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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.
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....
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...
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...
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...
A single-cell RNA-seq dataset characterizing cellular diversity in healthy equine skin. The skin serves as the primary barrier tissue in horses and is frequently affected by immune-mediated dermatological conditions, most notably insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH). Yet, the cellular composition and transcriptional landscape of normal equine skin have never been characterized at single-cell resolution. Here, we present a single-cell RNA sequencing dataset of healthy equine skin comprising 85,574 high-quality transcriptomes from two horses, with one skin biopsy collected from each horse, divided into two portions for independent processing via manual or automated tissue dissociatio...
Multisystemic and cerebral infection associated with Halicephalobus gingivalis in Brazilian Criollo horses. Halicephalosis is a rare cosmopolitan disease affecting equids, cattle, and humans, manifesting as meningoencephalitis. This study reports the detection of Halicephalobus gingivalis infection in two adult horses with neurological clinical signs in Rio Grande do Sul state, in the Southern Brazil. It underscores the pathological main findings and phylogenetic analyses. In both cases, the horses exhibited severe neurological manifestations and were euthanized due to poor prognosis. Pathological findings revealed gross brain lesions, in addition, alterations in the kidneys and lymph nodes. Histopa...
Cooperative Care in Zoo, Livestock, and Companion Animals and Positive Reinforcement in Horses: A Scoping Literature Review. Cooperative care, training an animal to voluntarily participate in care procedures using positive reinforcement, may improve welfare and lower stress in horses. This scoping literature review synthesizes two bodies of research to analyze existing scientific evidence on cooperative care and explore its potential application for horses. Two literature searches were conducted in ScienceDirect, CABI Digital Library, PubMed, and Google Scholar using predefined search terms and eligibility criteria. Publications were reviewed against two sets of inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 1,518 rec...
Ursodeoxycholic Acid Oral Pharmacokinetics and Plasma Bile Acid Profile Changes in a Population of Healthy Neonatal Foals. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a secondary bile acid used in humans for the treatment of some cholestatic diseases. Interest in its potential use in equine patients with liver conditions has increased. Pharmacokinetic parameters in adult horses have recently been reported; however, they are not available for foals. The objective of this study was to characterize the pharmacokinetics of UDCA following a single oral dose of 15 mg/kg in six healthy neonatal foals and evaluate associated changes in bile acids (BA) profile. UDCA concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass...
Prior-informed population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of dexamethasone in horses. Dexamethasone (DEX) is widely used in equine practice with diverse studies having characterized its pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) including our published comprehensive meta-analysis. Individual DEX concentrations in plasma and urine and serum cortisol from five studies (n = 32 horses) were analyzed using a minimal physiologically-based PK (mPBPK) model and a circadian baseline-indirect response PD model. The previous meta-analysis provided complex structural models to assess sources of variability across an array of studies involving intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM) a...
Weigh tape more accurately estimates equine body weight than morphometric formula: a controlled technical assessment. Accurate body weight (BW) estimation in horses is essential for clinical and nutritional management; however, calibrated scales are often unavailable under field conditions. Objective: To compare the longitudinal accuracy and consistency of a commercial weigh tape and the Carroll and Huntington morphometric formula against calibrated digital scale measurements in adult horses. Methods: In a prospective longitudinal experimental study, six clinically healthy adult crossbred horses (mean real body weight [Rbw] 355.5 ± 21.2 kg) were monitored weekly for 63 days under controlled management condit...
Retrospective investigation of equine parvovirus-hepatitis in Italy. Equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H) has recently been identified as the etiological agent of Theiler's disease, a major cause of acute hepatitis and liver failure in horses. While iatrogenic transmission of EqPV-H is well-documented, the natural horizontal transmission of the virus remains poorly understood. This study provides the first comprehensive epidemiological investigation and molecular characterization of EqPV-H in equine populations across Italy. A total of 1320 archival serum samples from northern and southern Italy were screened for the presence of EqPV-H DNA by qPCR. The overall ...
Effect of conditioned medium from equine Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem/stromal cells on cool-stored stallion semen. Artificial insemination in horses largely relies on cooled transported semen, but stallion spermatozoa are highly sensitive to cold stress, limiting storage duration. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cell-derived conditioned medium (CM) has shown protective effects on sperm in other species, yet its impact on equine semen remains unexplored. This study investigated the effects of equine Wharton's jelly-derived MSC-CM (eWJ-MSC-CM), on the quality of cooled stallion semen. Semen from five stallions of proven fertility was extended in INRA96 supplemented with 0, 5, or 15% eWJ-MSC-CM at 5 °C for 0, 24 a...
Phenotypic and Genetic Evaluation of Morphometric and Dynamic Traits in Mangalarga Horses. Genetic evaluation of morphometric and locomotor traits supports objective selection, avoiding exclusive reliance on subjective methods that may fixate breed traits over functionality or cause undesirable indirect selection. Objective: To evaluate genetic and phenotypic parameters for morphometric and dynamic traits in horses of the Mangalarga breed. Methods: The pedigree included 212,361 animals born between 1919 and 2019. Phenotypic subsets for morphometric and dynamic traits comprised 54,617 and 45,010 horses, respectively, born between 1977 and 2019. Variance components were estimated usin...
Seroprevalence and associated epidemiological drivers of glanders in horses: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2002-2026). Glanders (malleus), a highly contagious zoonotic disease caused by Burkholderia mallei, remains an important transboundary disease of equids despite extensive control efforts in many countries. However, its epidemiological patterns and associated drivers have not been comprehensively synthesized. This study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of glanders in horses and identify key epidemiological drivers based on studies published up to April 27, 2026. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, ProQu...
Diagnostic Performance of Digital Tomosynthesis for Detecting Osteophytes and Subchondral Bone Changes in the Equine Distal Interphalangeal and Metacarpophalangeal Joints. Osteoarthritis is a common cause of equine lameness and can involve periarticular osteophytes and subchondral bone (SB) changes. This exploratory ex vivo study evaluated the diagnostic performance of digital tomosynthesis (DT) for detecting these findings in the distal interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints, using computed tomography (CT) classifications as the reference. Sixteen distal forelimbs from nine adult horses underwent imaging with both modalities under simulated weight-bearing conditions. Three independent observers graded osteophytes and SB changes, and the scores were dich...
Residual contamination in nebulization medication cups after corticosteroid administration: an in vitro assessment with implications for equine doping control. Nebulization is increasingly used to administer respiratory medications in horses. However, the potential for residual contamination in medication cups after administering regulated substances raises concerns about inadvertent doping. Objective: To evaluate whether medication cups used for nebulization of corticosteroids can subsequently be used for administration of non-regulated substances without detectable carryover. Methods: In vitro experimental study. Methods: Three corticosteroids (budesonide, dexamethasone, fluticasone propionate) were nebulized using Flexineb™ medication cups. Foll...
Alterations in the gut resistomes of endangered wild equids associated with anthropogenic activities: Insights for One Health surveillance. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are emerging environmental contaminants, but how human-associated management practices are associated with mobile resistomes in endangered wildlife remains poorly resolved. Here, we used fecal metagenomics to compare Przewalski's horses, Mongolian khulans, and domestic horses from Xinjiang, China, including Przewalski's horses from a protected area and a captive-breeding setting under human management. Across 47 fecal metagenomes, we identified 380 ARG subtypes, 23 metal resistance gene (MRG) types, and 26 mobile genetic element (MGE) subtypes. Przewalski's h...
[Determination of 33 non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug residues in horse urine by QuEChERS-ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry]. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs （NSAIDs） are often used to treat horses' injuries and pain due to long-term training and competitions. In equestrian competitions， NSAIDs do not affect the upper limit of a horse's athletic ability， but they can enable the horse to perform close to its maximum capacity by reducing inflammation and pain. This not only affects the competition results， but also fails to ensure the health and welfare of the horses. Therefore， it has become crucial to effectively monitor and control NSAIDs residues during equestrian competition. In this study， a r...
Disorders of Calcium in Horses and Foals. Disorders of calcium homeostasis are frequent in equids with acute and chronic disorders. These animals may have abnormal phosphorus concentrations. Prompt identification and treatment are central for a positive outcome. A basic understanding of calcium regulation facilitates the diagnosis and treatment of calcium dysregulation. In horses, hypocalcemia is more often associated with acute conditions linked to systemic inflammation (eg, sepsis, gastrointestinal diseases), although hypocalcemia is also a feature of hypoparathyroidism and acute kidney injury. Magnesium supplementation should be co...
Modified technique for resection of the alar folds to nasal paralysis in a mule: Case report. Equids are obligate nasal breathers. Therefore, conditions that obstruct or impair this respiratory route can compromise animal welfare by causing severe respiratory distress, while also impacting athletic potential. Nasal paralysis results from injury to the facial nerve and its branches and is characterized by the lack of movement of the alar cartilage, leading to nasal collapse. Its occurrence is uncommon in horses and has not been previously reported in mules. This report describes a 9-month-old mule presented with a history of facial trauma and compression caused by a halter. After unsucc...
Five Domains, Multiple Realities: A Multidimensional Analysis of Equine Welfare in Equestrian Events in Brazil. Welfare assessments at traditional equestrian events in Brazil are scarce. This study aimed to systematize and stratify assessments based on the Five Domains (5DMs) model into subdomains (sDMs) for vaquejada and gait events and to adapt them to reflect local conditions and resource availability. Subsequently, the sDMs were classified and scored on a 5-level scale (1 to 5, where 1 = very poor and 5 = excellent), and assessments were conducted at three vaquejada and five gaited horse competitions. Assessments took place during morning, afternoon, and evening periods over two or more days and wer...
