Thoroughbred on Treadmill at UC Davis Equine Athletic Performance Lab (Gallop & Sprint)

[kizmo001]

cruel, thats what this is, he is made to run for too long.poor horse.

[HarlemManeuvers]

I'm so glad to see the harness, you don't in every set up and it's extremely nerve wracking..

[TheBeliebers1]

also für irgendwelche medizinischen Dinge, um herauszufinden was dem Pferd fehlt finde ich das ja noch okay, aber ansonsten ist das doch echt Tierquälerei! Das Pferd hat doch die ganze Zeit Panik und rennt nicht zum Spaß!

[BunnyBabyee]

Now. That's the proper gear to be wearing on a horse. Horse cannot fall, slip, slide.. Not even trip.

But they do have him running for a long time. 3 minutes??.. Average. But test results will come negative if his hearts racing, sweating &all.

[BunnyBabyee]

@BunnyBabyee But I did forget to mention that he needs his head, Which he isn't getting for a throughbred!!!

[secretariat888]

@BunnyBabyee jockeys hold their horses back in the race until the very end. this horse is used to it

[judi9423]

Im not making an ignorant assumption, but am thinking that this horse is a little under weight and has no top line at all.

[secretariat888]

@judi9423 thoroughbred racehorses are naturally built this way. They are in top shape so they can run heir fastest.

[NurseGatita]

For Picnic Day? Disgusting.

[DustFingerFireDancer]

realy he is not going that fast

[buttercupbabyx001]

anyone else notice the lead change at 2:06? lol

[Shadepetal]

@buttercupbabyx001 Haha, silly horse. Swapped it flawlessly at a gallop....nice XD

[nesquickers]

That horse moves very nicely and fast! :)

[polomarey]

Fascinating vid, thanks for posting.

What I want to know is, how do they cue the horse that a change of speed is coming? Does the horse gallop faster just because it feels the ground slipping by underneath it faster? Do all horses figure this out automatically? Or do they have to be trained to learn how the treadmill works?

[Savannah08100]

i love that he has a harness to catch him if he falls.

[laddybug324]

poor boy/girl :(

[Nitrostreak]

@laddybug324 You should note that the horse is very relaxed, and is actually being held BACK. He's pulling FORWARD on his cross ties. He wants to go faster. He's most certainly very well conditioned to being in a lecture hall. There's no need to pity him. He very likely enjoys his job.

[20000surfsup]

I don't like this...;(

[Countryprincess74]

It's horror making that horse run that speed stoooopppp the treadmill

[Nitrostreak]

@Countryprincess74 You should note that the horse is very relaxed, and is actually being held BACK. He's pulling FORWARD on his cross ties. He wants to go faster. He's most certainly very well conditioned to being in a lecture hall. There's no need to pity him. He very likely enjoys his job... You should probably learn about what's going on before making ignorant assumptions.

[clearcrystalblues]

@Nitrostreak i agree with you 100% people need to read up on facts rather than making assumptions..

[Countryprincess74]

He is tied up too tight

[FreeMare]

@Countryprincess74 Nope he is not. The horse is leaning on the halter. It needs to be a bit shorter then the breast bar so he cant push into and brake it.

[phillyhippie]

why is his head tide up?

[iMaDeMoN2012]

It sounds like a timelord's heart beat.

[Appaloosalicious1]

you know that horse never gets over a canter lol

[1horseylover4]

this would be a good traning excersize for jockeys. if its freezing out or something, they can walk the horse into the tredmeal and race him that way. you would also be able to tell the jockey how to correct his position while hes traning so you dont have to wait for him to come back around the track. i dont know if this would work but how coo would that be?

[macsqDressage8]

hmmm thats good lets just anchor this horses head into place and have the treadmill adjusted to the wrong speed...

[miaandmarble]

the horse is cantering on a hard surface its bad for its legs

[controlsdelete]

I'm sorry this contraption and that sound....and the horse moving in one motion....for that allotted period of time, looked freakishly mechanical....and incredibly unnatural....and therefore should be banned. A couple of people want to see a close up? You're asking too much. I ride horses, Im familiar with this, but I find it to be absolutely horrendous.

[Camisimluva]

I don't know how i got to watching horses on treadmills from watching horses going through Mcdonalds drive thru (thats how they spell it, I know its spelt 'through', just incase anyone felt like critisising for no reason)

[TheRangaFish]

They are probably just confused out of their minds, why can't you just ride them, we know their body and how they work, so just ride them, like normal people, and enjoy them while they are still around, because if we keep doing this to them, they are going to die off soon! :(

[TheEquestrianne]

@TheRangaFish Wow, melodramatic much? Horses aren't going to die off from running on treadmills lol. These weren't made just for people's amusement, they are used to research things like respiratory problems in equine athletes, and find solutions for them. I've been to seminars at Davis; the horse is confused at first, yes, but once they are used to working on the treadmill, they are very comfortable with being on it. :)

[slmcf01]

Do most of the horses that use these treadmills have to be trained into using them? I am sure they need to be conditioned into getting used to the feel of it and going into the "chute," but I am just wondering if they were trained to use this or did some of them just pick it up?

[FreeMare]

@slmcf01 Yes, all the horses have to be shown how to be on a treadmill.

[ItsMarleeRayeHere]

what happened to riding them



[LethalPitBull]

Give that poor horse his head! D:

[sango1161]

@LethalPitBull that's how TB horses do they learn how to hold their heads

[RainMidnight13]

What if the horse gets tired!?!?!!

[TheJillyann]

ok this is how i see it... People are too lazy to ride,spend time and exercise their horse properly, therefore why do they own a horse if they dont take the time it takes to build horsemanship?

[TheJillyann]

@TheJillyann Not only that but they tie his head down??!! wow.. a horse knows how to hold his freaking head

[Furbicurciss101]

Poor horse:( he must get tired running on some undenified moving object:(

[gotch09]

Well, I guess I can die now. I've seen everything.

[horsey01010101010101]

he must be really confused........ "why aren't i going anywhere and i'm galloping as fast as i can?"

[gredle4ever]

what if the poor horse stumbles and falls what then

[RoseGreyThoroughbred]

wow that is sooooo cool. Wish I could have been there to see it. And what a mover, he was ready to go faster the entire time!

[jmaritz328]

he has no room to gallop on there, he was clicking heels and leaning against the breast plate the whole time!!

[ZoeBkDorks]

I rode my horse wge he was on a tred, it was sooooo fun

[countryppl1]

i wonder what it would feel like sitting on him as he ran on that thing

[Sasusankun]

wenn ich sowas sehe könnte ich aussrasten,das müsste man mal mit denen machen und immer wenn sie langsamer werden in die fresse schlagen.

[Sunnydaysredjay]

what's that ring on the horse's neck, and what's it for?

[SammyStar93]

TIERQUÄLEREI!



[TheNinaKatja]

@SammyStar93 Solche menschen gehören selbst ewig in sowas eingesperrt!

[SammyStar93]

@TheNinaKatja Stimmt. Ich hasse Menschen -.-

[TheCare97]

@SammyStar93 seh ich genau soo!

[PerlaLaGadeon90]

@SammyStar93 Ist es nicht. Die Pferde werden tage-, teilweise wochenlang an das Laufband gewöhnt, Schritt für Schritt, bis sie sich sicher darauf fühlen. Schau dir das Pferd an, es sieht nicht sonderlich gestresst aus. Passieren kann dem Pferd dabei auch nichts, es hängt mit dem Bauchgurt an einer stabilen Vorrichtung, die das Tier, falls es mal stolpert, einerseits auffängt und so einen Sturz verhindert, und gleichzeitig die Notbremse für das Laufband auslöst.

[destinyanna]

the horse needs more neck room and the horse could of spooked i just do not like horse treadmills

[Emyrsyn101]

I see horses on treadmills all the time, but not with an audience. Why was there an audience, may I ask?

[runXkidXrun]

@Emyrsyn101 says in the description. To show visitors the movement and gaits of a horse very up close.

[SophieSmithXoX]

i really dislike this, not the fact that the horse is on a treadmill but the fact that people are sitting taking pictures and that, the horse could so easily get a fright and try to rear causing majour threat to the horse or maybe even the people.

[GuroSimensen]

I DON'T like it ! Thats are horse not a people, lets horses be horses. Horse can not vote here..

Excuse is bad english, but i come from norway.

[NickiRocky]

My horse is to dumb.. he would stand and just fly off the end... ahah

[diggah90niggah]

wtf?? how long th horse must run!?

[breyerheart18]

A horse is fine enough as it is it has more endurnace than any human so please take pitty on the horse..

[noahhbaum]

how can you tell if the horse is tired

[hornerm5]

My vote is thump down. Never, never ties the horse to frame. If the horse slip, the rope could shak the neck.

[millie00peanut]

@hornerm5 i agree, when he tried to gallop having his head tie like that is breaking him at the pole and shutting down his forward movement

[BlondBetch]

@killiansgirl1  Ahh forgot to add atleast we can be greatful its got a harness on ive seen a few without and oei just looks too risky...

[BlondBetch]

@killiansgirl1 Yes well i guess everyone uses it differently.. indeed ive seen more humane ways of using this but hey..

[ThinkingOfYou104]

This looks cool, but what happens if the horse wants to stop?

[BlondBetch]

@killiansgirl1 If u look closely the horse does have a choice to lower its head a tad although i dont believe ive ever seen a horse lower its head to the point where your talking of while in a free canter.. the ropes are there only so the horse doesnt run to far forward to keep its head up or down.. the horse has clear movement of his head with choice.. If he put his head down the ropes would loosen and would of been fine...

[BlondBetch]

@killiansgirl1  Silly girl this is no more than you would say galop at home or out on the beach or on a race track it only looks worse because its on a treadmill...

[Gypsyvannerluv]

what if it fell....

[BlondBetch]

@Gypsyvannerluv Thats what the harness is for...

[Gypsyvannerluv]

@BlondBetch hehe i know i was just thinkin

[galacticness]

Interesting contraption alright! The horse does have its head in front of the verticle... I found it interesting that the horses ears start to show more interest the faster it goes :)

[LOLERSkates1231]

wat if it wants 2 stop...it would like die...

[horsesrule468]

good exercise

[DarkStar6161]

My family owns a Race Horse breeding farm and we have 20 treadmills from training and exersize. These treadmills give exersize mostly when for shows or when the weather isn't the best to be sending our horses to the real track.The hindquarters are defaintly pretty stiff but that maybe b/c the horse didn't get a warm up or has been on the treadmill too long. The harnesses are only for the horse's safety & b/c when on the track jockey's ride with a short rein & in a certain position.

[luvergirl43]

@DarkStar6161 Oh, ok. Thats why. Thanks.

[SiggiLyrica]

Fascinating how you can teach a horse to run on this thing. It must be the most unatural thing you can put a horse through at all!

[trosselit]

That's like torture a horse wants to run free and let his neck extend and his legs fly not hukked up to some treadmill gosh poor horse:(

[wolfsrule100]

is it bad that i wish i was a racehorse

[xmollybeex]

@Teresa451128 sameeeee:))

[xmollybeex]

poor thinggg

[CHEVYedsf]

@xmollybeex Why? Thoroughbreds love running.

[xxjocieridesxx]

what if he fell? or tripped? like what stops it? i love the excersize idea... but just curious?

[MrGummybearluver]

@xxjocieridesxx The harness is so if he trips or falls hes safe. i think its the black one. it explains on the vid in suggestions that says "horse on treadmill" and has a buckskin on the treadmill.

[TheJingle11]

My grandma raised throughbreds ^^

My moms side of the family is the horse side and when I was like 8 or 7 I fed this beautiful black one and I didn't even know it was a throughbred

[BerlinaKonik]

SCHWEINE HUNDEE

[Whitedog462]

I find it so amazing to see such a powerful animal do what it was meant to do, run! Of course this is a little unnatural but I'm sure it's safe (one treadmill vid I watched explained what was happening). I love how the horse switches from slow and steady to kickin it up a notch around the 2 min line. And the muscle and energy and beauty. Even if it isn't natural it's such an amazing sight and something you can't really see from just a cantering/galloping horse. Not that a galloping horse isn't

[CHEVYedsf]

This video was filmed on my birthday! :D

[bballgirlmu1]

i can def see they are controlling his/her speed...he/she is wanting to go so much faster cause its obvious he/she is trying to stretch their head out so he/she can go faster

[takewhole]

for some reason looks cruel, wouldnt strap a human to treadmill and make it run

[CHEVYedsf]

@takewhole Thoroughbreds were bred to run.  They enjoy it.

[DiamondNotch]

... what if he trips...

[hermitcrabgurl101]

@DiamondNotch then he trips..... like he will get back up its not like you going to run and then trip and kee sliding they stop the thing i mean like....

[hermitcrabgurl101]

@hermitcrabgurl101 keep*

[DiamondNotch]

@hermitcrabgurl101

...That was almost English...

[horses4life1221]

@DiamondNotch

If he trips...

Splot...Bing...Bang...

NOT VERY PLEASENT

[softballbabiii14]

@DiamondNotch There is a safety harness attached to the surcingle around his girth. If he tripped, the harness would not only catch him and pull him back up, but it would also release the emergency brake on the treadmill and quickly slow the machine to a stop.

[Nizingur]

@softballbabiii14 That is an awesome safety feature.

[EquiiMo]

@DiamondNotch well he has a harness on, and the probability of that is not high?x

[84horsecrazy]

@DiamondNotch Thats what the black harness around his tummy is for lol

[horseluvr63]

@DiamondNotch thats what the harness is for

[yunderup]

thats actually a canter with a sprint as i can only hear 3 beats at most of the stage

[cassehbbz]

looks great but i have always wondered about how hard it must be on the horses feet?? im going to take a guess that its pretty soft somehow??

[craisydazy18]

this looks safe to me. if the lead lines were any looser the horse might run off the front of the treadmill. i doubt it is unsafe. if the horse were to fall i am sure that top lead off its back is the emergency stop just like human treadmills. as for the person who asked how to stop, just slow the treadmill down. the horse will pace to the belt its on. i personally think this is a great example of technology being used well and for the benefit of horses.

[vickywhispy]

omg it must be quite safe, but i get the chills watching this...

what if the horse trips?

[Chriserdejlig]

poor horse ):

[KatieSkarlet77]

@Chriserdejlig why?

[doodlebug747]

i hate it when they do this not that it rong it  just that if they fall or how do they slow it down

[horsesaremylife31899]

@doodlebug747 I know this was from 6 months ago but they have a meter and they will slow it down in moderation 1 level at a time

[lizhancock18]

that horse looks like he's running alseep..man TURN EM LOOSE!

[taytoization]

that is so unatural looking 

[YourLifeIsForever]

You can see that the horse can decide how much its neck will stretch cause if he had to go any faster it can easily move away from the straps to its head collar! Its mearly keeping the straps tight so it can judge whether or not it can keep up, if it was struggling with the pace it be running with the straps slack! Trust me im an expert! :)

[echostorm09]

This isn't sad, horses run around like this on their own too, this is just so they can regulate it and teach it good control, this horse is probally having a blast showing off

[Thehorselover32]

did anyone else see that the horse couldn't catch the right lead? or am i seeing things.

[undetectable2009]

that is so dangerous!

[MyHorsePrince]

@undetectable2009 this is done by professionals. in an instant that the horse should be in danger, the machine would stop. and as you can see, there are plenty of restraints that would save it.

[undetectable2009]

@MyHorsePrince That is true. And I know its purpose, but in a couple ways it could be dangerous.

[MyHorsePrince]

@undetectable2009 it could be if it was being done the wrong way. but this is the right way. this horse is in no danger whatsoever. I understand your concern, but not for this technique.

[silver7z3]

OMG THIS IS SOOO CRUEL!! JUST IMAGINE IF WE HAD TO RUN ;LIKE THT FOR A LONG PERIOD!!! WHAT IF IT RAN OUT OF GAS AND TUMBLED IT WOULD WRIP OF ITS SKIN!!!! STOP HORSE RACING FOR GOOD!!

[Maniamanea]

@silver7z3 The horse is in a lot better shape than you are dare.. Run out of gas? you think a horse is some kind of car? :p And you see the harness the horse have on? If it trips, and the strap on its back is pulled, the machine stops.

[MyHorsePrince]

@silver7z3 are you kidding me? horses LOVE to race. thoroughbreds wouldn't know what to do if they couldn't run like they do. this isn't cruel AT ALL. this is done by professionals and they know by heart the limitations of the horse. they would NEVER make it do more then it could do. you need a serious reality check

[sutalawolf]

@silver7z3

hahaha. troll.

[JumpingRider13]

@silver7z3 Actually horses can endure more than you think.And the horse treadmill has a thing just like treadmills seem at the gym have that if something happens, there is an emergency stop button. The strap that goes around the horses body is also used to prevent tripping. It's not a cruel thing at all. Horse racing can be cruel but there and good people and bad people in everything.

[ikildurmothr904]

This horse is beautiful.

Why must people use flash though...

[JRKEMB]

this is sad.

[horsesrule352]

i dont like how tight his lead is i know its propbly for safty but when ever i see a horse run they have their necks streached out

[amj715]

its usually a 2-8 minute exercise, depending on what type, and how strenuous the training it is.

[XxHeelsDownxX]

how lonng do they make em do that :(

[TaffyTuff]

@XxHeelsDownxX horses can endure alot my dear. dont worry. and they more than likely dont do it for long.

[oceancolors93]

As cool at this looks, I don't like how tight the lead is. I'm sure it's simply a safety precaution, but I think horses prefer to stretch their necks out while running.

[sutalawolf]

@oceancolors93

If they loosened the lead any more, it would be clipping its' hooves on the front of the treadmill. Stop complaining about things you don't understand.

[sebbylovespaxton]

@oceancolors93 it's probably there cause he needs to run in a frame so he keeps his top line.

[DianXX1]

@oceancolors93 totally agree

[derrickroseforeverr]

@oceancolors93 i totally see where your coming from but it is a thoroughbred so it's trained to go fast. and without a jockey on the horses back they have no control on how fast the horse will choose to go.

[swNapoleon16]

@oceancolors93 yeah i agree the lead could be looser just a bit

[Falka89]

@oceancolors93 race horses will pull at every lead while cantering, they just do. if it would be longer the horse would have the safety strap strangling him.

[luvergirl43]

@oceancolors93 true he doesnt look to comfortable with his head being that constraind. but does he look stiff in his hindquarters to you?

[DarkStar6161]

@luvergirl43 My family owns a Race Horse breeding farm and we have 20 treadmills from training and exersize. These treadmills give exersize mostly when for shows or when the weather isn't the best to be sending our horses to the real track.The hindquarters are defaintly pretty stiff but that maybe b/c the horse didn't get a warm up or has been on the treadmill too long. The harnesses are only for the horse's safety & b/c when on the track jockey's ride with a short rein & in a certain position.

[horsesrule468]

@oceancolors93 maybe they are in the process of teaching the horse to keep his/her head in :)

[BridlePath977]

thats an athlete right there!