"Equestrian" encompasses the study and practice of horse riding, management, and care. This field covers a wide range of topics, including equine anatomy, physiology, behavior, nutrition, and training techniques. It also addresses the various disciplines within equestrian sports, such as dressage, show jumping, eventing, and endurance riding. Research within this area often focuses on improving horse welfare, enhancing performance, and understanding the human-animal bond in equestrian contexts. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the diverse aspects of equestrian activities and horse management, aiming to provide insights into best practices and advancements in the field.
Pearson G.This year BVA Live will, for the first time, feature farm animal and equine CPD. Among the varied topics on offer, Gemma Pearson will be presenting an introduction to equine behavioural medicine, examining the link between emotional and physical health in horses.
Rişvanlı A, Şen İ, Canuzakov K, Tülöbayev A, Taş A, Saklykov R, Ceylan N, Türkçapar Ü, Alimov U, Kazakbayeva A, Cunuşova A, Uulu NA....The aim of this study was to examine variations in stress, metabolic, and physiological parameters of horses used in the traditional equestrian team sport of Kök-Börü in relation to winning and losing outcomes. Methods: To accomplish this, blood samples were taken from horses on four different teams who participated in two separate games, both before and after game. These samples were used to measure levels of cortisol, ACTH, beta-endorphin, adrenaline, noradrenaline, triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4) via species-specific commercial ELISA kits. The autoanalyzer tested biochemical an...
Toutain PL.Population pharmacokinetics (POP PK) is a powerful pharmacokinetic tool, which measures quantitatively, and explains the variability in drug exposure and drug effect between individuals. POP PK uses an observational (nonexperimental) approach; it is conducted in the target population living in its normal environment (e.g., farm and race-track). The strength of the POP PK approach lies in its greater relevance for the population studied in its different natural environments than experimental studies carried out in more or less biased laboratory conditions. In clinical settings, it is commonly n...
Foreman JH.Modern Pentathlon (MP) includes an equestrian Jumping discipline, with horses drawn blindly by unfamiliar riders. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games, concerns regarding inadequate horsemanship generated adverse publicity for MP. Conventional stadium Jumping in Tokyo provided an opportunity for comparison of the two closest Olympic equestrian Jumping disciplines. The objectives of this study were to complete an objective analysis of the Tokyo MP riding phases, and to test the hypothesis that MP riding faults in women's and men's Tokyo competitions combined were more frequent than in the Ind...
Nardini R, Pacchiarotti G, Svicher V, Salpini R, Bellocchi MC, Conti R, Sala MG, La Rocca D, Carioti L, Cersini A, Manna G....Equine hepacivirus (EqHV, Flaviviridae, hepacivirus) is a small, enveloped RNA virus generally causing sub-clinical hepatitis with occasional fatalities. EqHV is reported in equids worldwide, but for Italy data are limited. To address this, a survey study was set up to estimate prevalence at a national level and among different production categories (equestrian; competition; work and meat; reproduction) and national macro-regions (North, Central, South, and Islands). Data obtained testing 1801 horse serum samples by Real-Time RT PCR were compared within the categories and regions. The NS3 frag...
Shakeel M, Choi Y, Yoon M.Cryptorchidism affects spermatogenesis and testis development, often resulting in stallion subfertility/infertility. This study aims to identify the specific germ cells impacted by cryptorchism in stallions. In a previous study, we found that PGP9.5 and VASA are molecular markers expressed in different germ cells within stallions. Herein, we assessed the heat stress-induced response of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) in the seminiferous tubules (ST) of cryptorchid stallion testes (CST) and normal stallion testes (NST). This goal was accomplished by comparing PGP9.5 and VASA expression pattern...
Wolframm IA, Heric L, Allen AM.At a time of mounting ecological crises and biodiversity loss, there is an urgent need for nature-based solutions. Equestrian properties cover a considerable proportion of the European rural and peri-urban landscape and provide much potential for integrating ecosystem services, such as the inclusion of small landscape features. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and quality of landscape features (LF) to help determine how the equine sector can contribute to the agro-ecological transition. Using a citizen science approach, 87 commercial and 420 private yard owners reported th...
Equine piroplasmosis is caused by two tick-borne protozoan parasites, Theileria equi and Babesia caballi,, which are clinically relevant in susceptible horses, donkeys, and mules. Moreover, equine piroplasmosis significantly constrains international trading and equestrian events. Rapidly diagnosing both parasites in carrier animals is essential for implementing effective control measures. Here, a rapid immunochromatographic test for the simultaneous detection of antibodies to T. equi and B. caballi was evaluated using samples from horses and donkeys collected in Greece, Israel, and Italy. The ...
Quarter horses (QH), a prominent athletic breed in Brazil, are affected by muscular genetic disorders such as myosin-heavy chain myopathy (MYHM), polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM1), hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HyPP), and malignant hyperthermia (MH). Bull-catching (vaquejada), primarily involving QH, is a significant equestrian sport in Brazil. Since the allele frequencies (AF) of MYHM, PSSM1, HyPP, and MH in vaquejada QH remain unknown, this study evaluated the AF in 129 QH vaquejada athletes, specifically from the Brazilian Northeast. These variants were exclusively observed in hete...
Frippiat T, Votion DM.Warm-up is a standard component of exercise preparation, intended to lower the risk of injury and improve performance. Comprehensive evidence-based guidelines per discipline are missing. This scoping review aimed to describe the physiological effects and strategies of active warm-up in horses according to different equestrian disciplines. The search strategies identified 479 papers for review. After application of selection criteria, 23 articles published from 1996 to January 2024 were included of which 12 discussed the effects of warm-up on physiological parameters and 11 discussed warm-up st...
Hedenborg S, Kronborg M, Sätre A, Radmann A, Torell Palmquist G, Andersson P.To improve horse welfare and ensure a sustainable equestrian future, we need to understand human behavior in relation to the challenges of the sector. The purpose of this paper is to map and analyze how individuals within the equine sector in Sweden and Norway define the environmental challenges they are faced with and how these are related to questions about horse welfare. A mixed-methods parallel design was used. The data consist of survey answers and semi-structured interviews. The survey, responded to by 697 Swedish and Norwegian participants, ensured statistical validity and power through...
Ishii H, Ishikawa Y, Mizobe F, Nomura M, Yamanaka T, Tanabe S, Nagata SI, Yamada M, Leung GN.Osilodrostat is an inhibitor of 11-beta-hydroxylase (CYP11B) and is used for the treatment of Cushing's disease but also categorized as an anabolic agent. The use of osilodrostat is prohibited in horseracing and equestrian sports. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first metabolic study of osilodrostat in equine plasma. Methods: Potential metabolites of osilodrostat were identified by differential analysis using data acquired from pre- and post-administration plasma samples after protein precipitation with liquid chromatography electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry (...
Filho HCM, Trindade KLG, Silva CJFL, Cruz RKS, Vilela CF, Coelho CS, Filho JDR, Manso HECCC.Equestrian sports require precise animal welfare and health evaluations. To test the hypothesis that horses maintain their welfare when subjected to two three-barrel (3TB) races with 2 min intervals, an experiment was designed to evaluate their surface temperature using infrared thermography (IRT) in regions of interest (barrel, flank, neck, jaw, corner of the mouth, and ocular caruncle) and also measure blood biomarkers (hemogram, total plasma protein, fibrinogen, urea, creatinine, GGT, CK, cortisol, IL-6, and IL-1β). Ten Quarter Horses were monitored through thermography (pre-race, +1, +4, ...
Nankervis K, MacKechnie-Guire R, Maddock C, Pyatt A.Horse owners seek the advice and support of a number of equestrian professionals in carrying out their duty of care for their animal. In some instances, these professionals form a multi-disciplinary team (MDT). The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of the Society of Master Saddlers' qualified saddle fitters (SMSQSFs) working with other professionals and to understand the nature of inter-disciplinary working from an SMSQSF perspective. Semi-structured, one-to-one online interviews with fourteen SMSQSFs were completed. Areas explored included the nature of the participant's client...
Munsters C, Siegers E, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan M.To optimise the performance and welfare of horses during equestrian competitions in hot climates, it is advised to acclimate them to the heat. The effects of training in a heated indoor arena were studied. Four Olympic horses (13.3 ± 2.2 years; three eventers, one para-dressage horse) were trained for 14 consecutive days in a heated indoor arena (32 ± 1 °C; 50-60% humidity) following their normal training schedule in preparation for the Tokyo Olympic games. Standardised exercise tests (SETs) were performed on Day 1 and Day 14, measuring heart rate (HR; bpm), plasma lactate concentration (LA...
Neville EK, Hicks H, Neville CC.Horses are used for many recreational and occupational activities. They are large, strong, temperamental, and unpredictable animals and people involved with them are at risk for injuries, from minor abrasions to severe injuries that may lead to death. This review reports on horse trauma in relation to the characteristics of injured equestrians, characteristics of horse trauma, and clinical outcomes. Methods: A literature search was conducted from health-related electronic databases to identify studies from 2018 to 2023. The search returned 115 relevant full-text articles but after screening an...
Gmel AI, Haraldsdóttir EH, Bragança FMS, Cruz AM, Weishaupt MA.Speed alterations affect many gait analysis parameters. How horses adapt to speed is relevant in many equestrian disciplines and may differ between breeds. This study described changes in gait parameters in 38 Warmblood (WB) and 24 Franches-Montagnes (FM) horses subjected to an incremental speed test at walk (1.35-2.05 m/s) and trot (3.25-5.5 m/s). Time, force and spatial parameters of each limb were measured with an instrumented treadmill and analysed with regression analysis using speed as the independent variable. With higher speeds, stride rate, length, over-tracking distance and vertica...
Biau S, Leblanc M, Pycik E, Pasquiet B, Huet B.Equitation in the French tradition is a school of riding that emphasizes harmonious relations between humans and horses. The best-known community is the Cadre Noir of Saumur, whose specialty is the air above the ground (AAG). No study has yet looked at the horse-rider interaction in this specific context. The purpose of this study was to identify and quantify indicators of AAGs based on the empirical perception of the écuyers expressed by a method of self-confrontation interviews. Fourteen training sessions were the subject of phenomenological and biomechanical approaches. Contact, balance, a...
Sawesi OK, Elbaz AK, Mahmoud AS, Duro EM, Alteab AA, Milad KK, Bennuor EM.Hematological evaluation is an important step for health assessment in equine medicine. Besides biochemical tests, that evaluation could be pivotal for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment monitoring. In Libya, the horse population has drastically increased in the last years, and hitherto, no report addressed the reference hematological values for the existing equine breeds. Unassigned: This study aimed to establish the reference for hematological indices of traditional equestrian and stud-farm equine breeds in Western Libya in regard to some variables such as individual characteristics, manage...
Clayton HM, MacKechnie-Guire R, Hobbs SJ.Movements of the horse and rider in equestrian sports are governed by the laws of physics. An understanding of these physical principles is a prerequisite to designing and interpreting biomechanical studies of equestrian sports. This article explains and explores the biomechanical effects between riders and horses, including gravitational and inertial forces, turning effects, and characteristics of rider technique that foster synchronous movement with the horse. Rider symmetry, posture, and balance are discussed in the context of their relationship to rider skill level and their effects on the...
Atroshchenko M, Dementieva N, Shcherbakov Y, Nikolaeva O, Azovtseva A, Ryabova A, Nikitkina E, Makhmutova O, Datsyshin A, Zakharov V, Zaitsev A.Horses were domesticated later than other farm animals. Horse breeds have been selectively developed by humans to satisfy different needs and purposes. The factory and indigenous breeds are of particular interest, having been bred in purity for many centuries without the addition of foreign blood. Data from 31 stud farms, as well as ranches, located in fifteen regions of the Russian Federation were used in this work. DNA was sampled from 102 stallions of 11 breeds: Arabian, Akhal-Teke, Don, Orlov Trotter, Vladimir Heavy Draft, Russian Heavy Draft, Soviet Heavy Draft, Kabardin, Yakut, Tuva, and...
Kaya Karasu G, Krabbenborg R, Westerduin F, Rogers CW.The purpose of this study was to determine the perception of sustainability among horse owners in the Netherlands and their willingness to switch to more sustainable feeding practices. A survey was distributed to a target group of horse owners in the Netherlands via social media channels. Data (n = 338 valid responses) were stratified based on yard type and size (small (50 horses). Most of the yards were livery yards (68 %) and they were small in size (66 %). The term most commonly associated with sustainability was low environmental impact (61.8 %). All participants (338/338) indicated t...
Ashrafzadeh-Shiraz M, Tavassoli M, Dalir-Naghadeh B, Sazmand A.This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of fenbendazole and ivermectin on strongyles and Parascaris sp. infecting adult riding horses in three regions with different climates. During 2021 and 2022 fecal specimens were randomly collected from 483 horses older than three years in 31 equestrian clubs in Hamedan (n = 217), Yazd (n = 146) and Tabriz cities (n = 120). Eggs were counted by McMaster technique, and the strongyle larvae were identified using coproculture, PCR and sequencing. Horses with strongyles and Parascaris egg counts ≥150 were enrolled in fecal egg count reduction (FECR)...
Williams JM, Berg LC, Clayton HM, Kirsch K, Marlin D, Randle H, Roepstroff L, Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MSV, Weishaupt MA, Munsters C.The public is increasingly questioning equestrianism's social license to operate. While the focus historically centered on horseracing, increased scrutiny is now being placed on how dressage, showjumping, and eventing are addressing equine management and welfare concerns. Nominated equestrian federation and equestrian organization experts ( = 104) directly involved in international and/or national-level horse sports took part in a four-stage, iterative Delphi to obtain consensus on what factors should be considered essential to manage sporthorse health and welfare. Five core domains were agree...
Lawton K, Runk D, Hankin S, Mendonsa E, Hull D, Barnum S, Pusterla N.The aim of this study was to use environmental sampling to determine the frequency of detection of selected equine respiratory viruses and bacteria in horses attending a multi-week equestrian show during the winter months. At four time points during showing, environmental sponge samples were collected from all stalls on the property and tested for the presence of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), EHV-2, EHV-4, equine influenza virus (EIV), equine rhinitis B virus (ERBV), Streptococcus equi ss. equi (S. equi), and S. equi ss. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) using real-time PCR (PCR). Environmental...
Minamijima Y, Kuroda T, Kamiya T, Sone Y, Wakuno A, Ito H, Nomura M, Leung GN, Kinoshita K, Yamada M.This study aimed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics (PK) of tranexamic acid (TXA) in horses and estimate its irrelevant plasma and urine concentrations using the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) approach by applying the Pierre-Louis Toutain model. TXA was intravenously administered to eight thoroughbred mares, and plasma and urine TXA concentrations were quantified by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. The quantified data were used to calculate the PK parameters of TXA in horses. The plasma elimination curves were best-fitted to a three-compartment model. Using the Toutain mo...
Bennet ED, Cameron-Whytock H, Parkin TDH.Equestrian eventing involves competing in three phases: dressage, jumping, and cross-country. Competitors are ranked by number of penalties accrued-with those who have fewer penalties ranked higher. Completing the cross-country phase with zero obstacle penalties is commonly referred to as 'running clear'. Understanding factors associated with running clear can help athletes plan strategically for success, while also helping governing bodies to refine qualification criteria for elite levels. Objective: This study was carried out to identify factors associated with running clear in the cross-cou...
Aida H, Foreman JH, Ochi A, Takizawa Y, Yamanaka T.Equine piroplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by Babesia caballi and Theileria equi. A competition horse that had been imported to the Equestrian Park for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and had a fever over 40°C and severe anemia was diagnosed with equine piroplasmosis by blood smear and direct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for Theileria equi. Treatment with protozoan anthelmintics and whole blood transfusion diminished the fever, improved the anemia, and allowed the horse to return home safely. Preparation for routine cases of this infection should include the development of a s...
Wolframm I.Sport performances judged subjectively often suffer from systematic errors due to biases, with the sport of equestrian dressage being no exception. This study examines whether international dressage judges display systematic errors while evaluating elite horse-rider combinations. Data from seven 5* Grand Prix dressage events between May 2022 and April 2023 were analyzed (510 judges' scores) using Multivariable Linear Regression Analysis. Five predictor variables-Home, Same Nationality, Compatriot, FEI Ranking and Starting Order-were studied in relation to Total Dressage Score (TS). The model a...
Luke KL, Rawluk A, McAdie T, Smith BP, Warren-Smith AK.More than ever the welfare of horses in equestrian sport is in the spotlight. In response to this scrutiny, one peak body, the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) has created an Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission to protect their sport's longevity. However, for welfare-based strategies to be successful, the conceptualisation of horse welfare must align across various stakeholders, including the general public. The value-laden nature of welfare makes agreement on its definition, even among scientists, difficult. Given little is known about how equestrians conceptualise horse welfare, w...
Thompson K, McGreevy P, McManus P.While the importance of improving horse-related safety seems self-evident, no comprehensive study into understanding or reducing horse-related risk has been undertaken. In this paper, we discuss four dimensions of horse-related risk: the risk itself, the horse, the rider and the culture in which equestrian activities takes place. We identify how the ways in which risk is constructed in each dimension affects the applicability of four basic risk management options of avoidance, transference, mitigation and acceptance. We find the acceptance and avoidance of horse-related risk is generally high,...
Journal of motor behaviorNovember 11, 2005
Volume 37, Issue 6 418-424 doi: 10.3200/JMBR.37.6.418-424
Lagarde J, Kelso JA, Peham C, Licka T.The authors studied the interaction between rider and horse by measuring their ensemble motions in a trot sequence, comparing 1 expert and 1 novice rider. Whereas the novice's movements displayed transient departures from phase synchrony, the expert's motions were continuously phase-matched with those of the horse. The tight ensemble synchrony between the expert and the horse was accompanied by an increase in the temporal regularity of the oscillations of the trunk of the horse. Observed differences between expert and novice riders indicated that phase synchronization is by no means perfect bu...
McGreevy P, Berger J, de Brauwere N, Doherty O, Harrison A, Fiedler J, Jones C, McDonnell S, McLean A, Nakonechny L, Nicol C, Preshaw L, Thomson P....The aim of this study was to conduct a series of paper-based exercises in order to assess the negative (adverse) welfare impacts, if any, of common interventions on domestic horses across a broad range of different contexts of equine care and training. An international panel (with professional expertise in psychology, equitation science, veterinary science, education, welfare, equestrian coaching, advocacy, and community engagement; = 16) met over a four-day period to define and assess these interventions, using an adaptation of the domain-based assessment model. The interventions were consid...
Schmidt A, Aurich J, Möstl E, Müller J, Aurich C.Based on cortisol release, a variety of situations to which domestic horses are exposed have been classified as stressors but studies on the stress during equestrian training are limited. In the present study, Warmblood stallions (n=9) and mares (n=7) were followed through a 9 respective 12-week initial training program in order to determine potentially stressful training steps. Salivary cortisol concentrations, beat-to-beat (RR) interval and heart rate variability (HRV) were determined. The HRV variables standard deviation of the RR interval (SDRR), RMSSD (root mean square of successive RR di...
Keeling LJ, Jonare L, Lanneborn L.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...
Gómez Alvarez CB, Rhodin M, Bobber MF, Meyer H, Weishaupt MA, Johnston C, Van Weeren PR.In many equestrian activities a specific position of head and/or neck is required that is dissimilar to the natural position. There is controversy about the effects of these positions on locomotion pattern, but few quantitative data are available. Objective: To quantify the effects of 5 different head and neck positions on thoracolumbar kinematics of the horse. Methods: Kinematics of 7 high level dressage horses were measured walking and trotting on an instrumented treadmill with the head and neck in the following positions: HNP2 = neck raised, bridge of the nose in front of the vertical; HNP3...
The Journal of traumaApril 7, 2007
Volume 62, Issue 3 735-739 doi: 10.1097/ta.0b013e318031b5d4
Mayberry JC, Pearson TE, Wiger KJ, Diggs BS, Mullins RJ.Equestrian injury is commonly seen at trauma centers and the severity of injury is often high. We sought to determine the risk, incidence, and the influence of skill and experience on injury during horse-related activity (HRA). Methods: Members of horse clubs and individual equestrians in a three-state region (Oregon, Washington, and Idaho) were recruited via mailings and community advertisements to take a survey regarding their horse contact time and injuries over their entire riding career. Serious injury (SI) was defined by hospitalization, surgery, or long-term disability. Results: There w...
Lloyd RG.All horse-related injuries presenting to an Accident Service over a two-year period were investigated. 237 patients presented. The injuries were not considerable in absolute number but were in severity. There was a high morbidity with 22% of all patients requiring admission to hospital, 50% of all admissions because of head injuries. At least seven life-threatening injuries were identified and there were other severe pelvic and spinal injuries. The wearing of protective head gear remains the most important safety measure.
Sorli JM.To determine the demographics of hospital admissions and mortality associated with equestrian activities in the 33,000 riders in British Columbia (BC). Methods: Analysis of admission data from the Ministry of Health for the years 1991-96, review of information obtained from the Office of the Chief Coroner, and comparison of data from Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program. Results: The mean number of admissions per year was 390. Head injury was the most common cause of admission to hospital (20%) in BC. Females most often required admission (62%). Teenagers and children hav...
Visser EK, Van Reenen CG, Rundgren M, Zetterqvist M, Morgan K, Blokhuis HJ.Behavioural tests as well as observers' ratings have been used to study horses' temperament. However, the relationship between the ratings and the responses in behavioural tests has not yet been studied in detail. Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine this relationship between ratings and responses. Methods: Eighteen mature Swedish Warmblood horses were subjected to 2 behavioural tests, one relating to novelty (novel object test) and one to handling (handling test). Subsequently, 16 of these horses were ridden by 16 equally experienced students, having no former experience wit...
York A, Matusiewicz J, Padalino B.This review aims to provide practical outcomes on how to minimise the incidence of transport-related problem behaviours (TRPBs) in horses. TRPBs are unwanted behaviours occurring during different phases of transport, most commonly, a reluctance to load and scrambling during travelling. TRPBs can result in injuries to horses and horse handlers, horse trailer accidents, disruption of time schedules, inability to attend competitions, and poor performance following travel. Therefore, TRPBs are recognised as both a horse-related risk to humans and a human-related risk to horses. From the literature...
Condie C, Rivara FP, Bergman AB.Although the risk of serious head injury for horse riders is higher than for most other sports, few equestrians regularly wear protective headgear. This study indicates that riders are well informed about the need for helmets and that the main reason for nonuse is inadequate helmet design. In particular, riders perceive that existing helmets are uncomfortable, expensive, and inappropriate for some riding styles. Based on these findings, the authors developed strategies to increase usage and incorporated them into a successful program. These strategies included working with manufacturers to dev...
Freire R, Buckley P, Cooper JJ.It is unknown if different locomotor activities are equally effective at meeting the stabled horse's need for exercise and if they attenuate unwanted behaviour. Objective: Alternative forms of exercise influence the intensity of locomotor activities during a period of turn-out (the so-called rebound effect) and the occurrence of unwanted or undesirable activities during standard handling situations. Methods: Twenty-four horses kept in stables were randomly assigned to one of 4 exercise regimes (walker, treadmill, turn-out and riding) for 4 consecutive days. Because these forms of exercise prov...
Padalino B, Raidal SL, Hall E, Knight P, Celi P, Jeffcott L, Muscatello G.To survey amateur and professional participants on equine transportation management, practices and outcomes in Australia. Methods: An online survey targeting people who organised horse movements at least monthly was made available to a broad cross-section of amateur and professional equine associations. Respondents were invited to provide demographic details and information relating to their routine transportation management practices and their experiences of issues relating to the transportation of horses. Results: Of 797 usable responses involving approximately 17,000 horses and 313,000 indi...
Veraldi S, Genovese G, Peano A.Trichophyton equinum is a zoophilic dermatophyte usually causing ringworm in horses. Cases of skin infections in humans are very rare. CASE REPORT : We describe a case of tinea corporis caused by T. equinum on a buttock of a rider who often rode bareback with short trousers. Conclusions: Although T. equinum was considered in the past as a strict zoophilic dermatophyte, our case report confirms that it can cause dermatophytoses also in humans. A review of epidemiological and clinical features of human infections caused by T. equinum is presented.
Hobbs GD, Yealy DM, Rivas J.A retrospective chart review was conducted to define the demographic and injury patterns of patients presenting to the emergency department (ED). The setting is a rural/small urban tertiary care center with approximately 40,000 visits per year. All patients presenting to the ED from January 1986 through December 1990 with equestrian-related injuries were enrolled in the study. Measurements included age, sex, mechanism of injury, injury or injuries diagnosed, admission to the hospital, morbidity, and mortality. A total of 142 patients met the inclusion criteria. The majority of injuries occurre...
Odberg FO, Bouissou MF.Many saddle horses are slaughtered at a young age which could be indicative of a welfare problem. Bad riding is probably an underestimated source of poor welfare. Widespread knowledge of 'academic' riding should be encouraged and should be beneficial to all horses, at all schooling levels, for all purposes. In particular, 18th century principles tend to be forgotten and in this article the authors illustrate some differences to modern dressage. Various suggestions are made in order to improve welfare.
Persson-Sjodin E, Hernlund E, Pfau T, Haubro Andersen P, Rhodin M.Detailed knowledge of how a rider's seating style and riding on a circle influences the movement symmetry of the horse's head and pelvis may aid rider and trainer in an early recognition of low grade lameness. Such knowledge is also important during both subjective and objective lameness evaluations in the ridden horse in a clinical setting. In this study, inertial sensors were used to assess how different rider seating styles may influence head and pelvic movement symmetry in horses trotting in a straight line and on the circle in both directions. A total of 26 horses were subjected to 15 dif...
Eckert V, Lockemann U, Püschel K, Meenen NM, Hessler C.To analyze horse-related accidents caused by hoof kicks. Methods: Prospective study to evaluate hoof kick-related accidents. Methods: Multicenter study, including 9 trauma centers in Hamburg, Germany. Methods: Patients who were treated as the result of a hoof kick between January 1, 2010, and May 1, 2010, were included in the study. Methods: Horse and rider qualifications, riders' use of protective equipment, location and activity at time of accident, mechanism of injury, injuries sustained, and treatment required for these injuries. Results: Twenty-four equestrians received hoof kicks. The av...
Lim J, Puttaswamy V, Gizzi M, Christie L, Croker W, Crowe P.Equestrian activities are associated with a high rate of injury. Attempts to reduce the incidence and severity of injury require accurate characterization of risk factors and pattern of injury. The present study was performed to analyse the injuries seen at an Australian centre where a large number of equestrian injuries present. Methods: Data were collected prospectively over a 3 year period on all equestrian injuries presenting to the Prince of Wales -Hospital complex. These data were compared against and combined with retrospectively collected data over the preceding 3 years at the same cen...
Human movement scienceAugust 30, 2010
Volume 29, Issue 6 956-963 doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2010.05.010
Kang OD, Ryu YC, Ryew CC, Oh WY, Lee CE, Kang MS.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rider position at walk and trot as a function of rider skill level by analyzing joint angles. Participants included three advanced riders and six beginners, and training was conducted for one hour, twice a week for 24 weeks. In the walk stage of the beginners' group, the elbows and shoulders sustained postures comparable to those of the advanced riders group; the trunk tilted forwards at first, but later it tilted slightly behind the vertical. The knee, ankle, and left-right angle kept stable postures after 12 weeks of training (p<.05). The fron...
Christey GL, Nelson DE, Rivara FP, Smith SM, Condie C.Horseback riding injuries are responsible for an estimated 2300 hospital admissions annually among persons younger than 25 years of age in the United States, but injury rates, patterns of injury, and risk factors for this population have not been well studied. Methods: Study participants were selected from a list provided by a national mail-order company that sells riding equipment. A total of 557 persons younger than 25 years of age who rode horses at least six times a year completed survey questionnaires. Results: Among the study participants, 34 (6.1%) had been hospitalized at least once be...
Roepstorff L, Egenvall A, Rhodin M, Byström A, Johnston C, van Weeren PR, Weishaupt M.At rising trot the rider sits alternately down on one diagonal pair of limbs and rises up on the other. The possible effects on asymmetry of locomotion induced by rising trot have rarely been studied. Objective: To demonstrate whether, and if so to what extent, rising trot causes asymmetrical loading in the vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) and/or asymmetrical effects on the locomotion pattern, comparing left and right side. Methods: Seven elite horses were ridden in left and right rising trot on a treadmill, while VGRF and kinematics were measured, with the horses' neck raised, the poll h...
Deluca TH, Patterson Iv WA , Freimund WA, Cole DN./ Various types of recreational traffic impact hiking trails uniquely and cause different levels of trail degradation; however, trail head restrictions are applied similarly across all types of packstock. The purpose of this study was to assess the relative physical impact of hikers, llamas, and horses on recreational trails. Horse, llama, and hiker traffic were applied to 56 separate plots on an existing trail at Lubrecht Experimental Forest in western Montana. The traffic was applied to plots at intensities of 250 and 1000 passes along with a no-traffic control under both prewetted and dry t...
Buckley P, Dunn T, More SJ.Pony Club is one of the leading junior equestrian organisations in the world, and was established to teach young people the many aspects of horsemanship. The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of the health and performance of Pony Club horses from the perspective of their owners. In-depth interviews were conducted with Pony Club members at two sites in Australia, and topics relating to participants' background with horses, horse attributes valued by participants, horse health and performance, and Pony Club-related matters. The in-depth interviews were taped, transcribed and analyse...
Riley CB, Noble BR, Bridges J, Hazel SJ, Thompson K.Equine transportation research has largely focused on the commercial land movement of horses. Data on the incidence and factors associated with horse injuries during non-commercial transportation (privately owned horse trucks and trailers) is scant. This study surveyed 223 drivers transporting horses to 12 equestrian events in southeastern Australia. Data collected encompassed driver demographics, travel practice, vehicle characteristics, and incidents involving horse injury. Approximately 25% (55/223) of participants reported that their horses were injured during transportation. Of these 72% ...
Watt GM, Finch CF.The medical and sports literature databases were searched for equestrian sports-related injury published in English since 1980, together with conference abstracts and discussions with equestrian sporting bodies. This literature was critically reviewed, with emphasis on measures to prevent or control injury i.e. countermeasures. While there is considerable literature available on the epidemiology of injury incurred in most equestrian sports, there is little on the prevention of these injuries. Case-control or other studies evaluating the effectiveness of the countermeasures suggested by authors...
Ricard A, Chanu I.Genetic parameters of eventing horse competitions were estimated. About 13 000 horses, 30 000 annual results during 17 years and 110 000 starts in eventing competitions during 8 years were recorded. The measures of performance were logarithmic transformations of annual earnings, annual earnings per start, and annual earnings per place, and underlying variables responsible for ranks in each competition. Heritabilities were low (0.11 / 0.17 for annual results, 0.07 for ranks). Genetic correlations between criteria were high (greater than 0.90) except between ranks and earnings per place (0.58) o...
