The multinational Global Equine Research Alliance conducted a novel study on the effects of early conditioning exercise of foals on behavior, orthopedic health and race training.

Although anecdotal information had suggested the link years earlier, this California study was the first to identify a link between toe grabs and risk of fatal musculoskeletal injury (FMI) in Thoroughbred racehorses.

A treadmill study with five sound Thoroughbred horses was done to identify indicators of subclinical lameness. A flat steel shoe was modified to cause subclinical, subtle and mild lameness by applying a variable, controlled amount of sole pressure to both front and hind feet. Horses were examined at a walk and trot on the treadmill and video image analysis was used to identify signs of lameness.

Force plate measurements are commonly used to evaluate lameness in saddle horses. This experimental study was designed to determine if breed differences influence ground reaction forces measured in sound and lame warmbloods and Quarter Horses.

A case-control study was used to examine the relationships between exercise history, toe grabs and the risk of catastrophic proximal sesamoid bone fracture in racing Thoroughbreds. Researchers collected the lower limbs and shoes of 269 horses that were examined by necropsy as part of the California Horse Racing Board’s Postmortem Program and official race and timed work records were obtained from the Jockey Club.

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The conformation and racing performance of almost 4,000 Thoroughbreds raced on the flat over turf were studied to determine the prevalence, heritability and effects on racing performance.

Researchers in the Equine Foot Laboratory at Michigan State University recently examined the inner hoof wall in fetal, newborn and yearling horses to describe structural changes that occur in the epidermal laminae from fetal development to yearling age.

A prospective cohort design was used to evaluate the effects of abnormal radiographic findings on future racing performance among Thoroughbred yearlings in Texas.