Omneity® Pellets
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The veterinary journal.
Publisher:
Ballière Tindall,. London : Balliere Tindall
Frequency: Bimonthly
Country: England
Language: English
Start Year:1997 -
ISSN:
1090-0233 (Print)
1532-2971 (Electronic)
1090-0233 (Linking)
1532-2971 (Electronic)
1090-0233 (Linking)
Impact Factor
2.2
2022
| NLM ID: | 9706281 |
| (DNLM): | SR0090528(s) |
| (OCoLC): | 35196731 |
| LCCN: | sn96-2143 |
| Classification: | W1 BR771 |
Morphometric data on the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon in the equine hindlimb. Desmopathy of the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon (ALDDFT) in the hindlimb has recently been described as a cause of lameness in horses. However, there is limited morphometric data on this ligament. In the present study, the ALDDFT was carefully dissected in 165 hindlimbs that were collected from an abattoir. Length, width (lateral-to-medial) and thickness (plantar-to-dorsal) of the ligament were measured. It was found that the ALDDFT may be absent in a minority of horses, but when it was present the general morphology was variable. The ALDDFT can be a single rectilinear s...
Animal poisoning in Europe. Part 2: Companion animals. This is the second in a series of three review articles on animal poisoning in Europe and focuses on cases in pet animals and horses in five European countries (Belgium, France, Greece, Italy and Spain) reported over the last decade. In the participating countries, dogs were the most commonly poisoned species, particularly younger animals. The majority of cases in companion animals resulted from exposure to insecticides, although rodenticides (especially anticoagulants and strychnine) posed a significant risk. In all five countries, horses and cats appeared to be more susceptible to plant toxi...
Development of intraosseous infusion of the distal phalanx to access the foot lamellar circulation in the standing, conscious horse. Intraosseous (i.o.) infusion of the distal phalanx (IOIDP) as a delivery route targeting hoof lamellar tissue of standing, conscious horses was evaluated. Following sedation and regional nerve blockade in six Standardbred horses, a microdialysis (MD) probe was implanted into the hoof lamellar tissue of one forelimb. A purpose designed cannulated bone screw was introduced into the body of the distal phalanx, approximately 6 cm from the MD probe. Gentamicin solution (25 mg/mL) was infused at 20 microL/min through the bone screw for 2 h without the application of a tourniquet. MD and blood sample...
Immunisation of the equine uterus against Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus using an intranasal attenuated Salmonella vector. Attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium MGN707, expressing the SzP protective protein of the MB9 serovar of Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (SzP-MB9) was tested for its safety and efficacy as a nebulised intranasal vaccine against streptococcal uterine infections in mares. In a preliminary study, vaccinated mares (n=5) displayed serum, nasal and uterine responses (P<0.05) to S. Typhimurium lipopolysaccharide (St-LPS). Subsequently, vaccinated mares (expressor group, n=7), but not mares vaccinated with the vector only (control group, n=7), displayed significant increas...
Laboratory findings in respiratory fluids of the poorly-performing horse. Any disorder impairing a performance horse's ability to ventilate its lungs and exchange oxygen compromises exercise performance in any discipline. Since bronchoalveolar lavage was described in horses in the early 1980s, laboratory evaluation of respiratory fluids, along with clinical and functional assessment of the respiratory system, has become a relevant step in the diagnosis of respiratory disease affecting performance. The aim of this review is to provide objective information to assist clinicians in interpreting laboratory findings by (1) summarising published cytological references val...
Sub-clinical diseases affecting performance in Standardbred trotters: diagnostic methods and predictive parameters. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of sub-clinical diseases in poorly-performing Standardbred horses, compare their physiological response to exercise with control horses, and identify predictive parameters of poor-performance. Fifty horses underwent thorough clinical and ancillary examinations, including haematological and biochemical evaluation, Doppler echocardiography, standardised exercise tests (SETs) on both treadmill and racetrack, treadmill video-endoscopy and collection of respiratory fluids. Most of the poorly-performing horses exhibited many concomitant d...
A comparison of forces acting on the horse’s back and the stability of the rider’s seat in different positions at the trot. The aim of the study was to compare the stability of the rider as well as the forces acting on a horse's back with different seating positions at the trot (sitting trot, rising trot and two-point seat). The same experienced rider was mounted on 10 sound horses trotting on a treadmill. The kinetic data were recorded with an electronic pressure mat, placed under a well-fitting dressage saddle with no saddle pad. The rider used three different seating positions, each for 20 s. Right forelimb motion was used to synchronise the pressure data with the stride cycles. To determine the rider's stabilit...
Chronobiology and the horse: recent revelations and future directions. The circadian system provides animals with a means to adapt their internal physiology to the constantly changing environmental stimuli that exist on a rotating planet. Light information is translated into molecular timing mechanisms within pacemaker cells of the mammalian hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) via transcriptional-translational feedback loops. Humoral and neural outputs from this 'master' clock result in circadian rhythms of physiology and behaviour. The larger circadian system involves SCN synchronisation of cellular clocks throughout the organism such that individual orga...
Effects of a stretching regime on stride length and range of motion in equine trot. The aim of this study was to quantify the effects of two different 8-week stretching regimes on stride length (SL) and range of motion (ROM) in the equine trot. Eighteen horses were divided into three matched groups: a 6 days/week stretching regime (6DSR), a 3 days/week stretching regime (3DSR) and a control no-stretching regime (NSR). SL and ROM data were collected at weeks 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 for trot in-hand. Stretching had no significant effect on SL. A number of significant differences were found in joint ROM between treatments in the shoulder, stifle and hock, suggesting some negative biome...
How equitation science can elucidate and refine horsemanship techniques. The long-held belief that human dominance and equine submission are key to successful training and that the horse must be taught to 'respect' the trainer infers that force is often used during training. Many horses respond by trialling unwelcome evasions, resistances and flight responses, which readily become established. When unable to cope with problem behaviours, some handlers in the past might have been encouraged to use harsh methods or devices while others may have called in a so-called 'good horseman' or 'horse whisperer' to remediate the horse. Frequently, the approaches such practitio...
Investigating horse-human interactions: the effect of a nervous human. The heart rates (HR) of horses and the people leading them (10 horses, 20 people), and riding them (17 horses, 17 people), were recorded in an indoor arena. The horses were Swedish leisure horses of mixed ages, sex and breed. All except two of the people were female and all were of mixed age and riding experience. Each horse-human pair walked or rode between points A and B (30m) four times on each test occasion. However, just before the fourth pass, participants were told that an umbrella would be opened as they rode, or led, the horse past the assistant. The umbrella was not opened, so this p...
Prevalence and diagnosis of Babesia and Theileria infections in horses in Italy: a preliminary study. Babesia caballi and Theileria equi are the causative agents of equine piroplasmosis. In this preliminary epidemiological study, 412 horses reared in central and northern Italy were sampled and three diagnostic methods compared, namely, the microscopy, the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and a PCR. Possible risk factors (such as area, season, breed, activity, sex, age, and grazing) associated with serological positivity were evaluated. A seroprevalence of 68.4% was found: 12.4% of the animals had anti-T. equi antibodies, 17.9% anti-B. caballi antibodies and 38.1% had antibodies agains...
Pressure on the horse’s withers with three styles of blanket. The objective of this study was to compare total force and localised pressure on horses' withers with three blanket styles (straight cut, V-shaped insert, cutback withers). Three pressure recordings, each of 5s duration, were taken in order to determine blanket pressure on the withers during standing and walking in 12 horses. Means+/-SD were calculated for the following variables and compared across blankets: total force, mean pressure, maximal pressure, and area with pressure >4 kPa. For standing trials, the blanket with the V-shaped insert had the lowest total force and smallest area with...
Assessing equine prospective memory in a Y-maze apparatus. Eight horses were tested in a Y-maze to see if they would approach the side on which they had seen and heard food being delivered into a food trough. The horses were tested in five experimental contexts: immediate release (IR), delayed release 3s (3DR), 6s (6DR), 9s (9DR) and 12s (12DR) after food delivery. Individual subjects performed five IR trials, followed by five each of 3DR, 6DR, 9DR and 12DR trials. A re-rest was performed 1 week later. Data were analysed by log-linear analysis of frequencies. The results showed that the horses were capable of achieving the correct choice during IR tri...
Weighted boots influence performance in show-jumping horses. This study investigated the effects of weighted boots on horses (n=6) jumping a 1.25 m oxer fence. The horses had similar training experience and were assigned to two groups of three subjects (groups G1 and G2). All horses performed 10 jumping efforts: G1 horses made attempts 1-5 without boots and 6-10 with boots; G2 made attempts 1-5 with boots and 6-10 without boots. Data were available via sagittal plane S-VHS recordings and t test analyses focussed on limb-placement dimensions. There were no differences among performances of the horses in the horizontal plane, but there were significant di...
Online detection of an emotional response of a horse during physical activity. The objective of this research was to develop a non-invasive method to detect an emotional response of a horse to novelty during physical activity. Two horses performed 20 trials each, in which the horse's heart rate (HR) and physical activity were continuously measured. The relationship between the horse's physical activity and HR was described by a mathematical model allowing online decomposition of the horse's HR into a physical component and a component containing information about its emotional state. Exposure to the novel object resulted in an increase in the emotional component of HR, w...
Effects on behaviour and rein tension on horses ridden with or without martingales and rein inserts. Unsteady hand position can cause discomfort to the horse, potentially leading to conflict behaviours (CB) such as head tossing or tail lashing. Some instructors feel that martingales or elastic rein inserts can reduce discomfort caused by inexperienced and unsteady hands. Others consider these devices to be inappropriate 'crutches'. Four horses and nine riders were tested under three conditions in random order: plain reins, adjustable training martingales (TM), and elasticised rein inserts (RI). Rein-tension data (7s) and behavioural data (30s) were collected in each direction. Rein-tension da...
Exercise during training is associated with racing performance in Thoroughbreds. This study aimed to determine the effects of exercise on racecourse performance in horses racing on the flat. Daily exercise and race records were obtained over a 2-year period for a cohort of racehorses in training for which injury data were also available. Multivariable regression techniques were used to investigate associations between canter, training gallop and race distances accumulated in the 30 days prior to each race and the odds of winning the race, earning prize money and the amount of prize money won. Higher cumulative high-speed (gallop+race) distances were associated with increas...
The horse-human dyad: can we align horse training and handling activities with the equid social ethogram? This article examines the recently completed equid ethogram and shows how analogues of social interactions between horses may occur in various human-horse interactions. It discusses how some specific horse-horse interactions have a corresponding horse-human interaction - some of which may be directly beneficial for the horse while others may be unusual or even abnormal. It also shows how correspondent behaviours sometimes become inappropriate because of their duration, consistency or context. One analogue is unlikely to hold true for all horse-human contexts, so when applying any model from ho...
SMART: Sensitivity models for animals in response to training. Trained responses are said to be under stimulus control when they appear reliably and exclusively on cue. The SMART system is a conceptual, three-dimensional graphic that uses four quadrants to chart a horse's responsiveness to various cues from two reins and the trainer's legs and seat. The current plots have been designed for ridden horses. The models assume that the trainer's cues are bilaterally equivalent, unless the intention is to signal a turn or a lateral movement. The extent to which 'go' signals manifest as straight, forward locomotion reflect the bilateral balance of the horse's re...
Policy Delphi with vignette methodology as a tool to evaluate the perception of equine welfare. A three-round Policy Delphi using vignette methodology was employed as a new approach to study stakeholder perceptions and experiences of equine welfare. Forty-four representatives from stakeholder groups in the Irish equine industry participated. In Round 1, vignettes (narratives illustrating potential infringements of equine welfare) were presented to assess perceptions of 'Acceptability' and experiences of 'Frequency of occurrence'. In Round 2, lists of situations where equine welfare might be compromised, possible drivers of behaviour and potential solutions were presented for grading. In ...
The relationship between visual memory and rider expertise in a show-jumping context. Individuals develop visual skills whilst participating in sport. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of reported riding expertise on the recall of visual information relating to show-jumps. Relevant (F1) and irrelevant (F2) points of focus were identified in 22 photographs of show-jumps. Participants were students (n=40) with varying levels of horse-riding ability. After viewing each photograph for 4s, the task was to identify F1s or F2s from four alternatives viewed for 10s. F1s were recalled significantly more than F2s (P<0.001). Riding expertise did not affect overall recall b...
A preliminary study into rider asymmetry within equitation. Rider asymmetry is anecdotally associated with underperformance and injury. In this study, rider axial rotation (AR) and shoulder angle displacement (SAD) were measured using video analysis, and leg length inequality (LLI) was measured to assess any correlation between LLI, AR and SAD. Two video cameras, recording transverse and sagittal views, simultaneously filmed each of 17 female riders in walk, trot, and left and right canter. The rider's shoulder angles relative to the cranial caudal line were measured at each limb impact for a complete stride cycle. All riders exhibited left AR and a gr...
Breeding value estimation in the Hungarian Sport Horse population. The aims of this study were to estimate phenotypic and genetic parameters for a range of traits in Hungarian Sport Horses, and to compare several methods of estimating breeding value (BV) in this breed. The analyses were based on the Hungarian Sport Horse Studbook, results of self-performance tests (SPTs) and show-jumping competition results. An SPT comprises subjective judgement of conformation traits, movement analysis traits and free-jumping performance, assessed via ordinal scores. Genetic parameters of SPTs were estimated with an animal model. Different measurements of the competition per...
A comparison of sympathetic and conventional training methods on responses to initial horse training. In 'sympathetic horsemanship' the importance of the natural behaviour of the horse and the use of body language in communication is emphasised. However, it is unclear what effect sympathetic horsemanship has on the welfare of horses. During a 5-week starting period the effect of a sympathetic (ST) versus a conventional (CT) training method was studied using 28 young Warmblood horses. Behavioural observations during the starting period as well as during a standardised final riding test were performed by trained observers. A Wilcoxon matched-pair test was used to detect differences within groups...
Identification of risk factors for lameness in dressage horses. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of illness and lameness at different anatomical sites in registered United Kingdom dressage horses and to identify risk factors for lameness. A questionnaire was sent to all 11,363 registered members of British Dressage in 2005, with one questionnaire assigned per horse. Four multivariable logistic regression models were developed for each section of the questionnaire. A final mixed effects logistic regression model was developed which combined the results from all prior models. Owners reported that 33% of horses had been lame at some time d...
Haematological parameters are normal in dominant white Franches-Montagnes horses carrying a KIT mutation. The KIT receptor protein-tyrosine kinase plays an important role during embryonic development. Activation of KIT is crucial for the development of various cell lineages such as melanoblasts, stem cells of the haematopoietic system, spermatogonia and intestinal cells of Cajal. In mice, many mutations in the Kit gene cause pigmentation disorders accompanied by pleiotropic effects on blood cells and male fertility. Previous work has demonstrated that dominant white Franches-Montagnes horses carry one copy of the KIT gene with the p.Y717X mutation. The targeted breeding of white horses would be et...
The influence of different saddle pads on force and pressure changes beneath saddles with excessively wide trees. This study was performed to investigate the forces and pressure distribution under different saddle pads when an excessively wide saddle is used. Eighteen sound horses were ridden on a treadmill at walk and trot. The horses were equipped with a dressage saddle with an excessively wide saddle tree and four different pads (gel, leather, foam and reindeer-fur) used sequentially. For comparison, one measurement was made without a saddle pad. A pressure mat under the pad was used for the collection of kinetic data. Kinematics from the right fore-hoof were required to synchronise the data with the s...
