Biomechanics: Mathematics Helps Optimize the Performance of Racehorses

While numbers aren’t alive, they can still provide insight into many factors that come into play during horse racing. Which horse should you choose for a particular race, and when should you slow it down or, on the contrary, speed it up? The answers to these questions can make all the difference—though they don’t guarantee a win.   Horse racing is as unpredictable as it is profitable. At any moment, a horse that seems to have what it takes to win can slow down, stumble, and lose its place in the lead pack. It is these unforeseen events that shape the races; victory is always a matter of chance, even when, on paper, it is supposed to reward years of intense training. But a new study is turning this paradigm on its head by claiming to be able to predict where and when a horse will slow down or speed up on a racetrack. This knowledge could be a game-changer. A racehorse’s performance would no longer be a matter of chance or subject to the vagaries of the course, but would depend on very real factors. But can mathematics truly model what is inherent to living beings? The researchers began by analyzing videos of three horse races at Chantilly—each with a different track length and trajectory—to build their analysis. For each track length, they used a combination of data to predict when a horse needs to exert maximum energy to reach its full potential. The mathematical model takes into account the effort exerted by each horse, its average oxygen consumption, propulsive force, and locomotor control. Based on these factors, the researchers were able to determine the horse’s optimal speed at different points in the race and identify potential obstacles that could slow it down or cause it to lose balance. In particular, it was observed that Thoroughbreds tend to start a race at a blistering pace, reaching their maximum speed approximately 200 to 300 meters after the start, before slowing down as they approach the turns. As they exit the turns, the horses generally increase their speed. This mathematical model aims to explain why and how a horse must regulate its speed during a race to optimize its performance, depending not only on the distance to be covered but also on the track’s layout and topography. So what is the secret to winning? The study shows that it is the horse’s endurance that determines the final outcome. Similarly, a horse’s acceleration is most critical at the start, at the end of the race, and when exiting turns. However, it is important to note that, like any mathematical calculation that attempts to model living organisms, a degree of uncertainty remains. The simulations obtained reflect an ideal race at a given moment in time, but do not allow us to predict how a particular horse will perform during a specific race. They are intended to provide a strategy for improving performance, serve as a tool for analyzing each horse’s effort and better supporting it during the race, and, above all, for selecting the right horse for each race. The results could also help identify ways to optimize acceleration during a race. According to this study, it is clear that tight turns with a radius of less than 100 m hinder performance and should be avoided, especially at the beginning and end of the race. Similarly, placing uphill slopes at the end of the course rather than at the beginning or in the middle would allow horses to reach their maximum speed more quickly, which appears to be the winning strategy. This same type of modeling is used to analyze human races over similar distances. The model has simply been adapted to the biomechanics and performance dynamics of equines. The data obtained must now be applied to the training of racehorses.