Could mile-long trots protect young foals from lower-leg fractures later in life? Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) are evaluating the long-term effects of a moderately strenuous exercise plan on bone development in foals. Lower-leg fractures are a major welfare concern in horses that race or jump competitively, but they can happen in any horse. Understanding the impact of early exercise on growing horses – most horses don’t reach complete skeletal maturity until they’re at least 4 years old – could help prevent fractures. Most … Continue reading Could trotting help protect foals from lower-leg fractures?