Training

Overall, novice riders showed a more chaotic muscle distribution in their riding, researchers reported.

Colic responsible for more than a third of such callouts, followed by wounds, then lameness.

“It is time we brought some of the developments in safety and new technology that we have in other vehicles to horse transport.” 

Researchers focused on foals from the 2014 Australian Thoroughbred foal crop who had not started training or racing as 4-year-olds.

New regulations to strengthen New Zealand’s animal welfare system have been approved by Government.

Standardbred horses in the Italian study underwent a carefully controlled treadmill test involving increasing speeds, during which blood was taken to measure lactate levels.

Some of the mares in the study had ovarian cancer; for others it was a last-ditch attempt to solve major issues.

“As the technology improves, hopefully this is something that anyone could have at home,” one of the researchers says.

“The equine biological passport program is a tool that will enable us to rapidly identify new drugs and measure the physiological effect on the equine athlete.”

Researchers are looking to find what a “normal” rest pattern is for a particular horse, and any deviations, which might alert owners to the fact that something is wrong.

Economic impacts anticipated include less hay required because improved pastures give higher forage yields; the construction of heavy use areas should reduce vet bills by reducing the incidence of hoof injuries; and even manure distribution from improved grazing will lower fertilizer requirements.