20
TheHorse.com THE HORSE September 2015
housing. "A lot of horses in this world are
stabled, and we see a lot of recurrent air-
way obstruction (RAO, historically known
as heaves, which is similar to asthma in
humans), especially in the older popula-
tion. There's an increasing number of
senior horses suffering from asthma, and
at least in Denmark it's one of the main
reasons for vet calls (in this population).
So having a better understanding of air-
way function in older horses is critical."
2
Inflamm-aging might prevent
muscle bulk in seniors
University of Connecticut researchers
reviewed a series of studies on inflam-
mation and inflammatory mediators and
their impact on how muscle cells respond
to exercise. They also looked at how satel-
lite cells—muscle stem cells near skeletal
muscle fibers—react to athletic activity
in horses of different ages. Satellite cells
play a role in maintaining muscle mass
and hypertrophy (bulk).
What they found Exercise might not
stimulate satellite cells in senior horses
the way it does in younger horses, prob-
ably because of the "pro-inflammatory
environment," the researchers say. This
means seniors likely don't build or main-
tain muscle bulk well, despite exercising.
Why this study is important Riders
hoping to keep their senior horses fit for
sport need to be aware of the biological
limitations on those aging muscles, the
study authors report.
Take-Home Message
The senior horse population is grow-
ing and with it our knowledge about its
health and welfare. "Maybe 15 years ago
we didn't realize it was necessary to treat
these horses differently," Elzinga says.
"But as we're researching and learning,
we're becoming more aware of the dif-
ferences between aged and adult horses.
And we're discovering changes that we
as responsible horse owners should be
addressing."
h
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA, writes fiction and nonfiction with an
international perspective, specializing in equine topics. A native
Texan, she rides English, breeds German Warmbloods, and raises
three young equestrians in Paris, France.
6 Senior Horse
Studies to Know
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Despite exercise, senior horses
aren't going to build or
maintain muscle bulk as well
as younger horses.