Topic:Body Mass
Body mass in horses refers to the total weight of an individual horse, which is an important parameter in equine health and management. It influences various aspects of a horse's physiology, including metabolism, locomotion, and overall health status. Accurate assessment of body mass is essential for determining appropriate feeding regimens, medication dosages, and for evaluating growth and development in young horses. Body mass can be measured directly using scales or estimated using body condition scoring systems and weight tapes. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methods for assessing body mass, its impact on equine health and performance, and its role in the management of different horse breeds and disciplines.
Relationship between foal daily gain, suckling behavior, and the distance between foals and their mares in the first 40 days of life of Hokkaido native horses kept outdoors year-round. In this study, we investigated suckling behavior and the distance between a foal and its mare as indicators of foal growth in Hokkaido native horses (HKD) during the first 40 days of life. Direct observations were made of 22 mare and foal pairs from two consecutive days 1 and 2, 5 and 6, 10 and 11, 20 and 21, 30 and 31, and 40 and 41 after birth by focal animal sampling for 3 h per day. Suckling behavior was continuously recorded, along with the terminator. The distance between the foal and its mare was determined using the instantaneous sampling method (1 min), and the percentage was calc...
Multivariable Logistic Regression Models of X-Ray Thoracic Spinous Process Osseous Changes Findings and Body Measurement Factors Associated With Defined Over-riding of the Dorsal Spinous in Riding Horses. Thoracic spinous process osseous changes in horses occur due to riding-induced back compression. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the findings of thoracic spinous process osseous changes on radiographic imaging and conformation based on the difference in over-riding of the dorsal spinous processes in racing horses. This study included 55 sports horses. The hardness of the back muscles (the multifidus, longissimi, and latissimi collectively) was measured, and the horses were divided into two groups: low muscle hardness (n = 16) and high muscle hardness (n = 39). We conf...
Yield, nutrient composition, and horse condition in integrated crabgrass and cool-season grass rotational grazing pasture systems. Integration of warm-season grasses into traditional cool-season pastures can increase summer forage for grazing cattle. The aim of this study was to determine impacts of this practice on yield and nutrient composition of equine rotational pasture systems as well as horse body condition. Two 1.5 ha rotational systems (6 to 0.25 ha sections/system) were evaluated: a control system (CON) (all sections mixed cool-season grass [CSG-CON]) and an integrated rotational grazing system (IRS) (three CSG sections [CSG-IRS] and three Quick-N-Big crabgrass [Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.; CRB-IRS]). Three...
“Feeding the Foot”: Nutritional Influences on Equine Hoof Health. Nutrition plays an important role in equine health, including that of the foot. Deficiencies and excesses of dietary components can affect the growth and function of the foot and have been associated with important podiatric diseases. The recognition, prevention, and treatment of specific notable nutritional diseases of the foot are discussed, as well as information regarding specific ingredients included in supplements meant to improve equine hoof quality. Ensuring provision of a balanced diet, maintaining horses in appropriate body condition, and seeking guidance from an equine nutritionist ...
Development and Evaluation of a Muscle Atrophy Scoring System (MASS) for Horses. Loss of skeletal muscle mass likely compromises performance and welfare in horses and thus routine monitoring would be valuable. Currently available methods to assess muscle mass require expert knowledge and are often expensive. To provide a simple method, a muscle atrophy scoring system (MASS) was created and tested by three evaluators (raters) in 38 horses of varying age, breed, and health status. Inter-rater agreement on atrophy scores was in the good-to-excellent range for ratings of the neck (ICC = 0.62), back (ICC = 0.62) and hind (ICC = 0.76) regions but was poor for the abdominal...
Effect of a long-term high-energy diet on cardiovascular parameters in Shetland pony mares. Changes in cardiovascular parameters, including blood pressure (BP) and cardiac anatomical dimensions, are an inconsistent feature of the equine metabolic syndrome. The order in which these changes arise is unknown. Objective: Determine the order in which EMS-associated changes in cardiovascular parameters arise. Methods: Twenty Shetland pony mares. Methods: High-energy (HE) diet mares were fed 200% of net energy requirements for 1 (n = 3) or 2 (n = 7) consecutive diet-years, with 17 weeks of hay-only between years. Noninvasive BP measurements and echocardiograms were performed during bo...
Effects of feed deprivation on physical and blood parameters of horses. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of feed restriction on some physical and blood parameters in horses kept outdoors under natural conditions. Twenty horses were deprived of food for 48 h. They were closely monitored and examined, and blood samples were taken at the beginning (0) of the experiment and 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42 and 48 hours afterward. During the experimental period, the control group (12 animals) had free access to water and hay, while the restricted group had free access to water only. Data were submitted to two-way analysis of variance with repeated measur...
Evaluation of Medetomidine-Ketamine for Immobilization of Feral Horses in Romania. Feral horses are immobilized for a variety of reasons including population control via contraceptives. Although opioid combinations have been successfully used for immobilization of feral horses, there is a need for combinations using drugs that are more readily available and present less of a human health hazard. We evaluated the chemical immobilization with physiological measurements and blood gas analyses of 91 free-ranging feral horses () remotely immobilized with a combination of 30 mg medetomidine and 775 mg ketamine in a single disposable 6 ml dart. During immobilization, heart rate, re...
Relationship Between Body Mass and the Hoof Area: Understanding the Turner’s Formula. The equine hoof balance has been the subject of several studies, reflecting the importance of hooves for the good health and performance of these animals. An important condition for the hooves health is its loading, where too much weight in a small area can increase the chances of lameness. Therefore, an equation has been proposed to identify the relationship between body mass and hoof size and has been used in several studies. However, a clear description of how it was developed and what its results really indicate is not available in the literature. In light of this, this article aims to des...
Differential rotational movement and symmetry values of the thoracolumbosacral region in high-level dressage horses when trotting. High-level dressage horses regularly perform advanced movements, requiring coordination and force transmission between front and hind limbs across the thoracolumbosacral region. This study aimed at quantifying kinematic differences in dressage horses when ridden in sitting trot-i.e. with additional load applied in the thoracolumbar region-compared with trotting in-hand. Inertial sensors were glued on to the midline of the thoracic (T) and lumbar (L) spine at T5, T13, T18, L3 and middle of the left and right tubera sacrale of ten elite dressage horses (Mean±SD), age 11±1 years, height 1.70±0...
Nutritional Influences on Skeletal Muscle and Muscular Disease. Skeletal muscle comprises 40% to 55% of mature body weight in horses, and its mass is determined largely by rates of muscle protein synthesis. In order to support exercise, appropriate energy sources are essential: glucose can support both anaerobic and aerobic exercise, whereas fat can only be metabolized aerobically. Following exercise, ingestion of nonfiber carbohydrates and protein can aid muscle growth and recovery. Muscle glycogen replenishment is slow in horses, regardless of dietary interventions. Several heritable muscle disorders, including type 1 and 2 polysaccharide storage myopath...
Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR FT-IR) Spectroscopy for the Quantitative Analysis of Deuterium in Plasma: Application to Total Body Water Determination in Humans and Other Animals. Conventional methods for measuring the concentration of deuterium in body fluids are by either isotope ratio mass spectrometry or Fourier transform infrared transmission (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The latter method is often preferred as it is less expensive and time consuming; however, having a lower sensitivity means a larger sample volume is required. This study investigated an alternative FT-IR spectroscopic method, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR), which has the potential to provide shorter analysis times while requiring smaller sample volumes. Deu...
Estimation of Liveweight from Body Measurements through Best Fitted Regression Model in Dezhou Donkey Breed. Dezhou donkey is an excellent local hide, meat and milk breed in Shandong Province. To accelerate the speed of breeding, reproduction and conversation, correlation and multiple regression analysis between body weight (BW) and body size of Dezhou donkey rearing under intensive farms was made by SAS 9.4 software (Statistical Analysis for Windows). A total of 162 donkeys of both gender of age 2 ~ 10 years old were used to investigate the relationships between BW and body dimensional traits (cm) including height of withers, body length; thoracic depth, thoracic girth (TG), thoracic width (TW), cir...
Effect of seasons and sex on the physical, hematological, and blood biochemical parameters of Noma horses. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of seasons and sex on body size and hematological and biochemistry parameters of Noma horses, a native Japanese breed. Body size was larger in winter than in summer. Laboratory testing variables, including erythrocytic parameters and urea nitrogen, total cholesterol, and creatinine kinase levels, were higher in winter, while the eosinophil count was higher in summer. These seasonal differences may be related to increased energy consumption of horses due to heat stress. The higher eosinophil counts may have been related to the dermatitis observed in su...
Markers of muscle atrophy and impact of treatment with pergolide in horses with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction and muscle atrophy. Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is a common endocrine disorder of aged horses, with muscle atrophy as one of the clinical signs. We sought to compare muscle mass and regulation of skeletal muscle proteolysis between horses with PPID and muscle atrophy to older horses without PPID, and to assess the impact of treatment with pergolide (dopaminergic agonist) on PPID horses. We hypothesized that PPID-associated muscle atrophy is a result of increased proteolysis, and that markers of muscle atrophy and proteolysis would improve over time with pergolide treatment. Markers of muscle atro...
Changes in metabolic and physiological biomarkers in Mangalarga Marchador horses with induced obesity. This study aimed to characterize and correlate physiological and metabolic changes in horses fed a hypercaloric diet (HD). Nine mature horses with a mean initial body condition score of 2.9 ± 1 (scale, 1-9) were fed a high-calorie diet for 5 months. Fasting blood samples were collected before the study and biweekly for the duration of the project to determine the concentrations of cholesterol (CHOL), very low (VLDL), low (LDL) and high-density (HDL) lipoproteins, triglycerides, non-esterified fatty acids, and fructosamine. A low-dose oral glucose tolerance test (LGTT) was conducted before, 75...
Effects of equine riding on static and dynamic mechanical contraction of the thighs and trunk muscles in inactive women. This study investigated whether equine riding affects static or dynamic mechanical contractions on the thighs and trunk muscles in inactive women. Methods: Participants consisted of 30 women with a mean (SD) age of 21.06 (0.44) years. They were randomly allotted as follows: equine group (EQG, n= 15) and control group (CON, n= 15). Two types of muscle contraction properties in their thighs and trunk were measured through a tensiomyography (static muscle tester) and an isokinetic device (dynamic muscle tester), respectively. Using the body weights of EQG and CON as covariates, a 2-way between-gr...
Pathways involved in pony body size development. The mechanism of body growth in mammals is poorly understood. Here, we investigated the regulatory networks involved in body growth through transcriptomic analysis of pituitary and epiphyseal tissues of smaller sized Debao ponies and Mongolian horses at the juvenile and adult stages. Results: We found that growth hormone receptor (GHR) was expressed at low levels in long bones, although growth hormone (GH) was highly expressed in Debao ponies compared with Mongolian horses. Moreover, significant downregulated of the GHR pathway components m-RAS and ATF3 was found in juvenile ponies, which slow...
Biogeography a key influence on distal forelimb variation in horses through the Cenozoic. Locomotion in terrestrial tetrapods is reliant on interactions between distal limb bones (e.g. metapodials and phalanges). The metapodial-phalangeal joint in horse (Equidae) limbs is highly specialized, facilitating vital functions (shock absorption; elastic recoil). While joint shape has changed throughout horse evolution, potential drivers of these modifications have not been quantitatively assessed. Here, I examine the morphology of the forelimb metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint of horses and their extinct kin (palaeotheres) using geometric morphometrics and disparity analyses, within a phylo...
Influence of morphometric parameters on the size of collateral ligaments of the distal interphalangeal joint of equines. The physiological measurements of collateral ligaments of distal interphalangeal joint (CL-DIPJ) differ in the literature. The factors that influence these differences are not well described. The aims of this study are to compare CL-DIPJ sizes in equines with different withers height, as well as to correlate body weight and hoof size to the size of these ligaments. In total, 52 horses were used in the study. They were divided into two groups according to wither height: Group 1 (G1) - 21 animals with up to 147 cm - and group 2 (G2) - 21 animals with greater than 148 cm. CL-DIPJ was ultrasonog...
Foraging efficiency, social status and body condition in group-living horses and ponies. Individual animals experience different costs and benefits associated with group living, which may impact on their foraging efficiency in ways not yet well specified. This study investigated associations between social dominance, body condition and interruptions to foraging behaviour in a cross-sectional study of 116 domestic horses and ponies, kept in 20 discrete herds. Social dominance was measured for each individual alongside observations of winter foraging behaviour. During bouts of foraging, the duration, frequency and category (vigilance, movement, social displacements given and receive...
Allometric growth in mass by the brain of mammals. I re-examined published data for ontogenetic change in relative mass of the brain in six species of mammal (i.e., sheep, pig, cow, horse, rat, cat) to illustrate an insidious problem with conventional analyses of brain-body allometry. Graphical displays of logarithmic transformations of the original data for each species give the appearance of two discrete mathematical distributions, but untransformed observations nonetheless conform to a single distribution that is well described by a single, nonlinear equation. The concept of biphasic, allometric growth by the brain consequently is an artifa...
Does size matter? Examining the possible mechanisms of multi-stallion groups in horse societies. In some feral horse populations, adult females are either associated with a single male or multiple males (stallions). However, little is known on why such groups with more than one male exist, considering that stallions fight to monopolize females. Body size is often an important determinant of male fighting ability and/or dominance rank and, consequently, reproductive success. Stallions may, therefore, vary in "quality" which could be a differentiating factor between single-stallion and multi-stallion males. We observed feral Garrano horses in Northern Portugal and examined the relationship ...
Relationship between live body condition score and carcass fat measures in equine. Relationships between live body condition score (BCS) and carcass fat depots have not been well established in equine. Our study was designed to quantify the relationship between BCS and fat depot measurements from equine carcasses. Live horses ( = 429) were evaluated immediately prior to immobilization at a commercial equine processor. Horses were independently assigned a BCS by a panel of three trained evaluators; BCS was evaluated by visual appraisal and manual palpation of the neck, withers, back, ribs, behind the shoulder, and tailhead. Median BCS frequencies were: 3.0 ( = 9), 4.0 ( = 43)...
Morphometric measurements of the feet of working donkeys Equus asinus in Egypt. Working equids rely on sound, balanced hooves, but data describing the typical morphology of the legs and feet of working donkeys are currently lacking. To address this gap in knowledge, the front and hind feet of twenty healthy working donkeys were measured and compared. Hoof width, weight-bearing lengths, heel width, dorsal hoof wall length and lateral and medial heel length of the hoof wall were determined, as well as toe angle, heel angle, hoof pastern axis, coronary band angle and a measure of 'ground surface size'. Viewed from the ground surface of the foot, front feet were more rounded ...
Effect of the Depth of Insertion of the Thermometer on the Rectal Temperature of Donkeys During the Hot-Dry Season in a Tropical Savannah. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the depth of insertion and environmental parameters on the rectal temperature (RT) in donkeys during the hot-dry season in a tropical savannah zone of Nigeria. The experimental subjects were comprised of thirty donkeys divided into three groups based on age: group I, 10 foals (40.67 ± 2.20 kg; 1.50 ± 0.02 months); group II, 10 yearlings (91.53 ± 0.54 kg; 1.51 ± 0.01 years); and group III, 10 adults (140 ± 0.71 kg; 8.03 ± 0.06 years). Each group was divided into 5 male and 5 female donkeys. Measurements of the RT were ...
Prematurity and Dysmaturity Are Associated With Reduced Height and Shorter Distal Limb Length in Horses. The long-term effects of gestational immaturity in the premature (defined as < 320 days gestation) and dysmature (normal term but showing some signs of prematurity) foal have not been thoroughly investigated. Studies have reported that a high percentage of gestationally immature foals with related orthopedic issues such as incomplete ossification may fail to fulfill their intended athletic purpose, particularly in Thoroughbred racing. In humans, premature birth is associated with shorter stature at maturity and variations in anatomical ratios, linked to alterations in metabolism and timing of...
Movement Caused by Electrical Stimulation of the Lumbosacral Region in Standing Horses. Electrical stimulation is commonly used as a modality for physical therapy in human and veterinary medicine. However, studies measuring the movement generated by electrical stimulation in horses are rare. The present study therefore evaluates the range of movement provoked by a commercially available physical therapy unit (FES310) and contrasts it with the movement generated by manually induced pelvic inclination (back rounding). Ten horses were tested on three measurement days over one week. Electrical stimulation was applied via a back treatment pad (belonging to the FES310 system) containin...
Effect of age and the individual on the gastrointestinal bacteriome of ponies fed a high-starch diet. Bacteria residing in the gastrointestinal tract of mammals are crucial for the digestion of dietary nutrients. Bacterial community composition is modified by age and diet in other species. Although horses are adapted to consuming fibre-based diets, high-energy, often high-starch containing feeds are increasingly used. The current study assessed the impact of age on the faecal bacteriome of ponies transitioning from a hay-based diet to a high-starch diet. Over two years, 23 Welsh Section A pony mares were evaluated (Controls, 5-15 years, n = 6/year, 12 in total; Aged, ≥19 years, n = 6 Year 1;...