Injuries Among Young Horses During Turnout

Young horses engage in roughhousing for many reasons: as playful release of energy, as an assertion of dominance and, perhaps most exasperating, as a way of worrying their owners. At times, this playfulness comes at a steep price, notably injuries.

In an effort to correlate turnout practices and musculoskeletal injury and disease in young Thoroughbreds, researchers reviewed the management records of 134 foals on six stud farms in England.^* Records were kept from birth until the young horses left the farm. Researchers recorded key management factors: dates of musculoskeletal injuries or diseases attended to by veterinarians, and average daily turnout times (hours) and turnout areas (acres) every seven and 30 days.

According to the researchers, the “results suggest disruptions or alterations to turnout time routines increase injury risk and should be avoided where possible. Turnout in larger paddocks, particularly prior to weaning, may confer protection against subsequent musculoskeletal disease and injury.”

“The advantages of exercise for young, growing horses should not be undervalued. Daily exercise helps build strong, resilient bones, so turnout should be an integral part of managing horses for long-term soundness,” said Catherine Whitehouse, M.S., a Kentucky Equine Research nutrition advisor.

Occasionally, though, injury dictates young horses be placed on stall rest. For long periods of stall rest, Whitehouse said, a supplement designed to support bone health, such as DuraPlex or Triacton, should be offered.

DuraPlex is a proprietary blend of specific proteins, minerals, and vitamins scientifically proven to increase bone mineral density and bone area in growing horses. In stall-rest scenarios, DuraPlex prevents demineralization of bone. Triacton is a triple-action supplement designed to improve bone density and support digestive health in horses. The pelleted supplement contains an array of highly bioavailable minerals and vitamins essential for sound skeletal development and maintenance, as well as optimal function of the gastrointestinal tract.

Check out all of the bone health options from KER Targeted Nutrition.

^*Mouncey, R., J.C. Arango-Sabogal, A.M. de Mestre, and K.L. Verheyen. 2022. Associations between turn out practices and musculoskeletal disease and injury in Thoroughbred foals and yearlings. Equine Veterinary Journal:31_13855:20-21.