The Western Performance Horse

Chapter 120The Western Performance Horse



image The Cutting Horse


Jerry B. Black and Robin M. Dabareiner



Description and History of the Sport


The cutting horse was born of necessity long ago on the open grass plains of West Texas. This was the era of Western history that included big cattle drives from the open ranges of ranches such as Burnett and the 6666 Ranch, Waggoner Ranch, the Pitchfork Ranch, and the Matador Ranch to Dodge City, Kansas. Cutting horses enabled big country ranches, where no barbed-wire fences existed, the only means of working vast herds of cattle. In those days the task of the horse was simple, at least by definition. Guided by the rider, the cutting horse entered a herd of cattle quietly and deliberately. A single cow was cut, or separated, from the herd. The natural instinct of the cow is to return to the safety of the rest of the herd. The cutting horse, through breeding and training, controlled the cow with a series of moves and countermoves. The speed, agility, balance, and quickness of the cutting horse kept the cow from the herd, where other cowboys would hold the cut. The horse and rider would reenter the herd again and again, cutting cattle out until the work was done. Only the top hands earned the right to ride the best horses of the remuda (herd), the cutting horses.


The unique skills of the cutting horse were a great source of pride to the frontier cowboy. This often led to impromptu or jackpot cuttings on the open range or, from about 1900, in outdoor pens of the large ranches. From this love of the cutting horse, as well as the subsequent competition to determine who had the best horse, came the roots of cutting as we know it today. The first cutting horse contest for money was held at the 1898 Cowboy Reunion in Haskell, Texas. Twelve cutting horses competed for a purse of $150. From this start, regular events occurred on ranches of the Southwest and at the Fort Worth Stockyards. Rules and prizes varied greatly, but the ability of the cutting horse to separate a single cow from the herd always was and continues to be the goal of the competition. From these roots the National Cutting Horse Association was formed in 1946 during the Fort Worth Exposition and Fat Stock Show. The stated purpose of the organization was to standardize the rules and judging of competition and to preserve the tradition and history of the cutting horse with the ranching and livestock industry.


Today competitions approved by the National Cutting Horse Association occur throughout the United States and Canada. In addition, many association members from other countries, such as Australia, are conducting competitions outside North America. The format of these competitions and other Western performance horse disciplines, such as reining, presents a unique challenge to the equine veterinarian.



Training


Training of the cutting horse begins at 2 years of age. Usually 60 to 90 days are spent in basic training before the horse is introduced to cattle. This generally is accomplished by turning one cow into a round pen that is 38 to 54 m in diameter. The horse is taught to mirror the movements of the cow as the cow moves around the perimeter of the arena. This process of training a cutting horse is repetitive and is done several days a week for months. The object of training is for the horse to develop an ability to perform identical movements with the cow. Simply put, when the cow stops or stops and turns, the horse does the same maneuver. This type of training is accomplished by asking the horse to stop with the aid of a bridle and turning the horse to move with the cow. The key to training is a complete and balanced stop. With time, a stop ultimately is followed by the instinctive ability of the horse to “read” the movement of the cow and to turn in the direction the cow is going. Because this ability to watch a cow and respond to its movement is instinctive to the working stock horse, breeding is of the utmost importance. Without this genetic instinct a horse simply does not respond to the movement of a cow and does not initiate a stop or turn as necessary to continue to track the cow. A good cutting horse trainer knows in a relatively short period if a young horse has the instinct and athletic ability to be a successful cutting horse. A finished cutting horse must perform the necessary moves to keep a cow in proper position away from the herd, without any hand cues from the rider, relying on instinct alone to read the movement of the cow. Reining the horse is permitted only to make the cut of a single cow out of the herd. After the cut is successfully made, the reins are placed in a relaxed position on the horse’s neck, and only leg cues are permitted from the rider during the actual working time. The ability of a horse to contain an individual cow provides the excitement of competition in cutting.


Training of a cutting horse prospect that has shown good potential continues when it is a 3-year-old, preparing it for the first major competitions, the futurities. The futurity is the first of the horse’s aged event competitions that continue for 4 years. No horse can compete in aged events beyond 6 years of age. Aged events consist of two elimination go-rounds, followed by the semifinal and the final competition. Substantial musculoskeletal stress is placed on these athletic performance horses, with multiday competitions over a short period. In addition, the horses usually are practiced with cattle daily, including the day of competition, to sharpen performance skills. Competition in these aged events is heavy, with the major shows having more than 500 entries in a single age division. Purses in this type of event can exceed a total of $1 million. The nature of this aged event competition, with large purses in numerous events over a 4-year period, has caused the cutting horse economy to grow rapidly during the past several years. Select yearling and training sales are conducted annually that are beginning to parallel the racing industry in financial return on sales. This has contributed to the current popularity and resurgence of breeding of cutting and Western stock horses, which in turn will ensure the preservation of the tradition and heritage that this horse played in the history of the great Old West.



Lameness Examination


The increasing popularity of the cutting and reining horse for show and performance is occurring nationally and internationally. Sales of this type of horse have increased to Europe, South America, and other countries. In North America, the revival of interest stems primarily from excellent programs instituted by associations such as the National Cutting Horse Association and the National Reining Horse Association. These associations encourage owner participation at an amateur level in cutting and reining events. This type of performance horse creates a new diagnostic and treatment challenge for attending veterinarians, partially because of the rigid training schedules necessary for 3- to 6-year-old horses to compete in futurities and aged events.


Hindlimb lameness presents one of the more interesting diagnostic challenges to an equine clinician. The lameness is often difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to manage. A systematic approach must be developed to achieve an accurate diagnosis consistently. The veterinarian must use a routine that is repeated with each horse and must allow sufficient time to complete a thorough examination. Western stock horses may be difficult to evaluate while being led. These horses usually are not taught to lunge and are often difficult to trot in hand. A 10- to 15-m round pen with firm footing has proved to be beneficial for evaluating lameness.



Diagnosis and Management of Specific Lameness


Hindlimb lameness is more common than forelimb lameness in cutting horses. Mixed lameness with swinging and supporting components is common in hindlimbs, especially in upper limb lamenesses such as those involving the hock, stifle, and hip or sacroiliac region. Hindlimb lameness may be associated with two sources of pain: for example, chronic hock lameness and secondary lumbar and gluteal myositis. This section focuses on selected hindlimb lamenesses of the hock, stifle, and thoracolumbar regions.



Selected Lameness of the Tarsus



Osteoarthritis of the Distal Tarsal Joints (Distal Hock Joint Pain)


Osteoarthritis (OA) of the distal tarsal joints is seen most commonly in horses that have repeated, excessive compression and rotation of the hocks at high speed, and a high incidence occurs in young working cow horses and in cutting and reining futurity prospects, reflecting the demanding training schedules of 5 to 6 days a week at 2 and 3 years of age. Sickle hocks, cow hocks, and narrow hocks also may predispose horses to lameness. OA also may develop secondary to partial collapse of the central and third tarsal bones, and affected horses often develop lameness within the first year after birth. In one author’s practice (JBB), routine survey radiology of the tarsus in 20, 2-year-old cutting horse prospects before training began revealed evidence of OA in 11 (55%).


Clinical signs include reduced height of the foot flight arc, resulting in abnormal toe wear, and a shortened cranial phase of stride. Hard work increases the degree of lameness, although most horses are lame and stiff when first taken out of the box stall and improve to some degree during the initial warm-up. Trotting in a circle increases the degree of lameness. Gait alteration or lameness may be observed with the affected limb on the inside or outside of a circle. Cutting, reining, and stock horses are reluctant to stop properly. Upper limb flexion often increases the degree of lameness. Palpation of the distal medial aspect of the hock may reveal an exostosis and soft tissue thickening. Deep palpation of the area can cause a painful withdrawal response. Thoracolumbar pain is present in about 50% of horses.


Diagnosis is based on a positive response to intraarticular analgesia and radiology. Radiological abnormalities are often only seen in a dorsolateral-plantaromedial image in 2- to 4-year-old cutting horses, findings that differ from those seen in other young sports horses.


Therapy varies depending on the degree of lameness. Rest is generally not helpful in horses with advanced OA, and obtaining trainer compliance if the lameness is subtle is difficult. Training usually is continued with the help of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as phenylbutazone (2 g daily or 1.5 g twice daily) and intraarticularly administered antiinflammatory drugs. Shoeing changes include removing excessive toe, squaring the toe of the shoe, and extending both branches of the shoe for more heel support. Half-round shoes help aid breakover in some horses with cow-hocked or sickle-hocked conformation. Changes in training schedules include more paddock or free-choice exercise and longer warm-up periods before training. Training in deep surfaces, overtraining, or conditioning in circles should be avoided. Varying the gait frequently during training and conditioning helps the horse to stay more comfortable.


Intraarticular medication is used to keep chronically lame horses in competition. A combination of methylprednisolone acetate (40 mg) and hyaluronan (10 to 20 mg) is injected separately into the centrodistal (distal intertarsal) and tarsometatarsal joints in horses with advanced OA. The veterinarian should not rely on communication between the two joints. If good results are achieved, these injections are repeated as necessary every 12 to 16 weeks. Horses with early OA respond favorably to intraarticular treatment with hyaluronan (20 mg of Hylartin-V, Pfizer Inc., New York, New York, United States) and triamcinolone acetonide (3 to 6 mg). Intravenous injections of hyaluronan (Legend [Bayer HealthCare LLC, Animal Health Division, Shawnee Mission, Kansas, United States]; 40 mg in 7-day intervals, series of three) or intramuscular injections of polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (PSGAG; 500 mg of Adequan [Luitpold Animal Health, Shirley, New York, United States] intramuscularly [IM] in 5-day intervals, series of four to eight) are used frequently as concurrent therapy. Combinations of intermediate-acting corticosteroids and hyaluronan administered intraarticularly have been used in horses that are lame immediately before leaving for circuit shows or important multiday competitions, such as cutting horse, snaffle bit, and reining horse futurities.


Therapeutic levels of NSAIDs may be necessary during competition if allowed by the breed, performance, or state drug regulations governing the event. Phenylbutazone (2 g daily or 1.5 g twice daily) is usually effective. However, many stock horse trainers believe that this drug tends to dull the mouth and sides of the horse, thus limiting bit and spur response. Other NSAIDs that are effective include flunixin meglumine (Banamine [Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, Roseland, New Jersey, United States]; 1 mg/kg daily) or ketoprofen (Ketofen [Pfizer Inc.]; 2 mg/kg daily). Horses vary in response to the therapeutic effects of each NSAID. If one drug is not effective, a different one should be assessed. Tiludronate and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein (IRAP) have recently been introduced, but long-term follow-up results are not known. Tiludronate is administered as a single intravenous infusion. IRAP is injected three to five times at 1- to 2-week intervals. Focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy is used in horses refractory to intraarticular medication.


Surgery has been an important adjunct to OA therapy in horses requiring repeated intraarticular injections or continual therapy with NSAIDs. Horses with mild to moderate radiological changes but normal joint spaces respond favorably to cunean tenectomy. Horses with substantial intraarticular changes and joint space collapse are treated best surgically with a combination of cunean tenectomy and arthrodesis (fenestration) of the affected joint or joints using a 3.2-mm drill bit and creating three to four tracts. The horse is returned to work as soon as possible after surgery to encourage ankylosis. Handwalking is begun the day after surgery, and light riding at a walk may begin 2 to 3 weeks later. Light riding exercise continues for another 3 weeks, and full training begins 45 to 60 days postoperatively if the horse is reasonably comfortable. Phenylbutazone, 2 g once daily as needed, is used initially if obvious lameness persists. Most horses show almost immediate improvement after surgery. This improvement may be caused partially by the release of intraosseous pressure after the fenestration procedure, plus cessation of the rotational effect of the cunean tendon on the distal aspect of the tarsus. Radiological evidence of ankylosis occurs over a prolonged period, even up to 1 year postsurgery. Soundness does not seem to be related to radiological evidence of ankylosis.


Prognosis varies depending on the degree of OA, the number of joints involved, and the type of competition in which the horse is engaged. Surgery offers the best prognosis for horses with chronic lameness. It is possible that chemical fusion with ethyl alcohol may offer a shorter convalescent time.



Arthrosis of the Tarsocrural Joint


Distention of the tarsocrural joint capsule is usually the result of osteochondrosis or trauma. Osteochondrosis lesions occur on the cranial aspect of the intermediate ridge of the tibia, the trochlear ridges of the talus, and the lateral or medial malleoli of the tibia. Trauma is related to quick turns, hard stops, loss of balance, and poor footing. Faulty conformation, such as overly straight angulation of hock and stifle joints, may be a predisposing factor.


Distention of the tarsocrural joint capsule is observed most easily on the dorsomedial aspect of the hock, but swelling also occurs in the plantar pouches, laterally or medially. The horse may have pain on palpation. A proximal limb (hock) flexion test may or may not be positive, depending on the degree of joint capsule distention and synovitis. Radiographic examination is essential to determine the cause and should be repeated after 10 to 14 days if initial radiographs are normal.


Horses with osteochondrosis are treated surgically. Horses with traumatic distention of the tarsocrural joint are treated by intraarticular injection of intermediate-acting corticosteroids and hyaluronan, two or three times, 14 to 21 days apart. Intraarticular injections often are followed by hyaluronan (40 mg) administered intravenously weekly for 3 weeks. All injected hocks are bandaged concurrently to help reduce joint effusion. Pressage elastic contour bandages (Jupiter Veterinary Products, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States) provide adequate pressure and are easy to maintain. The horse is given rest for 3 to 6 weeks.


Exploratory or diagnostic arthroscopy is justified in any horse that does not respond to conservative therapy, permitting identification of subtle osteochondrosis lesions not detectable radiologically and soft tissue injuries, as well as providing joint lavage.


The prognosis is good if treatment is initiated early and if all fragments and debris are removed soon after the synovitis is recognized in horses with osteochondrosis lesions or severe trauma. If conformation is the predisposing cause, the prognosis is poor.



Selected Lameness of the Stifle


The stifle is a large, complex joint composed of two articulations: the femorotibial and femoropatellar joints. One author’s experience (JBB) has been that during arthroscopy of the femorotibial joint, despite high intraarticular fluid pressure, obvious distention of the femoropatellar joint capsule does not occur. Thus little or no distention of the femoropatellar joint capsule occurs in association with disease of the femorotibial joint. When performing intraarticular analgesia of the stifle, all three compartments should be injected separately.



Osteochondrosis


Osteochondrosis of the trochlear ridges of the femur is seen commonly in young horses. Clinical signs include distention of the femoropatellar joint capsule and varying degrees of lameness, depending on the amount of joint surface involved. Diagnosis is confirmed radiologically. Arthroscopic surgery is the treatment of choice to debride all diseased cartilage and bone and to remove all free-floating bone and cartilage. Aftercare consists of 45 to 60 days of stall rest, followed by an equal amount of stall and paddock confinement. Training generally resumes 3 to 6 months postoperatively. Intraarticularly administered hyaluronan (20 mg) followed by intramuscularly administered PSGAGs (500 mg in 5-day intervals, series of four to eight) 2 to 3 weeks after surgery has helped to reduce postoperative synovitis.



Subchondral Bone Cysts


Subchondral bone cysts of the medial condyle of the femur are the most frequently recognized bony lesions of the stifle in one author’s (JBB) practice. Affected horses are lame at the walk or trot in one or both hindlimbs. The degree of lameness varies greatly among horses. Some horses are subtly lame, requiring riding or repeated flexion to produce a recognizable lameness. Others have acute, severe lameness and are unwilling to trot. Moderately lame horses tend to swing the toe medially during protraction. This contrasts with horses with painful conditions of the femoropatellar joint or patellar ligaments, with which the horse often carries the stifle out or abducts the limb. Lameness may be more obvious with the affected limb on the inside of a circle.


Subtle distention of the femorotibial joint capsule may be palpated between the medial patellar and medial collateral ligaments. Some horses resent deep digital pressure over the medial femoral condylar region.


Diagnosis of subchondral bone cysts is based on clinical signs and response to intraarticular analgesia using 30 mL of mepivacaine and radiology. Conservative treatment for the most part yields only temporary improvement in the lameness and is used only when a performance horse needs to compete for the remainder of the season or when finances prohibit surgical intervention. Conservative treatment consists of intraarticular injections of hyaluronan, with or without corticosteroids such as betamethasone or triamcinolone acetonide. Intramuscularly administered PSGAGs, given in a series of four to eight injections at 5-day intervals, are also used. Many trainers report a pronounced effect about 24 hours after administration of PSGAGs. Therapeutic levels of systemic NSAIDs may be also necessary during multiday competitions. Owners should be informed that continued training and competition over an extended period might lead to secondary OA.


There are several treatment options, but the treatment of choice in our experience is curettage and fenestration of the subchondral bone cyst. Before 1988, this procedure was done through an arthrotomy incision. Although the surgery was successful in most horses, wound dehiscence and prolonged hospitalization were of great concern. Currently the surgery is performed by arthroscopy, with the horse placed in dorsal recumbency and the limb in flexion. This position provides adequate visibility and good access to the cystic lesion via an instrument portal. Postoperative hospitalization is minimal, and to date no postoperative complications have been seen. The horse is confined for 60 days after surgery. Handwalking for 10 minutes daily is allowed during confinement. Free-choice exercise for an additional 2 to 4 months is allowed. Training usually resumes 6 months postoperatively or earlier, if the horse is sound. Surgical success is about 50% to 60%. Most of these horses return to a competitive level of performance, if given adequate rest. Recently arthroscopic injection of corticosteroids into the fibrous tissue of subchondral cystic lesions has been described.1 A retrospective study examined 52 horses with subchondral cystic lesions in the medial femoral condyle that were injected with arthroscopic guidance with a reported success rate of 77%. Preexisting osteophytes had a negative impact on outcome. This seems like a viable first option for treatment, and if unsuccessful then surgical debridement and fenestration can be performed.



Upward Fixation of the Patella


Partial or complete upward fixation of the patella is a common cause of stifle pain, which can eventually produce articular changes of the patella. Upward fixation of the patella can occur in any type of body conformation and hindlimb angulation and may be related to the anatomical formation and depth of the notch on the proximal aspect of the medial trochlea of the distal aspect of the femur. Lack of condition and loss of condition are contributory factors. Poor coordination between extensor and flexor groups of the stifle and lack of quadriceps development may explain why upward fixation is seen in young horses at the beginning of training. One of us (JBB) examined two horses in which upward fixation of the patella was secondary to a subchondral bone cyst in the medial femoral condyle. Upward fixation may have been caused by alteration of gait and foot placement because of pain in the medial femorotibial joint. Upward fixation resolved after arthroscopic treatment of the subchondral bone cyst. The duration of locking varies from an almost instantaneous release, with only slight backward jerk evident, to a complete locking that can last for hours and may require surgical release.


Diagnosis is based on clinical signs. Often, although no obvious upward fixation occurs in extension, the limb snaps with an audible click while in an extended position. Occasionally, pushing the patella over the top of the trochlear ridge when the limb is in extension can produce the locking. Clinical signs often are exacerbated if the horse is walked down a steep slope. The diagnosis is sometimes based almost entirely on the owner’s or trainer’s description of the condition.


Treatment should remain conservative when possible. If complete upward fixation has occurred for any period, the femoropatellar joint usually has effusion. Treatment should be aimed initially toward reducing inflammation and resting the tissues involved. The usual treatment schedule includes administration of systemic corticosteroids (20 mg of dexamethasone [Azium, Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health] IM daily) for 1 to 3 days, followed by 3 to 5 days of NSAIDs (2 g of phenylbutazone twice daily). Handwalking for 5 to 10 minutes is allowed if no further upward fixation occurs, but no free-choice exercise is allowed. Excessive toe is removed, and wedged shoes or wedge pad and flat shoes are used if the heel is low. Half-round shoes allow the horse to break over in its most comfortable and natural position.


Once the initial inflammation has subsided, a conditioning program is started. Long warm-up periods are essential. Thirty minutes of walking and trotting, followed by an increasing amount of extended trotting on the straightaway are recommended. Once the horse becomes conditioned, trotting in the hills is prescribed, where possible. The concept of conditioning is to improve quadriceps development and tone and to improve overall coordination. Horses that are underweight should be fed to gain weight and to improve the overall body condition and the condition of the muscles involved in movement of the stifle.


Horses that do not respond to conservative treatment may require an internal blister, medial patellar desmotomy, or medial patellar desmoplasty. Internal blister is accomplished by local infiltration of 2% iodine in peanut or almond oil injected directly into the body of the medial patellar ligament. Care must be taken to avoid the accidental penetration and injection of the femoropatellar joint with the counterirritant solution. If this is unsuccessful, splitting the medial patellar ligament is a viable option. This can be performed in either a standing sedated horse or under intravenous anesthesia. The area over the medial patellar ligament is clipped and scrubbed, and a number 15-scalpel blade or 14-gauge needle is inserted at 1-cm intervals and used to scarify the ligament perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the limb. The thought is that by creating inflammation and scar tissue, the ligament will tighten, thereby preventing upward fixation of the patella. This treatment has been very successful in one of our hands (RMD). Medial patellar desmotomy should be reserved as a last form of therapy because the postoperative complications include fragmentation of the distal aspect of the patella, soft tissue fibrosis, and mechanical alteration of gait.



Femorotibial Joint Pain


Subtle soft tissue injuries may occur in the femorotibial joint, resulting in low-grade lameness that is most evident when the horse trots in circles. Such injuries often occur as training is increased. A typical example is a young cutting horse that is being worked hard on cattle before a futurity. The horse has a shortened cranial phase of stride and lowered foot flight, causing toe drag. Results of hindlimb flexion tests are generally negative. Mild distention of the medial femorotibial joint capsule may be palpable. Diagnosis is based on clinical signs, response to intraarticular analgesia of the femorotibial joint, and the absence of radiological abnormalities.


Treatment comprises intraarticular medication with hyaluronan and corticosteroids such as triamcinolone acetonide (6 mg), plus intramuscularly administered PSGAGs. Systemic NSAIDs are given in decreasing doses over 10 to 14 days. All trailers and calks are removed from shoes. A wedge pad may be added with an egg bar shoe or extended branch shoe, depending on the amount of heel support needed.


Training is resumed after 14 to 21 days of rest. Long warm-up periods and extended straightaway trotting are recommended to condition the muscles of the upper hindlimb.


Prognosis is good if a consistent training schedule is maintained. Horses with irregular training schedules and frequent periods of several days off between exercise sessions tend to have recurrent problems.



Thoracolumbar Injuries



Thoracolumbar Myositis


Soft tissue injuries of the thoracolumbar region produce back soreness and are common injuries in a working stock horse. Thoracolumbar myositis may coexist with hindlimb lameness, such as distal hock OA, or may be a primary traumatic lesion, frequently caused by the extraordinary forces of rotation and propulsion placed on the hindlimbs. Other factors include rigid training and competition schedules such as the fall futurities for 3-year-olds that result in an overworked young horse.


Local myositis involving the muscles of the thoracolumbar and pelvic region can have a profound effect on the performance of a stock horse. A cutting horse has three basic components to work: the stop, turn, and ability to track a cow in mirror image across the arena at high speed. Localized back pain results in decreased performance in all of these, without obvious lameness. The trainer perceives that the horse is simply not trying. Consequently, a horse with back pain is forced to try even harder and soon falls into the overworked category.


Clinical signs of thoracolumbar myositis include pain to palpation of the affected muscle groups and associated spinous processes, obvious discomfort during saddling or mounting, subtle bilateral or unilateral hindlimb lameness, unwillingness to stop in form, and overall lack of performance. Flexion tests are seldom positive, unless the back problem coexists with distal hock joint pain. One may reasonably believe that arthrosis of vertebral articulations in the lumbar and lumbosacral region exists in some horses. However, because of the depth and mass of the muscles involved, distinguishing the exact pathological condition or even the exact site of the injury is impossible.


Therapy is aimed at reducing inflammation and controlling the associated muscle pain and spasms. Prolonged rest periods from training always are indicated but in reality are difficult to achieve because of the rigid schedule of preparation for competition. For example, an average futurity horse being prepared for the National Cutting Horse Association futurity in December of its 3-year-old year accumulates a $20,000 to $24,000 debt in training and entry fees alone before competition. Convincing an owner and trainer that a horse should be allowed to rest immediately before the futurity is difficult, if appropriate therapy has even a remote chance of being effective.


The systemic use of skeletal muscle relaxants such as methocarbamol (10 mg/kg orally [PO] twice daily for 5 to 10 days) has been effective in treating cutting horses with generalized back pain. Dexamethasone (10 mg PO twice daily for 3 to 4 days) is indicated in horses with acute pain. Horses with chronic back pain may be treated successfully during competition with a single dose of triamcinolone acetonide (12 to 16 mg IM) and methocarbamol administered orally. NSAIDs generally have not been effective unless the back pain is secondary or coexists with distal hock joint pain. Care must be taken to comply with any medication rules.


Specific localized pain may be treated successfully by local injection of methylprednisolone acetate (200 to 400 mg) and Sarapin (50 mL; High Chemical Company, Levittown, Pennsylvania, United States). Treatment is repeated every 10 to 14 days until pain subsides.


Other management considerations are important for recovery. Horses with low, underslung heels of the hind feet should be shod using raised heels. Evaluation of the fit of the saddle, type of pad, and specific pressure points when ridden should be considered. Other modalities of therapy, such as pulsed electromagnetic field and therapeutic ultrasound, have been useful in keeping a horse in competition. Long warm-up periods without the rider for 30 to 45 minutes by ponying (leading from another horse) at a walk and trot always are indicated. The trainer must be cautioned that overwork and severe fatigue must be avoided at all times.



Sacroiliac Region Pain


Strain and subluxation of the sacroiliac joint are not uncommon in working stock horses because of twisting and rotation of the back and pelvis during work. This rotation is complicated by the weight of tack and the rider, who is attempting to maintain balance and remain stationary on top of the horse during sudden hard stops, turns, and bursts of speed.


Many of the clinical signs observed in horses with thoracolumbar myositis are also common in those with sacroiliac region pain because the epaxial muscles go into spasm to provide stability to the traumatized sacroiliac joint. However, bilateral or unilateral lameness with stiffness and alteration of gait usually are associated with sacroiliac region pain. Protrusion of the tubera sacrale may be evident when the horse is walking away from the observer. Flexion of the contralateral limb for 2 minutes may result in elevation of the tuber sacrale, hip hike, and stiffness of the affected limb. Digital palpation adjacent to the tuber sacrale and over the gluteal regions usually elicits pain. Local infiltration of local anesthetic solution may result in improvement, but rarely are clinical signs fully alleviated.


Deep intramuscular injections of methylprednisolone acetate (400 mg) and Sarapin (50 mL) into the region of the sacroiliac joint have been effective in treatment. Disposable needles at least 10 cm long are necessary to reach the affected area. Strict aseptic technique must be followed. Injections usually are repeated after 2 to 3 weeks. Concurrent systemic therapy with NSAIDs is beneficial. Horses must have rest, and 2 to 6 months out of training is often necessary, with strict stall confinement for the first 30 to 45 days.


Proper therapy and management of injuries to the thoracolumbar and sacroiliac regions generally are rewarding if initiated early in the course of the disease. Horses with chronic recurrent problems usually can be managed to allow some level of competition.



Forelimb Lameness in the Cutting Horse


Forelimb lameness in the cutting horse is similar to that described in the roping horse (see the following section).



image The Roping Horse


Robin M. Dabareiner



Team Roping Horse



Description of the Sport


A unique handicapping system implemented in the early 1990s has contributed to team roping becoming a rapidly growing equestrian sport. Team roping began as a rodeo event many years ago, evolving from the everyday work of cowboys on ranches. If a cow needed to be treated on the open range, the only method of restraint was to secure the head and heel of the animal, or to team rope it. The cowboys soon began wagering among themselves to see which team of a header and heeler could accomplish this feat in the shortest time. Currently nearly 1 million people compete in team roping competitions in North America.


Because of the large number of participants, team roping has become of great economic importance. Many team roping organizations exist nationally, but the most prestigious is the United States Team Roping Championships. The numbering or handicapping system of the team ropers was begun by the United States Team Roping Championships and has become standard. A number, from 1 to 9, with 9 being the highest level of ability, is assigned to each of the team ropers. This number is based on various factors, including ability, previous prize earnings, experience, age, and physical handicaps.


The roping categories also are assigned a numerical value that cannot be exceeded by the total handicap numbers of the two participating ropers. The highest level of roping is the open roping, which is open to any roper but usually is entered by professional ropers (numbered 9), allowing the world champions to compete together. The lowest number is a true beginner, who would be a number 1 or 2. This handicap system allows the lower-level ropers to compete as a team with the world champions and to level the playing field of competition at all levels. The entry fees of the participants usually generate the purse money in a jackpot fashion. A portion of the entry fee is held out by the producer of the roping to pay for the arena, the cattle, and advertising, and the rest of the fee is placed in the purse money to be divided among the winners.


Dally team roping is a timed event involving five basic elements: the header, the heading horse, the heeler, the heeling horse, and the steer. The steers that are used for the team roping event are usually horned cattle called Corriente cattle, often from Mexico. Other types of cattle used are longhorns or other native homed breeds ranging in weight from 170 to 320 kg.


A typical run in dally team roping begins with a steer contained in a chute at the end of an arena. The heading box is to the left of the chute, and the heeling box is to the right of the chute. When the header calls for the steer, or asks that the steer be released from the chute, the chute gate is opened and the steer is allowed a head start called the score. If the header leaves the heading box before the steer crosses the score line, or reaches the predetermined head start, then the team is issued a penalty of 10 seconds. The timing of the run is begun when the steer crosses the score line.


When cued by the riders, the horses leave the roping box much as a racehorse leaves the starting gate to attain maximum speed as quickly as possible. As the header approaches the steer with the heading horse running at full speed, the horse is trained to rate off, or to slow up slightly, once the horse reaches the hip of the steer, to position the steer properly so that the header may rope the steer. Team roping has three legal head catches: both horns (a clean horn catch), a half head (one horn and the nose of the steer), or a neck. All other catches are considered illegal, and the team is given a no time.


After the header successfully catches the head of the steer and dallies (wraps in a full circle) the rope around the saddle horn, the heading horse drops its hindquarters and slows somewhat as it sets the steer and brings the steer’s head around to the left. As the steer’s body progresses to the left, the heading horse also is turned to the left and is moved out in front of the steer to allow the header to pull it across the arena at about a 90-degree angle to the original direction of travel, maintaining a constant slower speed, thus allowing the heeler to get into position to rope the hindlegs of the steer.


As the header sets and turns the steer, the heeler turns left following the steer and positions just behind and slightly to the left of the steer as it is taken across the arena. As the heeling horse follows the steer in this position, maintaining a constant speed equal to that of the header and steer, the heeler properly times his swing and then releases the heel rope, placing the loop under the steer and ropes the hindlegs of the steer. If only one hindleg is caught, then the team is issued a 5-second penalty. As the slack is taken out of the heel loop and as the dally is made on the saddle horn, the heeling horse is signaled to drop its hindquarters and come to an abrupt stop.


As the heading horse progresses away from the heeler with the steer still in tow, the ropes come tight, and when tight, the heading horse is cued to spin around to the right while maintaining a tight rope to face the steer. When the facing is complete, the rope is tight and in a straight line from the saddle horn of the header to the head of the steer and is tight from the hind feet of the steer to the saddle horn of the heeler, and then the flagman signals the end of the run and the time is taken.


The roping can be accomplished by experts in 6 to 7 seconds but requires thousands of hours of practice to achieve this and to minimize the danger to all the participants. Runs recorded in the range of 3.4 to 3.6 seconds have been made by the World Champion–caliber team ropers.



Conformation


The horses, predominately geldings, used in team roping are usually American Quarter Horses (QHs), preferred because of exceptional athletic ability, quick acceleration over short distances, and a good mind. Other breeds are rarely used. The head horse must be larger and faster than the heel horse. Head horses typically weigh 545 to 590 kg and are heavily muscled to tow the steer across the arena. The heel horse is smaller and quicker with more cow sense than the head horse. Horses that are trained for cutting but no longer are competing often make good heel horses because of size and cow sense. Team ropers prefer a mature, experienced horse, and so horses are usually over the age of 10 years, and many top ropers have horses in the mid to late teens. Therefore repetitive injuries are common, but because horses often have had several owners, a complete medical history is rarely available. In a recent retrospective study looking at lameness and poor performance in horses used solely for team roping, horses used for heading were significantly heavier (median weight, 545 kg; range, 473 to 603 kg) and older (median age, 12 years) than heeling horses (median weight, 490 kg; range, 441 to 545 kg; median age, 9.5 years).1



Training


The training of heading and heeling horses involves thousands of team roping runs and many thousands of miles of hauling. The horse must anticipate every variable of a team roping run, so that rider intervention is unnecessary. This allows the roper to focus on nothing but the speed of the run, which is an important factor contributing to injury. The current high demand for a finished team roping horse has greatly increased the value of these horses, and because replacement is difficult, veterinary advice is now sought more often.



Historical Data and Decreased Performance


It is imperative for a clinician to know whether a team roping horse is used primarily as a heading or heeling horse. In addition, a thorough description of the owner’s complaint of a change in or decreased performance provides valuable insight into the underlying problem, bearing in mind that often in the early stages little or no lameness may be present. Eighty-nine of 118 (75%) team roping horses had a history of lameness, and 29 (25%) had an owner complaint of decreased or altered performance.1 The type of performance change differed between horses used for heading or heeling (Figures 120-1 and 120-2).


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Fig. 120-1

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Jun 4, 2016 | Posted by in EQUINE MEDICINE | Comments Off on The Western Performance Horse

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