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Evaluating rider self-reports – challenges in monitoring equine adaptation to training and competition in eventing by self-reports

Retrospektive Studie der Pferde mit chronisch rekurrierender Blinddarmobstipation nach chirurgischer Versorgung mittels Erweiterungsplastik des Ostium caecocolicum

Insa Rump-Dierig , Charlotte Jensen , Anna Liedtke , Heidrun Gehlen

Abstract

Self-report measurement of fatigue and wellbeing is frequently used in various sports to assess adaptability to training alterations. The aim of this study was to describe how German elite riders in the discipline of eventing assess their own fitness as well as that of their horses for the entirety of an eventing season. Short online questionnaires were used to allow eight riders to describe the training of their horses. Five criteria (general performance, ability to concentrate, general state of mind, general muscular condition and emotional wellbeing) were used to assess their horse’s, as well as their own wellbeing. A 1–10 rating scale was used to score each criterion resulting in an average of 38 out of 50 (maximum wellbeing). The horse score and the rider’s score were linearly correlated above a score of 30 points. The horse score also positively correlated with its success at competitions. Horses which are regularly turned out for grazing received a higher horse score. It can be concluded that self-report measurement of fatigue and wellbeing can be a useful tool for trainers and riders to better determine the horse’s fatigue and recovery.

Keywords: self-report measurement, fatigue, training management, performance diagnostics

Pengliang Li, Xuyan Wu, Wei Wang, Cheng Zhang, Xiaochen Yang, Jixiang Li

Abstract

Impaction is one of the most common disease of the cecum in horses. It is important to distinguish between acute and chronic recurrent cases. Acute impaction occurs suddenly and resolves within a few days with medical and/or surgical treatment whereas in chronic cases the impaction within the base or the whole cecum occurs repeatedly at irregular intervals. The chronic recurrent cecal impaction (CRCI) is characterized by hypertrophy of muscle in the cecal base or entire cecum. The pathogenesis is not fully understood: hypothesis is that the cecal impaction induces a distension during the contraction of the circular muscle layer which is a stimulus of a hypertrophy of the circular and longitudinal muscle layer in the cecum. Furthermore, neuronal density in the plexus myentericus was found to be decreased significantly in the cecal wall of CRCI. Initially, in cases of CRCI the cecocolic orifice is not entirely blocked allowing partial transit of ingesta. Hypertrophy of the muscle layer (longitudinal and circular muscle) begins at the cecal base and as the disease progresses, the cecocolic opening becomes completely obstructed due to the automatic closure mechanism. The rectal and ultrasound exam are the most useful diagnostic steps while different degrees of cecal impaction and/or tympany, a marked thickening and cecal wall contractility due to palpation are found. The hypertrophy can be regarded as a pathognomonic sign. Treatment in our study was done by surgical enlargement of the cecocolic orifice (created by Huskamp 1990). Tissue samples of defined cecal regions were taken during surgery or necropsy: the circular and longitudinal muscle layer were significantly thicker, linear neuron densities were significantly lower each compared to clinically healthy horses. Based on smooth muscle thickening and neuron deficit, rectally palpable and ultrasound visible cecal wall thickening, horses suffering from CRI have a poor prognosis. Surgery by enlargement of the cecocolic orifice in horses with CRCI have a better prognosis if only the cecal base has a thickening and a normal cecal body wall.

Keywords: horses, chronic recurrent cecal impaction, surgical treatment enlargement cecocolic orifice, long-term survival

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Evaluating rider self-reports – challenges in monitoring equine adaptation to training and competition in eventing by self-reports

Retrospektive Studie der Pferde mit chronisch rekurrierender Blinddarmobstipation nach chirurgischer Versorgung mittels Erweiterungsplastik des Ostium caecocolicum

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