Current Research

Injections of corticosteroids are used to reduce inflammation inside a horse's joint. In adult horses with osteoarthritis, these injections have been shown to provide relief and improve movement. However, very little is known about how these injections affect young, healthy horses—especially those just beginning a training program.

In recent years, more owners of young performance horses have requested these injections, hoping to reduce inflammation and allow their horses to return to training. With limited scientific evidence about the risks and benefits for healthy joints, questions remain about whether this is the right approach.

To help fill that gap, researchers conducted a study supported by the American Quarter Horse Foundation. The study focused on 24 two-year-old Quarter Horses in a structured training program designed to reflect the demands of early performance horse training. The horses were divided into three groups: one received a low dose (6 mg) of a corticosteroid called triamcinolone acetonide, another received a higher dose (12 mg), and the third group received no corticosteroid injection (the control group).

Here’s what the study found:

• The injections did reduce joint inflammation, which is the expected and desired effect.
• However, researchers also observed changes in the cartilage inside the joint. For about 7 to 14 days after the injection, the cartilage was both breaking down and being rebuilt—this process is known as cartilage turnover.
• This suggests that, even though inflammation is reduced, the joint is still going through changes that could affect long-term joint health.
• Importantly, the lower dose appeared to be just as effective as the higher dose, which could influence future treatment decisions.

These findings are important for veterinarians, trainers, and horse owners. While joint injections may help young horses stay comfortable during training, it's also essential to think about how they might affect joint health in the long term. Giving horses adequate time to rest after injections may help protect the cartilage while still managing inflammation.

More research is needed to fully understand how to support joint health in young horses in training. The results of this study will be shared at scientific conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. The American Quarter Horse Foundation looks forward to providing more updates as this research continues.

Here is a brief video with Dr. Leatherwood discussing this exciting research!

Project:

Title: Response of Healthy Joints to Intra-articular Corticosteroids in Young, Exercising Quarter Horses

Year: 2022

University: Tarleton State University

Primary Investigator: Dr. Jessica Leatherwood