Lambert says StrideSAFE Can Put End to Common Fractures

Dr. David Lambert gave a seminar on the StrideSAFE sensor device he created in 2005, and the results of research he has conducted, at the Gluck Equine Research Center Jan. 19 as part of the Cauthen Seminar Series, near Lexington, Ky.

The StrideSAFE sensor weighs approximately three ounces, and fits easily in the saddle cloth. It uses sensors to analyze the gait of horses in race to identify musculoskeletal injuries and/or abnormalities before they lead to a serious injury.

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According to Lambert, fractures are not primarily a surface problem and fatalities are not the result of “taking a bad step.” Condylar and sesamoid fractures are just the end point of a disease process that has gone on for several months.

Lambert broke down the stride pattern for 2-year-olds and noted the instability of their stride. According to him, the stride is bouncing around all over with varying degrees of instability, and gets worse with higher velocity. He said it is very common in 2-year-olds during early training, as they are not mature or strong enough to hold their stride.

“Almost every 2-year-old will do that,” stated Lambert. “These are 2-year-olds that win races who do that, 2-year-olds who win graded stakes races, do that. But, if you do this too often, the instability in your hind legs is going to throw you more and more on the front legs, with more and more imbalance. And sure enough, something’s going to go wrong in the front legs.”

Lambert has data from 15,779 horses in his database from 42,600 runs, a run meaning an individual race. With the help of AI, each run was placed in a category based on the likelihood of that horse eventually suffering a fracture. Of those horses that suffered hind limb fractures, 80% were flagged 12 months before the fracture, and 55% of those who suffered carpal fractures, were flagged within 12 months of the fracture.

The data was primarily taken from horses in Kentucky, with some in New York as well. Kentucky has led the way with this technology. Churchill Downs allows StrideSAFE on all the tracks, and allows the sensors to be put on for all the races. Keeneland has also supported the use of StrideSAFE, as well as the state racing commission who has provided StrideSAFE with grants.

“Is an end to condylar and sesamoid fractures in sight? Racing does not have to face condylar fractures and sesamoid fractures, anymore,” he said. “My answer to that question, without reservation, is yes.”