Moine Sébastien, Flammer Shannon Axiak, de Jesus Maia-Nussbaumer Päivi, Klopfenstein Bregger Micaël D, Gerber Vincent
a Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences , Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine, University of Bern and Agroscope , Bern , Switzerland.
Vet Q. 2017 Dec;37(1):195-199. doi: 10.1080/01652176.2017.1329598.
This study attempted to determine: (1) if degree of dental malocclusion assigned prior to dental treatment was associated with equine rideability, assessed using a standardized score and (2) if performance dentistry improved this score.
Thirty-eight Franches-Montagnes stallions.
All horses were examined and assigned a dental malocclusion score by a veterinary dentist and randomized into two groups: sham treatment (Group S) and performance dentistry including occlusal equilibration (Group D). The horses were ridden twice before and three times after treatment by a professional dressage rider (unaware of treatment allocation). The horses were assigned a rideability score using a 27-point scale. The malocclusion score was compared to the average of the first two rideability scores using Spearman's coefficient of rank. Change in rideability scores over time was assessed by repeated measures ANOVA. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.
There was no correlation between dental score and rideability score prior to treatment (r = 0.06, P = 0.73). In addition, there were no differences in the rideability score between treatment groups or as an interaction of treatment group and time (P = 0.93, P = 0.83, respectively).
In conclusion, we were unable to show that performance dentistry improved equine rideability assessed by rider scoring. The addition of more objective measurement tools and a longer assessment period may help to scientifically prove what is anecdotally believed.
本研究试图确定：（1）牙科治疗前确定的牙齿错颌程度是否与马匹的可骑乘性相关（使用标准化评分进行评估），以及（2）功能性牙科是否能提高该评分。
38匹弗朗什-蒙塔涅种公马。
所有马匹均由兽医牙医进行检查并给予牙齿错颌评分，然后随机分为两组：假治疗组（S组）和包括咬合平衡的功能性牙科治疗组（D组）。在治疗前，由一名专业盛装舞步骑手骑乘马匹两次，治疗后骑乘三次（骑手不知道治疗分配情况）。使用27分制为马匹评定可骑乘性评分。使用Spearman等级系数将错颌评分与前两个可骑乘性评分的平均值进行比较。通过重复测量方差分析评估可骑乘性评分随时间的变化。统计学显著性设定为P < 0.05。
治疗前牙齿评分与可骑乘性评分之间无相关性（r = 0.06，P = 0.73）。此外，治疗组之间的可骑乘性评分或作为治疗组与时间的交互作用均无差异（分别为P = 0.93，P = 0.83）。
总之，我们无法证明功能性牙科能提高骑手评分评估的马匹可骑乘性。增加更多客观测量工具和延长评估期可能有助于科学地证明人们凭经验所相信的事情。
