A Retrospective Study of the Evolution of Orthopaedic Injuries in 70 Dressage Horses
There is limited information about the orthopaedic health of dressage horses. This study aimed to document the orthopaedic status, lesion distribution, and evolution of injuries in 70 horses undergoing a minimum of five in-depth orthopaedic assessments at six-months’ intervals. Warmblood (70.0%) and...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/12/1740 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1839655033447120896 |
|---|---|
| author | Ana Boado Danica Pollard Sue Dyson |
| author_facet | Ana Boado Danica Pollard Sue Dyson |
| author_sort | Ana Boado |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There is limited information about the orthopaedic health of dressage horses. This study aimed to document the orthopaedic status, lesion distribution, and evolution of injuries in 70 horses undergoing a minimum of five in-depth orthopaedic assessments at six-months’ intervals. Warmblood (70.0%) and Iberian (24.3%) breeds predominated. The median lameness grade at initial examination was 2/5 (interquartile range 2,2; range 0,3). Hypermetria (42.9%) or hypermetria and weakness (12.9%) were observed at the initial examination and did not change over time. Metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal joint region injuries (osteoarthritis or suspensory branch injury), 58.6%, predominated at the initial examination; there was a high proportion of persistent or recurrent injuries (90%). Metacarpal/metatarsal region pain (predominantly suspensory desmitis) had a high prevalence at all examinations (24.3–41.4%), and a high proportion of recurrent injury (90%). There was an increase in spinal pain comparing the initial and final examinations (McNemar’s <i>p</i> < 0.001); 21.4% of horses with thoracic region pain subsequently developed lumbosacroiliac region pain. Twenty-six (37.1%) increased work level; nineteen (27.1%) remained at the same level, with 37% competing at Intermediate I or II, under 25 international, or Grand Prix at the final examination, compared with 3% at the initial examination. Serial monitoring and targeted treatment may facilitate horses reaching athletic potential. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b8d2aa3b1f31492d97de30c9a17a8aa7 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-b8d2aa3b1f31492d97de30c9a17a8aa72025-06-25T13:21:55ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-06-011512174010.3390/ani15121740A Retrospective Study of the Evolution of Orthopaedic Injuries in 70 Dressage HorsesAna Boado0Danica Pollard1Sue Dyson2Independent Researcher, Equine Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Service, Avenida Salmoral 4, 28492 Madrid, SpainIndependent Researcher, Rodham Road, Christchurch, Wisbech PE14 9NU, Cambridgeshire, UKIndependent Researcher, Church Road, Market Weston, Diss IP22 2NX, Suffolk, UKThere is limited information about the orthopaedic health of dressage horses. This study aimed to document the orthopaedic status, lesion distribution, and evolution of injuries in 70 horses undergoing a minimum of five in-depth orthopaedic assessments at six-months’ intervals. Warmblood (70.0%) and Iberian (24.3%) breeds predominated. The median lameness grade at initial examination was 2/5 (interquartile range 2,2; range 0,3). Hypermetria (42.9%) or hypermetria and weakness (12.9%) were observed at the initial examination and did not change over time. Metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal joint region injuries (osteoarthritis or suspensory branch injury), 58.6%, predominated at the initial examination; there was a high proportion of persistent or recurrent injuries (90%). Metacarpal/metatarsal region pain (predominantly suspensory desmitis) had a high prevalence at all examinations (24.3–41.4%), and a high proportion of recurrent injury (90%). There was an increase in spinal pain comparing the initial and final examinations (McNemar’s <i>p</i> < 0.001); 21.4% of horses with thoracic region pain subsequently developed lumbosacroiliac region pain. Twenty-six (37.1%) increased work level; nineteen (27.1%) remained at the same level, with 37% competing at Intermediate I or II, under 25 international, or Grand Prix at the final examination, compared with 3% at the initial examination. Serial monitoring and targeted treatment may facilitate horses reaching athletic potential.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/12/1740lamenesspoor performancethoracolumbarlumbosacroiliacsuspensory desmitisosteoarthritis |
| spellingShingle | Ana Boado Danica Pollard Sue Dyson A Retrospective Study of the Evolution of Orthopaedic Injuries in 70 Dressage Horses Animals lameness poor performance thoracolumbar lumbosacroiliac suspensory desmitis osteoarthritis |
| title | A Retrospective Study of the Evolution of Orthopaedic Injuries in 70 Dressage Horses |
| title_full | A Retrospective Study of the Evolution of Orthopaedic Injuries in 70 Dressage Horses |
| title_fullStr | A Retrospective Study of the Evolution of Orthopaedic Injuries in 70 Dressage Horses |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Retrospective Study of the Evolution of Orthopaedic Injuries in 70 Dressage Horses |
| title_short | A Retrospective Study of the Evolution of Orthopaedic Injuries in 70 Dressage Horses |
| title_sort | retrospective study of the evolution of orthopaedic injuries in 70 dressage horses |
| topic | lameness poor performance thoracolumbar lumbosacroiliac suspensory desmitis osteoarthritis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/12/1740 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT anaboado aretrospectivestudyoftheevolutionoforthopaedicinjuriesin70dressagehorses AT danicapollard aretrospectivestudyoftheevolutionoforthopaedicinjuriesin70dressagehorses AT suedyson aretrospectivestudyoftheevolutionoforthopaedicinjuriesin70dressagehorses AT anaboado retrospectivestudyoftheevolutionoforthopaedicinjuriesin70dressagehorses AT danicapollard retrospectivestudyoftheevolutionoforthopaedicinjuriesin70dressagehorses AT suedyson retrospectivestudyoftheevolutionoforthopaedicinjuriesin70dressagehorses |