What is the Pride Project?  (And what’s in it for me and my horse?)

Click here for info on interpreting your Results 

Barney Fleming, DVM

Few people will disagree with the statement that endurance riding is a strenuous sport on the part of both horse and rider, requiring superior athleticism and talent to accomplish it well at any level.  As a consequence of the extreme nature of the sport, our horses are subject to significant metabolic stress that, despite best efforts, sometimes requires veterinary intervention and treatment to protect the health of the horse.  The entire system of veterinary inspection and checkpoints has been developed with the best interests of the horse in mind.  And yet, specific and focused research on endurance horses continues to be in short supply as compared to the wealth of data available for the moneyed sports such as Thoroughbred racing.

In response to this shortage of baseline data, several concerned people involved in the sport of endurance developed the Pride Project.  These people realized that there is a definite shortage of metabolic data on the horses that participate in the many everyday rides around the country, leaving the rider and veterinarians sometimes guessing as to the horse’s true physiological status.  At best, that lack means a ‘hole’ in developing a common sense management strategy.  At worst, it sometimes means a horse that checked through with good vet scores all day and suddenly and unexpectedly crashes with devastating results. 

There is also the need to collect and analyze information regarding “normal” ranges for our horses.  Many existing reference points don’t seem to apply to long distance horses---does this mean that different values might exist for distance horses, or does it mean that endurance horses are undergoing more stress and potential injury that we are currently aware of?  In the past, the vast majority of endurance-related data has been garnered from high profile, more competitive rides, which may or may not represent the average endurance competitor.  In addition, much of the data is in private hands and relatively little of the resulting conclusions ever return to the endurance community in the form of easy-to-understand and applicable education.  In order to raise the level of care for the horse, and continue to reduce the number of metabolic pulls and treatments, a comprehensive database of normal values must first exist.

There are three phases to reach the eventual goals of the Pride Project.  The first and most time-consuming phase is the collection of physical and blood-derived data from horses before, during and after competition.  This information not only contributes to the expanding research database, but as well immediately benefits the rider and their veterinarian by providing concise and detailed data to identify and correct any existing performance problems.  The second phase of the project will involve the compilation and statistical analysis of data to identify trends, establish normal and abnormal values and help provide guidelines in the identification and prevention of metabolic disease and injury.  The final phase of the project is the development of testing services throughout the country and dissemination of information to help better identify and treat horses at risk.

Data collection for the first phase of the project started in October of 1999 and currently includes over 160 horses competing at all distances and under varying conditions.  Riders from the Southwest, Pacific Southwest, Mountain and Central regions have participated to date, with future expansion to other rides and regions planned as rider interest and participation develops.  We are encouraged that both riders and ride managers are understanding the value of on-the-spot data, and are beginning to request their inclusion in the Pride Project schedule.  The parameters currently being tested are comprehensive---each test includes weight, condition score, serum levels of electrolytes, blood gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, the parameters which determine acid-base regulation, dehydration, liver and muscle enzymes, immune status, glucose, platelets, hematology such as red blood cells and hemoglobin content.  As these parameters are measured three times during a ride---before, during and after---trends can be identified to determine not only if a problem exists, but where its origin and cause might lie.  For example, a depletion in electrolytes late in the day might demonstrate the need for a more aggressive electrolyting program.  Increases in albumin might indicate that a consistent problem with slow gut sounds is related to dehydration.  A drastic drop in glucose may explain “hitting the wall”, and spikes in muscle enzymes can provide clues to muscle cramps or dark urine.

Testing equipment consists of three components.  Thanks to the donation by Sportack of a digital scale, we are able to weigh horses throughout a ride to evaluate weight loss and analyze statistical data as to the effects that weight has on performance.  With the Pride Projects purchase of the Heska iStat blood chemistry analyzer, we are able to accurately measure on the spot electrolytes, blood components and parameters of acid-base balance, all invaluable in determining current metabolic status before, during and after a ride.  In the past, these values could only be determined by sending blood samples to a testing laboratory, preventing immediate application during a competitive ride.  While many tests, such as those evaluating immune status and enzyme activity, must still be determined by a diagnostic lab (the third testing component), rapidly advancing technology is making fast and accurate results more and more available.  These lab results are later mailed to the rider so that they and their veterinarian can determine whether problems exist and how to manage them.  The results are accompanied by a detailed explanation of what each test is for, and what abnormal values could mean.

In the spring of 2000, the Pride Project joined forces with Chiron Research Foundation (headed by Susan Garlinghouse) to expand the scope of data collection.  At the Swanton Pacific 100 in August of 2000, the two research groups and numerous volunteers collected data on forty horses, or 95% of the starting field.  This project not only added to the expanding database, but also allowed statistical comparisons within the field to help further determine the effects of certain physical measurements, such as weight, speed, management strategies and nutrition.  After preliminary analysis, the results are indicating new information about endurance horses---that previous beliefs about rehydration ability may not be entirely true, that vet scores and blood results often do not agree, and that the immune system may be considerably more stressed than previously thought.  Plans are under development to continue entire-field data collection at other rides under differing trail and climate conditions.  Once analysis is complete, the results will be made available in an educational format within AERC and the scientific journals.

Where does the Pride Project go from here?  Research is never a quick or easy process and a project of this scope and nature will only be successful with rider participation.  Support will ensure its ongoing efforts, and apathy will guarantee its failure.  If ever there was a situation that justified the phrase Carpe Diem, undoubtedly this is the project and the opportunity.  For further information about Pride Project schedule and participation, contact Barney Fleming, DVM at 605-673-6005, or endurancevet@zianet.com

Thanks to Susan Garlinghouse MS and the Chiron Research Foundation for their support. And to Susan for her help in writing this article.

Click here for info on interpreting your Results