Biomechanical Hoof Tester

The initial focus of the racing surfaces testing effort was on the development of a machine that could be used on a racing surface and which duplicates the speed and loads of the front leg of a Thoroughbred or Quarter Horse at a gallop. This phase of the gait was considered to be the highest risk to the horse. The machine must produce loads at the speed of a hoof at the gallop since racing surfaces are in general both strain rate (speed) dependent and non-linear (loading dependent). This machine which was initially funded by the AQHA Racing has now been used on more than 60 racing and training surfaces in the US and Canada.

Currently machines based on this design are being used in Europe (built by a group led by Lars Roepstorff, VMD, Associate Professor, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences), and by the California Horse Racing Board (built by Biologically Applied Engineering and Alexander's Machining and Welding). Discussion is ongoing for the development of additional machines to be used for testing.

Ground Penetrating Radar

The Biomechanical Hoof Tester had been in use less than a year before the focus began to expand beyond understanding track surfaces and to begin to look at improving consistency. Currently no one is able to design a safe track, but it is reasonable to assume that a consistent track will be safer. A key element of a safe track is a consistent base. Through support from the Southern California Equine Foundation and the Oak Tree Foundation, ground penetrating radar was purchased and an effort was made to apply this existing technology to horse racing.

Critical outcomes from the radar mapping of the tracks is consistency of the base, identification of large variability in composition and the depth of the cushion which is particularly critical on the shallow sand tracks used in higher rainfall areas of the US.

Weather and Track Temperature

Real time monitoring of weather and track surface temperature has been in use since 2008. Over that time more than four different approaches have been used to create a real time system which can be used for performance and safety evaluation of tracks surfaces.

Track temperature is a critical variable for performance of synthetic racing surfaces. Similarly water content which can be tracked with the weather station is a valuable input for maintaining consistent dirt race tracks

Track Maintenance Database

The final critical aspect of racing surfaces monitoring is the tracking of maintenance. By providing year to year comparison which is simultaneous to the weather data acquisition the effect and the response of the surface to weather can be understood over multiple years.

Other tools for in-situ evaluation

A range of additional tools are now in place for in-situ testing of racing surfaces.

The GoingStick from TurfTrax in Cambridgeshire in the UK is currently being evaluated for turf performance. The biomechanical hoof tester is difficult to use on a regular basis on turf because of the damage to the surface which is not maintained with a harrow or other equipment.

For dirt and turf the most important variable is moisture content. A time domain reflectometry moisture sensor is currently used to map moisture content of the track to maintain consistency