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.
is one of the most pathogenic nematodes affecting equids. Larval migration through the cranial mesenteric artery (CMA) with attendant arteritis and thromboembolism can result in fatal non-strangulating intestinal infarction. Once considered a historical disease, recent studies have described the reemergence of this pathogen in several European countries; however, little is known of the current prevalence of in the Canadian horse population. Unassigned: To determine the prevalence of active cranial mesenteric arteritis in horses submitted for postmortem examination to the Diagnostic Services...
Basher AA, Ahmed AA, Pfukenyi DM, Liu HY, Essa MOA, Husien HM, Saleh AA, Adam SY, Cai D.Assessing the welfare of the working horses is crucial for identifying health and management issues and implementing effective solutions. This study evaluated the welfare of working horses in South Darfur, Sudan, by integrating clinical examination with indirect indicators through owner interviews. A total of 400 horse-owner pairs were included. Most horses (61.7%) worked every day, and 77% of owners reported using whips to encourage movement. Clinical assessment revealed that 29.0% of horses were thin, over half had dirty coats, 50.5% harbored external parasites, 43% had abnormal discharges, ...
Manso-Díaz G.Diagnostic imaging is essential for evaluating and managing neurologic disease in horses. Following clinical lesion, neurolocalization imaging modalities are often necessary to further characterize the disease process. However, which technology to use depends on various factors, including the patient's size, clinical signs, and the anatomic region. Current advances in imaging technology, in general, and the adaptation of different modalities for equine patients, in particular, have substantially improved our ability to evaluate the equine central nervous system. This article will summarize the...
Firdausy LW, Fikri F, Wicaksono AP, Maslamama ST, Purnama MTE.Equine viral arteritis (EVA) is a globally widespread infectious disease affecting equids, with significant consequences for reproductive efficiency and the regulation of international equine trade. Nevertheless, despite the accumulation of numerous region-specific investigations, an integrated synthesis of global seroprevalence estimates and overarching epidemiological patterns remains insufficiently developed. Objective: To calculate the pooled global seroprevalence of EVA and to explore sources of epidemiological heterogeneity. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were undertaken ...
Jastrzębska E, Pawłowska A, Čoudková V, Baštýřová Brutovská A, Lansade L, Górecka-Bruzda A.The demand for horse housing that allows social contact, free movement, and continuous access to forage is increasing. Active stables, equipped with automatic feeders, aim to meet these needs by offering conditions closer to natural living. It is not known whether 'active stable' influences horse fear and human-oriented behaviour. This study compared the behaviour of horses housed in active stable (N = 24) and traditional stable (N = 22) to assess responses to novelty, sudden stimuli, and interactions with humans. We also examined the effects of breed type, age, and weekly riding workload....
Ropka-Molik K, Musiał AD, Majtyka A, Bieniek A, Ayad A, Muszyński S, Stefaniuk-Szmukier M.The DMRT3 gene, often referred to as the "gait keeper," plays a key role in controlling alternative gaits in horses, such as tölt and pace. This study aimed to determine the frequency of known and to screen for potential novel polymorphisms within the second exon of the DMRT3 gene. Methods: A total of 244 blood or hair samples were collected from representative individuals of the six horse breeds: gaited (Icelandic Horse, French Trotter), non-gaited (Arabian Horse, Malopolski Horse), and pony breeds (Welsh Pony, Shetland Pony). Methods: The second exon of the DMRT3 gene analyzed using Sanger ...
Campilho R, Saraiva S, Chaves S, Quaresma M, Silva F, Pires I.An 8-month-old Lusitano filly (a young female horse) was referred with a five-day history of abdominal distension, respiratory distress, and hyporexia. Clinical and ultrasonographic examinations revealed ventral edema, anemia, leukocytosis, hypoalbuminemia, and bilateral pleural effusion. The filly subsequently developed progressive clinical deterioration, including persistent hyporexia, scant fecal output, and acute colic with nasogastric reflux, followed by sudden respiratory decompensation, collapse, and death. Post-mortem examination revealed a large, multilobulated abdominal mass involvin...
Dorakumbura BN, Beckett NM, Cook EC, Nolan AD, Brown D, Douglas B.Positive identification and reporting of therapeutic substances intended for human consumption in race-day equine and canine samples is a controversial topic. While inadvertent environmental exposure is a potential cause for the presence of these substances in race-day samples, intentional use cannot be ruled out given their therapeutic benefits. Pregabalin is widely prescribed in Australia to treat epilepsy, anxiety, and neuropathic pain in humans; however, it is also increasingly used as a recreational drug. Metformin is commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes in humans. Both pregabalin and m...
Liu F, Zhang J, Kong L, Wu R, Jiang Q, Lu Y, Li X.As an interspecies hybrid inheriting genetic material from horse and donkey lineages, mules provide a unique model for studying allele-specific regulatory dynamics. Here, we isolated adult fibroblasts (AFs) and placental fibroblasts (PFs) from mule tissues and reprogrammed them into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Intriguingly, placental fibroblast-derived iPSCs (mpiPSCs) exhibited reduced reprogramming efficiency compared to adult fibroblast-derived iPSCs (maiPSCs). Through allele-specific expression (ASE) analysis, we systematically dissected transcriptional biases in parental cell t...
Yang X, Wen L, Wen M, Yao X, Meng J, Zeng Y, Ren W.Equus caballus is a species of considerable economic and cultural significance. However, the regulatory networks involved in equine sexual maturation remain unclear and eventually limit its reproduction and utilization. In this study, testicular tissues from eight Kazakh horses at two developmental stages (2 years, representing pre-maturation, and 3 years, representing post-maturation) were analyzed using whole transcriptome sequencing, data-independent acquisition (DIA) proteomics, and untargeted metabolomics. An integrated regulatory network was constructed encompassing ceRNA, mRNA, prot...
Bostick HN, Keys DA, Bowden AC, McMullen RJ.To compare equine optic nerve head (ONH) measurements using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) to detect clinically relevant ONH cupping. Methods: Forty-five eyes from 34 horses were categorized as CONTROL or CUPPED based on indirect ophthalmoscopy and were measured using SD-OCT: Bruch's membrane opening (BMO), optic cup width (OC), anterior laminar depth (ALD), prelaminar thickness (PLT), and cup-to-disk ratio (OC: BMO) at superior (sup.), central (ctr.), and inferior (inf.) ONH locations. Results: The OC:BMO was 0.61 ± 0.09 (sup.), 0.64 ± 0.09 (ctr.), and 0.55 ...
Ehizibolo DO, Oyekan O, Mkpuma N, Haliru H, Garba I, Turaki IZ, Kennedy S, Shallangwa JM, Kilyobas CS, Mohammed A, Muhammad MA, Abubakar M....Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a tick-borne zoonotic pathogen of major public health importance in Africa. Although CCHFV exposure has been reported in several livestock species in Nigeria, data on equids remain limited despite their extensive involvement in livestock movement and trade. This study assessed CCHFV seroprevalence in horses and donkeys in major international livestock markets in northern Nigeria and examined factors associated with exposure. Methods: From June 2023 to July 2024, a longitudinal sero-surveillance study was conducted in three high-volume livestock...
Ehizibolo DO, Oyekan O, Mkpuma N, Haliru H, Garba I, Turaki IZ, Williams EE, Danmarwa A, Mohammed A, Muhammad MA, Abubakar M, Brown C, Faburay B.Rift Valley Fever (RVF) is a neglected vector-borne zoonotic disease of significant veterinary and public health concern in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigated the seroprevalence of Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV) exposure and associated risk factors among camels and horses marketed in northern Nigeria. A total of 1117 animals were sampled, comprising camels (812) and horses (305), across three major livestock markets (Maigatari, Maiduguri, and Illela). The overall seroprevalence was 18.8% (95% CI: 16.6-21.2%), with a striking six-fold disparity: camels showed a prevalence of 24.4% (95%...
