In this month's Science Corner, we highlight the discovery of a 'genetic stop sign' that makes horses highly effective athletes and how more time in the paddock turns foals into more successful racehorses. Also, building a better picture of fracture risk factors can help inform racehorse management decisions.
Each month, we break down five recently published scientific studies that could affect the way we breed, train, and race Thoroughbreds. We explain what the research found and what it means for you.
You can click the title of each paper to read it in full.
1. A unique genetic adaptation that makes horses the ultimate athletes
What’s it about?
Researchers investigated one avenue into how horses metabolise oxygen and produce energy, and they have uncovered a unique genetic adaptation that has assisted in horses becoming the incredible athletes they are today.
Key findings:
A rare mutational phenomenon known as opal recoding was identified in a gene pathway related to oxidative stress response.
This adaptation allows horses to produce more energy while minimising cellular damage from free radicals.
What it means for you:
This adaptation helps to build the picture of why horses can sustain the athletic efforts that they do. Further understanding of these genetic adaptations could influence breeding strategies on the quest to breed the next top racehorse.
2. More time outside and weaning later associated with a better chance on the track
What’s it about?
This study analysed the conditions of a cohort of racehorses’ gestation and environment during early life to see if there was a detectable impact on race track performance.
Key findings:
Increasing a foal’s daily turnout and the size of turnout paddock during the first six months of life was associated with increased odds of getting to the races and increased prizemoney.
Weaning foals later was associated with increased odds of getting to the races and having more runs.
What it means for you:
Increasing a foal’s early turnout and waiting later to wean them is associated with better outcomes on the track, which could help breeders and stud management rethink their current management practices with a view to improving farm graduates’ racing performance.
3. Building a better picture of fracture risk
What’s it about?
This retrospective study analysed 14 years of data from The Jockey Club’s Equine Injury Database across United States and Canadian tracks in the hopes of identifying risk factors associated with musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) in racehorses.
Key findings:
Out of 3,851,659 race starts, 5733 fatal MSI incidents were recorded at a rate of 1.49 incidents per 1000 starts.
Factors such as race distance, track surface, and horse age were significantly associated with increased risk.
What it means for you:
The study has identified 20 risk factors across the horse, the track, and the racing level that have a statistically significant association with a high risk of incurring a fatal fracture. Understanding these risk factors could assist trainers and their veterinarians in making informed decisions about a horse’s preparation based on the horse's risk level.
4. RNA sequencing reveals the amniotic membrane’s role in immune response
What’s it about?
Researchers in this study examined the amniotic membrane, the membranes surrounding the foal during pregnancy, using RNA sequencing to determine its role in protecting a foal from placentitis.
Key findings:
Analysing the genetic components of the amniotic membrane in mares with placentitis versus mares without, researchers found 288 genes that were expressed differently between the two groups.
Their explorations prove that the amnion has an active role in the immune response to placentitis.
What it means for you:
Research can now be directed towards supporting the amniotic membrane’s response to placentitis, which could lead to more tools for veterinarians and stud management to help support mares with at risk pregnancies.
5. A breakthrough in monitoring stomach pH that could influence ulcer treatment
What’s it about?
Researchers have developed a new device, that can be placed via gastroscopy, that can measure stomach acid pH in real time in horses through noninvasive methods.
Key findings:
Wireless capsules attached to the stomach lining could transmit feedback to a recorder on a horse’s surcingle for live updates of the stomach acid pH during exercise and eating.
The researchers found that 53% of the capsules remained in place for 24 hours and that there was no damage to the stomach lining after their removal.
What it means for you:
This could give veterinarians and trainers a better picture of what is happening in a racehorse’s stomach throughout the day, which could in time be used to finetune ulcer treatment schedules and preventative protocols.
