Orthopedic injuries in young horses not only have a huge economic impact on the horse industry but can also be devastating for the horse owner, said James MacLeod, VMD, PhD, John S. and Elizabeth A. Knight chair and professor of Veterinary Science at the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Center.

Joint disease can result from acute traumatic injury or more chronic osteoarthritis, MacLeod said. Either way, it is one of the most common causes of lameness and a primary reason why many horses’ athletic careers come to an end. When the cartilage that normally covers the ends of adjoining bones is damaged, joint movement is restricted and frequently becomes painful.

"The result is lameness and a horse that can no longer perform up to its full potential," MacLeod said.

Despite the importance of articular cartilage for normal joint function and pain-free movement, the tissue has very limited ability to repair structural damage, MacLeod said. This is a primary reason why joint disease problems frequently progress and become more serious through life. Interestingly, however, joint cartilage in young foals appears to have greater capacity for repairs. Early in life the tissue is growing rapidly and structurally remodeling in response to the biomechanical forces of movement