Abstract: REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Fatalities resulting from horse falls occurring during the cross-country phase of eventing competitions initiated epidemiological investigation of the risk factors associated with horse falls. OBJECTIVES: To identify variables that increased or decreased the risk of a horse fall during the cross-country phase of an eventing competition. METHODS: Data were collected from randomly selected British Eventing competitions held in Great Britain during 2001 and 2002. Data were obtained for 173 cases (jumping efforts resulting in a fall of the horse-and-rider partnership) and 503 matched controls (jumping efforts not resulting in a fall). The risk of falling was modelled using conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: An increased risk of a horse fall was associated with jumping into or out of water; taking off from good-to-soft, soft or heavy ground; fences with a drop landing; nonangled fences with a spread > or =2 m; and angled fences. Other risk factors included riders who knew that they were in the lead within the competition before the cross-country phase; an inappropriate speed of approach to the fence (too fast or too slow); horse-and-rider partnerships that had not incurred refusals at earlier fences; and riders who received cross-country tuition. CONCLUSIONS: This study has identified modifiable course- and fence-level risk factors for horse falls during the cross-country phase of eventing competitions. The risk of horse and rider injury at eventing competitions should be reduced by 3 simple measures; maintaining good to firm take-off surfaces at fences, reducing the base spread of fences to <2 m and reducing the use of fences at which horses are required to jump into or out of water. Risk reduction arising from course and fence modification needs to be confirmed by intervention studies. Potential relevance: Knowledge of factors that increase or decrease the risk of a horse fall can be used by UK governing bodies of the sport to reduce the risk of horse falls on the cross-country phase of eventing competitions, and reduce the risk of horse and rider injuries and fatalities. As one in 3 horses that fall injure themselves and one in 100 horse falls results in fatality to the horse, we suggest that immediate consideration is given to these recommendations.

Abstract: REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: A device is needed to safely and wirelessly evaluate accelerations experienced by the horse hoof under a variety of surface conditions with the horse exercising at training or racing speeds. OBJECTIVES: To develop a miniaturised wireless data acquisition system (WDAS) which reliably records hoof accelerations and the times over which they occur in a minimally invasive manner in the exercising Thoroughbred. METHODS: The following criteria were set for device development: production of a lightweight and minimally invasive system, which provides an adequate acceleration range, appropriate frequency response to capture high speed events, and compatibility with a low power wireless telemetry system. Following device development, the WDAS was calibrated, and tested in 6 Thoroughbred horses over a variety of surfaces. RESULTS: Collection of acceleration in seven trials using 6 horses over a variety of surfaces resulted in repeatable acceleration data with respect to the overall characteristic shape of the impact profile. Impact accelerations varied with surface, ranging 34.8-191.7 g. Accelerations on take off were in a similar range, although higher in some trials. Peak impact accelerations tended to larger over the grass paddock surface, than either the indoor arena or the dirt track. During dirt track trials, accelerations on take-off were often comparably larger than those observed on impact within the same footfall. CONCLUSIONS: This study reports the development of a wireless system that successfully measures hoof acceleration in a minimally invasive manner over a variety of surface and exercise conditions. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: The WDAS will be used in further studies to evaluate various components of the horse-racetrack interface, in an attempt to identify risk factors for musculoskeletal injury in the Thoroughbred racehorse.

Abstract: REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Sandy soil is often mentioned as a risk factor in the development of sand-related gastrointestinal disease (SGID) in the horse. There are other variables, but few studies confirm any of these. OBJECTIVE: To investigate soil type, pasture quality, feeding practice in the paddock, age, sex and body condition score as risk factors for sand intake in the horse. METHODS: Faeces were collected from 211 Icelandic horses on 19 different studs in Denmark together with soil samples and other potential risk factors. Sand content in faeces determined by a sand sedimentation test was interpreted as evidence of sand intake. Soil types were identified by soil analysis and significance of the data was tested using logistic analysis. RESULTS: Of horses included in the study, 56.4% showed sand in the faeces and 5.7% had more than 5 mm sand as quantified by the rectal sleeve sedimentation test. Soil type had no significant effect when tested as main effect, but there was interaction between soil type and pasture quality. Significant interactions were also found between paddock feeding practice and pasture quality. CONCLUSION: To evaluate the risk of sand intake it is important to consider 3 variables: soil type, pasture quality and feeding practice. Pasture quality was identified as a risk factor of both short and long grass in combination with sandy soil, while clay soil had the lowest risk in these combinations. Feeding practice in the paddock revealed feeding directly on the ground to be a risk factor when there was short (1-5 cm) or no grass. Also, no feeding outdoors increased the risk on pastures with short grass, while this had no effect in paddocks with no grass. More than 50% of all horses investigated in this study had sand in the faeces. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: The identification of risk factors is an important step towards prevention of SGID. Further research is necessary to determine why some horses exhibit more than 5 mm sand in the sedimentation test and whether this is correlated with geophagic behaviour.

Abstract: REASON FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Monitoring weight of foals is a useful management practice to aid in maximising athletic potential while minimising risks associated with deviations from normal growth. OBJECTIVE: To develop predictive equations for weight, based on linear measurements of growing Thoroughbreds (TBs). METHODS: Morphometric equations predicting weight from measurements of the trunk and legs were developed from data of 153 foals. The accuracy, precision and bias of the best fitting equation were compared to published equations using a naive data set of 22 foals. RESULTS: Accuracy and precision were maximised with a broken line relating calculated volumes (V(t + l)) to measured weights. Use of the broken line is a 2 step process. V(t + l) is calculated from linear measures (m) of girth (G), carpus circumference (C), and length of body (B) and left forelimb (F). V(t + I) = ([G2 x B] + 4[C2 x F]) 4pi. If V(t + l) < 0.27 m3, weight is estimated: Weight (kg) = V(t + l) x 1093. If V(t + l) > or = 0.27 m3: Weight (kg) = V(t + l) x 984 + 24. The broken line was more accurate and precise than 3 published equations predicting the weight of young TBs. CONCLUSIONS: Estimation of weight using morphometric equations requires attention to temporal changes in body shape and density; hence, a broken line is needed. Including calculated leg volume in the broken line model is another contributing factor to improvement in predictive capability. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: The broken line maximises its value to equine professionals through its accuracy, precision and convenience.