Topic:Comparative Study
Comparative studies in equine research involve the systematic analysis of different horse breeds, management practices, or physiological responses to identify variations and similarities. These studies are instrumental in understanding how different factors influence health, performance, and behavior in horses. Common areas of comparison include genetic traits, nutritional requirements, disease resistance, and response to training. By evaluating these differences, researchers can develop targeted strategies for breeding, healthcare, and training. This page aggregates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that focus on the methodologies, findings, and implications of comparative studies in the context of equine science.
Review of published research on primary dysautonomia of domestic animals. An article published in 1992 by Marion M. Pollin and I.R. Griffiths reviewed the topic of primary dysautonomias of the autonomic nervous system of unidentified origin in multiple domestic species, specifically cats, dogs and horses. Thirty-one years later, we appear no closer to identifying the causal agents of these strikingly similar diseases. This article reviews the similarities and differences in clinical presentation and pathology of dysautonomia in canids, felids, equids, leporids and other less frequently reported species.
Comparative clinical, virological and pathological characterization of equine rotavirus A G3P[12] and G14P[12] infection in neonatal mice. Group A rotavirus (RVA) infections are a leading cause of neonatal diarrhoea in foals. Neonatal mice could serve as a useful tool to study the pathogenesis of equine RVA (ERVA) as well as a preclinical model for assessment of vaccine efficacy. This study aimed to comparatively evaluate the clinical, virological and pathological features of ERVA G3P[12] and G14P[12] infection in neonatal mice and compare them with porcine OSU G5P[7] and bovine UK G6P[5] RVA reference strains. Neonatal mice orally inoculated with equine, bovine and porcine RVA developed short-lived diarrhoea at variable rates, G...
Comparison of the Prevalence and Location of Trigger Points in Dressage and Show-Jumping Horses. Myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) are localized, hypersensitive areas in muscles that can cause pain and reduced performance. This study aimed to compare the prevalence and location of MTrPs in show-jumping and dressage horses. A secondary objective was to evaluate the potential of thermography, pressure algometry, and facial expression scoring in characterizing MTrPs in horses. Fourteen horses (seven dressage, seven show-jumping) were examined. Muscle palpation was used to identify MTrPs. Thermography was used to compare the skin surface temperature of MTrPs with adjacent control areas. Addit...
Stoicism or Defeat? The Psychological Impact of the Kiln Environment on Working Donkeys and Mules. One of the most problematic situations for the estimated 60 million working donkeys and mules across the world is within the brick kiln environment. In countries such as Egypt, Nepal, India and Pakistan, donkeys and mules carry dried bricks into small kilns either by pulling carts or carrying loaded packs. The health and welfare problems of this environment are well documented: they may carry excessive loads; work long hours, have difficulties accessing food, water and rest options; and can frequently suffer untreated illnesses including dental problems, lameness and open wounds from poorly fi...
Identification of the role of SEL1L in platelet function through a multi-species genetic investigation. SEL1L is a well-known protein in the endoplasmic reticulum associated degradation (ERAD) pathway. While it is known to be expressed in platelets, SEL1L has never been shown to play an active role. Here we find evidence that SEL1L regulates platelet function. We first identified SEL1L through the study of Atypical Equine Thrombasthenia (AET), an autosomal recessive platelet disorder found in Thoroughbred horses. A missense variant in (c.1810A>G p.Ile604Val) was found in AET-affected horses, which we show is associated with decreased protein expression. SEL1L is intracellular in equine platelet...
Comparative digestibility and gas production kinetics of Tifton 85 hay in donkeys and horses. This study aimed to verify whether donkeys of the Nordestino ecotype are more efficient than horses concerning apparent digestibility and gas production of Tifton 85 hay at different maturity stages, using the total feces collection method and the in vitro gas production technique. Four donkeys and four horses were used in a 2 × 2 factorial completely randomized design with two Equidae species and hay at two maturity stages (higher quality "Hay 1″ and lower quality "Hay 2″). No difference (P < 0,05) was found between the Equidae species for apparent nutrient digestibility of the Hay 1....
Comparative Efficacy of Topical Pyrethroids and Benzoyl Peroxide for Treating Chorioptic Mange in Spanish-Breton Horses. Chorioptic mange is a challenging condition to treat due to the superficial locations of the nonhematophagous mite , and while topical acaricides are recommended, the clinical feature relapses are frequent. In a double-blinded clinical trial, three randomized groups of Spanish-Breton horses ( = 32) naturally infected with on their legs were evaluated over a period of 70 days. All treatments were applied once every 14 days for three treatments. Before treatment and on Day (D)10, D25, D37, D56, and D70, each leg per animal was scored according to equine pastern dermatitis clinical presentat...
Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma in the Treatment of Equine Tendon and Ligament Injuries: A Systematic Review of Clinical and Experimental Studies. (1) Background: Tendon and ligament injuries are a leading cause of lameness in horses, with significant economic implications. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has gained attention for its regenerative potential, but its efficacy remains uncertain due to inconsistent study designs and reporting. (2) Methods: This systematic review, following the PRISMA guidelines, evaluated 22 studies (clinical and experimental) to assess the safety and efficacy of PRP in treating equine tendon and ligament injuries. The risk of bias was analyzed using the ROBINS-I and RoB 2.0 tools. (3) Results: PRP demonstrated a...
Metagenomic and proteomic analyses reveal similar reproductive microbial profiles and shared functional pathways in uterine immune regulation in mares and jennies. This study aims to unveil potential differences in the vaginal and uterine microbiomes in mares and jennies, and to identify possible mechanisms involved in uterine immune homeostasis. The microbiota was characterized using 16S rRNA sequencing, and the uterine proteome was analyzed using UHPLC/MS/MS in 18 samples from healthy mares and 14 from jennies. While taxonomic analysis revealed high interspecies similarities, β-diversity analysis showed distinct clustering, with only two vaginal taxa and five uterine taxa differing between species. Despite compositional differences, PICRUSt analysis s...
Characteristics and dynamic changes of gut microbiota in Mongolian horses and Guizhou horses. The gut microbial importance and its crucial roles in host digestion, immunity, and metabolism have received widely attention. Horses, especially indigenous varieties such as Mongolian horses (MGH) and Guizhou horses (GZH), have not received sufficient attention, and the characteristics of their gut microbiota are still unclear. For this purpose, we collected faecal samples from eight MGH and eight GZH to compare their gut microbial differences using amplicon sequencing. The results of alpha diversity analysis indicated that the gut bacterial diversity and gut fungal abundance in GZH were sign...
Detecting Equine Gaits Through Rider-Worn Accelerometers. Automatic horse gait classification offers insights into training intensity, but directsensor attachment to horses raises concerns about discomfort, behavioral disruption, andentanglement risks. To address this, our study leverages rider-centric accelerometers formovement classification. The position of a sensor, sampling frequency, and window size ofsegmented signal data have a major impact on classification accuracy in activity recognition.Yet, there are no studies that have evaluated the effect of all these factors simultaneouslyusing accelerometer data from four distinct rider locations (t...
Comparison of Rein Forces and Pressure Beneath the Noseband and Headpiece of a Snaffle Bridle and a Double Bridle. Information describing forces applied to the horse are needed to inform regulatory decisions regarding equine health and wellbeing. This study compares forces exerted beneath the noseband and headpiece of a snaffle bridle (SB) and a double bridle (DB). Horses were fitted with the same type of SB and DB. Forces were measured by pressure mats under the noseband (nasal/mandibular) and headpiece (occipital) of the bridle and by force sensors inserted bilaterally between the bit(s) and reins. The noseband was adjusted to 2 finger-equivalents using a tightness gauge. Data were recorded for eleven hi...
Real-time ancillary diagnostics for intraoperative assessment of intestinal viability in horses-looking for answers across species. Clinical intestinal viability assessment is associated with significant limitations, and there is an undisputable need for ancillary diagnostics during colic surgery. Human and companion animal surgeons struggle with similar intraoperative issues, yet there is little exchange between specialists. Therefore, this narrative review aimed to create an overview of real-time ancillary diagnostics with the potential for intraoperative intestinal viability assessment in horses. Most real-time ancillary diagnostics can be classified as either tissue perfusion or oxygenation assessments. Intestinal perf...
Experimental comparison of caudal wedge ostectomy to cranial wedge ostectomy for surgical treatment of overriding/impinging spinous processes in horses. Caudal wedge ostectomy has not been investigated for overriding or impinging spinous processes (SPs). Objective: To establish the feasibility of caudal wedge ostectomy and compare measures of surgical trauma and error between hypothetical caudal and cranial wedge ostectomies on SPs of different inclinations. Methods: Experimental, method comparison study. Methods: Computed tomography and caudal wedge ostectomy surgery were performed on four cadavers. Observations, technical difficulties, and surgical errors were recorded. Radiographs from 67 horses with overriding/impinging SPs were reviewed. ...
Comparison of Nose Wipes, Stall Sponges, and Air Samples with Nasal Secretions for the Molecular Detection of Equine Influenza Virus in Clinically and Subclinically Infected Horses. In recent years, the use of non-invasive host and environmental samples for the detection and monitoring of equine respiratory pathogens has shown promise and a high overall agreement with the gold standard of nasal secretions. The present study looked at comparing nose wipes, stall sponges, and air samples with nasal swabs collected from 27 horses involved in an equine influenza (EI) outbreak. The outbreak involved 5 clinical, 6 subclinical, and 16 uninfected horses. Samples sets were collected at the onset of the index case and retested every 2-3 days thereafter until all horses tested qPCR-...
Comparative analysis of gut microbiota in healthy and diarrheic foals. Diarrhea presents a substantial risk of high morbidity and mortality among foals. Although studies have shown connections between gut microbiota and several gastrointestinal diseases, there is still inadequate information on gut microbial alterations in foals during diarrhea. In this study, we conducted 16S rRNA and ITS gene amplicon sequencing to investigate gut bacterial and fungal differences between healthy and diarrheic foals. The results unveiled significant reductions in gut bacterial and fungal diversities among foals experiencing diarrhea, accompanied by notable shifts in the composit...
Domestic Quarter Horse (Equus caballus) Milk Macronutrient Composition Analyses Within Micro Quantities from Two Different Geographical Locations. Microquantity laboratory procedures (<5 mL) are often used to analyze milk from non-bovid or less common species due to limited available samples and small sample sizes, unlike the large quantities of milk needed for macroquantity (~20 mL) assays standard in the commercial dairy industry. To better understand microquantity milk laboratory analyses, quarter horse () milk from North Carolina State University (females = 4, n = 43) and California Polytechnic State University (females = 4, n = 42) equine centers was compared to investigate differences in macronutrient composition from 4 to 130 d...
Microbiome analysis reveals dynamic changes of gut microbiota in Guizhou horse and Dutch Warmblood horses. In recent years, the importance of gut microbiota in digestive absorption, metabolism, and immunity has garnered increasing attention. China possess abundant horse breed resources, particularly Guizhou horses, which play vital roles in local agriculture, tourism, and transportation. Despite this, there is a lack of comparative studies on the gut microbiota of native Guizhou horses (GZH) and imported Dutch Warmblood horses (WH). To address this gap, fecal samples were collected from both GZH and WH, and 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing was utilized to analyze the differences in their gut mic...
Comparative analysis of proteomics and transcriptomics reveals novel mechanism underlying the antibacterial activity and immune-enhancing properties of horse milk. Horse milk is a highly valuable organic food that is a promising alternative to cow milk, exhibiting plenty of healthy and immune benefits to human. However, identification of proteins associated human wellness and underlying molecular mechanism in horse milk remain unclear. Unassigned: Label-free mass spectrometry-based protein quantification technology was employed to investigate protein composition of animal milk, including cow, goat, camel and horse milk. Prokaryotic expression and disk diffusion assay were applied to acquire and evaluate antimicrobial activity of candidate proteins. RAW2...
The Genomic Characterization of Equid Alphaherpesviruses: Structure, Function, and Genetic Similarity. Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1), EHV-4, EHV-8, and EHV-9, are classified within the subfamily and are recognized as causative agents of respiratory, urogenital, and neurological disorders in horses. These viruses, collectively referred to as αEHVs, exhibits both unique and shared characteristics in terms of host interaction, pathogenesis, epidemiology, and immune evasion, which arise from both the identities and discrepancies among respective genomic homologs. The genomic architecture of αEHVs is similar to other members of the same subfamily, such as well-known HSV-1, VZV, and PRV. However, r...
Equus mitochondrial pangenome reveals independent domestication imprints in donkeys and horses. Mitochondria are semi-autonomous organelles that play a crucial role in the energy budget of animal cells and are closely related to the locomotor abilities of animals. Equidae is renowned for including two domesticated species with distinct purposes: the endurance-oriented donkey and the power-driven horse, making it an ideal system for studying the relationship between mitochondria and locomotor abilities. In this study, to cover the genetic diversity of donkeys, we sequenced and assembled six new mitochondrial genomes from China. Meanwhile, we downloaded the published mitochondrial genomes ...
Nay to Prey: Challenging the View of Horses as a “Prey” Species. This paper challenges the prevalent characterization of domesticated horses as prey species that inherently view humans as predators. Drawing on evolutionary, ethological, and cognitive evidence, we propose the "mutualistic coevolution hypothesis", which posits that horses and humans have evolved a partnership marked by cooperation rather than fear. We critically assess the "prey hypothesis", emphasizing a predator-prey model, which dominates equine training and the literature, and we argue that it inadequately explains horses' morphology, behaviors, and cognitive capacities. Comparative studi...
Identifying Novel Emotions and Wellbeing of Horses from Videos Through Unsupervised Learning. This research applies unsupervised learning on a large original dataset of horses in the wild to identify previously unidentified horse emotions. We construct a novel, high-quality, diverse dataset of 3929 images consisting of five wild horse breeds worldwide at different geographical locations. We base our analysis on the seven Panksepp emotions of mammals "Exploring", "Sadness", "Playing", "Rage", "Fear", "Affectionate" and "Lust", along with one additional emotion "Pain" which has been shown to be highly relevant for horses. We apply the contrastive learning framework MoCo (Momentum Contras...
Motorcycle and Equestrian Trauma: An ACS TQIP Comparative Study. Motorcycle and equestrian accidents can share similar trauma mechanisms and can result in serious injuries. Objective: This study aims to analyze variations in injuries and safety standards through types, severity, and outcomes of traumatic injuries in both motorcycle and equestrian riders. Methods: Using the 2020 ACS TQIP database, we split patients into two groups based on their primary injury. We chose codes V28 and V80.0 to identify non-collision fall or throw injuries for motorcycle and equestrian accidents respectively. A total of 17,730 motorcycle and 5,461 equestrian patients were iden...
Unraveling the distinctive gut microbiome of khulans (Equus hemionus hemionus) in comparison to their drinking water and closely related equids. The microbial composition of host-associated microbiomes is influenced by co-evolutionary interactions, host genetics, domestication, and the environment. This study investigates the contribution of environmental microbiota from freshwater bodies to the gastrointestinal microbiomes of wild khulans (Equus hemionus hemionus, n = 21) and compares them with those of captive khulans (n = 12) and other equids-Przewalski's horse (n = 82) and domestic horse (n = 26). Using PacBio technology and the LotuS pipeline for 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we analyze microbial diversity and conduct ...
Characterisation of equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis: A comparative study using microCT and radiography in age-matched controls. Equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EOTRH) is a painful disorder primarily affecting the incisor teeth of horses over 15 years of age. Clinical signs of the disease include prehension problems, halitosis and in severe cases weight loss. The disease predominately affects the reserve crown and presents as a loss of dental tissue and excessive build-up of cementum. Objective: To determine the radiographic scores of horses with EOTRH and age-matched controls and to increase understanding of EOTRH using microCT to compare teeth from horses with EOTRH and age-matched control...
Comparing the effectiveness of four antihistamines with olopatadine in healthy Thoroughbred horses. We compared the antihistamine effect of four new antihistamines with olopatadine, which is used to treat equine allergic diseases. Six healthy Thoroughbred horses received oral doses of olopatadine (50 mg), levocetirizine (50 mg), bilastine (200 mg), rupatadine (100 mg), and desloratadine (50 mg) at >2-week intervals. The effects were investigated by measurement of the wheal area induced by histamine intradermal injection, and inhibition rate was compared with positive and negative controls. The maximum wheal inhibition rate (mean ± SD) of olopatadine (85.3% ± 7.7%) was significantly higher ...
A comparative study evaluating three line immunoassays available for serodiagnosis of equine Lyme borreliosis: Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato-specific antibodies in serum samples of vaccinated and non-vaccinated horses. Diagnosis of equine Lyme borreliosis (LB), an infection caused by members of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex (Bbsl), is challenging due to the nonspecific clinical signs of the disease and due to the variety of non-standardized serological tests. Specific vaccine-induced antibodies against LB, providing an effective protection against the infection, complicate the issue further. The standard for the detection of specific antibodies against Bbsl is a two-tier test system based on an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFA) for antibody sc...
Comparison of end-to-side versus side-to-side jejunocecostomy in horses. To compare end-to-side (ES) and side-to-side (SS) jejunocecostomy (JC) in healthy horses. Methods: Experimental study in vivo. Methods: A total of 14 healthy adult horses underwent ventral midline celiotomy, a resection, and either an ES (n = 7) or stapled SS (n = 7) JC. Methods: Surgical times and the external lengths of completed anastomoses were measured. Physical examinations and pain scoring were performed every 6 h for 5 days, then once daily until euthanasia and necropsy 28 days postoperatively. Results: The anastomosis was completed more rapidly (p < .002) with the SS...
Expression and Analysis of TBX3 Gene in the Skin from Three Locations on Dun Mongolian Bider Horse. The Mongolian horse, one of the oldest and most genetically diverse breeds, exhibits a wide variety of coat colors and patterns, including both wild-type and unique features. A notable characteristic of dun Mongolian horses is the presence of Bider markings-symmetrical, black-mottled patterns observed on the shoulder blades. These markings are also seen in Przewalski's horses. The dun coat color, a common wild-type phenotype in domestic horses, is characterized by pigment dilution with distinct dark areas and is regulated by mutations in the gene. This study aimed to investigate the role of ...