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Topic:Equids
Equids are members of the family Equidae, which includes modern horses, donkeys, and zebras, as well as extinct species. Equids are characterized by their long limbs, single-toed hooves, and herbivorous diet, which is primarily composed of grasses. Horses, specifically, have been domesticated for thousands of years and have played significant roles in agriculture, transportation, and sport. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore various aspects of equids and horses, including their evolution, physiology, behavior, and interactions with humans. The collected works provide insights into the genetic diversity, adaptive traits, and conservation efforts related to equid species.
Auscultation for pre-exercise screening in the horse. To describe the highlights of cardiac auscultation of the equine athlete in the context of pre-exercise screening for cardiac adverse event prevention. Unassigned: Horses. Unassigned: Tutorial description. Unassigned: Description of the highlights of cardiac auscultation of the equine athlete in the context of pre-exercise screening for cardiac adverse event and exercise-associated sudden death prevention. Unassigned: Cardiac adverse events and exercise-associated deaths are problems that affect horses' health, riders' safety, and the public perception of welfare during equestrian sports. Scre...
Large-scale energy infrastructure projects and thoroughbred stud farms: equine welfare, evidence gaps and planning considerations. Industrial-scale renewable energy developments i.e. solar photovoltaic (PV) installations and wind energy facilities, form a central component of Ireland's national decarbonisation strategy. As these infrastructures expand, they are increasingly being proposed or developed within rural regions that also contain high densities of Thoroughbred breeding establishments. This creates a potential interface between national energy policy, rural land use, equine welfare and the operational requirements of the Thoroughbred industry which is of national and international importance.Direct empirical evid...
In vitro anthelmintic activity of the monoterpene linalool, alone and combined with the nematophagous fungus Duddingtonia flagrans, in the control of gastrointestinal nematodes in horses. This study evaluated, in vitro, the anthelmintic activity of the monoterpene linalool, alone and in association with the fungus Duddingtonia flagrans, against gastrointestinal nematodes of horses. Nematodes from the superfamily Strongyloidea, obtained from naturally infected horses, were used. The ovicidal activity of linalool was evaluated using the Egg Hatch Test (EHT). The larvicidal activity was evaluated using the Larval Motility Inhibition Test (LMIT), in which infective larvae (L3) were assigned to experimental groups treated with linalool alone (0.15, 0.3, 0.6, 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40...
Influence of chiropractic care on sleep-related behavior of athletic Mangalarga Marchador horses. Sleep is a fundamental biological process for homeostasis in mammals. Chiropractic is a manual therapeutic approach that aims to restore joint mobility, correct biomechanical dysfunctions, and optimize welfare. Objective: The present study examined the influence of chiropractic sessions on resting behavior patterns of Mangalarga Marchador horses raised in an intensive system. Methods: Nine Mangalarga Marchador horses, with an average age of 4.2 ± 1.2 years, were evaluated for their sleep-related behavior over 72 hours, followed by a chiropractic session, and reassessed over the next 72 hours ...
Retrospective serological evidence of exposure to selected equine viruses in horses from Indigenous communities of Costa Rica, 2011. Horses are essential for transportation and livelihoods in Indigenous communities of Costa Rica. However, information on their exposure to viral pathogens remains scarce. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional serosurvey using samples collected from horses from four Indigenous communities (Alto Pacuare, Amubre, Paso Marcos, and Vereh) sampled between March and October 2011 (n = 278). Sera were tested in 2014 using commercial immunodiffusion or ELISA assays for antibodies against West Nile virus (WNV), equine herpesviruses 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4), influenza A virus, equine arteritis...
Barriers to Australian veterinary students choosing an equine career. The equine veterinary profession is experiencing a global recruitment and retention crisis with fewer graduates entering equine practice. We aimed to investigate perceived and actual barriers to Australian veterinary students' considering an equine veterinary career. Methods: A mixed methods design was used. The study population consisted of veterinary students from seven universities in Australia. An online survey was distributed that comprised demographic, Likert-scale and open-ended questions and covered themes of equine experience, perceptions of clients, salary, Higher Education Contribut...
Medical Therapies for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis in the Horse – 20 years later…. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating joint disease, characterized by a degenerative catabolic cascade resulting in detrimental changes to all aspects of the joint including the irreversible destruction of articular cartilage. In 2006, a narrative review by Goodrich and Nixon outlined the available treatments for the medical management of OA; however, since that time substantial progress has been made. In recent years the therapeutic options for veterinarians managing horses with OA has increased significantly with a multitude of products available on the market. While many of the conventional...
Global prevalence of equine piroplasmosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence from 2020-2025. Equine piroplasmosis remains a major constraint to equine health, productivity, and international movement. In compliance with PRISMA 2020 criteria, a systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out to estimate the pooled global prevalence of equine piroplasmosis and identify possible sources of risk variables. Databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Springer Nature, Europe PMC, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, CABI Digital Library, and Google Scholar were searched between 2020 to 2025. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed to calculate pooled prevalence estima...
Superior Post-Thaw Sperm Quality and Fertility of Epididymal Compared with Ejaculated Sperm in Subfertile Stallions. Despite the benefits of seminal plasma during breeding, its value is questionable when utilizing biotechnological approaches such as artificial insemination. In addition, deleterious effects of secretions from accessory glands on sperm viability and conception rate have been reported, especially in stallions with poor semen quality. Objective: The present study aimed to compare the kinetics, structural and functional viability, and fertility parameters of spermatozoa obtained from the ejaculate and from the cauda epididymis of subfertile stallions, as well as to evaluate the differences in the...
Understanding Stallion Sperm Capacitation: Species-Specific Mechanisms, Cryocapacitation, and Implications for IVF. Until recently, no repeatable protocol for equine in vitro fertilization (IVF) had been established, despite decades of trying. Recent studies have demonstrated reproducible IVF outcomes under specific experimental conditions, bringing equine IVF into a new perspective. Prolonged incubation of stallion spermatozoa in a TALP based medium supplemented with penicillamine, hypotaurine and epinephrine (PHE) appears to be important factors of protocols that support sperm capacitation and markedly improved IVF outcomes. The sperm capacitation procedure has now been applied successfully using both fre...
Cranial Shape Variation in Adult Kyrgyz Horses: Associations with Size and Sex. Cranial diversity within indigenous horse populations remains incompletely characterized. Cranial shape variation and its associations with skull size and sex were investigated in 37 adult Kyrgyz horses aged 4-5 years (18 females and 19 males). Three-dimensional configurations of 25 cranial landmarks were evaluated using Procrustes alignment, principal component analysis, and permutation-based multivariate models. Skull size was quantified using centroid size calculated from the landmark configurations. The first two principal components represented 29.41% of shape variance, with changes distr...
Detection of Shamonda Virus in Two Horses with Neurological Signs in Germany. Shamonda virus (SHAV), which has recently emerged in Central Europe and has caused disease in numerous cattle herds, was detected in brain tissue from two horses that showed clinical signs, including neurological disorder, and underwent pathological examination. The horses reportedly exhibited seizure-like episodes (Horse A) as well as fever and ataxia (Horse B). In both horses, severe lymphohistiocytic meningoencephalitis with hemorrhages was observed in various parts of the central nervous system (CNS), while outside the CNS no abnormalities were found. The virus genome could be detected by ...
Teaching Direction Control in Horse Riding: A Pre-Post Intervention Proof-of-Concept Study Using Multi-Modal Motor Learning Techniques. Many riders experience persistent communication problems with their horses, particularly in controlling speed and direction, despite extensive training. This proof-of-concept study employed a pre-test-post-test intervention design to examine the effectiveness of the Four-Step Riding Programme (FSRP) in developing clear rider-horse body language for direction control. Multi-modal motor learning techniques (MMLTs) were applied to five rider-horse dyads during four one-hour lessons to teach coordinated movement patterns necessary for directional accuracy. Rider-horse communication was evaluated b...
Barriers to entry: A participatory science study of tick identification, monitoring, and physical barriers to reduce tick bites on horses. Equine tick-borne diseases pose increasing challenges due to climate change and expanding tick geographical ranges. With no vaccines available for Lyme disease or equine anaplasmosis in horses, tick bite prevention remains the primary control method. This two-year study evaluated tick species composition on horses in Pennsylvania and assessed the effectiveness of physical barriers for tick prevention through community-based participatory research. The study engaged horse owners as research partners. Year 1 (2022) established baseline tick surveillance across 45 participants with 60 horses, con...
Morphological and Behavioural Predictors of Motor Laterality in Domestic Horses: A Cross-Sectional Field Study. Motor laterality in horses affects performance, training, and welfare. A simple morphological marker for laterality would help riders, trainers, and veterinarians identify likely locomotor asymmetries early. This study tested whether observable morphological and behavioural characteristics were associated with rider-perceived motor laterality in domestic horses, using a cross-sectional observational field study design conducted in the Blida and Algiers regions of Algeria. The study included 100 regularly ridden domestic horses. Mane orientation, facial whorl characteristics, standing curvature...
Ultrasonography of the spleen, kidneys and bladder in healthy Mangalarga Marchador horses across different life stages. This study is the first breed-specific ultrasonographic reference values for spleen, kidneys, and bladder in Mangalarga Marchador horses from different life stages. Objective: The aim of this study was to establish a normal reference range of measurements of the spleen, kidneys and bladder, as well as to describe the anatomy and sonographic characteristics of these organs in Mangalarga Marchador horses. Methods: Abdominal ultrasound examinations were performed in 88 Mangalarga Marchador horses of both sexes, aged 1, 7 and 15 days, monthly from their 1st to the 11th month of age ando n their 1s...
Forage chemical composition drives early metabolic shifts in ponies fed different haylages. Rapid changes between feeds can cause dysbiosis and colic in horses. The metabolic consequences of transitioning between haylages (HY) are currently unknown. Objective: To characterise urinary and faecal metabonomics in ponies transitioned between HY varying in botanical composition and physiological age and to evaluate the speed of metabolic adaptation. Methods: In vivo experiments repeated Latin Square. Methods: Eight Welsh Mountain ponies were fed four HY (R1, R2, M1, M2) across 4 × 15-day periods; a structured 3-day (Days 13-15) changeover was observed: old:new 70:30, 50:50and 30:70....
Evaluating a novel automatic feeding device for hay provision in horses: behavioral outcomes in group and individual housing. This study evaluated a novel Automatic Feeding Device (AFD) for hay provision in group-housed and individually housed horses. Unassigned: In Phase 1 (P1), behavioral responses to ground hay feeding (Control-Hay) and to hay delivery through the AFD were assessed in three group-housed mares under two conditions: AFD continuously open (O-AFD) and AFD alternating between open and closed periods (OC-AFD). In Phase 2 (P2), four individually housed horses were used to evaluate the behavioral effects of three AFD opening-closing schedules: long opening (LO-OP), medium opening (ME-OP), and short openin...
Antimicrobial stewardship priorities and prescribing in Australian equine practice. Antimicrobial resistance is a global health crisis that needs to be addressed by all areas of human and animal health sectors to safeguard effective antibiotics into the future. Understanding current antimicrobial prescribing patterns and veterinary antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) priorities is crucial for effective stewardship program design and sustainable uptake. Objective: To identify focus areas for stewardship interventions, implementation, resource allocation, and future campaign targets for equine practice. Methods: Cross-sectional study of equine veterinarians in Australia. Methods: A...
Cumulus cell DNA fragmentation as non-invasive biomarker of equine oocyte quality in in vitro embryo production. The efficiency of in vitro embryo production in animal species is constrained by the absence of practical, non-invasive biomarkers to assess oocyte quality. Cumulus cell DNA fragmentation index (CC-DFI) has been proposed as a biomarker in humans, but data in animals remain limited. Objective: This study investigated the association of CC-DFI with in vitro maturation (IVM) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes in horses, and its relationship with mare-related factors, autumnal transition period, cumulus cell viability, and cumulus expansion. Methods: Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COC...
Platelet-rich plasma exhibits antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects in an in vitro donkey endometritis model. Infectious endometritis, mainly caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (SEZ), significantly impairs donkey reproductive performance. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) shows promise as an anti-inflammatory and antibiotic alternative. Objective: To evaluate PRP's antimicrobial efficacy against key pathogens and assess its anti-inflammatory and tissue repair properties in an in vitro endometrial model. Methods: Non-randomised in vitro and explant experiments. Methods: In in vitro antibacterial assays, the inhibitory effects of PRP on the growth of E. coli and SE...
A novel water additive increases voluntary water intake in healthy horses. To determine whether healthy horses would increase their voluntary water intake (VWI) when offered a novel water additive (NWA) compared to plain water (TAP) and water flavored with sweet feed, referred to as sweet tea (ST). Unassigned: 12 clinically healthy horses, aged 2 to 5 years old, were enrolled in the experimental crossover design. Four horses were assigned to each group for each of the 3 study weeks. The order that the horses were allocated to study groups was randomly assigned. All horses had access to 2 buckets filled to 16 L, one containing plain water (untreated bucket) and one co...
Long-term dynamics of gastrointestinal parasite egg shedding in a semi-feral Misaki horse population in Japan. This study investigated long-term gastrointestinal parasite egg shedding in a semi-feral Misaki horse population using 3200 fecal samples collected from 158 individually identified horses during five fiscal years (FY2019-FY2023; April 2019-March 2024). Strongyle-type eggs were detected in 91.7% of samples (2935/3200), with a mean count of 1352 eggs per gram (EPG). Repeated-measures analyses showed marked variation associated with fiscal year, season, age, and management history. Strongyle-type EPG values were generally higher in spring and summer than in autumn and winter, with the month-level...
Impact of a Riding Event and Ambient Temperature on the Heart Rate of Gotlandsruss Ponies. Visitors to zoos present unpredictable visual and auditory stimulation for captive animals. Coupled with high ambient temperatures this might prove stressful for animals involved in human interactions. This study aims to determine if Gotlandsruss ponies are stressed by visitors during a childrens riding event at Slottsskogen, a zoo park, in Gothenburg, Sweden and whether ambient temperature also had an impact. Decibel level, temperature, and the ponies heart rate were monitored during the event. Each pony's maximum rate during exercise and resting heart rate were measured to compare with heart...
Effect of Uncoated Magnetic Nanoparticles on Stallion Sperm Parameters: Influence of Semen Quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of uncoated, non-functionalised magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) on stallion sperm and to determine whether these effects depend on initial semen quality. Ten cooled ejaculates from 3 stallions were exposed to different MNP concentrations ([MNPs] = 0, 5, 25, and 50 mg/mL), agitated, and exposed to an external magnet to recover the unbound sperm fraction. Ejaculates were classified as high- or low-quality groups according to initial evaluation sperm quality index (HSQi and LSQi), and the effect of [MNPs] was evaluated within groups using GLM. ...
Oxidative and Mitochondrial Status of Vitrified Equine In Vitro Matured Oocytes Using Temperature-Specific Equilibration Protocols. Cryopreservation of equine in vitro matured (IVM) oocytes remains a major challenge in assisted reproduction due to their high susceptibility to cryoinjury, including oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physiological status of vitrified/warmed equine IVM oocytes following vitrification using two temperature-specific equilibration protocols by assessing reactive oxygen species (ROS), intracellular glutathione (GSH) content and mitochondrial oxidative activity and distribution patterns. Oocytes were vitrified after 28 h of IVM either at 25...
Comparative Susceptibility of Donkey and Horse Sperm to Liquid-Storage Temperature. Preservation protocols for donkey sperm are based on those developed for horses, despite potential interspecific differences in cooling tolerance. This study compared horse and donkey sperm during long-term storage at 5°C and 17°C. Ejaculates from four stallions and four jacks (n = 16) were centrifuged, resuspended in skimmed milk-based extender, and stored at both temperatures. Sperm motility, plasma and acrosome membrane integrity, and morphology were evaluated after 1, 2 and 7 days. Fresh semen parameters showed no interspecific differences (p > 0.05). At 5°C, donkey sperm show...
Proof of Concept for Open Flow Microperfusion for Intratumoural Drug Administration in Equine Cutaneous Neoplasia. Intratumoural drug delivery can achieve high local therapeutic exposure while limiting systemic effects, but heterogeneous distribution may compromise treatment efficacy and precision. This proof-of-concept study investigated open flow microperfusion (OFM) as a novel platform for local delivery of tigilanol tiglate (TT), an intratumoural antineoplastic agent with immunomodulatory and vascular-disrupting effects. Four horses with histologically confirmed cutaneous neoplasia (three sarcoids and one squamous cell carcinoma) underwent OFM using TT concentrations of 0.01-0.04 mg/mL delivered at 9 ...
Validation of a novel instrumented hoof boot with pressure sensors using force plate gait kinetics in horses at walk and trot. Force plates (FP) are considered the gold standard for quantitative equine gait evaluation but are limited to experimental use. An instrumented hoof boot (IHB) with pressure sensors and an inertial measurement unit would allow clinicians to objectively assess kinetic parameters and gait symmetry. Objective: To validate the IHB by comparing kinetic parameters with obtained FP data. Methods: In vivo experiments. Methods: Twenty-seven horses were measured with IHBs on FPs at walk and trot. Mean value kinetic parameters recorded were: (1) peak vertical force (PVF) [N/kg]/peak vertical pressure (PV...
