tunnel vision anyone? - Pace and Cap

Tim Y · 08-30-2023, 12:41 PM

In all this concern (and rightly so) about rash of breakdowns at both CD and Saratoga, it is downright comical that ALL are being blamed on their respective courses (most of which have not changed one iota in years) rather than explore a wider number of POTENTIAL reasons (drug over use: The administration of furosemide resulted in a significant increase in calcium excretion in the treated group; urinary calcium excretion almost doubled that of the controls during the first 24-hr collection (3.74 + 0.44 mg in the treated animals compared with 1.90 f 0.15 mg in the controls; P < 0.05). .less calcium available, slower replacement in protein matrix of Calcium hydroxyapatite
https://www.nature.com/articles/pr1980517.pdf.
2) training procedures
3) Breeding speed to speed (mostly from sires that broke down themselves) by commercial breeders who want a quick turnaround in their investments. Taking this short cut through precocity just will not work long term.

It is this last area of evaluation that needs further investigation. I don't have data to substantiate it, but I would wager that measurements of pastern circumference in horse running in the 40's as compared to today would show a marked decrease in bulk. Less bulk, weaker bone and coupled with the known Calcium duresis from furosemide, that spells a double whammy against any long term soundness.

08-30-2023, 12:41 PM	#1
Tim Y turf historian Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 6,455	tunnel vision anyone? In all this concern (and rightly so) about rash of breakdowns at both CD and Saratoga, it is downright comical that ALL are being blamed on their respective courses (most of which have not changed one iota in years) rather than explore a wider number of POTENTIAL reasons (drug over use: The administration of furosemide resulted in a significant increase in calcium excretion in the treated group; urinary calcium excretion almost doubled that of the controls during the first 24-hr collection (3.74 + 0.44 mg in the treated animals compared with 1.90 f 0.15 mg in the controls; P < 0.05). .less calcium available, slower replacement in protein matrix of Calcium hydroxyapatite https://www.nature.com/articles/pr1980517.pdf. 2) training procedures 3) Breeding speed to speed (mostly from sires that broke down themselves) by commercial breeders who want a quick turnaround in their investments. Taking this short cut through precocity just will not work long term. It is this last area of evaluation that needs further investigation. I don't have data to substantiate it, but I would wager that measurements of pastern circumference in horse running in the 40's as compared to today would show a marked decrease in bulk. Less bulk, weaker bone and coupled with the known Calcium duresis from furosemide, that spells a double whammy against any long term soundness. __________________ Albert Einstein:"The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind."