Equine Bone Health – What Have We Learned? | Episode 51

Written By Nicole Lakin

By Tim Worden & Nicole Lakin of the IGNITE

Thank you to Alogo Analysis for sponsoring this week’s episode!

What impact do modern sport horse management practices have on bone health? How do we ensure bone develops correctly in young horses? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Brian Nielsen about his research into bone health and discuss practical recommendations for sport horse owners and trainers.

We kick off this episode with a discussion surrounding how Brian came to study equine bone. With a background in racing (thoroughbred primarily), he had many interesting discussions with trainers and professors at the beginning of his post-secondary education that ultimately led him down this path. His graduate work examined the loss of bone that is commonly observed in young horses when they enter training. This led to the hypothesis that common management practices, which involve living in stalls and restricting high-speed work, are leading to reductions in bone strength due to a lack of high-speed loading on the skeletal system.  

The episode discusses practical considerations for training program design to ensure horses develop bones that can meet the demands of the sport, as well as the best times to expose horses to high-speed work to aid bone modeling. Additionally, the role of lunging and corticosteroids in bone and joint health is also discussed. 

We hope you enjoyed this episode and be sure to follow us for more great content!

 

About the Expert

Dr. Brian Nielsen completed his undergraduate degree in Animal Science at the University of Wisconsin – River Falls and received both his M.S. and Ph.D. from Texas A&M University. He is currently a professor of Equine Exercise Physiology in the Department of Animal Science at Michigan State University, as well as.  the advisor to the MSU Rodeo Club. He has served as the President of the Equine Science Society – an organization that presented him with the “American Feed Industry Association Award in Equine Nutrition Research” in 2017 and the “Outstanding Young Equine Professional Award” in 2001.  He is a Diplomat in the American College of Animal Nutritionists and served on the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Nutrient Requirements of Horses.  Throughout his academic career, he has maintained involvement in the industry by breaking and galloping racing Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds for nearly 35 years and became a licensed racehorse trainer in 1997.

If you enjoyed this podcast episode, be sure to check out our in-depth video content in the Sport Horse Series Video Library!

Nicole Lakin
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Insulin Dysregulation and Weight Issues in Sport Horses | Episode 52
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Jumping into a New Era for Assessing Ridden Horse Muscle Activity | Episode 50