Warrenton Horse Works, LLC

Participation Sought on Performance Horse Management Survey

University of California, Davis (UC Davis), researchers are seeking participants for an online survey regarding performance horse management.

Claudia Sonder, DVM, director of the UC Davis Center for Equine Health, is conducting a study that she hopes will help identify links between performance horse management practices with musculoskeletal health, injury, and performance.

"The survey contains questions about the management practices of horse owners and how they might relate to the musculoskeletal health and performance of their horses," Sonder said. "The findings will be used to design research studies to fill gaps in knowledge and establish science-based recommendations for preventing injury in equine athletes."

And, she said, advancing scientific knowledge that can help prevent injury in equine athletes benefits everyone: the horses, the owners, and the industry.

"We need input from a large population in order to identify any trends in human behavior that could be correlated with the health and performance of horses," Sonder added.

The study, which takes about 10 minutes to complete, is available at http://tinyurl.com/qzm3pws.