Assessment of the condition of the musculoskeletal system sports horses in the Middle Urals
Purpose. Evaluation of the effectiveness methods of visual diagnostics of diseases of the musculoskeletal system sports horses and the spread of diseases in equestrian clubs in the Middle Urals. Methods. The analysis of the diagnostic capabilities of X-ray and ultrasound research 31 sports horses of different age categories was carried out. Some of the animals had pronounced clinical signs of pathologies. The results obtained showed that 65 different pathologies were detected in 30 out of 31 examined horses, that is, in 96.7 % of animals. Disorders of the toe axis, fractures and cracks, convergence of spinous processes, end hoof, tendinitis, arthrosis of 2 nd , 3 rd , 4 th degrees, including 1 st degree, clinically not expressed were most often recorded. In young animals under the age of 1 year, such pathologies as violation of the finger axis and cracks in the bones prevail, from 1 to 3 years of age, fractures of the coffin bone were recorded, the appearance of the end hoof and a violation of the finger axis predominated, while in these groups of animals no pathologies were recorded during ultrasound. Thus, according to the results of visual diagnostics in the age groups from 0 to 3 years, there are on average 1.6 pathologies per horse, and in the age groups from 3 years and older, there are 2.3 pathologies per horse. Based on the above, we can conclude that the complex use of visual diagnostic methods has shown high efficiency in assessing the state of the musculoskeletal system in animals of all age groups. Scientific novelty. In the conditions of equestrian clubs in the Middle Urals, the most common diseases of the musculoskeletal system in sports horses have been identified and the most effective methods for their diagnosis have been determined.