Injury incidence and locomotor behaviours in polocrosse ponies

There is currently limited information available regarding the physical demands of polocrosse and no information on the specific veterinary problems faced by polocrosse ponies in the United Kingdom. Polocrosse requires the ponies that compete to perform rapid acceleration, sharp turns and sudden halts. The study aim was to explore the injury incidence and type of injury, between the three positions played by polocrosse ponies. Injuries that resulted in withdrawal of a pony during outdoor tournaments in the UK over the 2015 and 2016 seasons were recorded. In addition, GPS data and locomotor behaviours were recorded during winter league tournaments in 2017 and compared between the different position ponies. Ponies that played in the defence position were significantly more likely to become injured (P<0.001) with lameness being the most common cause for withdrawal (P<0.001). Ponies playing in the attack position achieved the fastest speeds and covered the furthest distance. Defence ponies performed significantly more abrupt halts (P=0.007), walk to gallop transitions (P=0.017) and sudden changes in direction (P=0.01) than midfield ponies and more of each manoeuvre than attack ponies, although this was not significant. It is important that the physical demands placed upon polocrosse ponies are investigated further; this will allow identification of injury risk factors, inform training programmes and improve the performance and welfare of the horses involved.

A comparison between the nutritive value of short-cutting cycle, high temperature-dried alfalfa and timothy hay for horses

The objective was to evaluate the nutritive value of short-cutting cycle, high temperature-dried (SCCHTD) alfalfa compared to timothy hay. This was achieved by carrying out 4 x 4 Latin Square digestibility trial using 4 Thoroughbred (one three-quarter Thoroughbred) horses (mean liveweight, 531 kg). The four dietary treatments were 0AA (timothy hay only), 33AA (0.33 alfalfa: 0.67 timothy hay), 67AA (0.67 alfalfa: 0.33 timothy hay) and 100AA (alfalfa only). Digestibility data were obtained by using acid-insoluble ash to estimate apparent digestibility coefficients of nutrients. Rate of passage of the feedstuff was determined using chromium-mordanted hay. Plasma triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations were estimated. The digestibilities of organic matter (0.63), energy (0.57) and crude protein (0.74) of the alfalfa were significantly (P less than 0.001) higher than those for the hay (0.45, 0.43 and 0.36 respectively). The fibre components of alfalfa and hay were digested to the same extent but the ether extract of alfalfa was less well digested. Alfalfa saponins had no consistently significant effects on plasma cholesterol and triglyceride values but may contribute to the negative digestibility of alfalfa ether extract. We conclude that SCCHTD alfalfa is of much higher nutritive value than timothy hay when fed to Thoroughbred horses.

Potential of alfalfa as a source of calcium for calcium deficient horses

The potential of short-cutting cycle, high temperature-dried alfalfa as a source of calcium for horses was determined by means of a 4 x 4 Latin square digestibility trial using four thoroughbred horses (mean liveweight 531 kg). The four dietary treatments were timothy hay alone, 33 per cent alfalfa and 67 per cent timothy hay, 67 per cent alfalfa and 33 per cent timothy hay, and alfalfa alone. Significantly more calcium and magnesium were absorbed from the alfalfa than from the hay. Phosphorus absorption appeared to be unaffected by treatment. Alfalfa calcium was more available than timothy hay calcium (apparent absorption coefficients of 0.78 and 0.15, respectively) and there was less variation between individual horses in their ability to absorb calcium from alfalfa. Horses fed alfalfa had significantly higher creatinine clearance ratios for calcium (P less than 0.01) and magnesium (P less than 0.001) than horses fed hay, but the creatinine clearance ratio for phosphorus was lower in horses fed hay alone.