Nutrition-associated problems facing elite level three-day eventing horses.
BACKGROUND
The main goal of feeding elite 3-day event horses is to deliver nutrients in optimal amounts to allow the horse to maximize its health and performance. However, improper nutritional management and/or physiological stressors related to intense training and competition may increase the risk of nutrition-associated disorders in these horses. An understanding of the nutrition-associated problems contributing to poor performance is critical to the health and welfare of the horse.


OBJECTIVE
To characterize the nutrition-associated problems affecting top level 3-day event horses during 2008.


METHODS
Contact information for riders competing in the 2 highest levels of 3-day eventing in 2008 was obtained from the United States Eventing Association. A survey containing 10 questions pertaining to participant demographics and nutrition-associated problems experienced by their horses was mailed and e-mailed to the 81 individuals fitting our criteria of living in USA and Canada. Data was collected in April and May 2009.


RESULTS
Twenty-nine of 81 riders completed the survey (35.8%). Respondents rode a total of 45 horses in top level 3-day events in 2008. The top 5 nutrition-associated problems that horses faced at a significantly higher level than the other problems (P < 0.0001) were gastric ulcers (42.2%), joint problems (37.7%), decreased appetite (31.1%), weight loss (31.1%) and hyperexcitability (22.2%). There was no significant difference in frequency of problems between home and competition (P = 0.22).


CONCLUSIONS
Horses competing at a high level of 3-day eventing in 2008 were at risk of reduced performance given the significant rate of gastric ulcers, decreased appetite and weight loss. Research addressing specific causes of and/or feeding management changes that would reduce the incidence of these problems in these horses is needed to ensure optimal health and performance.
Department of Animal Science, Rutgers, the State University, New Jersey, USA.
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Leahy
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Burk
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Greene
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Williams
D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D003625:Data Collection; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006736:Horses; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D013177:Sports; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires