title: Evaluation of detailed training data to identify risk factors for retirement because of tendon injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the risk factors for premature retirement because of tendon injury in a Thoroughbred racehorse population.
  
  
  METHODS
  175 Thoroughbred racehorses (cases) at the Hong Kong Jockey Club that were retired from racing because of tendon injury between 1997 and 2004 and for which the last preretirement exercise was at a fast pace were each matched with 3 control horses that were randomly selected from all uninjured horses that had galloped on the same date as that last exercise episode.
  
  
  METHODS
  Training data for all horses were examined. Conditional logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for retirement from racing attributable to tendon injury. Two multivariable conditional logistic regression models were created; each contained 8 explanatory variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with control horses, case horses were older at the time of import, accumulated more race distance soon after import, were more likely to have had previous official veterinary or ultrasonographic examinations, raced fewer times during their career, and were in training for a longer period and had exercised at a reduced intensity during the 180-day period preceding the last fast-paced work date.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In addition to identification of risk factors for tendon injury among racing Thoroughbreds, results have suggested that resources focused on obtaining accurate training data may be misdirected in the absence of internationally agreed criteria for incident tendon injury among racehorses. Nevertheless, changes in training intensity and findings of previous clinical examinations could be used to identify horses at risk of tendon injury-associated retirement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Regulation and International Liaison, Hong Kong Jockey Club, Sha Tin Racecourse, Sha Tin, NT, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Kenneth K H
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Tim D H
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Parkin
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Riggs
authors.forename: Kenton L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Morgan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000379:methods*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*