Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

A recent study of lameness in horses that I read about in Horse magazine (I
think, but I wouldn't swear to it) found that there was no correlation
between sidebone and lameness (i.e. the percentage of lame horses in the
general population is the same as the percentage of lame horses with
sidebone, and percentage of sound horses in the general population is the
same as the percentage of sound horses with sidebone).

While there is an old saying in statistics that says, "Correlation does not
necessarily imply causation."  It is also generally accepted that lack of
correlation DOES imply lack of causation.

That being said, it is extremely unlikely that sidebone in and of itself
causes lameness.  Most vets I know of, if a lame horse is found to have
sidebone look for some other explanation for the lameness.

Given that there has been no demonstrable correlation between sidebone and
lameness (and it isn't for lack of trying), _I_ certainly wouldn't use it
as a selection criteria for determining the long term soundness of a horse.

kat
Orange County, Calif.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
mail2web - Check your email from the web at
http://mail2web.com/ .



=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-