The horse and sport are an inseparable pairing. Born to run, jump and buck across open countryside, the equine animal most important to humankind expresses all its qualities precisely through sporting activity. But keeping a horse permanently in shape requires a number of important precautions, careful prevention and an understanding of the mechanisms that underpin our friend's health.

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Breeds and sporting activity

In industrialised countries today, horses are bred almost exclusively for sport, and breeds are selected precisely to favour the development of individuals ever better suited to a particular discipline. "At the heart of breeding are planned crossings aimed at continuously improving breed standards and producing horses that are, physically and metabolically, increasingly in line with competitive performance," explains Dr Carlotta Caminiti, veterinary surgeon. "For each equestrian discipline there are animals suited to it, and if you want to compete at certain levels you simply cannot do without them. Quarter horses, for example, are particularly well suited to American disciplines such as reining. In reality, some people have used other breeds such as Arabians or Haflingers, but no other type of horse has ever proved a match for the quarter horse."

Show jumpers are also selected for their sport, and even as youngsters they can be seen clearing small obstacles in the paddock with great ease, displaying an early aptitude that you would never see in a trotter which, with its long, straight back, would struggle to jump. "There can certainly be exceptions: history has seen trotters in show jumping competitions and even mules in reining events, but these have truly been rare cases," Caminiti continues. "It is generally wrong to try to force nature by using horses for competitive activities poorly suited to their conformation, but there are individuals such as Thoroughbreds who, if unsuited to the flat racing track (what they are usually bred for), are easily reintegrated into other equestrian contexts, such as eventing competitions."

The sport horse and daily wellbeing

Horses used for sport, especially at high levels, must be managed with the greatest care if the best performance is to be achieved. Here is what Dr Caminiti recommends on the subject: "Adequate nutrition made up of quality hay in the right quantities and feed tailored to the individual horse's particular needs (in terms of sporting aptitude, physical conformation, type of work required and any issues specific to that individual); quality free time (not confined to a stable for most of the day if at all possible) and appropriate work that is effective (because chronic muscle fatigue is very debilitating both physically and psychologically, even for horses) — these form the foundation of a contented animal that is willing to cooperate. The winning horse-and-rider partnerships are those that pay the closest attention to the needs of both." Horses used merely as a means to achieve certain sporting results, with no regard for their wellbeing and specific needs, will never reach their goals and victories, entirely to the rider's detriment.

The sport horse and health

Horses that engage in sporting activity are more susceptible to orthopaedic conditions, respiratory problems and gastritis, often caused by the stress or management issues to which they are subjected. "Acute trauma or wear and tear resulting from work — perhaps sustained over several years in horses that are no longer young — generally underlies the orthopaedic problems that cause riders so much despair, forcing them to withdraw from competitions to allow the animal time to recover," notes Carlotta Caminiti. "And a period of rest is not always sufficient. Managing an injured horse is in fact extremely important for its recovery: if even a single detail is handled incorrectly, the problem persists."

For this reason, specialist clinics exist where horses can receive dedicated care and appropriate rehabilitation, shortening recovery times and reducing the risk of relapse. And supplements are widely used in an effort to address problems of this kind. "As with human athletes, physiotherapy equipment and highly effective rehabilitation protocols are employed," the expert notes.

And now for nutrition. Almost 80 per cent of horses living in stables suffer from gastritis precisely because the management is not suited to their specific needs. "Horses are physiologically built to graze for most of the time, whereas in stables they are often left with a quantity of hay that lasts only a few hours. The stomach, which in nature is almost never empty in a horse, cannot lower its pH level too far without the gastric wall suffering and inevitable gastritis developing, which in the most serious cases can even become an ulcer," warns Carlotta Caminiti. For this reason, horses should have the opportunity to eat hay in small amounts but frequently, so that the stomach is never left empty for too many consecutive hours.

Dusty hay in enclosed environments such as stables is also at the root of serious respiratory problems capable of negatively affecting a horse's sporting career. Individuals whose noses are constantly in contact with dust frequently develop an allergy with bronchoconstriction which, if it persists over time, becomes a chronic condition known as RAV, caused by permanent alteration of the lung structure. "Horses with RAV are called 'broken-winded' and are incapable of achieving sufficient gas exchange to perform in sport. In the most serious cases these animals have a permanently compromised quality of life, even when resting in a field," explains Dr Caminiti.

Bronchitis that is neglected and therefore not adequately treated with antibiotics, mucolytics and bronchodilators can cause chronic respiratory problems in horses. Sport horses, but indeed all horses in general, must live in healthy, well-ventilated and clean environments and eat hay that is not dusty. When they fall ill, they must be properly treated with the help of a specialist veterinarian; otherwise they will be unable to work and will in time develop chronic conditions for which there is no solution. This too is part of what goes into producing a good sport horse, and never more than in these cases are prevention and specialist expertise the foundation of optimal wellbeing.