Are There Risk Factors for Foot Pain and Can Clinical Features Predict Specific Injuries?

Risk factors for injury
Although foot-related lameness is common, most information concerning risk factors for injury is anecdotal. The objectives were to investigate risk factors for foot-related pain in a referral population of horses, with particular reference to injury/disease of the podotrochlear apparatus (PTA), by comparison with the remainder of the clinic population (Parkes et al. 2012). It was hypothesised that there would be an increased risk of foot pain associated with breed, work discipline, age, height and bodyweight. A retrospective study of all horses examined at the Animal Health Trust between 2001 and 2010 was performed. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed.

There were 4618 horses, 1132 of which had foot pain. There was increased risk of foot pain in multivariable analyses (all categories combined) in horses aged 6–9 and 10–15 years (odds ratio [OR] = 1.60 and 1.72, respectively) compared with horses <6 years old; in showjumpers (OR = 1.44) compared with dressage horses; Thoroughbred cross breeds (OR = 1.53) compared with Warmbloods; and in horses with a bodyweight (BW):height ratio in the upper 2 quartiles (3.45–3.71 or >3.71; OR = 1.55 and 1.44, respectively) compared with the lowest quartile (<3.19). Racehorses had reduced risk for all types of foot pain combined (OR = 0.13) compared with dressage horses (horses used for unaffiliated competition were classified as general purpose). [...]