Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

This study was performed to examine whether horses that are kept alone in small
paddocks are less likely to suffer injuries, compared to horses kept in bigger
enclosures with the company of other horses, or not. In not yet published research
material from 2005, risk factors associated with “accidental injuries” versus “wear
and tear injuries” (represented by trauma injury and fetlock inflammation
respectively), were compared. That material, based on the results of 507 returned
questionnaires from owners of horses in a Swedish insurance company, included
questions about paddock/pasture confinement. The results from those questions
were then analyzed in this study in a so called case-control study, in which the
groups with trauma and fetlock inflammation were compared to a healthy control
group.

The results show that the risk of fetlock inflammation is greater in a small
confinement, OR for inflammation in a small paddock is 2,2 (95% KI 1,2-3,9)
compared to a bigger paddock. “Small paddock without company” is also a risk
factor for fetlock inflammation compared to “big paddock with company”, OR 2,4
(955 KI 1,1-5,0) and so is “big paddock without company” and “small paddock
with company”, with OR 2,9 (95% KI 1,2-7,3) and OR 2,4 (95% KI 1,1-5,3)
respectively. The results also show that daily outdoor confinement that exceed 10
hours can be considered a protective factor for both fetlock inflammation, OR 0,3
(95% KI 0,1-0,7) and traumatic injury, OR 0,4 (95% KI 0,2-0,8) compared to
outdoor confinement 6-10 hours per day. The data indicates that the risk for
fetlock inflammation may be less when the ground surface is hilly and/or contains
wood, but this could not be confirmed due to the small number of horses that were
kept on such grounds, 120 compared to 368 horses that had flat surface in their
paddocks/pastures (19 questionnaires were missing information about this). The
conclusion is that an association between how the horse is kept and the risk for
trauma and fetlock inflammation have been observed in this study. However,
confounding factors may affect the results, but if the findings turn out to be
durable in larger prospective studies and the etiologic fractions are considered to
be of importance, the guidance concerning horse keeping for improved health
should be clarified.