Thoroughbred Conformation Concerns Overcome With Age

A study by University of Wisconsin researcher Liz Santschi indicates that most racing-bred Thoroughbred foals are carpus valgus (knock-kneed) at birth. Many were also toed-out and a few had offset knees.

At 18 months of age, she found that nearly two-thirds of these yearlings had offset knees while there had been a significant drop in the incidence of carpus valgus. Yet less than 10 percent had completely straight forelimbs at any age while over half had more than one conformational deviation.

Buckle Up That Seat Belt

Since truck drivers are less likely to buckle their seat belts than passenger car drivers, the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration has issued some shocking statistics to show why you need to take a few extra seconds to fasten that safety belt as you head to your next shoeing assignment.

The federal governmental agency says 80 percent of people in passenger cars buckle up, compared with 70 percent in pickup trucks. The numbers were even more startling in terms of fatalities:?70 percent of those killed in pickup crashes did not wear safety belts, compared with 50 percent of fatalities in cars. Studies indicates that seat belts reduce the risk of death by 45 percent in passenger cars and up to 60 percent in pickups, SUVs and minivans.

Less Foot Bruising With New Track Surfaces

A new synthetic racing surface may lead to fewer foot and lameness problems on America’s tracks. Already installed on the 5/8-mile training track at…