What is the reason for azortoria otherwise known as setfast in racehorses?

Question

what is the reason for azortoria otherwise known as setfast in racehorses?

Answer 1

What Rags to Riches and Newmarketsalsa said, but I want to add that there seems to be somewhat of a genetic predisposition to it, although this is largely anecdotal and not well attested in the literature, and that once a horse has had an incidence of it, that horse is going to be more susceptible to it than horses in the general equine population.

This is some information on the 'net about tying up:

http://www.equinehospital.net/azoturia.h...

http://www.equine-world.co.uk/horses_car...

My Arabian experienced an episode of tying-up when he was in his late teens, and it's pretty scary to deal with-- especially if it happens out on the trail, as happened to my horse.  The condition is very painful and horses will move only with great reluctance.  We had to get a trailer out to the trailer where my horse tied up, which was a real circus, and then haul him to the vet.  Fortunately my horse had only a mild case and recovered completely.  Severe cases can result in the death of the horse from kidney failure as the products from the damaged muscles accumulate.

Answer 2

Azoturia, also known in the US as "tying up," is a  buildup of lactic acid and other metabolic byproducts in the body. It is most often caused by not cooling down the horse properly after a hard work.

Answer 3

As Rags to Riches said.  Azoturia is caused by a build up of lactic acid in the muscles.  It can be caused by a number of things:

1. Strenuous exercise after feeding (you should always allow about an hour for the horse to digest)

2. Not cooling a horse down after exercise - ie allowing him to walk around calmly until his breathing returns to normal.

3. Not reducing feed when the horse is having a period off work.