Drs. Annette McCoy and Mariana Kersh, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), are investigating whether putting foals through a controlled exercise protocol could prevent limb fractures later in life. The study is funded by Morris Animal Foundation.
Though mild exercise early in life is known to be beneficial for horses, exactly how it stimulates bone growth – specifically in areas that are susceptible to fracture – is unknown. It is thought that exercise can prepare equine bones for the mechanical forces they experience during adolescence and adulthood.
This study uses information gleaned from human medicine which indicates that children who exercise are less prone to injury as adolescents and adults, and that the bone change they experience is sustained over time.
Previous studies have shown that foals raised on pasture are inactive about 85 percent of the time, but too much exercise can be detrimental to foals. The study will attempt to identify whether there is a specific amount of exercise that can protect bones but not harm the foals. The 24-month study will be completed at the University of Illinois Horse farm.
Twelve Standardbreds are being used for the study; six were enrolled in 2021 and six in 2022. Each foal had a CT exam at 8 weeks old to create a three-dimensional picture of his forelimbs. Bone density and volume were recorded.
Three of the foals then participated in an 8-week exercise plan that involved fast trotting over 1,500 yards in a field once a day, five days a week. The other three foals served as non-exercised controls.
A second CT scan was and will be done when the foals reach 16 weeks old. A final CT scan will be completed when the horses are a year old to see if any changes remain. All data will be combined to help predict if exercise intervention has an effect on bone properties.
The scientists are hopeful that study results will allow foals of all breeds to be better managed to prevent front leg fractures later in life. All data should be analyzed by summer of 2023.
Read more at Equine Science Update.
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