Racing performance of standardbreds after conservative and surgical treatment for tarsocrural osteochondrosis

A retrospective study of 114 Standardbred horses diagnosed with osteochondrosis (OC) of the cranial intermediate ridge of the distal tibia was carried out, and their subsequent race records were compared with 456 control horses. Each OC-affected horse was compared with 4 horses randomly selected from a list of horses matched to it by year of birth, sex and sire. The horses with OC were treated by arthroscopic removal of osteochondral fragments (N = 58) or managed conservatively (N = 56). The clinical presentation of these two groups was similar, although joint effusion was a more common presenting sign in the group that received surgical treatment. There was no association between presence of lameness and the type of treatment used. Data from the race records of treated and control horses (including the number of starts, lifetime earnings and record racing times) were compared. Overall, horses treated for OC had significantly fewer starts than, but earnings similar to, those in the control group. However, when stratification by sex was performed, females with OC made fewer starts and had lower earnings than did their control group. There was no significant difference in record time between OC-affected horses and controls. These results indicate that horses treated for osteochondrosis of the cranial intermediate ridge of the distal tibia performed as well as matched controls.