Intense Exercise Can Be Hazardous to Horses

Intense exercise can be fatal to racehorses according to a new University of Guelph study.
Prof. Peter PhysickSheard and a team of researchers examined 1713 cases of racehorse deaths from 2003 to 2015 and found racing was connected to some of the deaths.
The study reveals parallels between mortality and the intensity of the overall management of the horses their lifestyle and the type of work they do says PhysickSheard Department of Population Medicine. Training and racing at top speed within a short amount of time and space is a health risk for horses as it would be for any other species including humans.

Most racing in North America involves intense exertion over a relatively short distance he added.
Published recently in the Equine Veterinary Journal the study is the first of its kind to compare mortality in three racing breeds and represents the most complete data set on the issue so far.
His study aimed to characterize and quantify exerciseassociated mortality in racehorses and identify breed differences.
PhysickSheard says breed differences provide deeper insights into strategies that could reduce mortality improve the welfare of racehorses and reduce the costs of participation in the sport.
He discovered that Thoroughbreds had the highest exerciseassociated mortality rate and risk. Out of every 1000 races 2 27 deaths were exerciseassociated. About one percent of racing Thoroughbreds die annually in association with racing or trial runs.
The mortality rate and risk were lowest for Standardbreds at 0 28 deaths per 1000 race starts and an annual death rate of 0 23 to 0 24 percent. This breed is given more extensive training preparation and racing says PhysickSheard.
Mortality related to highintensity exercise in Quarter Horses was 1 49 deaths per 1000 race starts with an annual death rate of 0 60 to 0 69 percent from the activity.
For all breeds musculoskeletal injury was