recording by hand. There is an advantage to that, in my opinion. And the advantage is that you can, on a daily basis, open that book and review your horse.” The Kentucky Oaks-winning trainer prefers that because “it tends to refresh my thinking on those horses as opposed to turning on my iPad.” 

The key for any trainer as they focus on developing their horses is to find workflows that balance the necessities of HISA with the methods that have brought each success. In this transitional moment, these digital tools afford conditioners opportunities to find what works for them as they adapt to these new requirements. 

Going Forward

Tools like Equimetre and Sleip are on the cutting edge of digital tools available now, using artificial intelligence and other advances to help trainers keep an eye on their horses’ physical conditions and detect any subtle changes that might evolve into an issue. Along with HISA’s regulations, these provide another layer of preventative care for the animals at the heart of the sport. These advances push racing forward and necessitate adapting to the times, taking old-school practices into the digital age.

“Here's the thing with old school. I am old school in my mindset of horsemanship, and I'm old school as an approach to getting the horse trained,” Moquett observed. “But saying that I'm old school as an excuse not to get with the times of what's needed for this kind of stuff, it's like saying, no, we’re going to haul our horses on a train instead of flying them. We have to [adapt]. That's what's required.” 

Along with these tools, Casse suggests another advancement that could help trainers: “I'm hoping that somewhere in the future that we'll have some type of report card that goes with every horse, a passport that tells everything about any type of treatment that the horse has had through his, whether it's corrective surgery, any type of operation, or anything.”

“We're still not quite there yet, but that would be something that I hope that our industry can start doing a little better. We need to understand there's a lot of things that go on, and we need to have more data to see how meaningful it is,” the Hall of Famer concluded. 

As this historic sport continues to adapt, as the available apps and software expands, the focus remains on finding the right tools to collect and utilize the information trainers need as they balance their official duties with their focus on developing their horses for the racetrack and beyond.

Growth spurts in young horses

The X-Factor

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

Article 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.

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.

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. 

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.

“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.”

Does Jockey Gender Make a Difference?

Experts from the University of Nottingham have found that the sex of a jockey doesn’t influence any aspect of racehorse physiology and performance.

Article by Charlotte Schrurs and David S. Gardner

Charlotte Schrurs

The findings of the study, presently published as a preprint at Research Square, offer a new perspective on the possible balance of elite male and female jockeys on the start line of races.

Studies assessing the effect of the sex of a rider on racehorse performance and physiology during training have not been reported, mostly due to the lack of available data for female participants within the sport.

David S. Gardner

The racing of Thoroughbred horses has a tradition dating back to the 18th century in the UK. However, it was not until the mid-late 20th century that the first ladies’ race was held. In the present day, more than 90% of participating jockeys, in most racing nations, are men. This is likely an unconscious bias toward male jockeys being, on average, physically “stronger,” able to push horses harder, and thus performing better in races than female jockeys.

In horse racing, male and female jockeys compete against each other in the majority of races. This is because the competitive advantage is less on the physical attributes of the rider but more on skill level or ability to partner with an animal. Indeed, racing requires quick reaction time and agility from the jockey while being able to navigate the horse with dexterity across the peloton at peak speeds often exceeding 37mph. This decade has seen a marked increase in participation of female jockeys at an elite level in the racing industry. In 2021, the Irish jockey — Rachael Blackmore — made history by winning several high-profile races. This year, she continued her remarkable rise by becoming the first female jockey ever to win the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival.

Success stories like this are shaping global betting behaviors on the racetrack and challenging the public’s confidence in the ability of male or female jockeys to win big races. In the UK and Ireland, previous research had suggested an underestimation of the ability of female jockeys to win races, as recorded in betting behavior.

In racing, a competitive advantage may lie in the ability of a jockey to control the horse, and/or less weight carried by the horse (i.e. weight of jockey plus saddle). Experts from the University of Nottingham have found that the sex of a jockey doesn’t influence any aspect of racehorse physiology and performance.

Researchers from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science at the University of Nottingham (UK) worked with Scientific Director Guillaume Dubois, PhD, at Arioneo Ltd — a company that developed a bespoke exercise tracking device for horses; and an Equine Sports Medicine specialist (Dr. Emmanuelle van Erck-Westergren, PhD; Equine Sports Medicine Practice, Belgium) to answer some of these questions.

They monitored 530 Thoroughbred racehorses, ridden by 103 different work riders, which were randomly allocated to a horse (66 male, 37 female) over a total of 3,568 workouts (varying intensity from slow/med/hard canter to gallop) at a single racing yard (with varying tracks – all weather, dirt and turf ) (Ciaron Maher racing) in Victoria, Australia. Variables such as speed, stride length and frequency, heart rate and rate of recovery were recorded with a validated fitness tracker (the ‘Equimetre©’). This tracker was specifically designed to monitor horses during their daily exercise routine with advanced data analysis services (www.arioneo.com).

An average racehorse weighs ~1,100-1,300lbs, an average jockey, ~108-121lbs. Yet, a few ounces extra on the back of a racehorse has been shown to influence race performance. Therefore, weight carried by the horse (jockey, plus saddle and added weights where necessary) is used to further equalize any perceived performance advantage. This allows horses of varying levels to participate in so called “handicap” races. In such races, each horse is attributed a predetermined weight to carry determined by the racing regulatory board.

Horses with better racing records are allocated higher weights in order to further equalize any perceived performance advantage. Hence, jockeys are weighed in before and weighed out after races.

All being equal, would a racehorse during race-pace workouts perform any differently when ridden by either a female or male jockey? Would that racehorse be more or less likely to win a race?

The research monitored 530 Thoroughbred racehorses, ridden by 103 different work riders, which were randomly allocated to a horse (66 male, 37 female) over a total of 3,568 workouts.

WHAT IT IS COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY?

Computed tomography (CT) helps veterinarians make diagnoses and trainers make decisions. CT scanners take hundreds of x-ray images rotating around the target and create an exact 3D digital rendering. The diagnostic power is in the ability to scroll through the 3D rendering slice by slice, at any angle you choose.

What can it do?

• Small stuff: Tiny P1 fractures and early condylar and coffin fractures: scrolling slices one at a time the tiniest cracks, even bone sclerosis patterns that precede cracks, become clearly visible.

• Hard to see spots: Small bones of the knees and hocks, the suspensory origin, non-displaced cracks in the sesamoids: difficult to evaluate properly on radiographs but clear on CT. CT is also far superior for finding and correcting abnormalities of the skull, teeth and sinuses.

• Cartilage: Arthroscopic surgery has typically been required but by injecting the joint with radio-opaque contrast (sometimes called “dye”) we can see cartilage lesions on CT.

• Fracture prognosis: Two simple condylar fractures may have vastly different outcomes based on trauma unnoticed on plain radiographs. CT enables more accurate prognostication critical for planning the horse’s future.

• The neck: It is shocking how many abnormalities are visible with 3-dimensional imaging of the neck. Nerve compression is visible even when it comes from the side; previously undiagnosable with regular radiographs.

• Surgery: CT guidance enables accurate fracture reconstruction and precise placement of screws in difficult locations.

When to use it?

Think of CT as a microscope; use it when you know where the problem is, but you just can’t see it on radiographs. If you cannot localize the issue, you probably need a bone scan (scintigraphy).

What sets the Mid-Atlantic Equine CT scanner apart?

Image quality and a standing horse.

Two main types of CT: cone beam (x-ray beam is a cone, producing image distortion) and fan beam (beam is a thin blade).

Image detail is far superior with fan beam; the main reason Mid- Atlantic Equine moved to it from the robotic CT. Most fan beam CT units are small and require general anesthesia. The CT scanner at Mid-Atlantic Equine is a Canon large bore CT mounted on a computer controlled platform, allowing true CT imaging in a standing horse (foot to forearm or gaskin, nose to base of the neck C5/6 or 6/7). Under anesthesia imaging of elbows, shoulders, chest, thoracic spine, back, pelvis, SI, hips and stifles can be obtained. Medical care so advanced it almost makes you wish you were a horse. We offer every type of medical care your four-legged athlete could ever need. With board-certified specialists in all fields we provide everything from upper airway, arthroscopic and laparoscopic surgeries, to internal medicine, complex fracture fixation and advanced diagnostic imaging, including bone scans and MRIs — all in one place.

It’s enough to make a human jealous.

Contact:

Tel. 800.724.5358 Address: 40 Frontage Road Ringoes, NJ 08551

Web: www.midatlanticequine.com

From Sales Ring to Racetrack - Different opinions on bringing on the young racehorse

By Ken Snyder

The story is both funny and telling, especially as it comes from a legendary Hall of Fame trainer, courtesy of a newly minted Hall of Famer, trainer Mark Casse. Working for the late Allen Jerkens in his late teens and early 20s, Casse remembers the venerable “Giant Killer” of upset fame saying he wasn’t going to do anything with his two-year-olds because he wouldn’t have to worry about shins, sickness and all the rest.  “I’m not going to train them at all at two,” Jerkens told Casse. A year later, commenting on the now three-year-olds, Jerkens said, “They did all the things they would have done at two.”

Not even a trainer as great as Jerkens can predict (or postpone) what will happen with two-year-olds, either in health or performance.  

They all begin, for the most part, with fall yearling sales, most notably the August Fasig-Tipton sale in Saratoga and the Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton sales in Lexington in September and October.

Casse compares it to the NFL draft with one enormous difference: football players have a body of work—college football—to scrutinize. With horses, it’s pedigree, eye and instinct. A seven-figure Book One yearling might make the proverbial “cut list,” never even reaching the racetrack. A sale might also yield a Seattle Slew who sold for a relative pittance—$17,500 in 1975—and who etched himself into racing history as both a Triple Crown winner and legendary sire.

The “pre-season” for yearlings, to borrow again from football, is sales prep. Ninety days before a sale is the ideal time to begin prepping yearlings, according to a 10-year veteran of Thoroughbred consigning, Sarah Thompson, now an equine analyst for Eclipse Bloodstock. The minimum can be as little as 30 days.

Good looks can mean gold, and that is a variable with young horses that can be controlled somewhat. For a dark, rich coat, most yearlings (except for a few not keen on being outdoors all night) stay in the barn through summer months till seven in the evening when they are turned out into paddocks for the night. Sun can bleach coats, especially tails. (The few horses kept inside do get turn-out in the mornings but are brought in before the afternoon sun.)

Baths and grooming are daily, and as sales dates near, it ramps up with curry-combing to remove dead hair and application of hoof conditioner to improve appearance and strengthen hooves.  

Conditioning is literally conditional as yearlings are not broken at this point. “There’s a lot of hand-walking. We also have automatic walkers,” said Thompson. Swimming is part of the regimen as well. “The idea there is you get the condition without the impact on the joints and bones,” she added.

Diet is generally the same for all yearlings. How a horse puts on muscle and weight (or doesn’t) and the horse’s body type can mean a tweak either to more nutrition or less.

There is little to prepare yearlings for a sales environment except for schooling on how to stand to show off conformation. The pose is standard for all horses but must be taught: left front leg forward, right slightly behind; left hind leg back, right hind slightly in front.

One surprising factor to horse sales has nothing to do with the horse, according to Thompson: “Having some of the best showmen on the grounds show [that] your horse can make you or break you. A good showman can move with that horse. Quiet hands are always a good thing, and honestly, it’s sort of the rapport between a showman and a horse.”

Once sold, it’s off to training centers and farms to determine if the yearling is worth what it cost.

Mark Casse

Casse operates his own training facility in Ocala, Florida—something he considers a huge advantage to his racing stable. Because of his success on the racetrack (career earnings are over $192 million and over $8 million in 2021 alone at the time of writing), he attracts a variety of owners, some of whom don’t have the goal you would expect: a Kentucky Derby winner. “I find out what people’s goals are. If your goals are to just have fun and win some races, then you go out and buy a speedier kind of horse that you can get ready earlier,” he said. “They’re not as expensive.” Others like John Oxley spend more, hoping for a Derby or Kentucky Oaks horse.

For a trainer of Casse’s stature, it is surprising that he also trains for one-horse owners who have paid as little as $5,000 for a horse. “I seldom turn somebody down as long as they have a passion for racing.”

Wesley Ward has built a Hall of Fame-worthy reputation with yearlings. His career win rate with two-year-olds is 24%, and at the time of writing, it was 33% for 75 starters this year. His success at Royal Ascot with “babies” has made him literally world famous. “I’ve won 12 races over there, and I think eight are two-year-old races,” he said.

He confirms what Casse says about owners’ goals. “Most of our horses are sprinters. The owners and stable managers tend to be giving me them,” he said. Ward might be minimizing accomplishments, however, as his overall win rate for horses of all ages is near the top for all trainers, a more-than- respectable 22%.

Wesley Ward

Ward isn’t protective of any “trade secrets” to account for two-year-old success. Winning is largely a matter of getting out of the gate well, for races run over distances as short as four-and-half-furlongs.  “Most of my [exercise] riders that go to the gate are ex-jockeys,” he said. Again, he might be exercising excessive modesty when he said, “It’s not the trainer, but the person on their back.”

He does say he spends a lot of time “just getting the horses not scared” in gate training.

Ah, the gate—what Ward called the “big scary monster—this apparatus that we’re locking them up in.”

Everyone has their methods for gate training and, as any racing fan knows who has watched a horse balk or worse at either entering the gate or staying calm till it opens, nothing is foolproof. At his training center, Casse positions his gate where every horse every day must walk through it going and coming to the track. “That way it’s not something new to them,” he said. “After we do that for a couple of months where they’re used to it, then we move it over and change positions with it.” At that point, they go through a typical progression of having back doors closed and then front doors before breaking from the gate.

Travis Durr, owner of Webb Carroll training center in St. Matthews, South Carolina, employs a “monkey see, monkey do” principle in teaching gate work for yearlings as well as training in general. Like most every trainer of yearlings, he introduces gate work early but only a “few times a week,” unlike at Casse’s training center. Yearlings will follow a pony through initially.

An alpha male or female who will lead the pack takes it from there, showing the way for others. “If you’ve got 10 out there, you see which ones kind of want to be the boss, and which ones kind of want to lay back.”

Webb Carroll is known for exercising large sets with as many as 16 riders at work, depending on the time of year. “They’re used to being out all together. If you have a problem horse, it just makes it easier. They see all the other horses doing something, so they kind of fall right in. It’s a lot easier than if you’re getting just one to go out there.”

It is out of the gate, of course, where Thoroughbreds can earn fame and fortunes for owners. Methods in getting yearlings up to a three-eighths breeze vary between training centers and trainers. For Casse, the goal for a horse's first breeze will be 45 seconds or 15 seconds per eighth for a fall, two-year-old starter.

“A lot of times, they’ll all go in 45, but you can tell which ones it takes more of an effort to do that.  That’s how they first start separating themselves.”

For Richard Budge, general manager of Margaux Farm in Midway Kentucky and former farm trainer for Winstar Farm, the first breeze will be a short sprint over a single eighth of a mile. “Then we take them up to a quarter [mile] and then three-eighths.” 

Budge also separates the yearlings into early, middle and late groups. “The late group may be horses that may need a little more time or have a physical issue, so therefore you push them to a later group to break. I say the early group would obviously be the horses with a January, February, March birth date—that look physically ready to go right on with.” 

Like Casse, the stopwatch is not as important to Budge as the way the horse goes about it. “If they’re doing it easily as opposed to flat out, that would be more important,” he said.

Margaux is a European-style farm, featuring a slightly uphill one-sixteenth mile straight with a Tru-Stride synthetic surface. Budge, an Englishman who has trained there, France, Brazil and the U.S., believes the combination of surface and straight track keeps yearlings more sound. A turn at the top of the straight does teach young horses to change leads.

Considering that two-year-olds are the human equivalent of 13-year-olds—arguably the toughest age for parents and teachers—trainers like Casse and Ward embrace the task of getting yearlings to the race track. Ward, in fact, expresses a preference for them. “This is what I love to do, especially the younger horses. This is what really excites me.”

And that’s a good thing—something with which Allen Jerkens might not agree…

When is a win not a win?  Trainer Mark Casse has a surprising perspective on this.  

First of all, his proficiency with two-year-olds is easily overlooked. His 2021 win rate with two-year-olds is 21%, and his career earnings with them are over $52 million compared to Wesley’s Ward’s career earnings of $28.3 million for the first-year starters. Most interesting, perhaps, is career earnings per start for Casse (at time of writing): $11,596 compared to Ward’s $11,065. 

Success with two-year-olds is largely ignored but also improbable, considering his approach to “baby races.” “Never is it my goal to win first time out,” he said. “For the most part, it can be one of the worst things that can happen to a horse.  

“A lot of times, what happens is we have a horse break his maiden first time out; and next thing you know, he’s running in stakes. At some point, no matter how fast you are, there’s going to be somebody faster than you. If you have a horse that knows nothing but to be on the lead, what if he breaks a little slow? What if something happens? I tell all my riders, the first time they ride a two-year-old for me, I’d rather be a closing fourth than a dying third. I like my horses to learn to run-by horses.  

“Now, that being said, if a horse breaks running, and breaks one or two on top, they’re going to go with it.”

Horses with attitude - The concept of behavioural conditioning in racehorses

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.

Seabiscuit with trainer Tom Smith

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.

Building a stronger racehorse with dynamic mobilization exercises

By Kimberly Marrs

Yoga, Pilates, cross training, pre-habilitation—whatever you prefer to call it—are strength- training exercises also known as dynamic mobilisation exercises, which can greatly benefit your racehorses. You can perform these exercises on your horses to help with correcting posture, gaining  strength, flexibility and core stability. All of these positive gains will help a racehorse be more  balanced in his movements. Incorporating these exercises daily will of course help alleviate tensions in the body that could potentially turn into problems or pathologies down the road, while reducing the risk  of repetitive use injuries. 

The concept is the same as cross training in human athletic training. A horse also needs several types of exercises to help keep the body balanced and able to handle the intensity of competition, reduce performance issues and aid in the body's recovery after competition. As human athletes have known this, one size—one exercise—does not fit all. The body's systems all need to be challenged to produce an all-around balanced athlete. This logic needs to be addressed with training racehorses as well. Regular sessions of these types of exercises will result in the improvement of the horse's posture and ability to carry a rider in a balanced way. A horse with good posture will allow for optimal performance for a longer period with less exhaustion and muscle fatigue. 

Muscles at work 

A dynamic mobilization stretch is mostly done using a bait and are referred to sometimes as  carrot stretches. While performing a stretch, certain muscles are activated so that they move, and stabilise the intervertebral joints. 

Then the activated abdominal muscles help to bend and round the back. This is especially important for a racehorse unlike horses who are trained to carry a long low frame, which will help them engage their body’s core. Racehorses will tend to train with their head high and with a hollowed back.  Over time, this can predispose a horse to back pain, kissing spines, lumbosacral issues—all  which can then lead to compensatory issues. 

If you take a series of two-year-old thoroughbred  racehorses, a high proportion of them will have radiological evidence of kissing spines, and  quite a lot will have associated back pain.

So joint stabilization is particularly important to help with improving performance and the  prevention of injuries. Research has also shown that with regular performance of these exercises, the equine back becomes enlarged. Subsequently, this will strengthen the back muscles and enable the horse to carry the rider more efficiently with a lessening of back stress. To demonstrate this, I have a person put a 11 to 22 kg sack of feed over their shoulder. Next, I have them walk between 7 to 9 metres as they would normally walk. Then I have the person stand up straight, hold in their core (abdominals) with correct posture and walk back 7 to 9 metres. The difference is usually substantial, and the person can feel less stress on the limbs with a straighter and more balanced way of moving. Now they get why the horse's core strength is so important! 

Get started on a routine

I have been doing these for some time and have seen amazing results in my horses' overall posture, toplines, reduction of back pain and suppleness in their musculature. To get started with your dynamic mobilisation routine, keep in mind that performing these exercises are safe. Do take care though: If your horse has a musculoskeletal or neurological issue, clear it with the vet first before starting dynamic mobilisation exercises. Also keep in mind that many of these exercises are also utilised in rehabilitation from injuries. 

When implementing these exercises, ensure the horse follows the bait in a nice smooth manner, and get the horse to hold the stretch. This can sometimes be easier said than done. Some horses will try to snatch and then snap their head back forward. So be patient; there is a learning curve with each individual horse. The more you perform these moves, the better you’ll get, and the smoother the stretches will become.

Basic daily routine 

On a daily basis, I perform the following six exercises, and my horses love it! There are certainly more exercises you can add into this series if you choose, and they can definitely be tailored to an individual horse’s needs. 

1. Neck to Tail stretch

1. Neck stretch: I get the chin to follow the carrot to the back of the horse's flank. I try to  get the horse to hold 10 seconds, and I will repeat this three times. 

2. Lateral side bend: With the chin bowing around my body, I lead the carrot towards the back leg. I get the horse to hold the stretch for 10 seconds and repeat two to three times. (Note: Repeat these stretches on both sides of the horse.)

3. Chin between front legs: I use the carrot to bring the horse’s chin down between its front legs and hold the stretch for 10 seconds; I will do that two to three times. 

4. Neck extension stretches: I will get the horse to stretch out its neck and hold for 10 to 15 seconds, or even longer. 

5. Belly lifts: I also perform belly lifts while grooming at least 2 times for 15 to 25 seconds daily. 

6. Butt tuck: I run both hands along the top of the tailhead and scratch to get the horse to tuck its butt under and bow the back to open the spinous processes, elongating the back and hind-end muscles. I will try to get the horse to hold the tuck for 10 to 15 seconds and will repeat.

2. Lateral Side Bend stretch

3. Under the leg neck stretches

4. Neck extension stretch

5. Belly lift

6. Butt Tuck

As you regularly implement dynamic mobilization exercises in your routine, you will achieve a more flexible, stronger horse while helping aid in reducing a lot of common issues we encounter while training. When done properly, these exercises will help keep them sound and able to perform to the best of their abilities so that they can have longer careers, on and off the racetrack!

Reducing the pressure points - Scientists discover performance benefits of relieving five key pressure points under tack

Researchers detected peak pressures under commonly used tack that were of a magnitude high enough to cause pain and tissue damage. When horses have to manage this type of discomfort on a daily basis, they develop a locomotor compensatory strategy. Over time, this can lead to tension and restriction that inevitably affects performance. Physio interventions will usually ease the symptoms of tightness and soreness and, after a period of rest, performance may be restored and improved. However, this costly course of action only addresses the secondary problem. If the primary cause is still apparent—in this case pressure from badly designed or ill-fitting tack—the compensatory gait strategy will be adopted again, the tension will return, and the cycle will repeat.

Reducing the pressure that forces a horse to adopt a compensatory gait will not only improve performance, but it will also help prevent further issues which could have veterinary implications and reduce susceptibility to injury in the long term.

Saddle up 

When scientists tested the three most commonly used exercise saddles, they discovered every saddle in the test impinged on the area around the 10th-13th thoracic vertebrae (T10-T13)—a region at the base of the wither where there is concentrated muscle activity related to locomotion and posture. The longissimus dorsi muscle is directly involved in the control and stabilisation of dynamic spinal movement and it is most active at T12 (see fig 1).

Dynamic stability is the combination of strength and suppleness—not to be confused with stiffness—and is essential for the galloping thoroughbred. The horse’s back moves in three planes: flexion-extension, lateral bending and axial rotation—all of which can be compromised by high pressures under the saddle (see fig 7). 

Studies in sport horses have shown that saddles which restrict this zone around T13 restrict muscle development and negatively influence gait. This effect is amplified in a racehorse because they train at higher speeds, and faster speeds are associated with higher forces and pressures. In addition, gallop requires significant flexion and extension of the horse’s spine; and if this is compromised by saddle design, it seems logical there will be an effect on the locomotor apparatus.

Tree length

In addition, half-tree and full-tree saddles were shown to cause pressure where the end of the tree makes contact with the horse’s back during spinal extension at gallop. In the three-quarter-tree, high pressure peaks were seen every stride and either side of the spine, correlating with the horse’s gallop lead; this indicated that the saddle was unstable at speed (see fig 1).

Using a modified saddle design to achieve a more symmetrical pressure distribution, researchers saw a positive impact on spinal stability and back muscle activation. The hindlimb was shown to come under the galloping horse’s centre of mass, leading to increased hip flexion, stride length and power. A longer stride length means fewer strides are necessary to cover any given distance; and better stride efficiency brings benefits in terms of the horse’s training potential and susceptibility to injury (see compensatory strategy panel). 

Half-tree: High peak pressures consistent with the end of the tree

Three-quarter-tree: Peak pressure on one side of the back at a time, depending on the gallop lead  

Full-tree: Peak pressure was further back 

New design: The lowest peak pressures with a more uniform distribution

Improved hip flexion was recorded in the new saddle design (A) compared to a commonly used saddle (B)]

Pressure pad

The saddle pad acts as a dampening layer between the horse and the saddle, reducing pressures and absorbing forces. In a pilot study of thoroughbreds galloping at half speed over ground, a medical-grade foam saddle pad was shown to be superior at reducing pressure, significantly outperforming gel and polyfill pads. Preliminary findings show the forces were 75% lower, and peak pressures were 65% lower under the foam pad than those recorded under the gel pad. The polyfill pad reduced the forces and peak pressures by 25% and 44%, respectively, compared to the viscose gel pad. 

A pad with a midline ‘seam’ designed to follow the contour of the horse’s back and withers performed best, maintaining position and providing spinal clearance even at speed. Flat pads without any shaping or a central seam were observed to slip down against the spine as the horse moved, even when the pads were pulled up into the saddle channel before setting off. The pressure associated with a pad drawing down on the spine under the saddle will lead to increased muscle tension, reduce elasticity of the back and could potentially alter gait. Relieving pressure at this location improves posture, movement and propulsion.

It might be assumed that using multiple pads under an exercise saddle would improve spinal clearance or comfort. However, based on studies, this is not the case. In contrast, it can lead to saddle instability, which has the potential to encourage the jockey to overtighten the girth in an attempt to keep the saddle still. The added bulk puts a feeling of distance between the horse and rider, compromising the close-contact feel and balance all jockeys strive to achieve. 

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Scientific research quantifies the impact different pads have on the horse's performance

By Dr. Russell Mackechnie-Guire

The use of pads under the saddle has been common for years, but now scientists are using dynamic

testing technology to discover how well they really work.

In everyday yard situations where multiple horses use the same saddle, putting one or more pads under the saddle has been seen as a way of providing cushioning and comfort for the horse, or even relieving pain.

However, there has never been any research in racehorses to demonstrate whether this reduces saddle pressures or provides comfort. Furthermore, there is limited scientific evidence to suggest which type of pad is most effective. A recent study suggests that, depending on the material and design, using a pad beneath the saddle might not always achieve the desired pressure-relieving effect. And using multiple ineffective pads under the saddle might not only be a waste of time and money, but it could potentially cause areas of high pressures, compromising the horse’s locomotor apparatus and affecting race performance.

MATERIAL MATTERS

Peak pressure of >35 kPa can cause compression of the capillaries, leading to soft tissue and follicle damage (ischemia) which, in extreme or prolonged cases, results in white hairs, muscle atrophy, skin ulcerations and discomfort. A recent published study evaluated saddle pressure distribution in sports horses using pads made from sheepskin, viscose gel and a medical-grade closed-cell foam. When using a gel pad, the peak and mean pressures increased in the front region of the saddle in trot and canter. This is possibly due to the gel’s lack of ability to dissipate shear forces compared to wool or foam. Similar findings were seen in a pilot study of Thoroughbreds galloping at half speed over ground. The same dynamic testing was used (see Technology & Anatomy section) to compare the forces and peak pressures under polyfill pads, as well as viscose gel and medical-grade closed-cell foam. From the initial trials, the overall forces recorded were significantly higher than those seen in the sports horse study. This seems reasonable, given the difference in locomotion and speed (see Speed & Force section). Preliminary findings show the forces were 75% lower, and peak pressures were 65% lower under the medical- grade closed-cell foam pad than those recorded under the gel pad. Interestingly the polyfill pad, which deforms to the touch, reduced the forces and peak pressures by 25% and 44% respectively compared to the viscose gel pad. The role of the pad is to act as a dampening layer between the horse and the saddle, reducing pressures and absorbing the dynamic forces which occur during locomotion. Based on findings from the sports horse study, and initial findings from the racehorse study, it appears that the medical-grade closed-cell foam pad is superior in its effectiveness at acting as a pressure-reducing layer between the saddle and the horse.

PRESSURE TO PERFORM

Reducing saddle pressures improves gallop locomotion. Horses will still perform when asked, despite areas of high pressures induced by the saddle and pad; but they develop a compensatory locomotor strategy in an attempt to alleviate any discomfort. To increase speed, a galloping horse will either increase stride frequency or increase stride length. Both mechanisms can be used, but the horse will have a natural preference. Published pressure studies have shown that stride length is increased when saddle pressures are reduced. Now, new research is underway quantifying whether a stride frequency approach, which has higher peak forces, could be a compensatory strategy in response to discomfort caused by pressure. Forces are influenced by speed and weight and are produced when the hoof comes in contact with the ground. At racing speeds of 38 mph, the hoof hits the ground approximately 150 times a minute. Stride frequency is an important consideration because a study has suggested that horses have around 100,000 gallop strides before the soft tissues fail. Therefore, any reduction in loading cycles (number of strides) could potentially help reduce injury risk.

• Harder, faster, longer

Every stride impacts the horse’s joints, causing wear and tear (see Speed & Force section), so fewer longer strides is the preference for optimum training efficiency. Although horses have a naturally imprinted option, the pressure studies demonstrate that they switch between the two in response to certain extrinsic factors, such as high saddle pressure.

Our task as trainers is to optimize the horse’s locomotor efficiency by removing any impediment that might force it to adopt the shorter-stride compensatory gait. We speculate that equipment which increases pressure (such as an unsuitable design of saddle, bridle, girth or saddle pad) will be counterproductive because it may encourage an increase in stride frequency and compromise natural locomotor efficiency.

CONTOURING IS KEY

In both studies, the saddle pads that were designed to follow the contour of the horse’s back and withers performed better than those that were flat with no shaping. …

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Managing Stable Vices - Are they vices or a product of their environment?

By Georgie White

We often see the word “vice” used in the equestrian world to describe an undesirable behavior completed by a horse; these are often repetitive behaviors completed either at certain times of the day, prior to or following a particular event or activity which causes the horse stress for whatever reason. When we look to the dictionary definition of a vice, the words “immoral,” “corrupt” and “wicked” are synonymous; but these are all words used to describe premeditated or deliberate acts of wrongdoing. When we consider that these are horses we are talking about, they simply do not have the cognitive ability to do this. As humans, we tend to over complicate and anthropomorphize animal behavior, likening it to our own and thus presuming horses complete these behaviors for far more complex reasons.

Recently the term vice has been replaced with a more correct term: “stereotypical behaviors” or “stereotypies,” which encompasses any behavior deemed to deviate from normal behavior and has resulted from the horse coping with a challenge or stress. On the surface, the behaviors appear apparently functionless, but when understood as a coping mechanism rather than a premeditated misdeed, we can begin to understand what that behavior serves the horse, if only temporarily.

What is stress?

Stress is the body’s response to a potentially threatening situation and is experienced by humans and animals alike and even serves as a function to keep the animal alive. Presence of a short-term stressor such as a predator serves to kick-start the fight or flight response, which is part of the acute stress response. Stress can be divided into two subtypes: acute and chronic, which are dealt with by the body very differently. They also result in several different physiological adaptations that are notable when discussing stereotypical behavior.

Acute stress refers to a short event or episode that causes a temporary increase in heart rate, respiratory rate, salivary cortisol levels, increased blood pressure and muscle tension. In relatively healthy animals, once the stressful event has passed, these body parameters will return to a base-line normal. These short episodes are not always necessarily bad and can help a horse learn and adapt to their environment. As horse handlers, we also know we can help a horse habituate to a common stressor by regularly introducing them to it and giving them a positive experience. Over time, their stress response will become less severe, and thus they will learn to cope with it reoccurring.

Chronic stress refers to emotional pressure suffered for a prolonged period of time, which an individual perceives to have little to no control of—the latter part being key in horses. Stereotypical behaviors will often occur during times where horses cannot control their environment. Stabled horses are most likely to display stereotypical behaviors because they are often in a situation when they cannot immediately change their environment or remove themselves from a particular stressor. Symptoms of chronic stress include weight loss, decreased appetite, negative demeanor or aggressive tendencies.

Horses suffering from chronic stress sometimes go unnoticed because the signs are more subtle; there is no pounding heart rate, sweating, increased breathing rate or more obvious cues that handlers may associate with a typically stressed horse. The other problem is that stereotypical behaviors can go ignored or become “just something they do.”

There is a common link between horses who display stereotypical behaviors and those diagnosed with gastric ulcers as both are closely related to chronic stress. There is debate over cause and effect, whether the horse performs these behaviors in an attempt to ease the discomfort of gastric ulcers or if those performing stereotypies are chronically stressed and at higher risk of developing gastric ulcers.

Typical stereotypical behaviors

There are several common stereotypical behaviors seen in domesticated horses, and they can be divided into two simple categories: oral and locomotor.

Oral stereotypies include crib biting, wind sucking and wood chewing; there is varied opinion suggesting these behaviors may provide temporary alleviation of stomach discomfort.

Oral stereotypies include crib biting, wind sucking and wood chewing; there is varied opinion suggesting these behaviors may provide temporary alleviation of stomach discomfort, but this is a question for cause and effect. Locomotor stereotypies include weaving, box/fence walking and door kicking. These behaviors expend a lot of energy, especially if the horse devotes a significant amount of time to this behavior and as a result, the horse can be prone to losing or maintaining condition.

There is research to suggest that if performed for long enough, stereotypical behaviors become a habit; and act as a reward to the horse, the release of endorphins occurs which reinforces repetition. Further to this, it can also be preempted by a horse who regularly experiences the same stressor at the same time of the day, each day and will therefore begin the behavior before the stressful event occurs.

Individual horses will vary in the degree of persistence and vigor to which the behavior is performed; and this largely depends on how much of the horse’s time is devoted to the behavior and how often the trigger event occurs in the horse’s routine. Some horses with stereotypies will appear to have a generally nervous demeanor, and others are relatively even-tempered and well-adjusted animals who otherwise do not appear to be suffering adversely from their environment. Some horse owners will notice a trigger or a marker that often sets off the behavior, in this case the stereotypy is easier to manage (e.g., ensuring that the horse is turned out first or fed first to prevent weaving or door kicking). When there appears to be no causative link, solving the stereotypy may become quite difficult especially if the horse has routinely done it for some time, as this becomes an ingrained habit.

A little about anatomy

The left hemisphere controls routine, internally directed or self-motivated behaviors in relatively low stress and familiar environments; examples would include foraging and grooming other horses. On the other hand, the right hemisphere is responsible for environmental-motivated behaviors, emotional arousal and unexpected or threatening stimuli; this refers to natural behaviors that have been redirected to other objects or pastimes when the previously innate option is not available. These may include crib biting, bed foraging and wind sucking.

The horse’s brain and associated physiology is quite different from the human; in part this can be attributed to the fact that horses are prey animals, and their innate fight or flight response is regularly triggered. …

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On the bridle - Scientific research uncovers the performance advantages of reducing bridle pressure - which type of bridle works best for which type of horse

By Dr. Russell Mackechnie-Guire

Using a modified bridle design has a significant impact on whole horse locomotion–front and hindlimb–not just the head.

Recent scientific advances have seen an increase in performance-based research, particularly in the sport horse world where a podium finish can depend on the smallest of margins. The findings from the sport horse research can be translated to the racing Thoroughbred where the shortest distance can put you first past the post. All items of training tack and equipment have found themselves under scientific scrutiny, with some unexpected results which could have significant effects on racehorse performance. Perhaps one of the most surprising discoveries was the effect that bridle fit and design has on the locomotor apparatus of the horse (biomechanics). The bridle is a neglected item of tack which has, until now, received little scientific attention.

• Ahead of the game

As well as improving locomotion, these findings could have a significant benefit when it comes to resolving common issues affecting race performance, such as oral lesions in the commissures (corners) of the lips, tongue lolling and hanging, as well as steering or control issues. Research indicates that these behaviors are likely to occur as a result of the horse seeking relief from bridle pressure and instability. Tongue ties or Australian nosebands are two examples of gadgets traditionally used to remedy these issues, but they have their own welfare and pressure-inducing concerns. A more effective solution would be to remove the primary cause of discomfort which leads to the negative or undesirable behavior by using a modified pressure-relieving bridle design.

• Pressure head

Research using a calibrated pressure sensor mat, which was positioned beneath all parts of the bridle, revealed interesting findings and disproved some long-held assumptions. It had long been thought that horses experience bridle pressure directly on their poll. In contrast, the research team found no significant areas of pressure over the poll. Instead, areas of high peak pressure were located at the base of the ears in the region where the browband attaches to the headpiece. Anatomically this corresponds to the

temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The TMJ is an essential part of the physiological apparatus, associated with the swallow reflex and the hyoid apparatus (see anatomy panel). The location of pressure (base of the ear and TMJ) was consistent in all commonly used headpieces and occurred at the same moment in the stride, regardless of the make or design. The research team also used gait analysis where markers are placed on the horse’s anatomical locations (joints), allowing locomotion to be measured. This enabled them to quantify how front and hindlimb kinematics altered, revealing an increased range of limb motion when the peak pressures in the anatomical zones were removed.

• Noseband knowledge

Aspects of anatomy

Published research has shown that nosebands, as well as the headpiece, can be associated with extremely high pressure and distribution, and therefore also have significant effects on equine locomotion. From the research it was found that maximum noseband pressure was located on either side of the nasal bone, causing compression of the soft tissues in this area.

Similar to the headpiece, the timing and location of the noseband pressures were consistent in every stride cycle. During locomotion, noseband pressures differed relative to the horse’s head position. When the head was positioned more horizontally (for example when galloping), the frequently- chosen cavesson exerted significantly higher pressures on the lower edge of the noseband, which was associated with a reduced range of motion. Previous studies from this group have shown that reducing high pressures beneath a girth and saddle is associated with improved locomotion. The same relationship is seen with the bridle; areas of high pressures beneath the headpiece and noseband have a significant effect on equine locomotion and cause the horse to develop a compensatory locomotor strategy.

Aspects of anatomy

A specially designed Mexican grackle, which sits higher on the side of the horse’s head above the main artery and vein running under the facial crest, was found to exert the least pressure and, consequently, was associated with an improved locomotion and increased joint range of motion.

It might be easy to assume that removing the noseband removes the problem, but this has been shown to be counterproductive. A noseband provides stability to the bridle and improves the interface between bridle and head. It has been shown that horses perform better when the bridle (and all equipment) is stable. Horses require stability in order to effectively transfer propulsive forces from the hindlimbs to propel their mass forward. If the horse is unstable, it will seek a stabilizing strategy, which consequently will induce asymmetry and a loss in performance. The use of a noseband to improve bridle stability could therefore improve the locomotor apparatus, give the jockey a more refined contact and help influence gallop efficiency more effectively.

• A bit of stability

As well as stabilizing the bridle, bit stability is likely to be improved in a bridle with a noseband. …

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Hydrotherapy for performance - the use of water for therapeutic benefit in the equine industry - hydrotherapy as a mechanism for enhancing performance in the racehorse

By Georgie White

What is hydrotherapy?

The historic use of water for therapeutic benefit in the equine industry has taken a leap in development in recent decades, from the humble use of cold hosing a swollen limb through to the development of water treadmills and water walkers for injury rehabilitation and performance development. 

Cold hosing and other forms of cooling localized areas of the body is more correctly termed cryotherapy—meaning, it aims to harness the benefits of reduction in temperature to treat mainly acute and edemic injuries. By reducing temperature of the local area, for example, a distal portion of a limb, several key functional changes occur. First, local blood flow is reduced. This is especially useful if an open wound is involved; the precapillary sphincters constrict and direct blood away from the area. Secondly, there is evidence that nociceptors, involved in the perception of pain and sensory receptors located at the end of peripheral nerve endings can be temporarily suppressed with local application of cryotherapy. Following a brief summary of cryotherapy, this article is going to focus on hydrotherapy as a mechanism for enhancing performance in the racehorse, focusing on the specific parameters of fitness that can be targeted and thus improved. 

Fundamental properties of water

There are several fundamental principles of water that can be used as a recovery tool to facilitate optimum rehabilitation and ongoing performance improvement. When immersed in water, or made to move through water, the horse’s body, like the human, encounters a medium for which it is not designed, and locomotion is of limited efficiency. It is in fact the imposed limited efficiency that is useful in different training contexts—it forces the body to work harder than on dry ground, thus improving fitness and better preparing the horse’s body for future athletic tests. Similarly, the method of human altitude, or hypoxic training, is where the body will learn to produce the same amount of energy with a significantly lower available amount of oxygen and thus benefit at a later date in a competitive environment. 

First, and most important in an equine fitness protocol, is the viscosity of the water creating resistance; the resistance offered by water is greater than that experienced in locomotion on dry ground, therefore requiring greater overall effort to move through it. Exercising in water has shown to provide up to 15 times the resistance of exercising on land. This factor alone means that the trainer can achieve a far more challenging training environment without the horse experiencing the concussive forces on the limbs associated with high-end aerobic or anaerobic land based exercise, such as works on a gallops. Resistance also works indirectly at lower water levels whereby horses will choose to step over the water in a bid to avoid resistance. Therapists then utilize this to gain increased flexion at limb joints (further discussion of this throughout the article). 

Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure exerted on an object when immersed in water. Depth of immersion is an influential factor with greater depth correlating with greater pressure. Depending on the type of hydrotherapy system used, the benefits of hydrostatic pressure will vary. For example, greater hydrostatic pressure will be exerted when using a swimming lane with depths of up to two meters, as opposed to depths of 30-60cm of water on a treadmill. Application of hydrostatic pressure greatly benefits the recovery processes, acting in a similar way as compression bandages. The pressure reduces the formation of edema, or swelling, and improves the elimination of muscular by-products such as lactic acid and carbon dioxide. 

Buoyancy is not utilized in the same way as it is in humans and small animal hydrotherapy, except in the use of swimming lanes; this is partly due to the obvious size difference and limitations associated with submerging a horse almost completely in water. Buoyancy is achieved when the weight of the fluid displaced by the body is equal, also accounting for the force of gravity on the body. To remain buoyant, the two forces must counterbalance one another. Once this balance occurs, the body is essentially weightless, allowing exercise without the impact of joint load experienced in land-based exercise. These properties act together during water-based exercise to produce the increased benefits to the horse’s fitness discussed in this article. 

What happens during a hydrotherapy session?

Horses are typically introduced to the hydrotherapy equipment to acclimate them and ensure they will be relaxed while exercising. It is important for the horse to establish a relaxed frame when working on the treadmill or in the hydrotherapy pool to prevent any stress-related or compensatory posture during the workout. As we know from land-based exercise, if a horse is stressed, they are likely to tire more quickly; so in order to utilize this workout, acclimation is beneficial. 

When using a treadmill, it is typical that the horse warms up on a dry treadmill prior to adding water. As with land-based exercise, a thorough warmup ensures adequate preparation of the horse’s muscles to be ready for harder work during the session. 

The bodily systems during exercise

During a hydrotherapy session, the horse’s different bodily systems will be affected in several ways. But essentially, the efficiency and smooth-running of these systems all contribute to overall performance quality, and any deficiencies will act as an overall limitation.  

The cardiovascular system is often considered to be the horse’s engine during locomotion, working with the respiratory system in concert to provide the horse with the oxygen needed for exercise as well as dispelling by-products. Working as a muscular pump, the heart delivers oxygen and nutrient-rich blood across the body via a network of blood vessels that develops further with long-term consistent exercise. Supplying this oxygen are the nasal structures; as obligate nasal breathers, horses must breathe through their noses. Flaring of nostrils and dilation of the horse’s larynx work to provide a greater cross-sectional area of space for oxygen uptake. When exercise begins, the previously oxygenated muscles begin to work and enter temporary oxygen debt. The cardiovascular and respiratory system combat this by working harder to produce a continual supply of oxygenated blood by increasing the number of breaths taken per minute, thus increasing oxygen intake. During hydrotherapy exercise, the respiratory system will be required to deliver elevated levels of oxygen and removal of increased quantities of carbon dioxide. This is because the horse begins to work towards the higher levels of aerobic exercise. At rest, the horse will be taking in approximately 60 liters of air per minute; when moving towards moderately strenuous exercise, this can increase to as much as 2,250 liters of air per minute. 

From here the heart increases in beats per minute to keep up with this demand. …

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The benefit of using ‘yearling rollers - Dr. Russell Mackechnie-Guire asks if a roller is a harmless piece of equipment? -scientists discover performance inhibiting spinal pressure under roller

By Dr. Russell Mackechnie-Guire

Reducing pressure under the saddle, bridle and girth has been found to significantly improve performance, and now the roller has been scientifically tested.

Lost training days, treatment and medication for back problems are time consuming and costly, so optimising equine spinal health from early on is an essential consideration in improving equine health and welfare. When a young horse is started, one of its first experiences is to have tack on its back, initially a lungeing roller. The roller, a seemingly harmless piece of equipment and its effect on the horse, has previously been overlooked. However, it has now come under scientific scrutiny by the same research team that investigated the impact of pressure distribution under the saddle, bridle and girth on equine health and performance.

Their recent study used high-tech pressure mapping to examine the pressures exerted on the horse’s back during lungeing (see technology panel). Localised areas of high pressures were consistently recorded under the roller on the midline of the horse’s back directly over the spinous processes in the region of the 10th and 12th thoracic vertebrae (T10-T12, see anatomy panel).  

High pressure directly in this region, as seen under a conventional roller, is likely to cause the horse to seek a compensatory locomotor strategy and adopt a posture where the back is stiffened and hollowed, resulting in an extended spine. Previous research has shown that back function and gallop kinematics are compromised by a stiffened spine.

Studies have demonstrated that pressure-relieving modifications in a saddle result in increased stride length and hip flexion, along with a greater femur-to-vertical angle (indicating that the hindleg is being brought forward more as the horse gallops). Reducing saddle pressures leads to a marked improvement in the horse’s locomotion, allowing it to gallop more efficiently. 

A modified roller that removes pressure will allow the back to function without restriction.

The roller is positioned over the part of the back where the front half of the saddle sits; by applying these principles, modifying the roller to remove pressure would allow unhindered back function. 

The equine back is an essential component of the locomotor apparatus, transferring biomechanical forces from the hindlimb. So, a modified roller will not only result in improved locomotion and performance but will also have long-term spinal health benefits.

Strong start

In racing, where lungeing is primarily used prior to backing, what we do to and the equipment we use on the young horses in the preparatory stages are likely to have a significant impact on the development of the horse’s posture, back health and locomotion. 

If a young horse begins the training process of being lunged with a roller that exerts pressure directly on the spine at T10-T12, it will develop a strategy to compensate for the discomfort. Then, as the horse progresses to a saddle—which similarly exerts high pressure in the same area—it is inevitable that this will have an effect on the locomotor system. The horse’s athletic performance will be significantly compromised before it even gets on the track. 

Innovative pressure-relieving modifications in tack design have demonstrated improved locomotion when pressure is reduced. Identifying and replacing any equipment that has limiting effects on locomotion or development could have long-term benefits for the longevity and performance of the horse. This applies particularly to the lungeing roller as it is the first piece of tack a youngster has on its back. It is essential that the horse does not develop a locomotor strategy to compensate at this stage.

Under pressure

Pressure mapping during lungeing

Conventional roller - 35kPa pressure directly on the spine at T10

Conventional roller & side reins - pressure consistent at T10 but increases at T11 and T12 to 45kPa

New roller design, even with side reins - all pressure is removed from the spine

In a recent study, horses were lunged on a 20-metre circle on both reins in trot and canter wearing a roller fitted with pads. In canter, peak pressures were seen each time the inside forelimb was in stance (on the ground). In trot, pressure peaks occurred each time a forelimb was in stance phase. 

Given that the horse is experiencing high pressures under the roller directly on the spine in the region of T10-T12 in every repeated motion cycle (stride), it is inevitable that a compensation strategy will develop.

When trotting and cantering with no attachments, such as side reins or training aids, peak pressures under the centre of the roller were found to be similar to those seen under the saddle with a rider on board. Studies have shown pressures over 30kPa can cause back discomfort. In this study, researchers measured pressures up to 35kPa directly on the midline of the horse’s spine, in every stride, with just a roller and pad.

With side reins attached, the location of the peak pressure was brought further towards the front edge of the roller. Essentially, the pull of the side reins caused a ridge of pressure under the front half of the roller, and the readings increased to 45kPa.

Compensation costs

Compensatory gait strategies lead to asymmetric forces which have a negative effect on limb kinematics (movement). The consideration here is that the horse is experiencing these locomotor compromises before the back has been conditioned to manage the increased forces, and before a jockey has even sat on its back. 

It remains to be shown whether the compensatory gait and asymmetric forces caused by early roller pressure manifest as lameness or loss of performance later on. There is a coexisting relationship between back problems and limb lameness, but evidence is still being gathered as to which one comes first. Researchers are investigating to what extent loss of performance and lameness issues might be traced back to these ‘training and backing’ experiences. It is therefore essential that young horses are started with correctly fitting equipment to limit any long-term effect.

Lungeing for rehab

In addition to the backing process, lungeing also occurs during other influential periods of a horse’s life, including rehabilitation after surgery. Post-operative recommendations for kissing spines can often include lunge work with training aids to induce spinal flexion and opening up of dorsal spinous processes. …

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Handedness - can we train a completely symmetrical horse?

By Georgie White

The dominant limb - can we train a completely symmetrical horse?

Limb dominance, handedness and laterality are all terms closely associated with the functions of the left and right hemispheres of the brain and how these may influence preferred use of one side of the body; a direct example in humans would be the preferred hand he/she learns to write with or foot to kick a ball with. The racehorse is often commemorated on their speed or ability to clear a fence, but you would be surprised how relevant limb dominance is to the performance and longevity of a racehorse’s career. This preference is often evident in an individual horse’s preferred canter lead, preferred leading limb in gallop, leading and landing limb over a fence. It can be argued that the former activities can be influenced by training, but to what degree and at what point should we utilize this preference? And when should we pay attention to the risk of injury? This article is going to discuss this relevance and explain the potential implications of limb dominance.

As with many corners of equine research, the observed phenomenon first began from studying the human and has since been studied extensively in performance and leisure horses, respectively. The goal of many a ridden horse is symmetry of movement, the discipline in which they train will dictate the degree of importance of this; the dressage horse can lose palpable marks when they are not symmetrical in their movement, whilst a racehorse may not be as well versed nor will it be a direct measure of performance quality. 

Anatomical structure of a horse’s brain

The primary motor cortex is the central hub of dynamic movement, generating nerve impulses that control the execution of all movements and crossing the body’s midline to activate skeletal muscles. Every part of the body is represented and arranged somatotopically, meaning the area controlling the hoof is close to the area controlling the limb. The amount of brain matter or cortical space devoted to a body part represents the degree of control the horse has over that body part. For example, the human will have far greater cortical space devoted to intricate movements of the hands and fingers compared to the horse. In contrast the horse will have far greater cortical space reserved for movement of the ears, lips and nose to represent the vast number of social cues, foraging behaviors and body language exhibited. Although not yet proven in horses, human athletes have been shown to have increased cortical thickness in areas correlating with athletic ability or skill; this is likely to be the case in equines; for example, racehorses would likely see increases in areas devoted to limb control. 

From a lateralization perspective, the brain is divided into two hemispheres or lobes which are referred to the left and right hemispheres and divided by the corpus callosum. The corpus callosum is an essential structure composed of a thick band of nerve fibers providing communication between the two spheres. Lateralization refers to these hemispheres having distinct functional differences, each offering specialized neural functions or cognitive processes. Lateralization occurs contralaterally, meaning that a horse who is left hemisphere dominant will experience a right-sided motor preference and vice versa. 

What research is there on limb dominance? 

In horses, grazing patterns are often studied, specifically noting which limb is placed forward most often; however, research is varied with some conclusions stating that innate skeletal asymmetry is highly prevalent in the foal and can be exacerbated by environmental factors. It is recommended that a farrier and vet work closely to correct visual asymmetry in goals as early as possible. A valuable longitudinal study completed by Van Heel et al., (2010) found a relationship with uneven forefeet in foals and subsequent unevenness as a yearling and then as a three-year-old; this was then found to correlate with sidedness in trot and canter transitions. This study highlights several points of interest, firstly the distinct need to correct limb asymmetries and abnormalities from an early age and secondly the potential future inclusion of quantitative laterality data at the time of studbook admission to assist breeders and owners in selection criteria. 

Later research by Austin and Rogers (2012) stated there was no significant differences in limb dominance in a group of feral and wild Przewalski’s horses, which suggested that differences can be attributed to domestication at least to some degree. This varying body of evidence opens the discussion on the effect of domestication and relevance of cultural husbandry practices; in the western world it is common practice to complete many routine tasks from the left side of the horse, e.g., leading, tacking up and mounting. Future studies that attempt to measure this cultural influence may choose to select a large group of equines of generally the same breed and discipline to act as a control and prevent skewed results. 

Many studies have attempted to decipher the causes of variation in motor bias. This is yet to have solid evidence behind it, with several studies showing links in gender and breed initially with training likely to play a part as they embark on their ridden career. As with all equine research, it is important to take note of cause and effect; for example, it may not be the fact that the horse is of Thoroughbred breeding, but the likely type of work or environment that a Thoroughbred is placed in that has supplied the correlation. 

The gallop

As many a rider and trainer will describe, a horse will naturally have a leading limb preference and over a fence, they are generally left to continue with their preference; on the flat, generally left to the jockey’s discretion but the consensus seems to be less interference the better. Then comes the bends. In the transverse gallop, the horse will have a four-beat gait—a pattern of right hind, left hind, right fore, left fore—with the left fore essentially leading the movement and acting as the leading limb round a left hand bend. In the words of Dr. Ray Baran, the correct lead is “the easiest method to get the shortest distance between two points the quickest way”; as a result the horse is in balance. 

Clockwise or counterclockwise? 

Laterality research in the racing Thoroughbred has paid special attention to racetrack direction. …

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Hoof Conditioning - impact of different types of surfaces

By Amy Barstow

Over the years there has been a steady move away from traditional concrete surfaces in yards towards surfaces that are generally considered softer, such as rubber. Furthermore, in some areas, the surfaces of the tracks which link yards with training facilities (horse walks) have also moved towards ‘softer’ surfaces. This has led some to wonder if our horses are missing out on a key opportunity to condition their musculoskeletal system. This article will explore what the scientific research tells us about how different surfaces affect the horse and what this might mean for musculoskeletal conditioning and injury resistance. 

The majority of the research that has highlighted the links between surfaces and injuries is from epidemiology studies. These studies view large populations of horses and pull together lots of different factors to elucidate risk factors for injury. They, therefore, do not attempt to investigate why surfaces may be implicated as a risk. To understand the link between surface and injury risk, other types of research must be done including biomechanics studies, lab-based studies on bone and tendon samples and prospective experimental studies. Biomechanics studies explore how the horse, especially their limbs and feet, move on different surfaces and the forces and vibrations that they experience. Lab-based work investigates how musculoskeletal tissues respond to loading and vibrations at the cellular and extracellular level. Prospective experimental studies take a group of horses and expose them to different environments (e.g., conditioning on different surfaces). Then you compare the groups, for example, looking for signs of musculoskeletal injury using diagnostic imaging techniques. The research done using these different techniques can then be pieced together to help us decide how to better manage the health and performance of racehorses. 

There is a wealth of epidemiological data to suggest that the surface type and condition during racing influences the occurrence of musculoskeletal injuries in the racehorse. Though it must be remembered that musculoskeletal injury is multifactorial with training regimens, race distance, the number of runners, horse age and sex all coming into play. Though there are comparably fewer data available relating to the effect of training surface type and properties on musculoskeletal injury rates, what is available also suggests that firmer surfaces increase the risk of sustaining an injury either during training or racing. For example, horses trained on a softer, wood fibre surface are less likely to suffer from dorsal metacarpal disease (bucked shins) than those trained on dirt tracks. However, horses trained on a traditional sand surface have been shown to be at a greater risk of injury (fracture) during racing. This could be due to the soft sand surface not stimulating sufficient skeletal loading to adequately condition the musculoskeletal system for the forces and loading experienced during racing. It could also be the result of horses racing on a surface with very different properties to those that they trained on. 

So far the majority of the scientific research discussed relates to horses galloping and cantering, which are not the gaits that they will generally be using around the yard or getting to and from the gallops. There is very little work to link sub-maximal (low) speed exercise on different surfaces to injury in horses. In a small group of Harness (trotting) horses, those trained on a softer surface had a lower incidence of musculoskeletal pathology identified using diagnostic imaging techniques, compared to those trained on a firm surface. There is also evidence of the benefit of softer surfaces in livestock housing. Experimental work by Eric Radin in the 1980s found that sheep kept on a concrete floor compared to a softer dirt floor had more significant orthopaedic pathologies at postmortem. Furthermore, the use of rubber matting reduces the incidence of foot lameness in dairy cattle. So it would appear that a softer ground surface is beneficial even at sub-maximal intensity locomotion. 

The epidemiological data discussed so far tells us that surface can play a role in injury, but it does not provide any answers for why that may be the case. From a veterinary and a scientific perspective, I am interested in how different surfaces influence limb vibration characteristics and loading in horses. …

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Factors for racing ability and sustainability

By Judy Wardrope

Everyone wants to be able to pick a future star on the track, ideally, one that can compete at the stakes level for several seasons. In order to increase the probability of finding such a gem, many buyers and agents look at the pedigree of a horse and the abilities displayed by its relatives, but that is not always an accurate predictor of future success. When looking at a potential racehorse, the mechanical aspects of its conformation usually override the lineage, unless of course, the conformation actually matches the pedigree.

For our purposes, we will examine three horses at the end of their three-year-old campaigns and one at the end of her fourth year. In order to provide the best educational value, these four horses were chosen because they offer a reasonable measure of success or failure on the track, have attractive pedigrees and were all offered for sale as racing prospects in a November mixed sale. The fillies were also offered as broodmare prospects.

Is it possible to tell which ones were the better racehorses and predict the best distances for those who were successful? Do their race records match their pedigrees? Let’s see.

Horse #1

This gelding (photographed as a three-year-old) is by Horse of the Year Mineshaft and out of a daughter of Giants Causeway, a pedigree that would suggest ability at classic distances. He brought a final bid of $275k as a yearling and $45k as a maiden racing-prospect at the end of his three-year-old year after earning $19,150. His story did not end there, however. He went back to racing, changed trainers a few times, was claimed and then won a minor stakes at a mile while adding over $77k to his total earnings. All but one of his 18 races (3-3-3) were on the dirt, and he was still in training at the time of writing.

Structurally, he has some good points, but he is not built to be a superior athlete nor a consistent racehorse. His LS gap (just in front of the high point of croup) is considerably rearward from a line drawn from the top point of one hip to the top of the other. In other words, he was not particularly strong in the transmission and would likely show inconsistency because his back would likely spasm from his best efforts.

Horse #1

His stifle placement, based on the visible protrusion, is just below sheath level, which is in keeping with a horse preferring distances around eight or nine furlongs. However, his femur side (from point of buttock to stifle protrusion) of the rear triangle is shorter than the ilium side (point of hip to point of buttock), which not only adds stress to the hind legs, but it changes the ellipse of the rear stride and shortens the distance preference indicated by stifle placement. Horses with a shorter femur travel with their hocks behind them do not reach as far under their torsos as horses that are even on the ilium and femur sides. While the difference is not pronounced on this horse, it is discernable and would have an effect.

He exhibits three factors for lightness of the forehand: a distinct rise to the humerus (from elbow to point of shoulder), a high base of neck and a pillar of support (as indicated by a line extended through the naturally occurring groove in the forearm) that emerges well in front of the withers. The bottom of his pillar also emerges just into the rear quarter of his hoof, which, along with his lightness of the forehand, would aid with soundness for his forequarters.

The muscling at the top of his forearm extends over the elbow, which is a good indication that he is tight in the elbow on that side. He developed that muscle in that particular fashion because he has been using it as a brake to prevent the elbow from contacting the ribcage. (Note that the tightness of the elbow can vary from side to side on any horse.)

He ran according to his build, not his pedigree, and may well continue to run in that manner. He is more likely to have hind leg and back issues than foreleg issues.

Horse #2

This filly (photographed as a three-year-old) is by champion sprinter Speightstown and out of a graded-stakes-placed daughter of Hard Spun that was best at about a mile. The filly raced at two and three years of age, earning $26,075 with a lifetime record of 6 starts, one win, one second and one third—all at sprinting distances on the dirt. She did not meet her reserve price at the sale when she was three.

Horse #2

Unlike Horse #1, her LS gap is much nearer the line from hip to hip and well within athletic limits. But, like Horse #1, she is shorter on the femur side of her rear triangle, which means that although her stifle protrusion is well below sheath level, the resultant rear stride would be restricted, and she would be at risk for injury to the hind legs, particularly from hock down.

She only has two of three factors for lightness of the forehand: the top of the pillar emerges well in front of the withers, and she has a high point of neck. Unlike the rest of the horses, she does not have much rise from elbow to point of shoulder, which equates with more horse in front of the pillar as well as a slower, lower stride on the forehand. In addition, the muscling at the top of her forearm is placed directly over her elbow… even more so than on Horse #1. She would not want to use her full range of motion of the foreleg and would apply the brake/muscle she developed in order to lift the foreleg off the ground before the body had fully rotated over it to avoid the elbow/rib collision. This often results in a choppy stride. However, it should be noted that the bottom of her pillar emerges into the rear quarter of her hoof, which is a factor for soundness of the forelegs.

Her lower point of shoulder combined with her tight elbow would not make for an efficient stride of the forehand, and her shorter femur would not make for an efficient stride of the hindquarters.

Her construction explains why she performed better as a two-year-old than she did as a three-year-old. It is likely that the more she trained and ran, the more uncomfortable she became, and that she would favor either the hindquarters or the forequarters, or alternate between them.

She did not race nearly as well as her lineage would suggest.

Horse #3

This filly (photographed as a three-year-old) is by champion two-year-old, Midshipman, and out of a multiple stakes-producing daughter of Unbridled’s Song. She raced at two and three years of age and became a stakes-winner (Gr3) as a three-year-old, tallying over $425k in lifetime earnings from 12 starts. Although she did win one of her two starts on turf, she was best at 8 to 8.5 furlongs on the main track. She brought a bid of $775k at the sale and was headed to life as a broodmare.

Horse #3

Her LS gap is just slightly rearward of a line drawn from hip to hip and is therefore well within the athletic range. Her rear triangle is of equal distance on the ilium and femur sides, plus her stifle protrusion would be just below sheath level if she were male. She has the engine of an 8- to 9-furlong horse and the transmission to utilize that engine.

Aside from all three factors for lightness of the forehand (pillar emerging well in front of the withers, good rise of the humerus from elbow to point of shoulder and a high base of neck), the bottom of her pillar emerges into the rear quarter of her hoof to aid in soundness.

Although she shows muscle development at the top of her forearm, the muscling does not extend over her elbow the way it does on the previous two horses. Her near side does not exhibit the tell-tale muscle of a horse with a tight elbow, and thus, she would be comfortable using a full range of motion of the forehand.

Proportionately, she has the shortest neck of the sample horses, which may be one of the reasons she has developed the muscle at the top of her forearm. Since horses use their necks to aid in lifting the forehand and extending the stride, she may compensate by using the muscle over her humerus to assist in those purposes.

Of the sample horses, she is the closest to matching heritage and ability.

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Fast or Slow - examining different training methods

By Bill Heller

Bill Heller talks to Jason Servis and Bob Baffert about fast versus slow training methods. 

Just hours apart, trainers Jason Servis and Bob Baffert saddled Gr1 winners on Saturday, December 7. 

Jason Servis

Servis’ outstanding three-year-old colt Maximum Security captured the Gr1 Cigar Mile easily at Aqueduct off three extremely slow workouts.

Twenty-eight hundred miles away at Los Alamitos, where he also won the Gr2 Los Alamitos Futurity for two-year-olds with Thousand Words, Baffert’s Bast won the Gr1 Starlet for two-year-old fillies. Both two-year-olds had fast works, as most of Baffert’s horses do.

These two trainers couldn’t be more different regarding published workouts, yet their success in 2019 was eerily similar. Through late December, Servis ranked eighth nationally in earnings ($10.9 million from 563 starts). Baffert was ninth with $10.0 million from just 317 starts.

“Jason and Bob—they’re completely different,” Servis’ brother John, who trained 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Smarty Jones, said. “Jason has a whole different way.”

Even with the same client. Baffert and Servis each trained Kentucky Derby three-year-olds for Gary and Mary West, who own Maximum Security and Baffert-trained Game Winner, last year’s Two-Year-Old Champion. Each three-year-old’s works for the Derby reflected their trainers’ different approaches. 

Slow works versus fast. Two schools of thought: Horses don’t need fast works in the morning to run fast in the afternoon, or, horses must run fast in the morning to run fast in the afternoon.

The great majority of trainers fall somewhere between those two extremes. But to Servis and Baffert, they aren’t extremes; rather, it is what they have come to believe is the best way to prepare Thoroughbreds for a race. They didn’t reach that opinion overnight but rather through decades of watching and training Thoroughbreds.

Jason said, “There are so many people that train for speed.” He does not. He prefers timed two-minute gallops. “That doesn’t mean it’s right or wrong,” he said. “That’s how I do it.”

Baffert said, “In California, it’s different. You go fast. Your horses have to be sharper. If I trained on the East Coast, I wouldn’t train the way I do. The tracks there are sandier and deeper.”  

Given their ongoing huge success, why would either trainer want to change the way they’ve been prepping their horses? 

Servis and Baffert have vastly different backgrounds and experiences. Servis, 62, didn’t begin training until he was 43, sending out a single horse for one start. The following year in 2002, he won 14 races from 71 starts.

Baffert, who turned 67 on Jan. 13, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009—years before he trained Triple Crown Champions American Pharoah (2015) and undefeated Justify (2018).

Servis was born into the business in Charles Town, W. Va., where his father, Joe, rode for 11 years and won more than 500 races before becoming the manager of the Jockey Guild and a steward at Charles Town. He was inducted into the Charles Town Hall of Fame in 2010.

Growing up, Jason and John would play in a nearby farmer’s field, trying to rope Shetland ponies and ride them.

 “Charles Town—that’s where I cut my teeth,” Jason said. “No money. But they were the good old days. My dad made me. I learned the straight and narrow. Work hard. Keep your nose clean.”

At the age of 15, Jason became a jockey, riding at Shenandoah Downs, just outside Charles Town. He didn’t last long, conceding to his increasing weight and height and switching to exercise riding. “I did it for a lot of years before I started training,” he said. “I galloped horses for a lot of people: Gene Jacobs at Gulfstream Park in the early ‘70s, Cy Butler, Stan Hough, Alan Goldberg—a lot of good people. I had seen a lot. It was a very good education for me.”

Servis eventually settled at Monmouth Park, where he worked as an exercise rider in the mornings and a jockey’s valet in the afternoon. Eventually, he worked as an exercise rider and assistant trainer to Peter Fortay. “I was with him for 10 years,” Servis said. “When I finally made my transition, it wasn’t by design. He passed away. Before, when he was sick, I was basically doing it on my own. The last five years, I was open-galloping. I started two-minute clips. I just got into that groove, especially after claiming horses. Get the weight on them. Keep your horses happy. Once they’re fit, stay out of their way.”

When Fortay passed, one of his owners, Dennis Drazin, asked Servis a fateful question. “He said, `Why not go to New York with a couple horses I own and train them?’” Servis said. “I was taking care of my two kids, Garrett and Evan. They were 10 and 12. I was galloping horses, $10 a head. Colts Neck (New Jersey) in February in the cold. So I did it. We claimed a couple horses. Did some good. Dennis helped me with the payroll.”

Servis quickly got a call from Jimmy Croll. He asked Servis, “Are you training?” When Servis said he was, Croll asked, “Why’d it take so long? I’m sending you two horses.”

They won. Soon Servis was receiving plenty of phone calls. He was claiming horses and winning at a high percentage. “I’ll claim horses, and I’ll gallop them a mile in 2:05.” He said. “Get them down to 1:57 or 1:58, depending on the horse. If it’s a filly, I’ll go 2:07 or 2:08 at first. My riders are good. They wear watches. Guys who have been with me for 15 years.”

In 2017, Servis finished 23rd in the country in earnings—his highest rank ever. The next year he jumped up to 12th, and in 2019, he cracked the Top Ten with more than $10 million in earnings for the first time.

Maximum Security

Maximum Security, his horse of a lifetime, debuted on Dec. 21, 2018, at Gulfstream Park in a maiden $16,000 claimer, winning by 5 ¾ lengths at 5-2. “I can’t believe he ran the horse for $16,000,” Baffert said.

No harm, no foul. Maximum Security wasn’t claimed and proceeded to win a pair of allowance races by 6 ¼ and 18 ¼ lengths. That led to his step up to the Gr1 Florida Derby. Servis gave him one published workout at Palm Meadows Training Center, four furlongs in :52 4/5, the slowest of 64 horses who worked the morning of March 22, eight days before the Florida Derby. He won the Florida Derby by 3 ½ lengths.

For the Kentucky Derby, Maximum Security had three published workouts at Palm Meadows, four furlongs in :54 4/5, slowest of 51 works; three furlongs in :42, slowest of 15 works and four furlongs in :53 4/5, slowest of six.

Servis was more concerned with the open gallops Maximum Security had heading into the Derby. “I wanted him to gallop a 1:57 or 1:58 mile every nine, 10 days,” he said. “Before the Derby, my rider screwed up. He went 2:02, then 2:01. I was really upset. That rider is no longer with me. So, on Derby Day, I blew him out in :23. It was the 12th race that day (post time 6:50 p.m.). He worked at a quarter to six. He cooled off, laid down and took a nap. The clockers had it. Blowouts aren’t for every horse.”

Unless you’ve been on Mars, you know that Maximum Security won the Derby by a length and three-quarters but was disqualified and placed 17th. Regardless, there’s little debate who were by far the best horses on that memorable afternoon, which resulted in the first disqualification of the Derby’s long history.

Maximum Security returned to finish second by a length in the ungraded Pegasus stakes before sweeping the Gr1 Haskell by a length and a quarter, the Gr3 Bold Ruler Stakes against older horses by a length and three-quarters, and again against older horses, the Gr1 Cigar Mile by 3 ¼ lengths, cementing his three-year-old championship.

For the Bold Ruler, his first start in three months, Maximum Security worked four furlongs in :54 4/5, slowest of 74, and four furlongs in :52 4/5, second slowest of 50. For the Cigar Mile, he worked three furlongs in :40 4/5, slowest of six; four furlongs in :52, 26th fastest of 31, and three furlongs in :42 1/5, slowest of 14.  

“Would Maximum Security have won those races with fast works?” Servis mused. “He probably would have. He’s a great horse.”

His trainer didn’t hurt his chances. Servis’ win percentage in 2019 was 29. For his career, it’s 25 percent. He just may know what he’s doing.

While 2019 was a breakthrough year for Servis, for Baffert, finishing 10th in earnings was only the second time since 2009 he hadn’t finished in the top three—he was fourth in 2016. He probably couldn’t care less, nor should he.

Baffert, who was closing in on 3,000 victories in January, won 24 percent of his races in 2019 and has a career winning percentage of 25.

Bob Baffert

Winning two Triple Crowns after being voted into the Hall of Fame? That’s rarified air—success he couldn’t possibly have dreamed of growing up on a ranch in Nogales, Ariz., where his family raised cattle and chickens. When he was 10, his father purchased a few Quarter Horses, leading Baffert to riding them. He won his first race at the age of 17 in 1970.

Baffert graduated from the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program with a Bachelor of Science Degree. He soon began training Quarter Horses before moving to Los Alamitos and eventually mirroring Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who was a force in Quarter Horse racing and became one of the greatest Thoroughbred trainers ever.

Trainers have fewer options with Quarter Horses than with Thoroughbreds. “At Los Alamitos (for Quarter Horses), you had to qualify running 350 yards from the gate, hand-timed,” Baffert said. “They had to be fit, ready and in good form.”

Bast

When he switched to Thoroughbreds, he became particularly adept at having his three-year-olds ready for the Triple Crown races. Baffert nearly won three consecutive Kentucky Derbies when Cavonnier lost the 1996 Derby by a nose to Grindstone and then his Silver Charm and Real Quiet won the next two runnings, as well as the Preakness both years. The elusive Triple Crown was finally nailed by Baffert in 2015 when American Pharoah became the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978, and unbeaten Justify went from first-time starter to Triple Crown Champion in an astonishing 111 days before retiring.

“Once Justify got into the Belmont, he was in top, top shape,” Baffert said. “Before, he was a little heavy. He had some baby fat. I think we ran him into shape. I’d rather run them than train them.”…

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The importance of stable ventilation

By Alan Creighton

First published in European Trainer this article examines how stable ventilation can affect a horse’s performance.

Over the past 20 years the Irish Equine Centre has become a world leader in the design and control of the racehorse stable environment. At present we monitor the stable environment of approximately 180 racing yards across Europe.

The basis of our work is to improve biosecurity and the general environment in relation to stable and exercise areas within racing establishments. This is achieved by improving ventilation, yard layout, exercise areas and disinfection routines, in addition to testing of feed, fodder and bedding for quality and reviewing how and where they are stored.

Racehorses can spend up to 23 hours per day standing in their stable. The equine respiratory system is built for transferring large volumes of air in and out of the lungs during exercise. Racehorses are elite athletes, and best performance can only be achieved with optimal health. Given the demanding life of the equine athlete, a high number of racehorses are at risk of several different respiratory concerns. The importance of respiratory health greatly increases in line with the racehorse’s stamina. Therefore, as the distance a racehorse is asked to race increases, so does the importance of ventilation and fresh clean air.

Pathogenic fungi and bacteria, when present in large numbers, can greatly affect the respiratory system of a horse and therefore performance. Airborne dust and pathogens, which can be present in any harvested food, bedding, damp storage areas and stables, are two of the main causes of RAO (Recurrent Airway Obstruction), EIPH (Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage, also known as bleeding), IAD (irritable airway disease) and immune suppression—all of which can greatly affect the performance of the racehorse. Yards, which are contaminated with a pathogen of this kind, will suffer from the direct respiratory effect but will also suffer from recurring bouts of secondary bacterial and viral infections due to the immune suppression. Until the pathogen is found and removed, achieving consistency of performance is very difficult. Stable ventilation plays a huge part in the removal of these airborne pathogens.

What is ventilation?

The objective of ventilation is to provide a constant supply of fresh air to the horse. Ventilation is achieved by simply providing sufficient openings in the stable/building so that fresh air can enter and stale air will exit.

Ventilation involves two simple processes:

1. Air exchange where stale air is replaced with fresh air.

2. Air distribution where fresh air is available throughout the stable.

Good stable ventilation provides both of these processes. One without the other does not provide adequate ventilation. For example, it is not good enough to let fresh air into the stable through an open door at one end of the building if that fresh air is not distributed throughout the stable and not allowed to exit again. With stable ventilation, we want cold air to enter the stable, be tempered by the hot air present, and then replace that hot air by thermal buoyancy. As the hot air leaves the stable, we want it to take moisture, dust, heat, pathogens and ammonia out as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

It is important not to confuse ventilation with draft. We do not want cold air blowing directly at the horse who now has nowhere to shelter. Proper ventilation is a combination of permanent and controllable ventilation. Permanent ventilation apart from the stable door should always be above the horse’s head. It is really important to have a ridge vent or cowl vent at the very highest point of the roof. Permanent ventilation should be a combination of air inlets above the horse’s head, which allows for intake of air no matter which direction the wind is coming from, coupled with an outlet in the highest point of the roof (shown in Figure 2). The ridge vent or cowl vent is an opening that allows warm and moist air, which accumulates near the roof peak to escape. The ridge opening is also a very effective mechanism for wind-driven air exchange since wind moves faster higher off the ground. The controllable ventilation such as the door, windows and louvers are at the horse height. With controllable ventilation, you can open it up during hot spells or close it down during cold weather. The controllable ventilation should be practical and easy to operate as racing yards are very busy places with limited time. 

Where did the design go wrong?

Figure 2

The yards we work in are a mixture of historic older yards, yards built in the mid to late 20th century and yards built in the early 21st century. The level of ventilation present was extremely varied in a lot of these yards prior to working with the Irish Equine Centre. Interestingly the majority of the yards built before World War I displayed extremely efficient ventilation systems. Some of the oldest yards in the Curragh and Newmarket are still, to this day, considered well ventilated. 

In parts of mainland Europe, including France, the picture is very different. In general, the older yards in France are very poorly ventilated. The emphasis in the design of yards in parts of France appears to be more focused on keeping animals warm in the winter and cool during the summer. This is understandable as they do get colder winters and warmer summers in the Paris area, for example, when compared to the more temperate climate in Ireland and the UK. When these yards were built, they didn’t have the quality of rugs available that we do now. Most of the yards in France are built in courtyard style with lofts above for storage and accommodation. When courtyard stables are poorly ventilated with no back or sidewall air vents, you will always have the situation that the only boxes that get air exchange are the ones facing into the prevailing wind at that time. In this scenario, up to 60% of the yard may have no air exchange at all.

In the mid to late 20th century efficient ventilation design appears to have been overlooked completely. There appears to be no definitive reason for this phenomenon with planning restrictions, site restrictions in towns like Newmarket and Chantilly, cheaper builds, or builders building to residential specifications all contributing to inadequate ventilation.

Barn and stable designers did not—and in a lot of cases still don’t—realize how much air exchange is needed for racehorses. Many horse owners and architects of barns tend to follow residential housing patterns, placing more importance on aesthetics instead of what’s practical and healthy for the horse.

Many horses are being kept in suburban settings because their owners are unfamiliar with the benefits of ventilation on performance. Many of these horses spend long periods of time in their stalls, rather than in an open fresh-air environment that is conducive to maximum horse health. We measure stable ventilation in air changes per hour (ACH). This is calculated using the following simple equation:

Air changes per hour AC/H

N = 60 Q

         Vol

N = ACH (Air change/hour)

Where: Q = Velocity flow rate (wind x opening areas in cfm)

Vol = Length x Width x Average roof height

Figure 3

Minimum air change per hour in a well-ventilated box is 6AC/H. We often measure the ACH in poorly ventilated stables and barns with results as low as 1AC/H; an example of such a stable environment is shown in Figure 3. When this measurement is as low as 1AC/H, we know that the ventilation is not adequate. There will be dust and grime buildup, in addition to moisture buildup resulting in increased growth of mold and bacteria; and there will also be ammonia buildup. The horse, who can be stabled for up to 23 hours of the day, now has no choice but to breathe in poor quality air. Some horses such as sprinters may tolerate this, but in general it will lead to multiple respiratory issues.

Simply put, the objective in any well-designed barn and stable is to get fresh air to the horse and eliminate stale air before it accumulates. Good ventilation is, ideally, designed into the original barn plans or stable and takes advantage of natural wind, air currents and thermal buoyancy. Often, people experiment with mechanical ventilation using fans instead of using good ventilation design, which takes advantage of free wind ventilation…

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Modern saddle design - how technology can quantify the impact saddles have on performance

By Dr Russell Mackechnie-Guire

Thanks to advances in technology, it is getting easier for scientists to study horses in a training environment. This, combined with recent saddlery developments in other disciplines, is leading to significant progress in the design and fit of exercise saddles.

Back pain, muscle tension and atrophy are common issues in yards. Although there are many contributory factors, the saddle is often blamed as a potential cause. Unlike other equestrian sports, where the effect of tack and equipment on the horse has been investigated, until now there has been little evidence quantifying the influence of exercise saddles.

New era

The technological advances used in sport horse research are sparking a new era in racing, enhancing our understanding of the physiological and biomechanical demands on the horse and helping improve longevity and welfare. For the trainer this translates into evidence-based knowledge that will result in marginal or, in some cases, major gains in terms of a horse’s ability to race and achieve results. Race research has always been problematic, not least due to the speed at which the horse travels. Studies have previously been carried out in gait laboratories on treadmills, but this is not representative of normal terrain or movement. Thanks to new measuring techniques, we can now study the horse in motion on the gallops. Evidence of this new era arises from a recent study published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. It found areas of high pressures under commonly used exercise saddles which had a negative influence on back function, affecting the horse’s gallop and consequently performance. 

Figure 1: Three most commonly used saddle-tree lengths, plus the new design (purple 40cm)

The pressure’s on

Researchers used a combination of pressure mapping and gait analysis (see Technology in focus panel) to investigate three designs of commonly used exercise saddles: full tree, half tree and three-quarter tree. The aim was to identify pressure magnitude and distribution under each of the saddles then to establish whether the gait (gallop) was improved in a fourth saddle designed to remove these pressures. 

Areas of high pressure were found in the region of the 10th-13th thoracic vertebrae (T10-T13). Contrary to popular belief, none of the race exercise saddles tested in this study produced peak pressure on or around the scapula. The pressures around T10-T13 at gallop in the half, three-quarter and full tree were in excess of those detected during jumping or dressage in sport horses. They were also higher than pressures reported to be associated with clinical signs of back pain. Therefore, it is widely accepted that high pressures caused by the saddle could be a contributory factor to back pain in horses in training.  

FIgure 2: Half tree: High peak pressures in the region of T10-T14 were consistent with the end of the tree.

Three-quarter tree: Peak pressure was localized on one side of the back at a time, depending on the horse’s gallop lead.

Full tree: Peak pressure was further back and, although not high, gait analysis demonstrated a reduction in the extent to which the hindlimb comes under the horse, reducing the power in the stride.

New design: A more uniform pressure distribution, recording the lowest peak pressures at each location.]

Lower pressure leads to longer strides

Figure 3: A greater femur-to-vertical angle indicates that the hindlimb is being brought forward more as the horse gallops.

When looking at propulsion, there are two important measurements: the angle of the femur relative to the vertical and hip flexion. When pressures were reduced beneath the saddle, researchers saw an increased femur-to-vertical angle in the hindlimb and a smaller hip flexion angle (denoting the hip is more flexed).

Figure 4: A smaller hip flexion angle denotes the hip is more flexed, allowing the horse to bring his quarters further under him and generate increased power.]

When pressure is reduced in the region of T13, the hindlimb is allowed to come more horizontally under the horse at this point in the stride, leading to an increase in stride length. Researchers speculate that this could be due to the fact that the thorax is better able to flex when pressure is reduced.

Perhaps surprisingly, the study found that reducing saddle pressures did not result in any significant alteration in the forelimb at gallop. The major differences were recorded in hindlimb function. This could be explained anatomically; the forelimb is viewed as a passive strut during locomotion, whereas the hindlimbs are responsible for force production.

Figure 5: Improved hip flexion was recorded in the new saddle design (A) compared to a commonly used saddle (B).

This is consistent with findings in the sport horse world, where extensive research investigating pressures in the region of the 10th-13th thoracic vertebrae has shown that reducing saddle pressure is associated with improved gait features in both dressage and jumping. 

Speed matters

High speeds are associated with higher vertical forces beneath the saddle. It has been shown that a 10% increase in speed at walk increases pressures under the saddle by 5%, and in trot the figure rises to 14%. Figures for canter or gallop have not been recorded, but pressures under exercise saddles were significantly higher than in dressage or jumping, despite the jockey being in a standing position and having a lower center of mass compared to most other equestrian athletes. Plus, race exercise saddles are lighter than those in other disciplines. These findings support the theory that the higher pressures seen in gallop are due to forces created by an increase in speed.

At walk, with the addition of a rider, the forces on the horse’s back are equivalent to the rider’s body mass. At trot, this becomes equivalent to twice the body mass, and two-and-a-half times at canter. In gallop, the horse’s back is experiencing a higher range of motion than in any other gait; so if the saddle induces high pressures or limits this movement, it will undoubtedly compromise the gallop. The speed in this study was standardized so that any alterations in pressure distribution would be directly attributed to the saddle and not to alterations in ground reaction forces. 

Efficiency of stride

Horses in training spend most of their time in an exercise saddle. As each loading cycle causes joint wear and tear, if a new design of the exercise saddle can help the horse achieve a longer stride length, this would mean fewer strides are necessary to cover any given distance. A study has suggested that horses have a maximum number of gallop strides in them before they fail, so any reduction in stride quantity (loading cycles) could potentially reduce injury risk. 

Compared to work, when racing, the saddle pressures are higher still. A study in 2013 looking at pressures under race saddles identified peak pressures on the spinous processes of the actual vertebrae. These pressure-sensitive bony prominences are not evolved to withstand pressure and are less equipped than the surrounding muscles to do so. Spinal clearance is, therefore, an important consideration.

Pressure pads

All saddles tested in the recent research achieve spinal clearance by means of panels separated by a channel. However, in an attempt to alleviate spinal pressure and make one saddle fit many horses, it’s standard practice to use multiple pads under an exercise saddle. This is counterproductive as it can lead to saddle instability. In galloping race horses, forward or backward slip is an issue, and this could be attributed to the use of pads. In addition, too much bulk under the saddle puts a feeling of distance between the horse and jockey.

Tack and equipment form one part of a multi-factorial approach to training, and it is an area that, until now, has been largely overlooked by the scientific community. ….

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State Of The Art is coming to China

By Sally Duckett

Horses being led back to stables after security checks.

The dream for many trainers is to be based at a top-class state-of-the-art training centre with wonderful gallops, leading rehabilitation facilities, top-class staff accommodation as well as an ambitious site owner prepared to establish the facility as the very best of the best. For nine Hong Kong-based trainers, that dream has come true. 

In August 2018, an eight-year project conceived by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) came to fruition with the opening of its Conghua racecourse and training centre in China. 

Horses enjoy the spacious and comfortable living environment at CRC.

There is the slight downside for Sha Tin-based trainers, as the centre is a four-hour drive away from their main Hong Kong stables—across the border and in China. But every possible negative that it might have caused has been mitigated by the HKJC through discussion, cooperation with the Chinese authorities, big-planning, alongside the focused use of technology and ambitious ideas.

The trainers pavilion has an unobstructed view of the racecourse.

Nine trainers were invited to send horses to Conghua last autumn, and each has a string of between 15 to 20 horses based at the 150-hectare site—the trainers now termed ‘dual-site trainers’. Currently around 150 horses are in training at the €377 million facility, although by December 2018 the number of horses who had shipped to Conghua, returned to Sha Tin and travelled to China had already exceed 500 individuals.

The equine swimming pool has a depth of 2.6m.

The trainers were fully involved with the design and planning of Conghua from outset; the racecourse and gallops are in fact a replica of Sha Tin. Ensuring that the daily work and training processes are exactly the same, methods honed in Hong Kong can merely be picked up and transferred to China. There is though, at the trainers’ request, an additional 5f uphill straight gallop.

Selected trainers were invited to trial the Chinese venture and were chosen on their own abilities and that of their staff. The HKJC wanted to ensure that stable staff sent to China were capable and experienced. 

The nine trainers with horses on site include leading trainers John Size, John Moore, Danny Shum, Casper Fownes and Tony Cruz.

All have been successful back in Hong Kong with their Conghua-trained horses (which are identified as such in the media for the betting public); and the Sha Tin nine are kept fully abreast of the training at Conghua courtesy of video, timing facilities and real-time technology all provided by the HKJC. The trainers, however, can spend as much time as they wish in China.

“John Size and Danny Shum in particular have spent a lot of time at Conghua”, reports Andrew Harding, the HKJC’s executive director of racing. “We have had applications from other trainers to send horses, and we will be adding another two later in the year”.

CRC will serve as a world-class facility for the training of Hong Kong's racehorses.

The success of the training process has kicked into gear quicker than even the ambitious HKJC team planned, and the site has already lost its initial ‘pre’ training tag.

“We had thought trainers would take horses back to Hong Kong two or three weeks ahead of a race, but they are travelling down and running just two days later—and winning”, smiles Harding. “We thought this would take perhaps a year to phase in, but it has come much quicker. The HKJC provides all the transportation, and we are already needing to ramp up the logistics—the transport initially between the two sites was twice a week, but we have extended it to six days a week (much earlier than anticipated). The travelling process had also been taking five business days to process with the levels of administration required for the border crossing, but our dual site trainers said that was too long. We have already narrowed that down to two days. Trainers can now ship on Monday in order to race on Wednesday at Happy Valley, and the horses need to undergo certain veterinary examinations ahead of racing; so they have to be in Hong Kong two days ahead of racing. They can then return to Conghua on Friday. The transport costs are all part of the HKJC’s service, and owners do not see any extra expense”.

Establishment of the Equine Disease Free Zone

Wash-down facilities.

The HKJC’s CEO Winfried Engelsbrecht-Bresges has driven the concept. (Engelsbrecht-Bresges is the organisation taking advantage of a unique opportunity that emerged in 2010.) 

That year the People’s Republic of China hosted the Asian Games at Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province. The equestrian sector was based at the site in Conghua, and in order to successfully host the equine side of the games, an Equine Disease Free Zone (EDFZ) had to be established. 

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Should all racehorses have a mandatory layoff?

By Denise Steffanus

Fatigue causes breakdowns. It's a scientific fact. If a horse's ability to repair its body cannot keep up with the accumulation of damage from training and racing, the risk of catastrophic breakdown greatly increases.

Human athletes allow their bodies to rest and recuperate during the off season, but horse racing continues year round. The British Horseracing Authority wrote two breaks into its 2019 fixture schedule just so jockeys could have a break. But a horse only gets time off when it has an injury or when its trainer decides it needs freshening. Thoroughbreds are stoic. The tougher the horse, the more likely it will shrug off pain when adrenaline fuels its competitive spirit. That's when disaster strikes.

Dr. Ebrahim Bani Hassan and his team at the University of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, used an electron microscope to examine the legs of 83 Thoroughbred racehorses after they died or were euthanized, some for reasons other than catastrophic breakdown. The powerful microscope was able to reveal microfractures in the forelegs of 97.4% of the horses and Swiss-cheese-like cavities in the subchondral bone of the hind legs in 97.7% of them. (Subchondral bone, the layer of bone just beneath the cartilage, forms the critical support base for joints.)

Trainers don't knowingly send a horse to the track if it is at risk of breaking down. How many times have we heard trainers and owners say after a catastrophic breakdown, "The horse was sound. How could this happen?"

Apparent soundness is no guarantee that a horse does not have serious underlying problems. Bani Hassan wrote in the Australian Veterinary Journal, "Based on the information obtained from the race records and trainer and veterinarian interviews, many of the horses in this study were performing well and were not reported to be showing signs of lameness in the weeks prior to presentation."

Dr. Chris Whitton, a member of Bani Hassan's team, is the person charged to necropsy every horse that dies at racetracks in Victoria. In an interview with ABC News, Whitton said, "We think that racehorse deaths should be avoidable. The limb injuries that we investigate are predominantly due to accumulation of damage over time."

Bani Hassan suggested longer and better-managed breaks for racehorses during their careers.

“Rest may allow some reduction in the microscopic damage load, and the burden of damage in this population suggests that, in general, a greater proportion of time out of intense race training than is currently practiced is required for Thoroughbred racehorses in order to minimize the risk of subchondral bone injury," he concluded.

Mandatory layoff

Mandatory layoff of 30-60 days for horses in active training and racing for 12 consecutive months without a break could be one solution. Everyone interviewed about this topic agreed that horses need time off, but most were opposed to making it mandatory. Their argument: Good trainers already give their horses time off as part of their training regimen and racing strategy.

What about those trainers who don't? Some trainers press on with horses because their owners insist on results. Sadly, some trainers' priority is not the welfare of the horse. Some trainers don't know better. Racing commissions must adopt new rules when individuals fail to do what is proper.

The duration of 30-60 days seems to be the optimum to achieve healing without losing significant condition. During the first 30 days, a horse loses little cardiovascular condition, and it is ample time for microfractures to repair. Bone bruising at the bottom of the cannon bone, a common condition in active racehorses, typically takes 60 days to repair. Horses laid up longer than 60 days quickly begin to lose overall condition.

The type and quality of layoff is crucial to healing. Horses must be active during turnout to increase blood flow to areas that are damaged. Keeping the horse in a stall except for daily handwalking can allow bones to weaken further because bone remodeling—replacement of damaged bone with new, stronger bone—depends on physical demand. For trainers in areas with a predominance of farmland, finding suitable turnout is not a problem. But those at racetracks in metropolitan areas or the desert southwest may have nowhere to lay up their horses.

Is mandatory layoff a good thing?

"I’m not sure that a mandatory layoff is ideal because you have to tailor the horse’s schedule to what kind of training the horse can stand," said Dr. Larry Bramlage, renowned surgeon at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington and a member of the Jockey Club Thoroughbred Safety Committee. "There are some horses that can handle anything you can throw at them. Then there are horses that can only take a few races, two or three, before they need to back down because they start getting behind. So I’m not generally for forcing a mandated layoff."

Instead, Bramlage advocates educating owners, trainers, and veterinarians that horses periodically need a break from heavy training to allow the horse's body to rest and repair.

Bramlage mentioned Wise Dan, trained by Charlie Lopresti, as a horse whose campaign is an example of good management. The gelding earned six Eclipse Awards in 2012-13, including two Horse of the Year titles, winning the Breeders' Cup Mile in both years.

Lopresti described Wise Dan's program, which he said is based on traditional training methods:

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