Exercise in Young Horses Safe and May Protect Joints

Not only can exercise safely be imposed in any age horse, but it also might be protective to joints, reported a Colorado State University research team led by Chris Kawcak, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, an associate professor and equine surgeon.

“Injuries involving the musculoskeletal system in horses are common and can typically result in secondary to chronic changes in the structur

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Not only can exercise safely be imposed in any age horse, but it also might be protective to joints, reported a Colorado State University research team led by Chris Kawcak, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, an associate professor and equine surgeon.

"Injuries involving the musculoskeletal system in horses are common and can typically result in secondary to chronic changes in the structure of bone and cartilage," said Kawcak.

Previous studies have demonstrated that musculoskeletal strength can be improved by exercising at an early age in a number of species and that this technique could even decrease the incidence of injuries later in life. To date, however, little data exist concerning either the optimum level at which strength can be maximized or upper and lower limits for joint loading to prevent damaging horses' joints.

To determine the effects of exercise in young horses on the tissues of the metacarpophalangeal (fetlock) joint, Kawcak and colleagues performed computed tomography (CT) and examined articular cartilage metabolism and the microscopic structure of the joint tissues in 12 horses. Six of the horses were maintained on pasture, whereas the remaining six horses had additional exercise from 3 weeks of age to 18 months

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Written by:

Stacey Oke, MSc, DVM, is a practicing veterinarian and freelance medical writer and editor. She is interested in both large and small animals, as well as complementary and alternative medicine. Since 2005, she’s worked as a research consultant for nutritional supplement companies, assisted physicians and veterinarians in publishing research articles and textbooks, and written for a number of educational magazines and websites.

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