Sports Medicine

Lameness Evaluation

The sports medicine clinics at New Bolton Center specialize in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of lameness in athletic horses. Evaluation starts with physical examination followed by gait assessment (lameness examination) on hard and soft surfaces. We integrate a full complement of diagnostics, including comprehensive nerve/joint blocks, advanced imaging, and regenerative medicine. A wide range of diagnostics and treatment options allows us to provide customized care for your individual horse’s needs.

Lameness examination while riding is encouraged and performed our indoor arena, the Ilona English Equine Performance and Evaluation Facility (EPEF). This airy and comfortable facility allows us to conduct lameness examinations, perform exercising evaluations and other testing in a safe environment, conducive to accurate and reliable assessments. The indoor arena footing is specialized, all-weather footing, MC Ecotrack®, which proves a consistent and level surface that is familiar to equine athletes. This 80-foot by 120-foot enclosed arena is flooded with natural light from large windows, providing optimal lighting and a dedicated space protected from the elements. This facility is a real advantage to the entire treatment team: clinicians, clients, students and of course, our patients.

Pre-Purchase Examination

A full complement of diagnostic services including thorough physical and soundness examination with the horse in hand or under tack, when appropriate for age and training. Evaluations are tailored to the individual horse and owner needs and frequently include digital radiography including neck and back imaging. Other diagnostics such as ultrasonography, upper airway endoscopy and cardiology are also available. Drug screens for forbidden substances are available as needed.

Poor Performance Examination

Our sports medicine team offers investigative diagnostics in the horse that is not performing well; aka the “just not right” horse. Specific services available include overground endoscopy, high-speed treadmill testing, heart rate monitoring, and exercising arterial blood gas analysis. Additional diagnostics services including blood work, serology, and advanced imaging and are available and can be customized to your horse’s performance problem(s). Horses with complex performance problems may also need neurological, surgical, and behavioral consultations which are readily available in the hospital, often within the same day appointment.

High-Speed Treadmill Assessment and Endoscopy

Examination during treadmill exercise allow us to evaluate your horse while trotting, pacing, or galloping. Our sports medicine team can assess multiple body systems such as the heart, upper airway, lungs, and the musculoskeletal system while the horse is running on the treadmill.

Our high-speed treadmill can reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour, which makes it ideal for evaluating racehorses. It can be used for sport horses, draft horses, and ponies—any horse that needs assessment while exercising. Various equipment can be applied to the horse while exercising on the treadmill so that multiple body systems can be evaluated at one time. Treadmill evaluation can be completed on an outpatient basis and the typical appointment lasts 5-8 hours. Laboratory data may require several days for complete results.

What Treadmill Testing Includes

• Exercising upper airway endoscopy
• Exercising electrocardiogram (ECG), to measure heart rate and rhythm
• Echocardiogram, an ultrasound of the heart
• Arterial blood gas analysis
• Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), fluid analysis from the lungs
• Electrolyte, muscle enzyme, and lactate analysis

Horses should be sound and fit, preferably training at the level during which the performance problem(s) occurs. To exercise on the treadmill, horses must be shod with four flat shoes (no toe grabs, heel caulks, borium, etc.). Where appropriate, please bring your horse’s harness or other tack. Please bring details of previous examinations, imaging and treatments with you to the appointment.

Overground Endoscopy

We offer wireless overground endoscopy to assess the horse’s upper airway function. Testing can be performed in any exercising horse, with a rider, at the track, at your ring, or at the hospital. This evaluation greatly improves our ability to accurate diagnosis dynamic upper airway problems. After diagnosis, we can provide numerous treatment options including surgical therapies.

Regenerative Medicine (IRAP, PRP, Stem-cell)

Numerous regenerative therapies are available and can be integrated into your horse’s post injury treatment. We provide onsite IRAP, PRP, and Stem-cell therapy. We are able to harvest your horse’s bone marrow for autologous Stem-cell culture and future injury at injuries sites. To insure accurate placement of therapy within your horse’s injury, ultrasound guided injections are commonly used.

Other Therapies (Shockwave, Joint Injections, Ultrasound-guided Injections, etc.)

We offer a variety of therapies including focused shockwave therapy, joint therapies, and ultrasound-guided injections. Our field service clinicians can also provide acupuncture treatment as needed. In addition, we can assist with post injury rehabilitation protocols custom designed for your horse’s injury.