Weller Dominic, Franklin Samantha, White Peter, Shea Glenn, Fenner Kate, Wilson Bethany, Wilkins Cristina, McGreevy Paul
Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, 1454 Mudla Wirra Road, Roseworthy, SA 5371, Australia.
Animals (Basel). 2021 Feb 26;11(3):622. doi: 10.3390/ani11030622.
This article reports on the results of a survey of racehorse trainers ( = 112) outlining the reasons for tongue-tie (TT) and noseband (NB) use by Thoroughbred trainers (TBTs) ( = 72) and Standardbred trainers (SBTs) ( = 40). The study also investigated the reported effectiveness of TTs and possible complications arising from their use. Tongue-tie use was reported by 62.5% ( = 70) of racehorse trainers. The reasons for TT use varied between TBTs and SBTs. For TBTs, the most common reason for TT use was to prevent or reduce airway obstruction (72.3%, = 34), followed closely by to prevent or reduce airway noise (55.3%, = 16). Standardbred trainers assigned equal importance for TT use [to prevent or reduce airway obstruction (69.6%, = 16) and to prevent the horse from moving its tongue over the bit (69.6%, = 16)]. Tongue-ties were considered significantly less effective at improving performance than at reducing airway obstruction and preventing the tongue from moving over the bit ( = -2.700, = 0.0007). For respondents who used both TTs and NBs, there was a mild to moderate positive association between the reasons for using TTs and NBs. Of the 70 TT-using respondents, 51.4% ( = 36) recorded having encountered either a physical or behavioural complication due to TT use, with redness/bruising of the tongue (20.0%, = 14) being the most common physical complication reported. Duration of use influenced the risk of observing complications. The likelihood of a respondent reporting a behavioural complication due to TT use increased with every minute of reported application and a nine-minute increment in application period doubled the odds of a respondent reporting a complication. Tightness was a risk factor for physical complications: Checking TT tightness by noting the tongue as not moving was associated with increased reporting of physical complications (OR = 6.59; CI 1.1-67.5). This pilot study provides some insight into how and why TTs are applied by some racehorse trainers, and the potential risks associated with their use. A further study of a larger cohort is recommended because these results are valid for only the 112 trainers who responded and cannot be generalized to the equine industry.
本文报告了一项针对赛马训练师（(n = 112)）的调查结果，概述了纯种马训练师（(n = 72)）和标准马训练师（(n = 40)）使用舌系带（TT）和鼻带（NB）的原因。该研究还调查了所报告的舌系带的有效性以及使用舌系带可能产生的并发症。62.5%（(n = 70)）的赛马训练师报告使用了舌系带。纯种马训练师和标准马训练师使用舌系带的原因各不相同。对于纯种马训练师而言，使用舌系带最常见的原因是预防或减少气道阻塞（72.3%，(n = 34)），紧随其后的是预防或减少气道噪音（55.3%，(n = 16)）。标准马训练师认为使用舌系带在预防或减少气道阻塞（69.6%，(n = 16)）以及防止马匹将舌头越过衔铁（69.6%，(n = 16)）方面具有同等重要性。与减少气道阻塞和防止舌头越过衔铁相比，舌系带在提高性能方面被认为效果显著较差（(t = -2.700)，(P = 0.0007)）。对于同时使用舌系带和鼻带的受访者，使用舌系带和鼻带的原因之间存在轻度至中度的正相关。在70位使用舌系带的受访者中，51.4%（(n = 36)）记录到因使用舌系带而遇到身体或行为方面的并发症，舌头发红/瘀伤（20.0%，(n = 14)）是报告中最常见的身体并发症。使用时长会影响观察到并发症的风险。因使用舌系带而报告行为并发症的受访者的可能性随着报告的使用时长每分钟增加，且使用时长每增加9分钟，受访者报告并发症的几率就会翻倍。松紧度是身体并发症的一个风险因素：通过注意舌头不动来检查舌系带松紧度与身体并发症报告的增加相关（比值比 = 6.59；置信区间1.1 - 67.5）。这项初步研究为一些赛马训练师如何以及为何应用舌系带以及与使用舌系带相关的潜在风险提供了一些见解。建议对更大的群体进行进一步研究，因为这些结果仅对112位做出回应的训练师有效，不能推广到整个马业。
