Garlinghouse S E, Burrill M J
Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona 91768, USA.
Equine Vet J Suppl. 1999 Jul(30):591-5. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1999.tb05290.x.
Three-hundred and sixty horses, primarily of Arabian breeding, age 5-22 years and body conditions scores 1.5-5.5 (on 1 to 9 scale as described by Henneke 1985), participated in one of two 160 km endurance races over the same course in August 1995 and July 1996. Condition score, cannon bone circumference, combined rider and tack weight, heart girth and body length were measured 11-18 h prior to the start of the event and bodyweight estimated according to the formula by Carroll and Huntington (1988). A rider weight ratio was calculated as rider weight divided by horse bodyweight. Rider weight and rider weight ratio had no effect on overall completion rates among all horses (P > 0.05). Among horses successfully completing the course, rider weight and rider weight ratio had no effect on finish time or placing (P > 0.05). Among horses who were eliminated, rider weight and rider weight ratio had no effect on miles completed before failure (P > 0.05). Condition scores had a significant effect on completion rate (P < 0.001). Distance successfully completed increased 31.81 km (19.88 miles) for each incremental increase of 1 in condition score (P < 0.001). Within the group of unsuccessful horses, there was a significant difference in condition score between horses who failed due to metabolic and nonmetabolic factors (P < 0.001). It was concluded that condition score is a more important factor in endurance performance than has been previously believed, and that condition score is a more important factor than is the weight of the rider, or the rider weight in relation to the weight of the mount.
1995年8月和1996年7月，360匹马参加了在同一路线上举行的两场160公里耐力赛中的一场，这些马主要为阿拉伯血统，年龄在5至22岁之间，身体状况评分为1.5至5.5（按照亨内克1985年描述的1至9分制）。在赛事开始前11至18小时测量身体状况评分、管骨周长、骑手和装备总重量、胸围和体长，并根据卡罗尔和亨廷顿（1988年）的公式估算体重。计算骑手体重比，即骑手体重除以马体重。骑手体重和骑手体重比在所有马匹中的总体完成率方面没有影响（P>0.05）。在成功完成赛程的马匹中，骑手体重和骑手体重比在完赛时间或名次方面没有影响（P>0.05）。在被淘汰的马匹中，骑手体重和骑手体重比在失败前完成的英里数方面没有影响（P>0.05）。身体状况评分对完成率有显著影响（P<0.001）。身体状况评分每增加1分，成功完成的距离增加31.81公里（19.88英里）（P<0.001）。在未成功的马匹组中，因代谢和非代谢因素失败的马匹之间身体状况评分存在显著差异（P<0.001）。得出的结论是，身体状况评分在耐力表现中是比之前认为的更重要的因素，并且身体状况评分比骑手体重或骑手体重与坐骑体重的关系更重要。
