Page 3 - Clinical Connections Autumn 2015

RVC Clinical Connections Autumn 2015 3
Optimising equine performance
researchers to study the impact of vibration. A forceplate allows information about leg vibration, which researchers believe is linked to osteoarthritis, to be gathered.
A leg loading demonstration used a leg removed from a cadaver, with tendons exposed so that the impact of different loads on tendons could be observed. Different weights can be applied and different shoes used to examine the impact of different conditions on tendons and the suspensory ligament.The aspiration of the team is to be able to test the tendon strength of living horses as it is believed to be an important factor in soundness.
Lab members also demonstrated a horse on the treadmill, which is used in research into laryngeal neuropathy and the assessment of other conditions that hinder equine performance.
Commenting on the value of the visit, Team GBR Eventing Performance Manager Yogi Breisner said: “I thought all the content was extremely interesting. It opened my eyes, I didn’t realise that so much was going on and there was so much research that can be used in a practical way. I’ve seen pressure on legs before and I’ve seen horses work on treadmills but the interesting thing I thought is how the RVC is linking it all up together and coordinating so that it’s not working in isolation. It’s actually leading to something that can be used by people in practical ways in the equestrian industry.”
Professor Weller said: “I really enjoyed this afternoon.The interaction for us researchers with the team surrounding the equine athlete is vital to our work. It is a two-way street – the people ‘on the ground floor’ help us to focus on relevant research and in turn we try our best to help optimise performance potential and minimise risk of injury on a scientific basis.”
For RVC Equine contact details please see the back cover
The RVC hosted an event for the British Equine Federation’s World Class Programme, to discuss maximising the potential of competition horses and reducing injury risks.
The World Class Programme is a UK Sport National Lottery-funded initiative designed to deliver more medals for eventing, showjumping, dressage and para-equestrian dressage athletes by identifying and nurturing talent.
The ‘Fit to Compete’ event, on September 23, was attended by riders, farriers and trainers.Talks and
studies using material testing techniques. Renate Weller, Professor in
Comparative Imaging and Biomechanics, provided the visitors with an overview of the history and current relationship between veterinary medicine and research into performance. She also outlined work going on in the Structure and Motion Laboratory and described how it translates into practice.
The visitors received a tour of the RVC’s equine referral hospital to illustrate how clinical services go hand in hand with applied clinical research.This
Groups observing demonstrations at the RVC’s Structure and Motion Laboratory
included looking at advanced imaging facilities. At a trot-up area Dr Thilo Pfau and Andy Fiske-Jackson showed how a computer scientist and a veterinarian work together using sensor based technology to optimise performance assessment with
demonstrations by RVC experts covered links between current research, performance and equine health management.
Members of the College’s Structure and Motion Laboratory delivered a number of interactive small group sessions about how performance can be improved with the help of scientific expertise.The team demonstrated examples of ongoing research, illustrating how treadmills, forceplates, pressure mats and sensor techniques are used with live horses.They also showed how live horse research is underpinned by cadaver
gait analysis.They demonstrated how analysis of information from the sensors provides a much more detailed clinical picture than can be assessed by eye. The technology allows lameness to be identified before it is observable visually, allowing early assessment and treatment.
At the Structure and Motion Laboratory researchers presented examples to illustrate how biomechanics research is conducted and explain how this can influence performance and health of equine athletes. A leg jig simulating the impact of a hoof landing on different surfaces and with different shoes allows