New study explores risk factors for orthopaedic disease in Swedish Warmbloods

A new study co-authored by Sleip’s Chief Medical Officer Elin Hernlund has been published in Preventive Veterinary Medicine, analysing insurance claims from more than 15,000 Swedish Warmblood horses born between 2010 and 2020.

Sweden has a long-standing tradition of insuring horses for veterinary care, with orthopaedic diagnoses representing the most common cause of claims. Using data from insurance provider Agria and pedigree classifications, the study examined how factors such as discipline (jumping vs dressage), sex, participation in young horse performance tests, and competition history relate to the risk and timing of orthopaedic diagnoses.

Key findings include:

• Dressage horses had a higher risk of orthopaedic diagnoses than jumpers (51% vs 44%)
  Stallions and geldings were more affected than mares,  particularly with conditions affecting the limbs and back
• Diagnoses typically appeared around age 5–6, a period when most horses have begun training and competition
• Horses entered in young horse performance tests showed a higher risk of diagnosis than those not tested

Dr. Elin Hernlund comments:

 "These findings give us a broader picture of soundness and injury risk in the sport horse population. Understanding when and where problems   arise can support earlier interventions and inform better management over the horse’s career."

The study reinforces the value of population-level data for tracking welfare trends and risk profiles—and highlights the need for continued focus on prevention. 

“We often focus on treating lameness once it’s visible, but tools like gait analysis and data-driven research can help us ask earlier, better questions, says Elin Hernlund”

Read the full study here.