Table 1.
Event horses (N = 208) and their risk factors for moderate or severe oral lesion status.
| Variable | Category | n | Moderate/severe lesion status horses | % (95% CI) | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breed | 0.003 | ||||
| Warmblood | 127 | 37 | 29 (21–37) | ||
| Coldblood | 52 | 24 | 46 (32–60) | ||
| Pony | 29 | 3 | 10 (0–21) | ||
| Sex | 0.01 | ||||
| Mare | 75 | 29 | 39 (28–50) | ||
| Stallion | 13 | 7 | 54 (27–81) | ||
| Gelding | 120 | 28 | 23 (15–31) | ||
| Age (years) | 0.7 | ||||
| 4–7 | 39 | 10 | 26 (12–40) | ||
| 8–12 | 106 | 34 | 32 (23–41) | ||
| 13–19 | 63 | 20 | 32 (20–44) | ||
| Noseband type | 0.4 | ||||
| Cavesson | 33 | 10 | 30 (14–46) | ||
| Cavesson with flash | 63 | 19 | 30 (19–41) | ||
| Micklem | 32 | 6 | 19 (5–33) | ||
| Mexican | 43 | 17 | 40 (25–55) | ||
| Drop | 16 | 5 | 31 (19–43) | ||
| PS of Sweden high jump | 15 | 7 | 47 (22–72) | ||
| Missing value | 6 | ||||
| Lower noseband | > 0.9 | ||||
| Yes | 169 | 54 | 32 (25–39) | ||
| No | 33 | 10 | 30 (14–36) | ||
| Missing value | 6 | ||||
| Bit type | 0.2 | ||||
| Double-jointed basic | 78 | 17 | 22 (13–31) | ||
| Double-jointed formed | 52 | 17 | 33 (20–46) | ||
| Single-jointed | 40 | 16 | 40 (25–35) | ||
| Unjointed | 20 | 9 | 45 (23–67) | ||
| Myler type | 8 | 3 | 38 (4–72) | ||
| Waterford | 7 | 2 | 29 (0–63) | ||
| Other | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Bit thickness (mm) | 0.007 | ||||
| 10–13 | 38 | 16 | 42 (26–58) | ||
| 14–17 | 107 | 23 | 22 (14–30) | ||
| 18–22 | 41 | 18 | 44 (29–59) | ||
| Missing value | 22 | ||||
| Leverage | 0.9 | ||||
| Yes | 57 | 18 | 32 (20–40) | ||
| No | 150 | 46 | 31 (24–38) | ||
| Missing value | 1 | ||||
| Competition level (cm) | 0.9 | ||||
| 60–80 | 103 | 30 | 29 (20–38) | ||
| 90–95 | 62 | 20 | 32 (20–44) | ||
| 100–120 | 43 | 14 | 33 (19–47) | ||
| Placement | 0.8 | ||||
| Placement | 65 | 18 | 28 (17–39) | ||
| No placement | 122 | 39 | 32 (24–40) | ||
| No result | 21 | 7 | 33 (13–53) |
The results of the univariable analysis in Pearson Chi-square test. Bit type was tested with Fisher's exact test. All predictors were tested against the outcome: no lesions or mild lesion status vs. moderate or severe lesion status. Thirty-one percent of all horses had moderate/severe lesion status.