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Early Training and Skeletal Adaptation in Horses
During the early stages of training a horse’s bones are placed under increasing physical load and their musculoskeletal system begins to adapt to the exercise and the forces associated with it.
The Bone Conditioning Period – A Critical Window for Equine Bone Health
Often referred to as the “bone conditioning” period, the first 6-8 weeks of training have the potential to be the most disruptive to the bones and joints of the skeletal system. If not managed well this period can not only cause skeletal issues at the time but can also lead to an increased likelihood of having issues, such as stress fractures, as the season progresses.
Bone Remodelling in Horses – Why Early Exercise Builds Stronger Bone
Bone is a dynamic tissue that constantly remodels in response to the physical forces placed upon it. Whilst we may think of the intense exercise incurred in the later stages of training as being more impactful to the skeleton, we should not forget how important the earlier response of the skeleton is to exercise for laying down sound, integral bone that will be better prepped to deal with the forces incurred by more intense exercise at a later stage.
Nutritional Requirements for Bone Conditioning in Training Horses
During the bone conditioning period there is an increased demand for nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, protein, vitamin D, copper and zinc. Crucially, these increased nutritional demands come at a time when concentrate feed intake may be relatively low to reflect the low intensity workload and to encourage a calm head in youngsters.
This combination of increased demand for nutrients and lower feed intakes could result in a specific deficiency just as the skeletal system needs optimal nutritional support. To try and combat this issue without adding unnecessary energy into the diet through more concentrate feed, we can look to supplement these key nutrients throughout the period.
Nutritional Support for Bone Conditioning in Horses in Training
Foran Equine OSTEO-GLYCAN can support horses in training throughout this bone conditioning period and beyond, by providing optimal levels of these key nutrients and balancing the most common imbalances that may be present in the horse’s forage.
Learn More About Equine Bone Formation and Nutritional Support
Read more about bone formation, strength, and nutritional support here https://www.redmillshorse.com/nutritional-hub/nutritional-articles/racehorse-bone-health/
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