Study design synopsis: Omics studies of fractures in the horse – which technology is best?

The majority of horse fatalities (77%) sustained on race courses in Great Britain were associated with a bone injury [1]. Furthermore, 624 distal limb fractures were reported between 2000 and 2013 [2]. The published literature on the epidemiology of such fractures has considerably increased over the last twenty years [3; 4] and, according to the British Horseracing Association, the equine fatality rate has reduced by over a third in Great Britain in that period, yet there seems to be drive for further improvement. The Horse Welfare Board’s current strategy, “a life well lived” names safety and avoidance of injuries and fatalities a one of four key outcomes [5]. Molecular biological techniques may provide a platform to further our understanding of equine fractures ...