Method and device for analyzing athletic potential in horses

• US 20020123699A1
• Filed: 08/10/2001
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airway Dynamics LLC
• Original Assignee: Airway Dynamics LLC
• Inventors: Boehler, Deborah A., Lambert, David H.
• Granted Patent: US 6,602,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/586
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise

Abstract

Provided is a device for attachment to the head of a horse to enable recording of respiratory sounds in the intensely exercising animal, e.g., in a breezing Thoroughbred racehorse. Also provided are methods for predicting racing performance in a horse, e.g., a Thoroughbred race horse, comprising measuring expiratory and/or inspiratory times for a subject horse during exercise and relating such information to anatomy, front leg stance times and/or front leg stance distances and/or to speed (velocity) to determine the animal'"'"'s potential to sustain a superior rate of ground coverage for a desired amount of time and identify a maximum comfortable velocity for the animal. A presently preferred embodiment of the methods of the invention comprises predicting performance via identification of expiratory time determined directly from the analysis of recorded respiratory sound from the exercising animal.

Claims

1. A method for predicting potential performance in a selected racing or training animal, comprising analyzing respiratory sound from the selected animal during an exercise event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing step comprises calculating an average expiratory time for the selected animal during the exercise event at a known velocity over a preselected distance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing step comprises calculating an average inspiratory time for the selected animal during the exercise event at a known velocity over a preselected distance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, prior to the analyzing step, the method further comprises the step of recording the respiratory sound from the selected animal.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of videotaping the exercise event and determining a velocity for the selected animal over a preselected distance.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of videotaping the exercise event and determining a front leg stance time of the selected animal over a preselected distance.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing step comprises calculating a substantially maximum comfortable velocity for the selected animal during the exercise event.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the analyzing step comprises a comparison of a calculated average expiratory time for the selected animal during the exercise event at a known velocity over a preselected distance ascertained from analysis of the recorded respiratory sound with an actual average stance time and actual expiratory time as determined from a videotape of the exercise event.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the recorded respiratory sound is analyzed by evaluation of frequency and amplitude of the recorded respiratory sound.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the recorded respiratory sound is analyzed via spectrogram computer software.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the animal is a horse.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the horse is selected from the group consisting of a Thoroughbred, an Arabian, a Standardbred, and a Quarter Horse.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the carrying means for the removable recording device is a pouch located at a preselected spot on the hood.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the hood is a blinkers-type hood having a forehead piece and the preselected location of the pouch is on the forehead piece.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the recording microphone placement means further comprises a hollow thin shaft having a proximal end extending from the pouch and a distal end adapted for attachment of a recording microphone.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the recording microphone is connected to the recording means via an electrical wire traveling through the hollow thin shaft.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein the recording microphone is located a preselected distance in front of the nose of the subject horse.

13. A device for recording respiratory sound in an exercising horse, comprising a hood designed for removable attachment to the head of the subject horse, the hood further comprising means for removably carrying a recording device thereon and means for placement of a recording microphone at a desired location adjacent the nose of the subject horse.