Equine biomechanics involves the study of the mechanical principles that govern the movement and structure of horses. This field examines the anatomical and physiological aspects that contribute to locomotion, including gait patterns, joint function, and muscle dynamics. Researchers utilize advanced technologies such as motion capture and force plate analysis to assess the efficiency and performance of equine movement. Understanding biomechanics aids in optimizing training regimens, improving performance, and preventing injuries. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the mechanics of equine movement, its applications in sports and rehabilitation, and its impact on overall equine health.
Mathys RA, Schmitz TR, Geyer H, Borel N, Hilbe M, Ohlerth S, Bischofberger AS.This study described, assessed and correlated ultrasonographic, computed tomographic, and histological findings in the sacroiliac joints of adult Warmblood horse cadavers. In total, 25 joints from 15 horses were examined post-mortem using transrectal ultrasonography and helical computed tomography. Findings on computed tomography were graded in the caudal joint third (caudally) and for the entire joint as mild, moderate, or severe. In total, 11 joints from nine horses were evaluated histologically. All joints (100%) showed abnormalities on computed tomography, and 92% (23/25) displayed abnorma...
Duaso J, Perez-Ecija A, Navarro A, Martínez E, De Las Heras A, Mendoza FJ.Equine piroplasmosis (EP), caused by and , is a worldwide tick-borne disease with severe economic, commercial, and sanitary implications for equids. Although diagnosis is based on direct (blood smear or PCR) or indirect (serology) methods, these techniques are expensive, laborious, and false-negative and false-positive results can be yielded. Biochemistry blood profiles are routinely performed in horses. Biochemical parameters and ratios could be a reliable complementary diagnostic tool to assist clinicians in EP diagnosis, mainly in endemic areas, or for discarding similar disorders (piro-li...
Couto G, Grippo A, Ismer A, Hoogewijs M, Pedro B, Vasconcelos L, Santos G, Wilsher S.Vitrified in vitro-produced embryos can be successfully warmed in isotonic media at room temperature (RT; 22°C). However, this protocol has not been reported for in vivo embryos, which are more challenging to vitrify and warm. Study objectives were to see if vitrified in vivo embryos warmed in RT isotonic medium gave equivalent pregnancy rates to stepwise serial dilution warming, and if embryo size influenced the results. One hundred and seventeen embryos were divided into groups by size (G1:≤ 300 μm, n = 59; G2:> 300-400 μm, n = 33; G3:> 400-500 μm, n = ...
MacKechnie-Guire R, Clayton H, Byström A, Marlin D, Haussler K, Latif S, Blum N, le Jeune SS, Wanless M, Egenvall A.Laterality or sidedness in the horse is commonly addressed as part of the horse's training. An international online survey regarding horse and rider sidedness and asymmetry was conducted, with 2304 useable responses. Confidence intervals (95%) were used to evaluate if some response options were chosen more frequently. Discounting answers of 'not sure' or 'not applicable', the right fore hoof was more often perceived to be more upright (22%) than the left (15%), and the left shoulder was more prominent (24%) more often than the right (17%), whilst most respondents reported no difference. Both l...
So YM, Kwok WH, Tang CWY, Wong COL, Wan TSM, Ho ENM.This paper describes the studies of the in vitro biotransformation of nandrolone decanoate and its metabolic fate in equine plasma and urine after intramuscular administration to castrated thoroughbred horses. The in vitro metabolic study was performed using homogenised horse liver, and the more prominent in vitro biotransformation pathways were found to include hydrolysis, reduction, oxidation and sulfation, mainly resulting in seven Phase I metabolites and one Phase II metabolite. The administration study of nandrolone decanoate was carried out using three retired thoroughbred geldings, e...
Friend MM, Nicodemus MC, Lemley CO, Cavinder CA, Prince P, Holtcamp K.Substance withdrawal presents a barrier to substance use disorder (SUD) recovery in part due to symptoms implicating neurotransmitters and their metabolites. Despite this relationship, research investigating alternative treatments such as psychotherapy incorporating equines (PIE) have primarily targeted vital signs and cortisol concentrations. Previous research has also proposed benefits of human-horse physiological coupling, but the role of neurotransmitters in the relationship between humans and horses during PIE has not yet been investigated. The purpose of this study was to characterize ne...
Vachkova E, Arnhold S, Petrova V, Heimann M, Koynarski T, Simeonova G, Piperkov P.The impact of donor age on Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell (ASC) functionality and safety remains insufficiently characterized, particularly in equine models. This study investigates the influence of age on ASCs proliferation dynamics and the expression of tumorigenic and apoptosis-related markers. Equine ASCs were isolated from juvenile (<5 years), middle-aged (5-15 years), and geriatric (>15 years) horses and assayed across multiple passages. The relative mRNA expressions of pluripotency (Oct4), tumorigenic (CA9), and apoptosis-related (Bax and Bcl 2) markers were evaluated. The Gomper...
Bugno-Poniewierska M, Bielecka M, Pietras N, Kij-Mitka B, Podstawski Z, Długosz B.The Hucul horse is a Polish primitive breed with a small population size, which highlights the importance of preserving the genetic resources. The cryopreservation of semen is essential for creating gene banks, but its effect on the acrosome reaction in Hucul stallions has not yet been investigated. The acrosome reaction is one of the most important physiological events associated with the fertilization process. Therefore, our goal was to determine the level of acrosome reaction in chilled and frozen/thawed Hucul stallion semen using the FluoAcro test and the SCA semen analysis system. We foun...
Greening L, Harkin E, Kyriazopoulou P, Heppelthwaite Z, Aragona F, Browne JA, Hemmings A, Williams JM, Murphy BA.Modern horse husbandry involves significant time spent indoors, often in suboptimal lighting conditions and with frequent night-time disturbances by humans for management purposes. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of a customised light-emitting diode (LED) lighting system and a standard fluorescent lighting fixture on equine sleep behaviours, circadian rhythmicity and spontaneous blink rates in horses. Ten riding school horses experienced two stable lighting conditions for four weeks each in a cross-over study running from January to March, 2023. The treatment lighting co...
Avila F, Esdaile E, Bellone RR. Standardbreds, a breed of horses used in harness racing at either the trot or the pace, established a closed studbook in 1973. Concerns about genetic diversity within the breed led the United States Trotting Association (USTA) to establish a limit of mares bred per stallion (i.e., a studbook cap) in 2009. Here, we aimed to evaluate the impact of the breeding restrictions on genetic diversity between and among subpopulations. : Sixteen short tandem repeats (STRs) were analyzed across a dataset of 176,424 Standardbreds foaled in the United States between 1998 and 2021. We examined allelic richn...
Mellish M, Burns J, Elce Y, Stull JW.Donkeys (Equus asinus) in East Africa are recognised as working with poorly designed harnesses and carts. The donkey cart used in regions of Africa, specifically Meru County, Kenya, appears to place the cart's weight solely on the donkey's mid-cervical region. The ventral area of the neck is vulnerable to external pressure on the trachea, which is superficially located. Objective: To compare the presence and severity of endoscopic abnormalities in the upper airway and trachea of Meru County working cart donkeys compared to pack donkeys. To determine associations between endoscopic and physical...
Santos L, Werfel K, Ferlini-Agne G.Accurate measurement of haemoglobin concentration is crucial for monitoring the oxygen-carrying capacity in anaesthetised horses. This prospective study aimed to determine the agreement in haemoglobin concentration in anaesthetised horses using the SpHb pulse co-oximeter, an Epoc® blood gas analyser, and values derived from packed cell volume (PCV), which served as the reference method in this study. The study included 34 horses undergoing elective surgeries. Blood samples were collected from each horse and divided for analysis using the microhaematocrit method to estimate haemoglobin concent...
Furukawa R, Tozaki T, Kawate K, Kikuchi M, Ishige T, Takahashi Y, Fukui E, Kakoi H.Gene doping, which entails the administration of transgenes, poses a serious threat to the integrity of equine sports and also raises both ethical and regulatory concerns. Current methods used for the detection of such doping often necessitate the extraction of DNA from plasma, which can be time-consuming and labour-intensive. To overcome this limitation, we developed a direct chamber digital PCR (cdPCR) method that enables transgene detection in equine plasma without the need for DNA purification. Using the equine erythropoietin (EPO) transgene as a model, we validated the assay by analysing ...
Vicenti C, Cercone M, Nieman G, Habashi NM, Andrews P, Satalin J, Velarde P, Mitchell KJ, Louie EW, Albano V, Ali H, King A, Staffieri F, Gleed R....To compare early versus late time-controlled adaptive ventilation (TCAV) for setting airway pressure release ventilation (APRV) on arterial oxygenation in dorsally recumbent anesthetized horses. Methods: A crossover, nonrandomized, experimental study. Methods: Six healthy adult horses. Methods: Each horse underwent two anesthetics: 1) volume-controlled ventilation (VCV) began for 30 minutes before switching to APRV using the TCAV method (late TCAV, TCAV); and 2) ventilation began immediately with TCAV (early TCAV, TCAV). The study lasted 180 minutes, with arterial blood gases and respiratory m...
Beggan CP, Panizzi L, Oliver LJ.To measure microsphere recovery following needle-through-and-through lavage (NTAT) of the metacarpo-/metatarsophalangeal joint (fetlock) and digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS) compared to endoscopic lavage (EL). Methods: Ex vivo experimental study. Methods: Adult equine cadavers immediately following euthanasia (n = 10). Methods: Colored 15 μm microspheres (2 million) were injected into fetlock joints and DFTS. Synovial structures were assigned to NTAT or EL groups. Each lavage was performed using 5 L of 0.9% NaCl, sequentially collecting egress fluid for microsphere quantification. Re...
Tually P, Currie G.The horse racing industry, like any sport, must contend with the effects of injuries on an athlete's performance and longevity. Catastrophic fractures linked to preexisting bone fatigue can be prevented with the use of imaging technology, such as the nuclear medicine bone scan. The accessibility and affordability of imaging for racehorses remain obstacles. The conventional role of bone scintigraphy has evolved with the advent of advanced techniques, including MRI, CT, and PET. Concurrently, SPECT has expanded the role of scintigraphy in the racehorse. This article explores the conventional and...
Reemtsma FP, Giers J, Horstmann S, Stoeckle SD, Gehlen H.Plasma amino acid (PAA) concentration in horses vary according to the exercise type. This study evaluated the changes in PAA levels and the associated metabolites, urea and ammonia, following short-duration, high-intensity cross-country exercise in eventing horses. Twenty eventing horses participated in 55 rides at 14 international competitions (2* to 4* levels) across five venues in Germany and Poland. Blood samples were collected at four timepoints: before exercise (TP0), at 10 min (TP1), and at 30 min (TP2) post-exercise, as well as in the morning on the day after the competition (TP3). A t...
Collins E, Barr E, Zhang C, Steadman M, Gilger B, Henriksen ML.To describe the most efficient topical horizontally centrifuged platelet-rich fibrin (H-PRF) treatment protocol for equine ulcerative keratitis (EUK) that is easy to use, and to report the preliminary concentration of growth factors and cytokines in equine H-PRF. Unassigned: 5 client-owned horses diagnosed with EUK were enrolled over an 11-month period. Unassigned: 3 horses were geldings, and 2 were mares. The mean (± SD) age was 5.95 ± 5.01 years. The owners' main goal was to avoid surgery for EUK. Unassigned: H-PRF was used in 3 different protocols: solid H-PRF, sutured to the EUK area (n ...
Walz KR, McCormick ME, Fedorka CE.Breed bias exists within many of the top disciplines of equestrian sport. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of breed on performance at the CCI5*-L level of eventing. To do so, the results of all CCI5*-L events from 2014 to 2024 were assessed. Initially, Thoroughbreds were compared to all non-Thoroughbreds, and this was followed by assessing the ten primary breeds. Data included penalties accrued in dressage, cross country, show jumping, and overall. Additionally, the likelihood of completing each phase was assessed. It was found that Thoroughbreds accrued mor...
Meistro F, Ralletti MV, Rinnovati R, Spadari A.Subtle locomotor asymmetries are common in horses and may go unnoticed during routine pre-race clinical inspections, particularly when based solely on subjective evaluation. This study aimed to describe vertical head and pelvic movement asymmetries in racehorses that passed official pre-race inspections at a traditional racing event. Twenty-four horses were analysed using a markerless AI-based gait analysis system while trotting in-hand and during lungeing in both directions. Asymmetry parameters (HDmin, HDmax, PDmin, and PDmax) were extracted from video recordings, with values ≥0.5 consider...
Ablondi M, Eriksson S, Mikko S.Fragile foal syndrome (FFS) is a disease caused by a recessive lethal missense mutation in the PLOD1 gene located on ECA2. Despite its harmful effect, a relatively high frequency of FFS carriers was observed in Warmblood breeds spanning from 7.4% in a random sample of Swedish Warmblood breed to 17% in the Hanoverian and Danish Warmblood, indicating potential heterozygous advantage. Balancing selection can be further studied based on haplotype blocks and via detection of heterozygosity-rich region (ROHet) around the target of selection. In this study we evaluated the presence of haplotype block...
Zupan Šemrov M, Přibylová L, Gobbo E.Equine locomotion emerges from a dynamic interplay between morphology, biomechanics, and functional demands. This study examines the relationship between morphological measurements and gait kinematics in Lipizzan horses, a breed renowned for its diverse work tasks and standardized environmental conditions. These horses offer a unique opportunity to explore task-specific adaptations in biomechanics, with significant implications for breeding strategies and welfare practices. Unassigned: The study involved 71 healthy Lipizzan horses that were housed at the Lipica stud farm and performed various ...
Herkenhoff ME.MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are molecules that regulate gene expression by targeting the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of mRNAs. They are essential in numerous biological processes like growth, metabolism, and muscle development. miRNA research has become crucial in livestock breeding, offering solutions for improving animal health and productivity. This review focuses on miRNAs' roles in equine performance, reproduction, and disease, highlighting key findings and future applications in these areas. It discusses the use of circulating miRNAs (ci-miRNA) as biomarkers for athletic performance, particularl...
Kwaß LM, Khiaosa-Ard R, Zebeli Q, Sulyok M, Milojevic V, Metzler-Zebeli BU.The occurrence of biotoxins and chemical residues in marketed horse feeds has direct influences on horse health but has not been studied yet. Objective: The study investigated the exposure and health implications of contaminants in various horse feedstuffs available on the European market. Methods: A total of 108 feed samples representing diverse product categories such as hay, processed roughage products, grains, and various supplementary feeds were collected from different European countries and analyzed for contaminants, including mycotoxins, phytoestrogens, pesticides, and veterinary drug ...
Kroschel L, Pilger F, Aurich J, Nagel C, Aurich C.Horses in training are often stabled individually, but this is increasingly questioned. We have investigated the effects of different stabling systems in Warmblood stallions during a 12-week pretraining programme. Stallions were 24 months old and housed either in a group stable (Group 24, n = 9) or in individual boxes (Box 24, n = 10), or they were 30 months of age and housed in individual boxes (Box 30, n = 10). Cortisol, heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), body development, injuries and selected behaviour patterns were analysed (1) at transfer from pasture to stable and (2) the...
Koch DW.Our understanding of tendon homeostasis and repair following injury has made great strides through basic science, clinical veterinary medicine, and preclinical translational research. We have now gleaned a greater understanding of the cellular and matrix dynamics that are being orchestrated within the tendon, which provide therapeutic opportunities. This article will focus on how utilizing the horse and equine tissues have advanced our understanding of tendinopathy and the cellular and matrix dynamics at play while also identifying continued gaps in our knowledge where the horse as a veterinar...
Pluim M, Reynolds A, McClure S.High-power laser therapy and extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) can be safely used to treat tendon and ligament injuries in horses, and the potential beneficial effects have been described. The power of low level lasers is not sufficient for treatment of tendon and ligament injuries in horses. ESWT is used more often to treat tendon and ligament injuries than it is for any other type of condition in horses, but there is limited supporting scientific evidence. Further research should focus on establishing dosage and treatment protocols for both laser therapy and ESWT in horses with clinic...
Connard SS, Schnabel LV.This review explores the use of biologics in the treatment of tendon and ligament injuries in horses, focusing on current and emerging therapies aimed at enhancing tissue repair and regeneration. It discusses the role of scaffold-based therapies, growth factors, blood-derived and tissue-derived biologics, and gene therapy as biologic regenerative therapies for improving healing outcomes. The review evaluates the mechanisms, efficacy, and challenges of biologics in clinical applications, highlighting recent advances and clinical studies. It provides an overview of current trends and future dire...
Zamboulis DE, Thorpe CT.The high stresses and strains experienced by the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) make it prone to age-related injury. The SDFT exhibits cellular and structural specializations, localized to the interfascicular matrix (IFM), enabling it to resist its extreme mechanical environment. With aging, these specializations are lost, impacting the ability of the tendon to withstand repeated loading. Within the IFM, there is loss of mechanical properties and organization accompanying cell senescence and a decreased resolution of inflammation. Developing therapeutics to reverse these changes may,...
Tarillion M, Hertzsch R, Richter A.Since 28.01.2022, veterinary medicinal products must be used in accordance with the conditions of authorization (Regulation (EU) 2019/6, Article 106). This entails further restrictions on therapeutic freedom, e. g., with regard to dose deviations. To date, there is no data available in equine medicine on the scope of off-label use as any use deviating from the expert information for antibiotics, on the basis of which the feasibility of implementing the new regulations in Germany can be assessed.To collect data on the off-label use of antibiotics, a Germany-wide anonymous online survey was th...
Thomer A, Gottschalk M, Christmann A, Naccache F, Jung K, Hewicker-Trautwein M, Distl O, Metzger J.Curly coat represents an extraordinary type of coat in horses, particularly seen in American Bashkir Curly Horses and Missouri Foxtrotters. In some horses with curly coat, a hypotrichosis of variable extent was observed, making the phenotype appear more complex. In our study, we aimed at investigating the genetic background of curly coat with and without hypotrichosis using high density bead chip genotype and next generation sequencing data. Genome-wide association analysis detected significant signals (p = 1.412 × 10-05-1.102 × 10-08) on horse chromosome 11 at 22-35 Mb. In thi...
Forster HV, Bisgard GE, Rasmussen B, Orr JA, Buss DD, Manohar M.The present study was designed to provide further insight into the role of the carotid and aortic chemoreceptors in ventilatory (VE) acclimatization during sojourn at altitude. Measurements were made: 1) on 10 ponies near sea level (SL, 740 Torr) under normal conditions, 2) on 6 of these at SL following chemoreceptor denervation (CD), and 3) subsequently on all 10 during 4 days of hypobaric hypoxia (PaO2 = 40-47 Torr). CD resulteo in hypoventilation at SL (deltaPaCO2 = d8 Torr, P less than 0.05), and it prevented hyperventilation normally observed with injection of NaCN and acute exposure to h...
Tozaki T, Hill EW, Hirota K, Kakoi H, Gawahara H, Miyake T, Sugita S, Hasegawa T, Ishida N, Nakano Y, Kurosawa M.Using 1710 Thoroughbred racehorses in Japan, a cohort study was performed to evaluate the influence of genotypes at four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on equine chromosome 18 (ECA18), which were associated in a previous genome-wide association study for racing performance with lifetime earnings and performance rank. In males, both g.65809482T>C and g.65868604G>T were related to performance rank (P= 0.005). In females, g.65809482T>C (P = 1.76E-6), g.65868604G>T (P=6.81E-6) and g.66493737C>T (P=4.42E-5) were strongly related to performance rank and also to lifetime ...
Hodson E, Clayton HM, Lanovaz JL.Video (60 Hz) and force (2000 Hz) data were collected from 5 sound horses during walking. Forelimb data were analysed for 8 strides (4 left, 4 right) per horse to determine sagittal plane kinematics and ground reaction forces (GRFs). The results suggested that brachial rotation was responsible for protraction and retraction of the limb as a whole, while rotations of the scapula and antebrachium elevated the distal limb during breakover and early swing then lowered it in preparation for ground contact. The coffin joint was flexed maximally at the time of peak longitudinal braking force, which o...
Lu Z, Branscum AJ, Shuck KM, Zhang J, Dubovi EJ, Timoney PJ, Balasuriya UB.Two previously developed TaqMan fluorogenic probe-based 1-tube real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR) assays (T1 and T2) were compared and validated for the detection of Equine arteritis virus (EAV) nucleic acid in equine semen and tissue culture fluid (TCF). The specificity and sensitivity of these 2 molecular-based assays were compared to traditional virus isolation (VI) in cell culture. The T1 real-time RT-PCR had a higher sensitivity (93.4%) than the T2 real-time RT-PCR (42.6%) for detection of EAV RNA in semen. However, the T1 real-time RT-PCR was les...
Sánchez Guerrero MJ, Cervantes I, Valera M, Gutiérrez JP.The most popular use of the Pura Raza Español horse in sport is for dressage competitions. Tests on young sport horses were first established in 2004 in Spain to collect data for the genetic evaluation of this breed's suitability for dressage. The aim of this study was to compare eight different models to find out the most appropriate way to include the rider in the genetic evaluation of dressage. A progressive removal of systematic effects from model was also analysed. A total of 8867 performance records collected between 2004 and 2011 from 1234 horses aged between 4 and 6 years old were use...
Marjamäki PH, Contasti AL, Coulson TN, McLoughlin PD.Movement away from an area or social group in response to increasing density (density-dependent dispersal) is known for most species; why it evolves is fundamental to our understanding of ecology and evolution. However, we have yet to fully appreciate how individuals of varying conditions (e.g., age and sex) might differently consider effects of density (quorum) when deciding to disperse or not, and scale dependence in their sense of quorum. We tracked movements of all individuals of a naturalized population of feral horses (Equus ferus caballus; Sable Island National Park Reserve, Nova Scotia...
Pead S, Durrant E, Webb B, Larsen C, Heaton D, Johnson J, Watt GD.The binding of Cd2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Co2+, Mn2+, and Mg2+ to apo, holo, reconstituted horse spleen ferritin (HoSF), and native holo HoSF with phosphate removed was measured by gel-exclusion chromatography. Three classes of strong binding interactions (Kd < 10(-7) M) with apo HoSF at pH 7.5 were found for the various M2+ studied: high stoichiometric binding (30-54 M2+/HoSF) for Cd2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, with two protons released per metal bound; intermediate binding (16 M2+/HoSF) for Ni2+ and Co2+, with one proton released per metal bound; and low levels of binding (2-12 M2+/HoSF) for Mn2+, Mg2+, and...
Aune A, Fenner K, Wilson B, Cameron E, McLean A, McGreevy P.Horse trainers and riders may have preconceived ideas of horse temperament based solely on the sex of the horse. A study (n = 1233) of horse enthusiasts (75% of whom had more than 8 years of riding experience) revealed that riders prefer geldings over mares and stallions. While these data may reflect different sex preferences in horses used for sport, they may also reduce the chances of some horses reaching their performance potential. Further, an unfounded sex prejudice is likely to contribute to unconscious bias when perceiving unwanted behaviours, simplistically attributing them to demograp...
Anderson DR, Woo SL, Kwan MK, Gershuni DH.Recent studies have shown that the meniscus is highly anisotropic in tension and that its compressive creep behavior can be modeled using biphasic theory. In this study, an alternative approach is used, where viscoelastic shear properties of the meniscal fibrocartilage are measured to determine the anisotropy and inhomogeneity of this tissue with respect to specimen location and fiber orientation. Medial menisci were obtained from eight skeletally-mature horses. Nine test specimens were taken from the circumferential midsubstance of each meniscus, at three circumferential and three axial posit...
Gonçalves NN, Ambrósio CE, Piedrahita JA.Since their original isolation, the majority of the work on embryonic stem cells (ESC) has been carried out in mice. While the mouse is an outstanding model for basic research, it also has considerable limitations for translational work, especially in the area of regenerative medicine. This is due to a combination of factors that include physiological and size differences when compared to humans. In contrast, domestic animal species, such as swine, and companion animal species, such as dogs, provide unique opportunities to develop regenerative medicine protocols that can then be utilized in hu...
Fagerness AJ, Flaherty MT, Perry ST, Jia B, Payne SL, Fuller FJ.Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is a macrophage-tropic lentivirus that persistently infects horses and causes a disease that is characterized by periodic episodes of fever, thrombocytopenia, and viremia. EIAV encodes only four regulatory/accessory genes, (tat, rev, ttm, and S2) and is the least genetically complex of all known lentiviruses. We sought to determine the role of the EIAV S2 accessory gene of EIAV by introducing mutations that would prevent S2 expression on the p19/wenv17 infectious molecular clone. Virus derived from the p19/wenv17 molecular clone is highly virulent and rout...
Egan S, Brama P, McGrath D.Since Muybridge's 'horse in motion', researchers in the equine movement analysis field continue to improve objective analysis and performance monitoring while ensuring representative data capture. However, subjective evaluation remains the primary method of equine gait analysis in the applied setting, despite evidence highlighting the unreliability of this approach. Objective: To map research trends, limitations and opportunities across the diverse equine gait analysis literature. Methods: Joanna Briggs Institute and Cochrane systematic scoping review. Methods: Search terms were chosen based o...
Dembek KA, Onasch K, Hurcombe SD, MacGillivray KC, Slovis NM, Barr BS, Reed SM, Toribio RE.The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) and their interactions during illness and hypoperfusion are important to maintain organ function. HPAA dysfunction and relative adrenal insufficiency (RAI) are common in septic foals. Information is lacking on the RAAS and mineralocorticoid response in the context of RAI in newborn sick foals. Objective: To investigate the RAAS, as well as HPAA factors that interact with the RAAS, in hospitalized foals, and to determine their association with clinical findings. We hypothesized that critical illness i...
Wilhelm K, Darinskas A, Noppe W, Duchardt E, Mok KH, Vukojević V, Schleucher J, Morozova-Roche LA.Protein oligomeric complexes have emerged as a major target of current research because of their key role in aggregation processes in living systems and in vitro. Hydrophobic and charged surfaces may favour the self-assembly process by recruiting proteins and modifying their interactions. We found that equine lysozyme assembles into multimeric complexes with oleic acid (ELOA) at the solid-liquid interface within an ion-exchange chromatography column preconditioned with oleic acid. The properties of ELOA were characterized using NMR, spectroscopic methods and atomic force microscopy, and showed...
Rochais C, Henry S, Hausberger M.Distractibility (i.e. individual distraction from his ongoing activity) is thoughts to affect daily life. The present study develops an easy way to assess inter-individual variations of distractibility of an animal model, the domestic horse. We developed the 'distractibility test' (DT), based on auditory stimuli, a major source of distraction in daily life. We hypothesized that the broadcast of unusual sounds would provide a reliable source of distraction and that the responses to these unusual sounds would yield a good estimation of a horse's level of distractibility. Validity of the DT was a...
Radunsky D, Blumenfeld-Katzir T, Volovyk O, Tal A, Barazany D, Tsarfaty G, Ben-Eliezer N.Multi-echo spin-echo (MESE) protocol is the most effective tool for mapping T relaxation in vivo. Still, MESE extensive use of radiofrequency pulses causes magnetization transfer (MT)-related bias of the water signal, instigated by the presence of macromolecules (MMP). Here, we analyze the effects of MT on MESE signal, alongside their impact on quantitative T measurements. Study used 3 models: in vitro urea phantom, ex vivo horse brain, and in vivo human brain. MT ratio (MTR) was measured between single-SE and MESE protocols under different scan settings including varying echo train lengths, n...
Sankey C, Henry S, Clouard C, Richard-Yris MA, Hausberger M.The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of training experience on young horses (Equus caballus)' lateralized responses to an approaching human. The results show that the one year old untrained horses display asymmetrical responses to an approaching human, with more negative reactions (escapes, threats) when approached from the left side, while approaches towards the right shoulder elicited more positive behaviors. On the contrary, two years old trained horses reacted equally positively to approaches and contact on both sides. Our findings support those of previous studies investiga...
Rzekęć A, Vial C, Bigot G.Despite the decline of equine populations in the middle of the 20th century, the European horse industry is growing again thanks to economic alternatives found in the diversification of the uses of equines (sports, racing, leisure, etc.). Equines have many environmental advantages, but the fragmentation of the sector and the lack of synthetic knowledge about their environmental impacts do not enable the promotion of these assets and their effective inclusion in management practices and European policies. To highlight the equine environmental impacts, a literature review was carried out to cove...
Bao T, Han H, Li B, Zhao Y, Bou G, Zhang X, Du M, Zhao R, Mongke T, Laxima , Ding W, Jia Z, Dugarjaviin M, Bai D.Skeletal muscle is the largest organ system in the mammalian body and plays a key role in locomotion of horses. Fast and slow muscle fibers have different abilities and functions to adapt to exercises. To investigate the RNA and miRNA expression profiles in the muscles with different muscle fiber compositions on Mongolian horses. We examined the muscle fiber type population and produced deep RNA sequencing for different parts of skeletal muscles. And chose two of them with the highest difference in fast and slow muscle fiber population (splenius and gluteus medius) for comparing the gene expre...
Gaarder JE, Rebhun WC, Ball MA, Patten V, Shin S, Erb H.To compare initial clinical appearances, healing mechanisms, risk factors, and outcomes of horses with fungal keratitis. Methods: Retrospective analysis. Methods: 52 horses (53 eyes) with fungal keratitis. Methods: Medical records and clinical photographs of eyes were reviewed. Keratomycoses were categorized on the basis of clinical appearance at initial examination and pattern of healing. Results: Five distinct forms of mycotic keratitis were recognized. Of 53 affected eyes, 34 (64%) retained sight and had varying degrees of corneal scarring after treatment, 6 (11%) had a cosmetic appearance ...
Earing JE, Cassill BD, Hayes SH, Vanzant ES, Lawrence LM.The objective of this study was to determine if in vitro methodologies developed for the Ankom Daisy(II) incubator could produce accurate estimates of in vivo equine DM digestibility (DMD) and NDF digestibility (NDFD) when equine feces were used as the inoculum source. Four mature geldings were utilized in a 4 × 4 Latin square design experiment with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of dietary treatments (timothy hay, alfalfa hay, timothy hay plus oats, and alfalfa hay plus oats), in which the geldings were individually housed and fed. During each 5-d total fecal collection period, feces were co...
Carossino M, Loynachan AT, Canisso IF, Cook RF, Campos JR, Nam B, Go YY, Squires EL, Troedsson MHT, Swerczek T, Del Piero F, Bailey E, Timoney PJ....Equine arteritis virus (EAV) has a global impact on the equine industry as the causative agent of equine viral arteritis (EVA), a respiratory, systemic, and reproductive disease of equids. A distinctive feature of EAV infection is that it establishes long-term persistent infection in 10 to 70% of infected stallions (carriers). In these stallions, EAV is detectable only in the reproductive tract, and viral persistence occurs despite the presence of high serum neutralizing antibody titers. Carrier stallions constitute the natural reservoir of the virus as they continuously shed EAV in their seme...
Han H, Wallner B, Rigler D, MacHugh DE, Manglai D, Hill EW.The Mongolian horse represents one of the most ancient extant horse populations. In this study we determined the male-specific region of the Y chromosome (MSY) haplotype distribution in 60 Chinese Mongolian horses representing five distinct populations. Cosmopolitan male lineages were predominant in horses from one improved (Sanhe), one Chinese Mongolian subtype (Baicha Iron Hoof) and one indigenous (Abaga Black) population. In contrast, autochthonous Y chromosome diversity was evident among the two landrace populations (Wushen and Wuzhumuqin), as the majority of their MSY haplotypes were situ...
Oakenfull EA, Ryder OA.Variation in the control region and the 12S rRNA gene of all surviving mitochondrial lineages of Przewalski's horse was investigated. Variation is low despite the present day population being descended from 13 individuals probably representing animals from three different regions of its range. Phylogenetic comparison of these sequences, with sequences for the domestic horse, does not resolve the ancestral status of either horse.
Viklund A, Braam A, Näsholm A, Strandberg E, Philipsson J.For many years, the breeding value estimation for Swedish riding horses has been based on results from Riding Horse Quality Tests (RHQTs) of 4-year-olds only. Traits tested are conformation, gaits and jumping ability. An integrated index including competition results is under development to both get as reliable proofs as possible and increases the credibility of the indexes among breeders, trainers and riders. The objectives of this study were to investigate the suitability of competition data for use in genetic evaluations of horses and to examine how well young horse performance agrees with ...
de Mestre AM, Miller D, Roberson MS, Liford J, Chizmar LC, McLaughlin KE, Antczak DF.The objective of this study was to identify transcription factors associated with differentiation of the chorionic girdle, the invasive form of equine trophoblast. The expression patterns of five transcription factors were determined on a panel of conceptus tissues from early horse pregnancy. Tissues from Days 15 through 46 were tested. Eomesodermin (EOMES), glial cells missing homologue 1 (GCM1), heart and neural crest derivatives expressed transcript 1 (HAND1), caudal type homeobox 2 (CDX2), and distal-less homeobox 3 (DLX3) were detected in horse trophoblast, but the expression patterns for...
Fortier LA, Nixon AJ, Lust G.To assess the effects of supraphysiologic concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) on morphologic and phenotypic responses of chondrocytes. Methods: Articular cartilage obtained from 2 young horses. Methods: Chondrocytes were suspended in fibrin cultures and supplemented with 25, 12.5, or 0 mg of IGF-1/ml of fibrin. Chondrocyte morphology and phenotypic expression were assessed histologically, using H&E and Alcian blue stains, immunoreaction to collagen type I and II, and in situ hybridization. Proteoglycan content, synthesis, and monomer size were analyzed. The DNA content w...
Tyler CM, Golland LC, Evans DL, Hodgson DR, Rose RJ.Thirteen standard-bred horses were trained intensively for 34 weeks and detrained for 6 weeks to study skeletal muscle adaptations to prolonged training, overtraining and detraining. Training included endurance (phase 1, 7 weeks), high-intensity (phase 2, 9 weeks) and overload training (OLT) (phase 3, 18 weeks). During phase 3, horses were divided into two groups, OLT and control (C), with OLT horses performing greater intensities and durations of exercise than C horses. Overtraining was evident in OLT horses after week 31 and was defined as a significant reduction in treadmill run time in res...
Sykes BW, Kathawala K, Song Y, Garg S, Page SW, Underwood C, Mills PC.Pilot investigations have suggested that a novel, long-acting, injectable i.m. formulation of omeprazole (LA-OMEP) can induce acid suppression for up to 7 days following a single injection. Objective: To investigate the pharmacodynamics and assess the clinical efficacy of the LA-OMEP formulation. Methods: Part A comprised a pharmacodynamic study. Part B consisted of a pilot clinical trial. Methods: Part A enrolled six adult Thoroughbred horses with percutaneous gastrotomy tubes. Intragastric pH was measured for continuous 23-h periods (08.00-07.00 h) for eight consecutive days (days 0-7). A si...
