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Nutrition-associated problems facing elite level three-day eventing horses
E R Leahy1, A O Burk, E A Greene
1Department of Animal Science, Rutgers, the State University, New Jersey, USA.
Equine Veterinary Journal. Supplement
|November 10, 2010
Summary
Elite 3-day event horses commonly experience nutrition-associated problems like gastric ulcers and weight loss, impacting their performance. Further research is needed to identify causes and implement feeding strategies for better health and optimal athletic outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Equine Sports Medicine
- Animal Nutrition
- Performance Horse Health
Background:
- Optimal nutrition is crucial for elite 3-day event horses' health and performance.
- Intense training and competition can lead to nutrition-associated disorders.
- Understanding these problems is vital for equine welfare.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize nutrition-associated problems in top-level 3-day event horses.
- To assess the prevalence of these issues in 2008.
Main Methods:
- Survey distributed to 81 riders in the highest levels of 3-day eventing in USA and Canada.
- Data collected on nutrition-associated problems experienced by their horses.
- Survey response rate was 35.8%.
Main Results:
- Gastric ulcers (42.2%), joint problems (37.7%), decreased appetite (31.1%), weight loss (31.1%), and hyperexcitability (22.2%) were the most frequent issues.
- These top 5 problems occurred at a significantly higher rate than others (P < 0.0001).
- No significant difference in problem frequency was observed between home and competition environments.
Conclusions:
- High-level 3-day event horses face significant risks of reduced performance due to gastric ulcers, decreased appetite, and weight loss.
- Further research is required to pinpoint causes and develop feeding management strategies.
- Interventions are needed to improve the health and performance of these equine athletes.
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