Performance Medicine
Evaluating the Equine Athlete
Changes in athletic performance may reflect respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neuromuscular, metabolic, or other medical factors—sometimes in the absence of obvious signs of illness.
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Performance medicine brings these systems into a focused evaluation of the equine athlete, considering the horse’s medical history, discipline, workload, clinical findings, and specific performance concerns. Diagnostic testing is selected according to the individual horse and the demands of the sport.
WHEN TO PURSUE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
Beyond Lameness: Medical Investigation of Poor Performance
Not every performance issue presents as an obvious illness or injury. Subtle changes in stamina, recovery, breathing, or overall performance may warrant a more comprehensive medical evaluation.
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A performance medicine evaluation may be appropriate for horses experiencing:
Reduced stamina or exercise capacity
A change in athletic performance or consistency
Abnormal respiratory noise, cough, nosebleeds
Prolonged recovery from exercise
Behavioral changes
A need for objective assessment of fitness
Muscle stiffness or tying up
Reluctance to move forward
Tripping without lameness
Inconsistent performance
ADVANCED PERFORMANCE DIAGNOSTICS
Where Technology meets Clinical Expertise
Advanced diagnostic tools provide detailed information about the equine athlete, but their value depends on how those findings are interpreted. High-resolution imaging and endoscopy, dynamic respiratory evaluation, exercise testing, cardiac monitoring, muscle assessment, and specialized laboratory diagnostics are selected and interpreted within the context of the horse’s clinical findings and performance demands.
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Board-certified expertise in equine internal medicine brings these findings together, distinguishing clinically meaningful abnormalities from incidental findings and determining their relevance to performance.
