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Doctor of Philosophy / The aim of this research was to describe the epidemiology of musculoskeletal (MS) injuries in two- and three-year-old Thoroughbred racehorses. A 27 month longitudinal study commencing in May 2000 was conducted. The study convenience sampled 14 trainers with facilities at metropolitan and provincial racetracks in New South Wales, Australia. In the 2000/01 and 2001/02 racing season, 323 and 128 two-year-olds, respectively, were enrolled in the study. The 451 Thoroughbred horses contributed, 1, 272 preparations and 78, 154 training days to the study. Of the 323 horses enrolled in the 2000/01 racing season, 219 contributed three-year-old data to the study. During the study period 8%, of training days had missing training data and 3% of the 1, 986 starts in the races or barrier trials were incorrectly recorded. The rate of incorrect entries varied with both study month and trainer. Similarly, the rate of training days with missing data varied between trainers and with study month. Four hundred and twenty-eight MS injuries were recorded in association with 395 preparations in 248 two- and three-year-old Thoroughbred racehorses. The IR for all categories of MS injuries, except for tendon and ligament injuries, were higher in twoyear- olds than three-year-olds, although the differences were only significant for shin soreness. Seventy-eight percent of horses enrolled in the study started, in a barrier trial or race, within one year on entering the study. After accounting for other confounders, horses that had sustained a MS injury were 0.50 times less likely to start, in a race or trial, race than those that did not sustain an injury. Seventy percent of horses returned to training after their first MS injury, and the cumulative percentage of these horses that had recovered within six months of the initial MS injury was 55%. After adjusting for clustering at the level of the trainer, the analysis showed that horses that exercised at a gallop pace ≥ 890 m/minute (but had not started in a race) prior to the onset of MS injury, were 2.14 times more likely to recover than horses whose maximum speed, prior to the onset of the first MS injury, was less than 890 m/minute. Similarly, horses that had started in a race or barrier trial were 4.01 times more likely to recover than horses whose maximum speed was less than 890 m/minute. 8 Training days were grouped into units referred to as preparations. A preparation began on the day that the horse was enrolled in the study, or when a horse returned to training after an absence of more than seven days from the stable. The preparation continued until the horse was lost to follow-up or left the stable for a period of more than seven consecutive days. Univariable and multivariable analytical methods were used to examine the association between a range of independent variables and four preparationlevel measures of performance: (i) the duration of preparations, (ii) length of time from the beginning of the preparation until the first start in a race or barrier trial, (iii) length of time from the first start until the end of the preparation and (iv) rate of starts in races or barrier trials. After adjusting for confounders, younger horses tended to have shorter preparations, took longer to start in a race or barrier trial, had a shorter interval from the first start to the end of the preparation and fewer starts per 100 training days. MS injury was not conditionally associated with any of the outcomes considered in this chapter. Multivariate statistical models were used to explore risk factors for MS injuries. The results suggest that MS injuries involving structures in the lower forelimb (carpus to fetlock inclusive) could be reduced by limiting exposure to high-speed exercise. This supports the proposition that training injuries are caused by the accumulation of micro damage. The results suggest there are a number of other factors that vary at the trainer level that may be risk factors for injuries, in particular joint injuries. These include unmeasured variables such as the rate of increase in distance galloped at high-speed, conformation of the horse, skill of the riders and farrier and veterinary involvement.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Western Sydney, 2004. / "A thesis submitted to the University of Western Sydney in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy" Includes bibliography.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. Comparative Medicine and Integrative Biology, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (Mar. 27, 2009). Includes bibliographical references. Also issued in print.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Montana, 2008. / Description based on contents viewed May 13, 2008; title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 91-95).

Thesis (MSc (Veterinary Science))--University of Pretoria, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references.

Two contour weep berms systems were designed and implemented to evaluate their performance at mitigating water quantity problems from a horse muck composting operation. The field-scale study focused on the hydrologic response of a standard contour weep berm and a modified contour weep berm. The modified contour weep berm incorporated a woodchip trench upgradient of a typical standard contour weep design. Monitoring occurred from July 2011 through spring 2012. Eight storm events produced measureable runoff for the standard contour weep berm; however, only five storm events produced measurable runoff for the modified contour weep berm. The largest storm event occurred on November 27, 2012 with rainfall depth of 49.0 mm. This storm event generated a total runoff volume of 183.1 m3 and 188.5 m3 for the standard and modified contour weep berms, respectively. All runoff produced from the storm events during the monitoring period was completely detained and infiltrated. No runoff was released from the horse muck composting facility through the passive dewatering system to down-gradient vegetative filter strips during the monitoring period.

Sport horse genetic evaluations are used throughout Europe to inform breeding practices. In England specifically, British Equestrian Federation Futurity evaluations are used to assess horse potential and to inform British breeding. Futurity premium scores are allocated to represent performance potential based on horse’s component traits (primarily conformation and locomotion). This study demonstrated that over half (61/106) questionnaire respondents believe that Futurity premium scores influence horse training decisions and monetary value. This is highly relevant to the industry as premium scores can therefore have economic and welfare implications. Therefore horse premiums must be reliable and indicative of future competition performance. Retrospective Futurity premiums (n=566) were investigated for reliability using the MiniTab™ v17 statistical package. Regression analysis of premium scores versus test variables demonstrated that whilst horse age and colour significantly correlated with Futurity premiums (P=0.017 and P=0.027 respectively); sex and test location did not (P >0.05). Regression analysis of components of horse competition records (lifetime points, placings, winnings, percentage scores and penalty points) versus Futurity premiums demonstrated limited correlations. British Eventing penalty point scores correlated with the majority of Futurity scores, BD percentage scores correlated with one and British Showjumping, none. British Eventing penalty point scores appear the most appropriate measure of performance as this method evaluates each phase of the individual’s competition, unlike points/placings. Futurity component scores demonstrated mixed results. A high Futurity score did not necessarily predict a high performance score. A key issue with the data was the fact that the horses examined were relatively young. Average horse age was 7 years and therefore these horses may not have been old enough to have developed their abilities towards their mature potential, limiting competition results therefore their records and consequently affecting analysis outcomes. Furthermore, industry practitioners have highlighted judge subjectivity as a limitation, however results suggest that test location (representing the judging panel) is not influential in scoring. As the Futurity develops, a larger dataset of older horses will become available which will provide further insight into the tests usefulness.

The aim of the study was to compare the cold-blooded breeds of horses bred in the Czech Republic in terms of variability of shaping the exterior and observe differences among the monitored breeds. It was a breed: Czech-Moravian Belgian horse (CMB), Norick (N)and Silesian Norick horse (SN). Whereas these breeds are originated on a different genetic basis and under different conditions, it is assumed that there is difference between them in the formation of physical characteristics. The results showed that the cold-blooded breeds varies highly statistically in these characters: the withers height measured by tape (WHT), circumference of tibia (CT), type, scope, length of neck, deployment of neck, withers length, length of back, loins length, crop length, the slope of the croup, the width of the body scoop , position of the hind limbs, spaciousness of step. For example, a significant difference among breeds was found in WHT, which has the smallest SN and distinguished it from the other two breeds. Furthermore differs CMB, which has the smallest CT, and thus differs it from N and SN. SN has the longest frame of body and the smallest chest circumference of the studied breeds. The highest deploymentof of neck and the shortest neck was detected in CMB in comparison with N and SN. At an average the longest spine was evaluated in SN and the shortest spine was in the CMB. The best spaciousness of step is evaluation in SN. The correlations among selected characters were monitored too. Strong dependence was found between WHT and WHS (withers height measured by stick) in all three breeds.