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Skip Navigation LinksAll Horse Topics > Sports Medicine > Conditioning for Competition


Articles ( * = TheHorse.com members only )Date Posted
Study: Lactate Levels Could Guide Equine Conditioning Programs
Low-intensity exercise over long periods was an effective approach to conditioning horses as indicated by blood lactate levels measured in a new study. Blood lactate, the ionized form of lactic acid, which is a byproduct of anaerobic metabolism, can provide an indication of a horse's fitness, but there was previously little information about ... Read full story
 11/17/2009
Condition Horses to Prevent Lameness  *
An athlete's body is trained to handle an amazing amount of work and stress. From runners to swimmers, all athletes train to handle the specific stress their sport requires. Unfortunately, it is still not uncommon for these athletes to injure themselves performing the very actions they trained for. This is also true of a horse's body. Many horses ... Read full story
 10/2/2009
Older Horse Elmer Bandit Completes Iowa Competitive Ride  *
Perfect fall weather found 38-year-old Elmer Bandit completing both days of the Stephens Forest Competitive Trail event near Lucas, Iowa, this past weekend. The event added 40 miles to the gray, half-Arabian's record mileage, which now stands at 20,780 miles. Although not competing as much this year, owner and rider Mary Anna Wood of Independence, ... Read full story
 9/21/2009
Training Alters Stride in Racehorses  *
Training mature racehorses produces a decrease in the protraction (extension) time of the forelimb and might reduce the risk of training-induced injuries, said Marta Ferrari, DrMedVet, PhD, MRCVS, of Park Veterinary Centre in Watford, U.K, and colleagues at London's Royal Veterinary College in a new study. The researchers aimed to investigate the ... Read full story
 9/19/2009
Older Horses: Elmer Bandit Might Compete This Month  *
Elmer Bandit, the 38-year-old record holder for competitive trail mileage, hasn't hit the trails lately, but last weekend found the gray Half-Arabian and owner Mary Anna Wood working with a dressage trainer. The two had lessons on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday "We worked on being round, balanced, and straight," Wood said. A chiropractor who worked ... Read full story
 9/2/2009
Equine Heat Tolerance Parameters Examined in Study   *
In a step toward understanding heat tolerance in horses, Brazilian researchers recently concluded that respiratory rate (RR), heart rate (HR), and rectal temperature (RT) are the most useful parameters for distinguishing equine adaptation to elevated temperatures. As part of an ongoing project on equine heat tolerance, the study authors investigated ... Read full story
 8/26/2009
16-Year-Old Quarter Horse Racehorse Still Winning   *
American Quarter Horse runner Silent Cash Dasher on Sunday won at Blue Ribbon Downs in Sallisaw, Okla. Owned and trained by Gary Earp of Jay, Okla., the gelding by Dash Easy is 16 years old. In a sport with the majority of its participants competing in futurities for 2-year-olds and derbies for 3-year-olds, Silent Cash Dasher has captured the hearts ... Read full story
 8/20/2009
Tevis Veterinarians Add New Post-Ride Check  *
Head Tevis Cup veterinarian Greg Fellers, DVM, will implement a new post-ride vet check this year. His check will be conducted within two hours after horses complete the 100-mile ride from Lake Tahoe to Auburn, Calif. "What I am looking for in this new check is a continually falling heart rate. This check should find heart rates in the 44, 46, 48 ... Read full story
 7/30/2009
Researchers Examine Oral Acetate for Equine Exercise Recovery  *
An inaugural study has found that a sodium acetate electrolyte solution given orally with a typical hay and grain meal following exercise enhanced skeletal muscle metabolism to restore depleted glycogen (energy) sources. "Glycogen stored in muscle is the primary energy source for horses undergoing either short-term, high intensity or prolonged submaximal ... Read full story
 6/15/2009
Readers Share Equine Exercise Regimens  *
More than 1,150 readers of TheHorse.com responded to a poll asking, "During peak riding times in your region, how often do you ride or exercise your horses?" Results were as follows: 2-4 times a week 47.75% (552) 5-7 times a week 40.40% (467) Once a week 8.56% (99) I don't ride or exercise my horses 1.99% (23) Once a month ... Read full story
 6/5/2009
Pilates for Horses?  *
Preliminary results from research suggest you can strengthen your horse's core muscles to help him be healthier, no matter his job in life. "One of the things we know from human medical research is that when people get back pain, the deep stabilizer muscles turn off. When the back pain goes away, these muscles don't turn on again. There is a very ... Read full story
 6/1/2009
Core Training Exercise Guidelines
Core training exercises can be done without a warm-up--for example, in horses that are recovering from injury--because the horse controls the amount of motion, and loading of the joints is less than during locomotion. Hilary M. Clayton, BVMS, PhD, MRCVS, Mary Anne McPhail Dressage Chair in Equine Sports Medicine at Michigan State University, says that ... Read full story
 5/18/2009
AAEP 2008: Racehorse Exercise Predicts Bone Strength
Nearly 20% of fatal musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbred atheletes are due to complete humeral (forearm bone) fractures, which often occur early in training or following an prolonged layup. Rachel Entwistle, BS, of the University of California, Davis, discussed the wastage that occurs with humeral fractures in these atheletes at the 2008 American ... Read full story
 4/5/2009
AAEP 2008: Emergency Care at Endurance Events   *
Endurance horses perform protracted exercise of up to 12 hours for a 50-mile event, and up to 24 hours for a 100-mile competition. Besides metabolic issues created by fluid depletion and electrolyte imbalances due to sweating during sustained performance, immune and respiratory challenges stemming from transport to the event are added concerns. At ... Read full story
 3/14/2009
AAEP 2008: Emergency Veterinary Care at Horse Shows   *
Most horse show emergencies are able to be cared for on-site, but if a crisis develops, the horse should be stabilized and transported to a full-care facility, according to Rick Mitchell, DVM, of Fairfield Equine Associates in Newtown, Conn. He presented during the in-depth session on emergency care at the 2008 American Association of Equine Practitioners ... Read full story
 3/4/2009
AAEP 2008: Tart Cherry Juice Blend Might Reduce Muscle Damage  *
The potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of a tart cherry juice blend given to exercising horses were the topic of a study presented at the 2008 Convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) by Norm Ducharme, DVM, MSc, Dipl. ACVS, James Law Professor of Surgery in the Section of Large Animal Surgery at Cornell ... Read full story
 2/8/2009
Elmer Bandit's Winter Workouts Move Inside   *
Never resting on his laurels, Elmer splits his winter hours between furthering his dressage training and sporting his blanket from his fans at TheHorse.com. Winter weather has driven 37-year-old competitive trail horse Elmer Bandit and his owner and rider Mary Anna Wood inside for dressage lessons. "Dressage contributes to keeping Elmer sound, limber, ... Read full story
 1/30/2009
Survey Finds Eventers Nutritionally Sound, but Oversupplemented   *
In a survey of leading three-day event riders, researchers found that the majority of riders fed their horses based on research-driven recommendations, but the number of supplements used per horse did raise some eyebrows. During the Jersey Fresh 2006 and 2007 Three-Day Events, researchers interviewed 69 riders, asking such questions as where they ... Read full story
 12/28/2008
New Approach to Assessing Training Adaptation  *
Dutch researchers recently reported that a new technique for assessing adaptation to training gives a more accurate picture than the usual approach of measuring muscle enzyme levels. In the study, researchers instead used "quantitative needle electromyography" (QEMG) to evaluate adaptations in skeletal muscle in athletic horses. A horse's performance ... Read full story
 12/25/2008
Caring for Older Horses: The Elmer Bandit Diet  *
After Elmer Bandit, a 37-year-old Half-Arabian, broke the record for lifetime competitive trail mileage last month, we were flooded with questions about Elmer's care and, specifically, what fuels the fire that keeps him going. As it turns out, feeding Elmer requires careful consideration and a serious time commitment. "Getting enough calories to ... Read full story
 11/23/2008
Ride Along at the FEI World Endurance Championship   *
The first-ever FEI World Endurance Championship in Malaysia was held Nov. 7-8 in Terengganu. Meg Sleeper, VMD, Dipl. ACVIM, and her horse, Syrocco Reveille, competed on the team representing the United States. While the competition didn't work out as the squad had hoped, her journal entries provide an inside look at what it takes to transport and ... Read full story
 11/21/2008
Exercise's Effects Vary by Tendon Type  *
Researchers from the United Kingdom recently embarked on an 18-month exercise study to determine why the equine superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is more prone to injury than the various other tendons located in the distal (lower) part of the limb. The group found significant changes in the composition of the SDFT in horses that were in high-intensity ... Read full story
 11/18/2008
Elmer Bandit Did It! 37-Year-Old Horse Sets New Mileage Record   *
Half-Arabian Elmer Bandit trotted under the finish line to set a new competitive trail mileage record of 20,720 miles, 201 days after his 37th birthday. The North American Trail Conference event took place Oct. 25-26 at Kanopolis State Park near Lindsborg, Kan. Elmer Bandit set a new record for lifetime competitive trail miles. A heavy frost ... Read full story
 10/27/2008
Shipping and Showing  *
Monitor and optimize your horse's training, diet, general health, and shipping experience in order to help him perform his best. For some, nothing compares to the excitement of a horse show. The anticipation of months of hard work finally paying off with the faultless jump, the perfect pirouette, or the impeccable sliding stop, and the chance of winning ... Read full story
 10/1/2008
37-Year-Old Horse Elmer Bandit Wins Competitive Trail Ride  *
Adding another 60 miles to his North American Trail Conference (NATRC) career, 37-year-old Elmer Bandit was declared the Open Sweepstakes division winner this past weekend at the Dave Smith Fall Fiesta competition near Lehigh, Iowa. "We had a grand time trotting," said Elmer's rider and lifetime owner Mary Anna Wood of Independence, Mo. "Elmer was ... Read full story
 9/15/2008
Results of Poll on Wrapping Up the Summer Riding Season  *
Nearly 1,000 readers of TheHorse.com responded to a poll asking, "When do you start winding down from your summer riding levels?" Results were as follows: Never, my horse has the same workload year-round: 38.59% (379) November: 24.64% (242) October: 14.87% (146) December: 13.75% (135) September: 6.82% (67) August: 1.32% ... Read full story
 9/10/2008
Cooling Systems Help Olympic Horses Beat the Heat  *
Years of in-depth preparation, planning, and some luck combined to make cross-country at the 2008 Olympics a success, according to vets on the scene. "We were lucky with the weather," said Foreign Veterinary Delegate Leo Jeffcott, MA, BVetMed, PhD, FRCVS, DVSc, VetMedDr, of Australia, who has spent three years monitoring the climatic conditions in ... Read full story
 8/13/2008
Olympic Eventing: Cross-Country Wet, But a Bright Day for Sport   *
The good news is that the anxiously awaited eventing cross-country competition at the 2008 Olympic Games was a success, with careful planning and course design, the weather, and a dollop of luck combining to produce a four-hour contest with no "traffic accident" horrors, no exhausted horses or overcome riders, and no major incidents to tarnish the ... Read full story
 8/11/2008
Ohio State Veterinarian Faces Familiar Challenges at 2008 Olympics  *
Catherine Kohn, VMD, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, professor in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at The Ohio State University, will be part of a multinational team of veterinarians caring for horses competing at the 2008 Olympics. While thousands of athletes, spectators, and staff will converge upon Beijing for the majority of the sporting events, ... Read full story
 8/1/2008
Olympic Equestrian Arrangements are Years in the Making   *
The decision to hold the equestrian competitions of the 2008 Beijing Olympics in Hong Kong continues to be a topic of interest and debate. The events were moved because competition organizers sought to minimize the risk of horses contracting infectious diseases possibly present in the mainland China horse population. When the decision to move was first ... Read full story
 7/27/2008
10 Principles of Exercise Physiology  *
Basic principles you can apply to your everyday training to boost your horse’s performance. Elite athletes are always looking for an edge over their competitors, and many times they find that edge by applying the science of exercise physiology to their training. From energy metabolism to the kinetics of joint movement, exercise physiology is geared ... Read full story
 6/1/2008
Heart Murmurs: No Impact on Racing Performance in New Study  *
According to a group of researchers from the United Kingdom, heart murmurs are common in athletic horses, but do not negatively impact racing performance. "A high prevalence of heart murmurs is known to exist in horses," explained Lesley Young, BVSc, PhD, DVA, Dipl. ECEIM (European College of Equine Internal Medicine), DVC, MRCVS, an equine cardiologist ... Read full story
 4/15/2008
Risk Factors for Gastric Ulcers in Thoroughbreds   *
Up to 86% of Australian Thoroughbred racehorses have been reported to have gastric ulcers. Many factors can contribute to ulcers, and researchers at Murdoch University set out to determine which ones were the most significant for this population. Guy Lester, BVMS, PhD, associate professor of large animal medicine at Murdoch University, presented the ... Read full story
 4/9/2008
Detecting Latent Back Pain in Horses  *
Even if they can't tell you where it hurts, horses with back pain will soon be able to benefit from Scottish and Austrian research focusing on the long muscles of the equine back. In the article, which is slated for an upcoming edition of The Veterinary Journal, researchers reported that electromyography (EMG) readings on the longissimus dorsi muscles ... Read full story
 3/19/2008
Spring Training: Getting Your Horse Ready to Ride  *
The flowers might not have started budding yet, but if you haven't started getting your mount ready for the spring, you're already late. Steve Jones, associate professor and equine specialist for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service said if you own a horse, you should start getting your animal ready by checking his feet. "We ... Read full story
 2/28/2008
Strength and Flexibility  *
There are a variety of ways to help your horse be stronger and less stiff. For an avid horse person, little takes the breath away like watching an athletic horse performing his job in the best of style: The dressage horse suspended in perfect piaffe, the cutting horse hunkered low as he turns a calf, the reining horse spinning and sprinting with ... Read full story
 10/1/2007
Derby Trainers Going Against Convention  *
Several entries will have had long layoffs, something that was once unheard of Four horses have run just two prep races. Four others are coming in off long layoffs. And some didn't even race as two-year-olds. Conventional wisdom is out the window at this year's Kentucky Derby, a wide-open affair that could produce a winner whose trainer might just ... Read full story
 4/28/2007
Idaho Endurance Rider, Horse Train for Another Marathon Ride   *
Lisa Benner and her horse are endurance athletes. They covered 100 miles across the Sierra Nevadas in less than 24 hours, and now they're training to do it again. "It's you against the clock," Benner said of the difficult competition. "To finish is to win." When the Western States Trail Ride began at 5:15 a.m. near Truckee, Calif., 196 horses thundered ... Read full story
 12/28/2006
Live Chat on Conditioning Horses in the Summer--April 18  *
The developers of HorseQuest.info invite you to participate in a live chat on April 18 with three of the site's equine experts. Here is your chance to discuss or ask questions with these experts about: "Conditioning Your Horse in the Summer"April 183:00 p.m. EDT2:00 p.m. CDT1:00 p.m. MDT12:00 p.m. PDT Join this HorseQuest live chat by going to http://horsequest.info ... Read full story
 4/17/2006
Acclimating Competition Horses  *
The whole world is a stage, it has been said. And so it is for horses. Equine transportation from one part of the world to another for competition in days gone by generally was restricted to Olympic events once every four years. But that is a far cry from today, when horses by the dozen move from one country to another to compete in eventing, dressage, ... Read full story
 3/1/2006
How Many Jumps Does a Horse Have?  *
When USA Equestrian Team member Lisa Jacquin and her star jumper For The Moment earned their share of the team silver medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the gutsy Thoroughbred gelding was at the top of his game. He was fast, powerful, and precise. He was also 19 years old. By anyone's standards, For The Moment was a dream horse, with all the bells and ... Read full story
 3/1/2006
AAEP Convention 2005: Using GPS to Train Racehorses  *
An Australian researcher reported he's found a reliable way for trainers to monitor Thoroughbred racehorse fitness using global positioning system (GPS) technology measurements of velocity and heart rate during normal fast gallop training routines. David Evans, BVSc, PhD, associate professor in the Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of ... Read full story
 2/16/2006
Biomechanical Efficiency   *
The horse is an amazing athlete, with great speed and endurance considering his body size and weight. For the past 20 years, researchers have evaluated what makes the equine locomotive system so efficient for racing and other strenuous performance activities. But why are some horses better, more efficient movers than others? Hilary Clayton, BVMS, ... Read full story
 10/1/2005
Conditioning the Competitive Trail Horse   *
Those of us who have trail ridden and packed into the mountains are very apt to proffer this advice to the beginner or novice who wants to do likewise: Don't take the mountains lightly, because they can be unforgiving. Know what you are doing and be well prepared before you go. That same advice should be given to beginning and novice competitive trail ... Read full story
 8/1/2005
Eventing's Short and Long Formats Compared  *
Three-Day event horses performing the short format endurance portion of an event and horses completing the conventional long format experience a similar amount of stress, according to a recent study. The public has speculated on whether or not horses were adversely or positively affected by the short format since it was introduced to events in 2004 ... Read full story
 6/1/2005
AAEP 2004: Vets Discuss Pre-Purchase Exams  *
The Dec. 5 open forum discussion of pre-purchase exams at sales covered several topics critical to consignors, buyers, and veterinarians at the 50th anniversary meeting of the American Association of Equine Practitioners in Denver, Colo. A task force headed by Dr. Criag VanBalen has created a video of endoscopic exams of throats showing what has been ... Read full story
 12/6/2004
It's Not Greek to Them   *
When the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad begin with characteristic fanfare Aug. 13 in Athens--the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games--approximately 10,500 of the world's greatest athletes will convene to match skills and wits in 28 sports. Leaving nothing to chance, competitors will be accompanied by coaches, trainers, medical doctors, psychologists, ... Read full story
 7/1/2004
Training Young Athletes  *
It sounds completely backwards, the idea that you might actually increase health risks by postponing training and competition until a horse is four or older. It goes against the ages-old and widely held belief that you cause damage by initiating work before a horse's skeleton matures. Yet research conducted from the 1980s through the present day has ... Read full story
 10/1/2003
10 Tips on Getting Ready for Spring  *
You can feel it. You can smell it. Spring is in the air. Oh, to be sure, we aren't finished with cold weather in many parts of the country, but it won't be long before we will be ready to head out trail riding or be off on the spring horse show circuit. It's time to take a good look at our equine companion or companions and find out if they are as ... Read full story
 3/1/2003
Is His Heart In It?   *
Do you know why a Thoroughbred can deliver that great burst of speed to eat up a mile in 1 1/2 minutes, or how an endurance horse can maintain the strength and stamina to cover long distances at steady speeds? Of course you do: Conditioning. Conditioning builds sturdy bones, develops strong muscles, and maximizes efficiency in the cardiovascular system. ... Read full story
 12/1/2002
Is Your Horse Fit for the Task?  *
Regardless of whether your horse is used for high-level competition or weekend trail riding, it's important that he be fit for the task. "Fitness" is a rather vague expression, but in general terms it can be defined as the ability to complete the required amount of physical activity without fatigue, stress, or injury. A tired horse is more likely to ... Read full story
 4/1/2002
Priming Equine Energy Systems  *
Last month, this column covered some of the basics in developing a physical conditioning program (see "Getting Your Horse in Shape" in the February 2002 issue of The Horse, article Quick Find #3263 at www.TheHorse.com). The early phases of training, often termed "legging-up," are designed to provide a foundation of fitness and musculoskeletal strengthening ... Read full story
 3/1/2002
Getting Your Horse in Shape  *
As spring approaches, visions of green grass, budding trees, and active wildlife might seem just around the corner for some. But for many of us, spring is but a dream, for we must endure a few more weeks of cold, snow, and ice-covered terrain. Still, regardless of geographic location, we all look forward to the stirrings of spring and a new season ... Read full story
 2/1/2002
Strategic Layoffs   *
Many equestrian sports are seasonal, with a competition season alternating with an off season. Even in sports that continue year-round, most trainers schedule a break from competition, which gives the horse a chance to recover mentally and physically from the stress of traveling and competing. Consequently, long-term conditioning plans are based on ... Read full story
 1/1/2002
Feeding the Endurance Horse  *
The nutritional needs of the endurance horse are somewhat unique compared to horses used for other athletic disciplines. The metabolic demands of endurance racing (including competitive trail riding and ride and tie events) are high, requiring the horse to draw heavily upon his energy reserves to fuel muscle contraction and other body functions during ... Read full story
 9/1/2001
Cross-Training For Horses  *
To add variety to conditioning programs, human athletes often undertake exercise sessions that are not specific to their athletic disciplines. For example, long-distance runners might cycle on a stationary bike once or twice a week, swim, or "run" in a swimming pool. This practice, termed "cross-training," has two main goals. First, it provides conditioning ... Read full story
 8/1/2001
British Study Looks At Training and Injury  *
Racehorse owners might one day be able to handicap a horse's risk of injury. A new study in its early stages at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in the United Kingdom is monitoring a group of two-year-olds with the intention of using the data for both orthopedic and training evaluations. Researcher Joanna Price, BSc, BVSc, PhD, MRCVS, and her team ... Read full story
 8/1/2001
Dehydration Alert  *
When horses are working hard, especially in hot weather, they are particularly prone to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. The official term for one symptom of these problems is a mouthful: synchronous diaphragmatic flutter (SDF). Horse owners and veterinarians who have dealt with this condition through the years generally identify it with a simpler, ... Read full story
 7/1/2001
MSM Helps Sore Muscles  *
A recent study performed by Ron Riegel, DVM, on 30 racing Standardbreds confirms that the popular nutraceutical supplement MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) can have far-reaching effects on the ability of equine muscle tissue to rebound from exercise stress. The data, unveiled at the second annual Nutraceutical Alliance conference in Guelph, Ontario, on ... Read full story
 6/1/2001
Shaping Up Your Overweight Horse  *
When preparing a horse for athletic events and sporting activities, whatever the discipline or level of difficulty, an important consideration is finding the horse's "ideal" body weight. This concept is well recognized in human athletics. For weight-bearing competitive sports like racewalking, running, and cross-country skiing, the amount of energy ... Read full story
 2/1/2001
Fat Burning  *
For the most part, the word "fat" has bad connotations in our society today--fat often is used to describe an overweight or obese state. When we think of dietary fat and the proportion of calories in our diet that is derived from various sources of fat, we typically are admonished to reduce fat intake, particularly intake of foods high in saturated ... Read full story
 11/1/2000
Stress Testing  *
For a horse to perform well as an athlete, all body systems must be in good working order. When one or more system "breaks down," the horse is no longer able to perform to its potential, and the owner, rider, and trainer will notice a decline in performance during training and competition. In some cases, the reason for the loss of performance is quite ... Read full story
 10/1/2000
What Causes Poor Exercise Performance?  *
A huge amount of time, effort, and money often are invested in the preparation of horses for various athletic events, including Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing, three-day eventing, steeplechasing, dressage, hunter-jumper events, reining, cutting, and endurance racing, to mention but a few. Regardless of discipline, we expect that a well-trained ... Read full story
 9/1/2000
Performance Boosters  *
They purport to "Increase power." "Delay fatigue." "Increase stamina." "Build muscle." "Reduce recovery time." "Extensive research has proven..." Doubtless, most of you have seen and read advertisements for nutritional supplements in which the manufacturers make these and other similar claims. In the past decade or so, there has been a tremendous increase ... Read full story
 8/1/2000
Pre-Exercise Feeding  *
When and what should I feed my horse before exercise? This question is very familiar to equine nutritionists, and generally sparks considerable debate about feeding management of horses prior to competition. While it generally is agreed that feeding practices before competition exercise have an important bearing on performance, there is little consensus ... Read full story
 5/1/2000
Fluids And Electrolytes  *
With the summer months approaching, it is time for a refresher on the impact of the warmer environmental conditions on your horse. Warmer temperatures and high relative humidity place added stress on horses during exercise because of their increased reliance on sweating for control of body temperature. A major consequence of sweating is the loss of ... Read full story
 4/1/2000
Peak Fitness  *
In the last issue we considered some of the adaptations that occur in horses during training. To recap, we know that improvements in cardiovascular and muscle function occur quite quickly after the onset of training. In fact, maximum aerobic capacity (VO2max) can increase by up to 10% after as little as two weeks of a regular exercise program. On the ... Read full story
 3/1/2000
Spring Tuning (Athletic Conditioning)  *
Most will agree that thorough preparation of a horse is key to success in athletic competition. With spring hopefully just around the corner, this is an opportune time to discuss conditioning. Of course, the nature of a conditioning program will vary greatly, depending on the goal in mind and the length of lay-up prior to the start of training. Top-level ... Read full story
 2/1/2000
Reconditioning After Lay-Up  *
A small-animal orthopedic veterinarian once told me, "The athlete that heals slowly heals best." In other words, although some physical therapy might be recommended as the body heals, the body’s soft and hard tissues need to recover wholly from the damage they suffered before undergoing the extra stress of training and the physical demands of building ... Read full story
 9/1/1999
Feeding Racehorses  *
On several occasions in the past year or two, we’ve discussed in this series the intricacies of feeding young horses for optimum growth. We’ve also walked you through the pertinent points of fueling the high-performance equine athlete, for maximum output with minimum fatigue. But there’s one category of performance horse which combines both of these ... Read full story
 8/1/1999
Cool Aid: Beating the Heat With Working Horses  *
Anyone who has worked or played in high heat knows how exhausting it can be. High, fluid-sapping desert heat can drain you in no time as you sweat away volumes of fluids and electrolytes. Then there’s the suppressive, sweaty, heat-and-humidity combination where the air is so heavy you practically swim through it. Given how lethargic, uncomfortable, ... Read full story
 7/1/1999
Bone Formation With Exercise  *
Strong bones are essential if a horse is to perform successfully and still remain sound. Bones that are weakened by disease, injury, or inappropriate training regimens can result in catastrophic injury, as anyone involved with racing well knows. There are a number of elements involved in the production of strong bones. The two prime elements are proper ... Read full story
 6/1/1999
Exercise Equipment  *
Like busy professionals everywhere, horse people often find there just aren't enough hours in the day. What with stalls to be mucked, arenas to be harrowed, fields to be bush-hogged or mowed, fencing to be repaired, hay to be baled, tack repairs to be picked up at the local saddlery, the farrier arriving at 10:00 a.m., and a ton of shavings being delivered ... Read full story
 3/1/1999
Indoor Exercise In Winter  *
Training programs often are affected by cold, rainy weather or deep snow during the winter, but the primary concern when planning a wintertime workout is the footing that your horse will encounter. Although winter weather brings the environmental challenges of wind, cold rain, and cold temperatures, it is not these conditions that often prevent a scheduled ... Read full story
 12/1/1998
A Humane Use of the Equine Athlete: Endurance Riding  *
Similar to the increase in number of marathons and ultramarathons for human athletes, equine endurance competitions in distances of 50-100 miles have become increasingly popular over the past couple of decades. The growing interest in endurance riding has encouraged participants with different levels of prior horse experience to become involved with ... Read full story
 11/1/1998
Older Horses at Work  *
The aging process takes its toll on all working horses, but the rate of attrition can vary significantly. In this, horses are similar to humans. We all have met the person who is barely past middle age and because of mental, emotional, or physical impairment or stress is ready for retirement. ANNE M. EBERHARDT Mr. Prospector, one of the ... Read full story
 10/1/1998
Feeding the High-Octane Horse  *
The tightly packed field of Thoroughbred racehorses, straining every muscle for a few more inches of gained ground on the final turn...the Arabian endurance horse, with 89 miles of hard, mountainous terrain behind him and 11 more to go before he can rest...the Olympic three-day event horse, summoning up all his courage, agility, and speed to answer ... Read full story
 8/1/1998
Determining Conditioning  *
Among the animals we call "livestock," horses are unique because they are the only ones we regard as athletes. Unlike other animals that are bred for better milk production or tastier flesh, horses are bred for athletic performance, each type with its own particular talents. Some, like Thoroughbred racehorses, are track and field athletes; others, ... Read full story
 7/1/1998
Electrolytes and Endurance Horses  *
Not all horses are alike in their needs for electrolyte replacement after strenuous exertion. Some deplete their body supplies more quickly or more extensively than others. Endurance horses generally have different needs for electrolyte replacement than do sprinters or cutting horses, and there also are individual differences among horses in any given ... Read full story
 11/1/1997
Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage  *
The debate goes on. That brief statement is about the most accurate way to open a discussion on exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) in horses. The condition has been a concern for 300 years and, during that time, has been addressed, researched, and argued about by some of the most brilliant scientists in the world. Yet, there is much that ... Read full story
 9/1/1997
Feeding Fat for Energy and Performance  *
If there was a nutritional buzzword that was started in the '90s, it was fat. We fitness-conscious (and frequently overweight) North Americans still might not fully understand the differences between "good" cholesterol and "bad" cholesterol, but we all know how to count our fat grams! While we struggle to keep our diets as low-fat as possible, fat ... Read full story
 7/1/1997
Understanding Fitness  *
A person who loves horses and spending a lot of time in the saddle can gain a great deal of satisfaction from competing in endurance races. It is a special feeling when you know you have partnered well with your horse and that the two of you have completed a 50-mile or longer ride none the worse for wear. By the same token, failing to complete a ride ... Read full story
 7/1/1996
Olympic Soundness: For Peak Performance  *
Olympic champions excel due to talent and durability. Only a few earn the coveted medals, but horses of international quality prove they are true equine athletes. Like a classic race, the Olympics are a goal. A horse's owner and rider might determine the aim years in advance, then target the animal's training, competition, and conditioning toward the ... Read full story
 7/1/1996
Footing that Forgives  *
Every horse appreciates sure footing, either on the track or the trail. For the equine athlete, sport-specific footing helps him achieve his best perform-ance. Every athlete, human or equine, must traverse through an environment. His body impacts against a surface as he runs and leaps. The surface responds to his footfalls and helps or hinders his ... Read full story
 4/1/1996




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