JULY/AUGUST 2024 THE RIDER/ 9 INSIDE


Researching Biomechanics ...........9 Pro and Non-Pro Reining Series ......10 OXC News ..................................12 ORCHA News .............................14


Researching Biomarkers to Understand Joint Health


Horses, like humans,


can suffer from joint diseases such as Osteoarthritis (OA) and Osteochondritis disse- cans (OCD), which can lead to pain and lameness. Cur- rently, diagnosing these con- ditions early is challenging, and there’s no treatment that can reverse the damage. In a pathfinding study,


Ontario Veterinary College researchers are investigating tiny molecules called mi- croRNAs (miRNAs) present in blood and joint fluid. What they are finding is that cer- tain miRNAs could be used to predict the onset of joint diseases, potentially leading to earlier and more effective treatments. Not only could micoR-


NAs be early predictors of OA and OCD but there is ex- citement over the potential for them to play a role in tar- geting new treatments. These molecules can influ- ence various biological processes such as regulating inflammation,


cartilage


decay, cell death in cartilage, and changes in the extracel- lular matrix. In this ground-breaking


study, OVC researchers col- lected blood and joint fluid from horses with OA and OCD, as well as healthy horses. Analysis of these samples revealed differences in miRNA levels between horses with healthy and dis- eased joints. They found 57 different miRNAs in OA


plasma, 45 in OCD plasma, and 21 between OA and OCD plasma. One miRNA (miR-140-5p) was found in higher amounts in the joint fluid of horses with OA. Other studies suggest


miR-140 are associated with good joint health, with its presence being linked to a slower worsening of the con- dition in joints affected by OA. Although mir-140 are traditionally thought to be a protective miRNA, this new study hypothesises it may be over expressed in early joint disease in an attempt to save the joint before joint disease can progress further.


This over expression


may help detect OA before it causes noticeable problems. Osteoarthritis is com-


mon in athletic and older horses and can be career end- ing once joint components begin to break down and cy- cles of inflammation begin. Future research with


larger cohorts is needed to confirm miRNAs as bio- markers but these prelimi- nary findings are exciting because miRNAs could be used to detect joint diseases early and target new treat- ments paving the way for ad- vances in how we manage joint health!


Read the scientific paper: microRNAs are differentially expressed in equine plasma of horses with osteoarthritis and osteochondritis disse- cans versus control horses Joshua Antunes, Ramés Sal- cedo-Jiménez,


Starlee


Lively, Pratibha Potla, Nathalie Coté, Marie-Soleil Dubois,


Judith Koenig,


Mohit Kapoor, Jonathan LaMarre, Thomas Gade- gaard Koch


PLOS ONE.


https://doi.org/10.1371/jour- nal.pone.0297303


Shari Irwin


2024 Judges Committee (905) 440-5941 email: shari_irwin@hotmail.com


Kelly Lehman Secretary: Kit Bartle 2024 Sr. Judges


Dave Black 36 Woodhouse Ave., Port Dover, ON N0A 1G0 C: (905) 921-0359 Email: diamondbquarterhorses@gmail.com


Cally Jo Fritz 21 Taylor Blvd., Elliot Lake, ON P5A 3H5 H: (226) 289-8563, C: (519) 280-8169 Email: callygene@gmail.com


Shari Irwin 166 Gleasons Corner Road, Castleton, ON K0K 1M0 Cell (905) 440-5941 shari_irwin@hotmail.com


Kelly Lehman 895893 Oxford Rd. 3, Drumbo, ON N0J 1G0 C: (519) 807-2660. E: maddavery@gmail.com


(519) 807-2660 email: maddavery@gmail.com (519) 732-0263 email: drumbolady@hotmail.ca


Website: www.whao.org


Anne Marinacci 65 Swayze Court, Smithville, ON L0R 2A0 905-957-5619 Email: annemarinacci@hotmail.com


Erin O’Drowski 253 James St. N., PO Box 2767, St. Mary’s ON N4X 1A5 C: (226) 377-0244 Email: eodrowsk@gmail.com


Kris Simpson 711 Middletown Rd., RR #1, Waterdown, ON L8B 1P7 Cell: (519) 831-7299, email: richlandshowhorses@gmail.com


Don Stauffer 104 - 44 Ferndale Dr. S., Barrie, ON L4N 2V1 Cell (519) 604-8864 thestauffers48@gmail.com


Robyn Storey 6-120 Dudhope Ave., Cambridge, ON N1R 4T7 (519) 620-9015, Cell: (519) 841-3934, gatorrocks@hotmail.com


Brenda Thompson 284 Whitmore Dr.,Waterloo, ON N2K 2N5 (519) 884-4050, Cell (519) 577-7320 bmctearnen@yahoo.ca


Mike Tucker 1581 Maple St. N., R.R. #4, Fenwick, ON L0S 1C0 (905) 892-5610, Cell (905) 984-1581 Email: m.tucker1378@gmail.com


Jr. Judges


Cheri-Lynn Woodrow 2989 Birnside Line, Severn, ON L3V 0W1 (705) 321-2230 Email: 254cutter@hotmail.ca


Judy Gaspardy 196 Churchill Rd. S., Action, ON L7J 2J7 (c) 905-875-9534 Email: sunfireminis@yahoo.ca


Anna Turnbull PO Box 131, Gores Landing, ON K0K 2E0 P: (905) 376-4807 Email: 1anna.turnbull@gmail.com


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Jockey Club.................................15 OTRA News ................................15 ORHA News................................16 OCHA News ...............................18 Trailer Talk ..................................19 OPHC News ................................19


CRHRA News .............................19 OFA Viewpont.............................20 A Good Life For Horses ..............20 Preventing Dehydration...............21 OQHA News ...............................22 QROOI News ..............................23


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