Biomechanics, Inbreeding & Breakdowns
Posted: Mon Dec 21, 2009 7:18 am
Before starting this new topic, I'd like to request that this be a Phalaris free zone.
There is a very interesting chapter on biomechanics in "The Nature of Horses" by Stephen Budiansky. The author is both a horseman, scientist and good science writer, and this book interweaves biology, archeology, and research on horse intelligence.
The chapter on stride, speed and the biomechanics of how a horse runs and what kind of stress happens may be of interest to anyone breeding TB's.
In brief, the leg motion of the horse is an inverted pendulum, and rate of swing in largely determined by the weight of the lower part of the leg. Decreasing the weight of the leg can increase the rate of the swing. Nature and breeding have already streamlined the leg structure down to skin, bone and tendons.
Sooo...
Have American breeders been selecting for lighter bone density in their quest for speed?
Does lower bone density predispose injury?
Is there a deadly combination of training, drug use (steriods are toxic to bones), racing horses young, and at high speeds that is fueling the high rate of breakdowns in American racing?
And if so, is the solution as simple as getting race tracks to write longer races?
Is there a connection between speed, bone density, bloodlines and breakdowns?
Why did Secretariat--who still holds records for two out of three of the Triple Crown races--retire sound? How did he manage to combine a high rate of speed and soundness? Did his leg structure of long forearm, and short lower leg contribute to his soundness? Should breeders be trying to replicate this conformation?
Happy holidays to everyone.
There is a very interesting chapter on biomechanics in "The Nature of Horses" by Stephen Budiansky. The author is both a horseman, scientist and good science writer, and this book interweaves biology, archeology, and research on horse intelligence.
The chapter on stride, speed and the biomechanics of how a horse runs and what kind of stress happens may be of interest to anyone breeding TB's.
In brief, the leg motion of the horse is an inverted pendulum, and rate of swing in largely determined by the weight of the lower part of the leg. Decreasing the weight of the leg can increase the rate of the swing. Nature and breeding have already streamlined the leg structure down to skin, bone and tendons.
Sooo...
Have American breeders been selecting for lighter bone density in their quest for speed?
Does lower bone density predispose injury?
Is there a deadly combination of training, drug use (steriods are toxic to bones), racing horses young, and at high speeds that is fueling the high rate of breakdowns in American racing?
And if so, is the solution as simple as getting race tracks to write longer races?
Is there a connection between speed, bone density, bloodlines and breakdowns?
Why did Secretariat--who still holds records for two out of three of the Triple Crown races--retire sound? How did he manage to combine a high rate of speed and soundness? Did his leg structure of long forearm, and short lower leg contribute to his soundness? Should breeders be trying to replicate this conformation?
Happy holidays to everyone.