Topic:Body Weight
Body weight in horses is a fundamental parameter that influences various aspects of equine management and health. It is a measure of the horse's mass, often assessed using scales or estimated through body condition scoring and weight tapes. Body weight is integral for determining appropriate feed rations, medication dosages, and workload capacities. Variations in body weight can indicate changes in health status, nutritional adequacy, or fitness levels. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methodologies for assessing body weight, its implications on equine health and performance, and its role in management practices.
Increased Rider Weight Did Not Induce Changes in Behavior and Physiological Parameters in Horses. Recent studies have reported significant alterations in horse physiological and gait parameters when exposed to increased rider weight during moderate to high intensity exercise. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of increased rider weight (+15% and +25% of the regular rider's bodyweight) on horse behavioral, physiological and gait symmetry parameters during a standard dressage test. Twenty rider-horse equipages performed the same test three times in a randomized, crossover design. Salivary cortisol (SC), heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), behavior and gait symmetry (GS) were ...
Weight estimation and hormone concentrations related to body condition in Icelandic and Warmblood horses: a field study. The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the accuracy of different body weight formulas for estimating body weight of Icelandic and Warmblood horses, as well as to assess the associations between the variables cresty neck score, body condition score, and plasma concentrations of leptin, insulin and cortisol. A total of 81 adult (≥ 4 years of age) horses (43 Icelandic and 38 Warmblood horses) was included in this study. The following morphological measurements were collected by two examiners simultaneously; body weight; height at withers; neck length; 0.5 neck length; neck circum...
Risk factors for superficial digital flexor tendinopathy in Thoroughbred racing horses in Japan. Thoroughbred racehorses are commonly affected with superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendinopathy. This study aimed to identify risk factors for SDF tendinopathy in racing horses. The authors selected racehorses (n=292) with SDF tendinopathy from the medical records of a racetrack. As a risk factor associated with track-related variables, the SDF tendinopathy odds ratio (OR) was significantly high for a sloppy track surface compared with a standard track surface. Regarding risk factors associated with race-related variables, the SDF tendinopathy OR was significantly high in the following cases:...
Effect of Different Blanket Weights on Surface Temperature of Horses in Cold Climates. The objective of this study was to examine changes in surface temperature of blanketed horses during cold weather. Four mature stock-type horses were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Treatments included 3 different blanket weights (based on g of fiberfill): light weight (LW; 0 g), medium weight (MW; 200 g), heavy weight (HW; 400 g), and a nonblanketed control (CON). Thermographic images were obtained from a standardized lumbar location before blanketing and immediately after cold exposure. During cold exposure, horses were outside with ad libitum access to grass hay and water for 1 h...
Relationships Between Measurements of Body Fat in Thoroughbred Horses. Equine obesity is increasing in prevalence, and weight loss diets are frequently recommended for these horses. However, there are also management situations in which horses are deemed to be too thin. To monitor the efficacy of weight change programs, estimates of body fat are often made. There are several systems available to estimate body fat, and there are benefits and challenges to using each method. The objective of this study was to compare four different methods of estimating body fat in Thoroughbred horses. In 14 mature Thoroughbred horses, relationships among body condition score (BCS)...
Factors Affecting the Rate and Measurement of Feed Intake for a Cereal-Based Meal in Horses. The rapid intake of high-cereal, low-roughage meals may cause gastrointestinal and behavioral disorders. We investigated some of the factors that can affect the rate of intake (ROI) in four separate studies. Study 1 investigated the effect of chaff length and addition rate on the ROI of oats. The ROI decreased as more chaff was added to the diet, attaining significance (P < .05, n = 6) at levels above 15% addition and reaching a plateau at ∼50%. This was independent of stalk length (1.4 cm vs. 4.1 cm). Study 2 showed that meal size (varying from 0.5 to 4 g/kg BW) did not affect the RO...
Prevalence of Electrolyte Disturbances and Perianesthetic Death Risk Factors in 120 Horses Undergoing Colic Surgery. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of intraoperative electrolyte disturbances and risk factors associated with perianesthetic death in horses undergoing colic surgery. The files of 120 horses meeting the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Data retrieved from the medical records, including demographic data and the occurrence of electrolyte disturbances and other intraoperative complications, were analyzed with a two step-approach by univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. Hypocalcemia was the most represented electrolyte disturbance (52.5%), followed by h...
Influence of Obesity on Serum Concentrations of Acute-Phase Proteins in Horses. Obesity in human and veterinary medicine is one of the most complex challenges within emerging diseases in the context of health. The problem of obesity in horses results in severe comorbidities; therefore, acute-phase proteins should be investigated for fluctuations increasing or decreasing by at least 25% in response to inflammation; these are candidates for future biomarkers and might provide new perspectives on early diagnosis and prognosis. Serum samples were analyzed in nine healthy animals (C) and nine obese animals (O). The proteins were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylami...
Ultrasonographic assessment of normal jugular veins in Standardbred horses. Ultrasonography (US) is the recommended imaging technique to evaluate jugular veins. This prospective randomized clinical study was designed to collect a series of B-mode US measurements of manually distended jugular veins in healthy Italian Standardbreds and to find possible correlations between ultrasound measurements and animal morphometric characteristics. Forty-two horses, eight males and 34 females (range 3-22 years; bodyweight 494.4 ± 41.7 kg), were included in the study. The diameters and wall thicknesses of both jugular veins were measured at three different sites of the neck...
The effect of different grazing conditions on the insulin and incretin response to the oral glucose test in ponies. The oral glucose test (OGT) is a useful tool for diagnosing insulin dysregulation (ID) and is somewhat repeatable in ponies under consistent management. This study aimed to determine whether the insulin and incretin responses to an OGT in ponies differed after short-term access to fertilised pasture, compared to unfertilised pasture, by using a randomised, repeated measures study design. Sixteen mixed-breed ponies were classified as severely insulin-dysregulated (SD; post-prandial insulin ≥80 μIU/mL) or not severely insulin-dysregulated (NSD; post-prandial insulin < 80 μIU/mL) using an O...
Risk factors for exertional heat illness in Thoroughbred racehorses in flat races in Japan (2005-2016). Exertional heat illness (EHI) is recognised in horses, but few reports have investigated its risk factors. Objective: To identify risk factors for EHI in racehorses participating in flat races in Japan. Methods: Descriptive epidemiology and retrospective unmatched case-control study. Methods: Between 2005 and 2016, veterinary records of horses diagnosed with EHI after flat races were reviewed retrospectively and data of the months from April to September were used for a case-control study. For each case, three control horses were randomly selected from starts between April and September. Race ...
Influence of Long-Term Furosemide Use on Bone Mineral Content, Bone Metabolism Markers, and Water Weight Loss in Horses. Furosemide is used to reduce the incidence of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage in racehorses. Previous research suggests furosemide negatively impacts calcium balance, which may have long-term implications for bone health. Eleven healthy horses, either control (CON, n = 5) or treatment (FUR, n = 6), were used to test furosemide's effects on bone mineral content (BMC), bone metabolism biomarkers, and weight loss after administration. Treatment horses received IV furosemide at 1 mg⋅kg BW once weekly for seven weeks, and blood was collected before and at 24 hours after administration f...
Influence of diet fortification on body composition and apparent digestion in mature horses consuming a low-quality forage. Stock-type mares (498 ± 9 kg BW; 12 ± 7 yr) were used in a completely randomized design for 56 d to test the hypothesis that concentrate fortification improves apparent digestion and enhances lean mass over the topline. Horses were stratified by age, BW, and BCS and randomly assigned to either a custom pelleted concentrate (CON; = 13), or an iso-caloric, iso-nitrogenous pellet that included amino acid fortification, complexed trace minerals, and fermentation metabolites (FORT; = 10). Concentrate was offered at a total 0.75% BW/d (as-fed) twice daily, and diets were designed to meet or exce...
Modification of the equine gastrointestinal microbiota by Jerusalem artichoke meal supplementation. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of natural prebiotic active compounds on the microbial composition in different regions of the equine gastrointestinal tract. Twelve adult horses (body weight [bwt] 534 ± 64.5 kg; age 14 ± 7.5 years) were randomly divided into two feeding groups. Six horses received a basal diet consisting of 1.5 kg hay/100 kg bwt x d-1 and oat grains equal to 1.19 g starch/kg bwt x d-1, supplemented with Jerusalem artichoke meal providing prebiotic fructooligosaccharides + inulin in a quantity of 0.15 g/kg bwt x d-1. The remaining horses received a p...
Correlation between l-lactate and glucose concentrations and body condition score in healthy horses and ponies. Blood l-lactate and glucose concentrations were higher in ponies with gastrointestinal disease than in horses, possibly because of differences in body condition (BC). Objective: To investigate whether l-lactate and glucose concentrations correlate with BC and differ between healthy horses and ponies. Methods: Systemically healthy client-owned ponies (n = 101) and horses (n = 51). Methods: Prospective observational study. Breed, weight, height, and subjective and objective measures of BC were recorded and l-lactate and glucose concentrations were measured. Correlations between l-lactate and glu...
Assessment of body fluids and blood parameters associated with rapid weight change in heavy horses. Horses competing in pulling competitions often undergo rapid weight change to enter lower weight categories. The aim of this study was to assess weight change and the associated changes of body water compartments in pulling horses. Weight change was attributed primarily to body water losses; however, losses from other sources were also indicated. . Les chevaux participant à des compétitions de trait subissent souvent des changements de poids rapides pour s’inscrire à des catégories de poids inférieurs. Le but de cette étude consistait à évaluer le changement de poids et les changemen...
Apparent Digestibility of Nutrients, Blood Parameters and Body Development of Dewormed and Not Dewormed Weanlings. Weanlings undergo rapid body development in the first year of life and, in this period, are more susceptible to helminth infection that can impair their growth. The objective of this study was to compare the apparent digestibility of nutrients, blood parameters, and body development of deworming and not deworming weanlings. Fourteen Mangalarga Marchador weanling colts, on a farm in Northern Minas Gerais, Brazil, were divided into two groups: dewormed (D) and not dewormed (ND) groups. The weanlings were kept separately for 3 months in two pastures of Cynodon nlemfuensis cv. African Star Grass....
Influence of Exercise, Age, Body weight, and Growth on the Development of Tarsal Osteoarthritis in Young Mangalarga Marchador Horses. In this study, the effect of early exercise, age, body weight (BW), and growth on the articular cartilage and subchondral bones of the tarsocrural joints was evaluated in 40 young Mangalarga Marchador horses allowed free choice exercise in pasture. Twenty of the horses had additional controlled exercise 3 days per week from a mean age of 30 ± 20 days until 36 months. The training program consisted of an increasing number of 15-minute gallop sprints in an oval paddock with a concrete floor covered by a thick layer of sand. BW, withers height (WH), and neck circumference were measured and bo...
Indirect Blood Pressure Measurement in Horses: Is There an Influence of Age, Sex, Breed, Bodyweight, and Cardiac Diseases on Pressure Values? Only few data regarding normal resting blood pressure in horses and the influence of cardiac diseases on arterial blood pressure are available in literature. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the possible influence of age, sex, breed, bodyweight, and cardiac diseases and their severity on blood pressure values measured in horses with cardiac disease and in a control group. For this case-control study, indirect blood pressure measurement was performed in 60 horses with different types of cardiac disease and in 23 healthy horses (control group), by means of an ultrasonic blood-...
Impact of body weight gain on hepatic metabolism and hepatic inflammatory cytokines in comparison of Shetland pony geldings and Warmblood horse geldings. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is known as determining part of human obesity. The impact of body weight (BW) gain on liver metabolism has not been extensively investigated yet. Objective: To investigate hepatic alterations caused by increasing BW in ponies and horses. Methods: A total of 19 non-obese equines (10 Shetland ponies, geldings; nine Warmblood horses, geldings). Methods: Animals received 200% of their metabolizable maintenance energy requirements for 2 years. Serum alkaline phosphatase, glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyl transferas...
Estimation of Live Weight by Body Measurements in the Miranda Donkey Breed. The use of the measurement of heart girth (HG), in locations where a scale is not available, with the application of weight estimation formulas or special weight tapes, is well established as a practical and accurate way to estimate the live weight (LW). Although several studies were performed to correlate donkey body measurements and LW, none of these was done in the large frame European donkey breeds. When using smaller frame breeds formulas, the tendency was to underestimate the live weight of larger frame breeds. The sample used in this study consisted of 65 Miranda breed donkeys, with age...
Estimation of Actual and Ideal Bodyweight Using Morphometric Measurements of Miniature, Saddle-Type, and Thoroughbred Horses. Adding breed type, height, and neck circumference to body length and girth circumference improves bodyweight (BW) estimation in different breeds of horses; however, equations have not been developed for all breed types. The objectives were to develop BW estimation equations for Miniature, saddle-type, and Thoroughbred horses using morphometric measurements. Measurements were collected on adult (≥3 years, nonpregnant) saddle-type (n = 209), adult (n = 249) and juvenile (<3 years, n = 61) Miniatures, and adult Thoroughbreds (n = 100). Personnel determined body condition score (BCS), m...
Morphometric measurements and zootechnical indices of the Pantanal in race horses of different ages and gender. The aim of this study was to perform linear measurements and assess morphometric indices of equines of the Pantanal race of different ages in the municipality of Poconé-Mato Grosso. Fifty-seven clinically healthy male and female horses between 1 and 19 years of age were selected and divided into groups by sex: 41 animals males and 17 animals femeles, and age groups: group 1 (nine animals up to 12 months of age), group 2 (eight animals from 12 to 24 months), group 3 (15 animals from 24 to 48 months), and group 4 (27 animals older than 48 months). With the aid of a hypometer, the following...
Influence of housing type on the cecal environment of horses. Eight previously cecally cannulated Quarter Horse geldings were utilized in a crossover design with two 28-d periods with a 21-d washout period between to evaluate the influence of housing on the cecal environment and dry matter intake (DMI). Horses were adapted to diet and housing from day 1 to 19, DMI was determined from day 20 to 24, and cecal fluid was collected on day 28. Horses were paired by age and body weight (BW) and randomly assigned to treatment. Treatments consisted of housing horses individually in stalls or group housed in a pen. Regardless of treatment, all horses were individu...
Continuous fluid infusion per rectum compared with intravenous and nasogastric fluid administration in horses. Rectal fluid administration may offer a simple, safe and inexpensive alternative to intravenous or nasogastric fluid therapy in equine clinical cases. Objective: To evaluate the tolerance and effects of rectally administered fluid and compare the measurements of haemodilution and intravascular volume with those during nasogastric and intravenous fluid administration. Methods: Randomised controlled experimental trial. Methods: Six clinically normal Standardbred geldings were used in a 4-way crossover study: each received three different fluid treatments (intravenous, nasogastric and rectal) at ...
Adipose tissue dysfunction in obese horses with equine metabolic syndrome. Obesity is a common feature of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). In other species, obese adipose tissue shows pathological features such as adipocyte hypertrophy, fibrosis, inflammation and impaired insulin signalling all of which contribute to whole body insulin dysregulation. Such adipose tissue dysfunction has not been investigated in horses. Objective: To determine if obese horses with EMS have adipose tissue dysfunction characterised by adipocyte hypertrophy, fibrosis, inflammation and altered insulin signalling. Methods: Cross-sectional post-mortem study. Methods: Samples of peri-renal (v...
Effects of Diet Versus Exercise on Morphometric Measurements, Blood Hormone Concentrations, and Oral Sugar Test Response in Obese Horses. Weight loss plans in horses typically use dietary restriction, but exercise may have additional benefits. This study aimed to compare the effects of a diet or exercise protocol resulting in comparable caloric restriction in obese horses. Ten obese horses were paired according to sex, age, and breed or breed type. One horse from each pair was randomly assigned to either diet (DIET)-intake restricted to approximately 85% of digestible energy requirements or exercise (EX)-exercised to expend approximately 15% of digestible energy requirements, resulting in 85% of requirements available, for 4 we...
Body Composition and Visceral Adipose Tissue in Female Collegiate Equestrian Athletes. To examine measures of total and regional body composition using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in NCAA Division I collegiate equestrian athletes, 31 female collegiate equestrian athletes were matched to a population of normal controls by age and body mass index. Total and regional fat tissue mass (FM), lean tissue mass (LM), bone mineral density (BMD), and abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were measured by DXA. Equestrian athletes had a significantly (p=0.03) lower total body fat percentage (%fat) than controls. There were no significant differences in total LM and VAT between equestri...
Ultrasonographic measures of body fatness and their relationship with plasma levels and adipose tissue expression of four adipokines in Welsh pony mares. Obesity is responsible for metabolic dysregulations that alter fertility and induce pathologies. The objectives of the present study were to validate a reliable method for the evaluation of body fatness in mares and to associate the body fat estimation data to metabolic changes, including adipokines at the plasma and adipose tissue levels. To reach this purpose, animals were subjected to two extreme breeding conditions to study the variation of morphological, ultrasound, and physiological parameters. Twenty Welsh mares were followed up monthly from April to October before and after animals wer...
The efficacy and safety of velagliflozin over 16 weeks as a treatment for insulin dysregulation in ponies. A previous six-week (wk) study demonstrated the potential of the sodium-glucose linked transport inhibitor velagliflozin as a novel treatment for equine insulin dysregulation. The present study examined the safety and efficacy of velagliflozin over 16 wk. of treatment, and over 4 wk. of withdrawal. Twenty-four insulin dysregulated ponies were selected, based on their hyper-responsiveness to a diet challenge meal containing 3.8 g non-structural carbohydrates (NSC)/kg bodyweight (BW). Ponies with serum insulin > 90 μIU/mL either 2 or 4 h after feeding were enrolled, and randomly allocated...