الفهرس 
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Abstract
Horses are super-athletes, which makes them more susceptible to soft and hard tissue injuries during competitions. The musculoskeletal system is a major concern for achieving the best athletic performance level. chronic exercise causes an increase in the production of oxidants, which leads to the up-regulation of antioxidant defense mechanisms (SOD, CAT, and GPx). Thirty-nine apparently healthy athletic horses were evaluated for oxidative stress biomarkers and enzymatic activities at rest. Twenty-three apparently healthy tent-pegging horses were scanned for ultrasonographic changes in the metacarpal and pastern regions. A significant positive correlation between SOD and TAC was observed. CK was significantly higher in show-jumping horses compared to tent-pegging horses and higher in mares compared to stallions. ALP was significantly higher in polo horses compared to show-jumping horses. LDH was significantly higher in horses aged 11–14 compared to the 7–10-year group. Show-jumping seemed to cause more muscle damage than tent-pegging, especially in mares. A good physical condition may be observed in horses aged between 11 and 14 years. Regarding to U.S on metacarpal region, the superficial digital flexor (SDF) chronic tendonitis and the adhesions between SDF and deep digital flexor (DDF) tendons were the highest percentages of the scanned affections. There was a significant correlation between age and the prevalence of SDF tendonitis. Regarding to U.S on pastern region, Bilateral SDF chronic tendonitis was the highest percentage of the scanned affections. The most affected level in the SDFT was the right P1A (60.9%) and also showed a significant positive correlation with age. It was concluded that U.S could be used as complementary tool to evaluate soft tissue conditions of these regions. Additional investigations are still needed to authorize the accuracy of oxidative stress biomarkers for monitoring the health status of athletic horses.