The relationship between the environment and horses encompasses the study of how various environmental factors impact equine health, behavior, and performance. This includes examining the effects of climate, air quality, housing conditions, and pasture management on horses. Environmental factors can influence respiratory health, thermoregulation, and stress levels in horses. Research in this area often focuses on identifying optimal conditions for horse welfare and productivity, as well as the mitigation of adverse environmental impacts. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that investigate the interactions between environmental conditions and equine physiology, behavior, and overall health.
Anoplocephala sp. parasites are among the most frequent tapeworms in equines and are associated with intestinal infections. This survey had the objective to verify Anoplocephala sp. prevalence at Sociedade Hípica Paranaense (SHPr). The animals were treated with ivermectin, which does not have efficacy against Anoplocephala sp.. To determine whether eggs of Anoplocephala sp. were present, a modified centrifugal flotation technique was used and also eggs per gram of faeces (EPG). None of the samples showed Anoplocephala sp. eggs and only 11% of the animals had positive values for EPG. The resul...
Brooks L, Ryan M, McCosham E, Loganathan D.In 2009, levamisole was identified as a source for several aminorex positives reported in postrace equine samples in Canada. Since then, unexplained detections of aminorex continue to be identified in equine samples where there is no evidence to link these detections to a levamisole administration. Previous studies identified a compound named barbarin in some species of plants from the Brassicaceae family and suggested that barbarin may be a possible precursor for aminorex. The objectives of this study were to (1) investigate the link between barbarin and aminorex and (2) identify other biomar...
Crowell CN, Handlos GC, Discepolo DR, Roeder M, Perry EB.Palatability research in horses has primarily been conducted in mature, non-lactating horses and has typically investigated gustatory rather than aromatic preference. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the gustatory and aromatic preferences of nursing foals. Methods: Stock-type mare (13.25 ± 4.40 years) and foal (6 ± 3 weeks) pairings (n = 4) were utilized in multi-preference testing for treatments including apple, anise, peppermint and control (no palatant). Mares and foals were placed in assigned split stalls for 1800 seconds and provided unrestricted access to a...
Badin L, Bailly N.This study evaluated the psychological benefit of equine-assisted intervention (EAI) for older adults living with Alzheimer disease (AD). A non-randomized, controlled, multicenter study was conducted in 14 nursing homes. A total of 74 older adults were recruited and divided into three groups: a group benefiting from an EAI program, a group following an adapted physical activity program (APA), and a control group continuing their daily activities (CG). Psychological health was assessed. The results showed reduced psychobehavioral disorders by week six of EAI, improved quality of life, and sligh...
Kristensen JÅ, Buitenwerf R, Berti E, Hansen OLP, Schowanek SD, Ejrnæs R, Hansen MDD, Olsen K, Normand S, Svenning JC.Feral cattle (Bos taurus) and horses (Equus ferus caballus) are commonly introduced to European rewilding areas to halt vegetation succession and to conserve light-demanding species. Yet, we still do not understand how the habitat preference of animals shapes vegetation structure at the landscape scale. Here, we used spatial preference modeling to understand drivers of space-use based on GPS-collared horses and cattle in a 120-ha rewilding area in Denmark. Using a time series of a satellite-based vegetation productivity index, we tested the ability of animal space-use to explain changes in veg...
