lead | Horse Racing Free Tips

Lead Affects Duration Of Hoof-To-Ground Contact On Turns

Research has show that sharp turns increase the risk of ligament-related limb injuries in racehorses and that catastrophic injuries are more likely to occur on a turn than on a track straightaway.

In natural settings, how an animal negotiates curves while moving is important to survival, especially during interactions with a predator where speed alone may not ensure escape. Horses routinely travel in curves and bends while at liberty, racing and in other disciplines. The increased force on front limbs while galloping on a turn is suspected to be associated with increased injury risk.

Drs. Rebecca Parkes, Thilo Pfau, Renate Weller and Thomas Witte created an experiment using seven Thoroughbreds galloping on large radius curves. Each horse was equipped with an inertial measurement unit with GPS on their sacrum, as well as with two hoof-mounted accelerometers and retro-reflective markers on their front legs.

Each horse galloped counterclockwise around the track two to four times; they were filmed at 120 frames per second by 10 cameras. The scientists determined speed and curve from the GPS information and estimated the centripetal acceleration. The accelerometers provided information on stride, swing durations, stance and the percent of the total stride that the hoof is on the ground. The front-leg markers tracked limb angles.

For horses that galloped on the correct lead, the left front leg was on the ground longer on both the straightaway and the curve; for horses that galloped on the right lead, there was no difference in length of time the hoof was on the ground on the straightaway or the curve.

The researchers conclude that the forces at play on a horse's leg when it runs on a curve are complex and that more research is needed. They note that the study doesn't take into account the hind limbs of galloping horses, which mainly propel the horse forward, while the forelimbs apply vertical impulse to the horse's body. They suggest that additional work be done regarding the role of the hind legs, horizontal body bend and the effects of torque on limbs when a horse is running on a curve.

Read the study here.

Study: Does Living Near An Industrial Area Place Horses At Risk?

Though minerals and trace elements are necessary for horses to survive, the ingestion of too many can be toxic. Researchers from The University of Messina in Italy created a study to learn about the bioaccumulation of vanadium, chromium, cobalt, copper, zinc, cadmium, lead and bismuth in horses that live in an industrial area of Sicily.

Drs. Francesco Fazio, Enrico Gugliandolo, Vincenzo Nava, Giuseppe Piccione, Claudia Giannetto and Patrizia Licata took blood and hair samples from 20 horses to determine the distribution and concentration of mineral elements. They also analyzed hay, water and feed.

The scientists found that minerals were not distributed evenly in the horses; vanadium, copper, zinc and cadmium concentrations were higher in serum than in whole blood and higher in tail har than mane hair. Copper content was affected by season and geographic area, but in each test, copper was within “normal” range.

Zinc was higher in whole blood than in other samples. While zinc was higher than values found in 1992, the authors note that the increase could be from a variety of factors, including smoke from nearby galvanizing operations.

Cadmium was found to be higher in whole blood and cobalt was highest in tail samples. Chromium was found to be significantly higher in tail hair samples than in other samples. Lead was higher in whole blood and serum than in hair samples. The mineral concentration in hay and feed were below toxic levels.

The researchers conclude that hair samples could be used to monitor element concentrations in horses, but further investigation is needed to “body map” the bioaccumulation of different essential trace elements.

Read the study here.

Preliminary Proof: Drones An Inexpensive, Safer Alternative For Herding Feral Horses

Feral horses that roam over extensive areas of land can be difficult to corral when necessary for management purposes, like for contraceptive treatment. Pushing the animals into a corral with a helicopter is a common way to contain them, but this method is stressful and potentially harmful to the horses; it's also expensive.

Drs. Sue McDonnell and Catherine Torcivia of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine New Bolton Center investigated if free-roaming horses would follow a drone into a corral. They based their hypothesis on the concept that a horse's natural instinct is to become alert to novel objects and intruders, and to respond as a herd to level of arousal elicited.

To test their theory, the duo used a consumer-grade drone and the university's herd of 123 semi-feral ponies. They discovered that the drone was able to lead the horses into corrals on the first attempt and again on seven of nine additional attempts over the next month.

The drone led the horses to the same and different destinations. The horses tended to follow at a fast walk, with some slow trotting intervals interspersed. In each case, a stallion or multiple stallions first alerted the herd to the drone. The males then vocalized their concern and initiated the herd's following of the drone's retreat.

The scientists found that the drone was most effective when flying between 6 and 20 feet above the ground and leading the herd at a distance of about 30 feet. Next, the duo will test the drone on a herd of feral horses in a larger enclosure. If successful, they will conclude that drone use may provide a lower-cost, lower-stress, repeatable option for capturing feral horses, and improve both human and equine safety.

Read the full project report here.