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Topic:Equine Research
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.
The Peridental Structures of Equine Cheek Teeth: An Age-Dependent Anatomical Study of Maxilla and Mandible. Sequestration is the most common complication following equine cheek tooth extraction, occurring predominantly in the mandible of younger horses. Extraction-related trauma to the peridental region may impair healing. Despite its clinical relevance, detailed knowledge of peridental anatomy remains limited. This study investigated age-related differences in the peridental region of maxillary and mandibular equine cheek teeth 07 to 09. The peridental region of 24 cheek teeth rows from six cadaver heads was sectioned horizontally at approximately 10 mm intervals. Sections were photographed and the...
Limited Effects of High-Intensity Laser Therapy on Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes in Three-Year-Old Arabian Racehorses with Dorsal Metacarpal Disease. Dorsal metacarpal disease (DMD) is a common musculoskeletal injury in young racehorses, and effective non-invasive treatments remain of clinical interest. This study aimed to evaluate whether high-intensity laser therapy (HILT), which was applied as the sole intervention in horses retired from training, reduces the clinical signs of DMD compared with untreated controls. During the 2023-2024 racing seasons, 15 Arabian racehorses diagnosed with DMD were enrolled; 9 received HILT and 6 served as controls without laser therapy. The treatment protocol consisted of five daily HILT sessions followed ...
Sequencing and Differential Analysis of miRNA in the Ovaries of Kazakh Horses During Estrus and Anestrus States. To reveal the regulatory role of miRNA in the estrous cycle transition of Kazakh horse ovaries and improve their reproductive efficiency, this study took the ovaries of Kazakh horses in the estrus period (DY group) and the quiescent period (DB group) as research objects. Small RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were used to systematically analyze the expression characteristics and functional pathways of miRNA under the two physiological states. A total of 161 million high-quality miRNA tags were obtained through sequencing. Principal component analysis showed that the intra-group repea...
Anatomical Insights Into the Equine Cervical Intervertebral Foramina: Implications for Veterinary Practice. The equine cervical intervertebral foramina (IVF) represent vital anatomical regions facilitating the passage of spinal nerves and associated vasculature. An in-depth understanding of their anatomy is imperative for the safe implementation of diagnostic and surgical interventions. Despite their clinical significance, anatomical descriptions of the equine cervical IVF remain under-characterised in the existing literature, particularly in relation to the needs of equine veterinary surgeons. Our study provides comprehensive anatomical analysis of the IVF at the cervical vertebral levels C5/C6 and...
Assessment of Thyroid Hormones Using the Immulite 2000xpi Analyzer in Healthy Donkeys. The Immulite 2000xpi, a chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA)-based analyzer, is currently recommended for measuring thyroid hormones (TH) concentrations in equids. However, scarce data are available on TH measurements in donkeys using this technique. Similarly, the effects of factors such as age and gender on TH concentrations have not been assessed with this analyzer. Serum free and total T4 and T3 concentrations were measured in 40 healthy donkeys (6.1 ± 0.8 years old; 8 intact jacks and 32 jennies) and 41 horses (10.7 ± 0.5 years old; 15 stallions and 26 geldings) using the Immulite 2000xp...
Plasma and Urinary Concentrations of Synephrine in Horses Following Controlled Oral Administration. Synephrine is a sympathomimetic alkaloid of regulatory interest in both horse racing and equestrian sports, where feed‑related exposure may lead to its detection in equine blood and urine. This study characterized plasma and urinary concentrations of synephrine in horses following controlled oral administration. Six Thoroughbred horses received single oral doses of 100 mg or 800 mg synephrine, and blood and urine samples were collected sequentially. Each sample was analyzed both before and after β‑glucuronidase hydrolysis, demonstrating that synephrine was present predominantly as conjuga...
Clinical and microbiota alterations in performance horses undergoing long-distance transport. Transport-associated pneumonia contributes substantially to morbidity, impaired welfare, and economic loss in high-performance horses and may be associated with alterations in the respiratory microbiota. Objective: Examine the effect of long-distance transport on the respiratory microbiota and correlate changes in microbiota diversity and composition with systemic and airway inflammation. Methods: Seventeen client-owned performance horses transported from New England to Florida under optimized trailering conditions, and 12 non-traveling horses. Methods: Physical examination, blood testing, nas...
Comparison of Rectal and Intraoperative Findings in Horses with Colic. Per rectum examination (PRE) is commonly used in the triage of horses with acute abdominal pain, despite reports of associated risk factors for both horses and personnel, but its diagnostic accuracy is questionable. This multicenter, observational study aimed to evaluate the agreement between PRE findings and surgical findings obtained via exploratory laparotomy in horses with colic. A total of 201 cases from four equine referral hospitals across Europe were included. Rectal findings were categorized as primary (most likely cause of colic) or additional. Agreement with surgical findings was as...
Sensory-driven neck-limb coordination mechanisms for walk-trot-gallop gait transitions. Quadruped animals exhibit various gait patterns and switch from one to another depending on their speed. These gait patterns involve complex whole-body coordination and are mainly controlled by a distributed neural network consisting of central pattern generators (CPGs) and peripheral sensory feedback. However, how these neural networks generate various types of whole-body coordination remains unclear. Here, we focus on horse locomotion and present a neural network model that reproduces walk-trot-gallop transitions by changing only a single parameter related to speed. This model uses ground re...
Sperm Energy-restriction and Recovery (SER) enhances equine sperm function and embryo development after ICSI. Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are extensively used in domestic animal reproduction; however, improving their efficiency and consistency remains a major challenge for achieving reliable reproductive outcomes. The equine industry faces unique challenges related to sperm capacitation, which limited the success of conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) for many years. Consequently, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) became the most widely used technique for commercial in vitro embryo production. Even though a successful IVF protocol was recently developed, substantial opportunit...
Reply to Henshall et al. Commentary on “MacKechnie-Guire et al. Measuring Noseband Tightness on the Lateral Aspect of the Horse’s Face. Animals 2025, 15, 537”. In a paper published in 2017, Doherty et al [...].
Genetic Indicators of Performance Resilience in Barrel Racing Quarter Horses. Resilience, defined as the capacity to maintain consistent performance under variable conditions, has emerged as a relevant breeding objective in livestock systems, yet remains largely unexplored in equine populations. The objectives of this study were to (1) derive indicators of resilience from longitudinal barrel racing time (BRT) records in Brazilian Quarter Horses, (2) estimate genetic parameters for these indicators, and (3) quantify their genetic relationships with BRT and accumulated career earnings (ACE). The dataset comprised BRT records from barrel racing events held between 2010 and...
An Investigation of the Role of Ridden Exercise, Including Application of the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram, in Pre-Purchase Examinations of Sports Horses. Many horses undergo a pre-purchase examination (PPE) prior to acquisition by a new owner; however, despite evidence that lameness and canter dysfunction may only be apparent during ridden exercise, ridden exercises assessing gait quality is not a routine part of PPEs. The objectives were to determine the influence of the results of ridden exercise on decision-making concerning risk assessment for purchase and to establish the long-term performance of horses. Twenty-five sports horses underwent PPEs including ridden exercises to assess gait quality and to apply the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (R...
A Comprehensive Review of the Equine Gut Microbiome in Health and Disease. Molecular microbiology has revolutionized our understanding of the complex host-associated microbiomes required for normative development and physiology. Horses and other members of the family are particularly reliant on the early maturation and lifelong maintenance of an unusually rich hindgut microbiome for optimal digestion and overall health and performance. Research on the equine gut microbiome has accelerated in the past several years, necessitating a renewed appraisal of the field. The present work is a comprehensive and critical review of the literature regarding the bacterial gastroi...
Genomic diversity and historical legacy of Baroque horses: a living cultural heritage. Baroque horses represent a distinctive group of breeds that emerged mainly between the 16th and 18th centuries, shaped by the demands of European royalty and their courts. Although recognised as separate breeds, they share common ancestry, breeding goals, and historical gene flow. This study aimed to evaluate their genomic diversity, population structure, and admixture patterns. We analysed 1 160 individuals from eight breeds - Lipizzan, Old Kladruby Horse, Pura Raza Española, Lusitano, Friesian, Criollo, Peruvian Paso, and Puerto Rican Paso Fino - using 34 026 single-nucleotide polymorphis...
Behaviour and Movement Activity of Stallions and Geldings in Group Housing. There has been little research on the social behaviour of stallions and geldings kept together in group housing systems. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in behaviour and movement activity between stallions and geldings kept together in group housing. Behavioural observations and GPS measurements were conducted in Germany from July to September 2024 in four mixed groups of horses in Germany. The groups comprised 35 animals, 18 stallions and 17 geldings. The horses were observed for three consecutive days over eight hours per day. No injuries or stereotypic behaviours were o...
Detection of ionisable lipids in equine plasma by supported liquid extraction and liquid chromatography-high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry for doping control of mRNA agents. Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) has emerged as a new class of therapeutic agent with unprecedented potential. In particular, the lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-mRNA formulations enabled safe and effective delivery of mRNA in vivo, leading to the success of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. To control the potential misuse of LNP-mRNA agents in equine sports, a simple and sensitive method has been developed for the detection of ionisable lipids in equine plasma using supported liquid extraction (SLE) followed by liquid chromatography-high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. To overcome th...
Factors Influencing Equine Embryo Outcomes in OPU‑ICSI Systems: Insights from a Large‑Scale Program in Brazil. Equine OPU‑ICSI supports commercial IVEP, yet substantial variability persists. We retrospectively analyzed a large dataset generated in Brazil spanning Quarter Horses, Warmbloods, and Mangalarga to evaluate whether predictors previously identified in the literature show comparable patterns under distinct ecological and breeding conditions. Overall oocyte and embryo outcomes were aligned with broadly reported trends from previous studies. Oocytes retrieved from estrous mares bearing a dominant follicle exhibited higher maturation and blastocyst rates. Stallion effects segregated into distinc...
Prevalence and radiographic features of cyst-like lesions in German Warmblood horses presented for pre-purchase examination. Cyst-like lesions (CLLs) are frequently detected during radiographic examinations of equine limbs. They may represent a potential risk factor during pre-purchase examination (PPE) and are of considerable clinical and economic importance, as they may lead to negative purchase decisions. While affected horses may develop lameness, incidental findings have also been reported. The goal of the study was to describe the prevalence, location and radiographic characteristics of CLLs in a group of sound German Warmblood horses. Unassigned: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 3863 German Warmb...
USE OF GUAIFENESIN-KETAMINE-XYLAZINE INFUSION FOR MAINTENANCE OF ANESTHESIA IN CAPTIVE PREZEWALSKI HORSES (EQUUS FERUS PRZEWALSKI ): A CASE SERIES. This case series documents the use of triple drip, a combination of IV guaifenesin, ketamine, and xylazine (GKX) to extend the length of anesthesia in zoo-owned Przewalski horses (). In three separate procedures involving two different animals, GKX was used to prolong and deepen the plane of anesthesia for 90 to 120 min beyond an initial induction dart containing ketamine, butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine. The depth of anesthesia was sufficient to permit surgical excision of SC abscesses and other procedures. Throughout the anesthetic events, the horses breathed spontaneously and maint...
Rapid bacterial community profiling of equine faecal, skin, milk and saliva samples using Oxford Nanopore long-read 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The composition of the equine gut microbiome is associated with many aspects of gastrointestinal, respiratory and musculoskeletal health that have been reported in the horse. Scientific studies exploring the microbiome non-intestinal ecological niches in or on horses are lacking. The clinical use of bacterial community profiling in horses is currently limited by cost and by slow analytical workflows. Most equine microbiome studies have relied on 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of bacterial DNA, using high-throughput short-read sequencing technologies. This is often provided by an external servic...
Sixty minutes of daily solitary turnout improved physiological and behavioral indicators of stress and welfare in stall-housed horses. Housing horses in stalls restricts natural roaming behaviors, which in turn increases stress and stereotypic behaviors. Daily turnout for voluntary exercise is common for stress mitigation, but there is no consensus for optimal duration of turnout sessions. Objective: We sought to understand how minimal and moderate-duration daily turnout affects behavioral and physiological stress indicators. Methods: In a Latin-square design, adult Quarter horses (N=11) were allowed 0, 15, or 60 minutes/day of solitary turnout for 12-day periods. In-stall behaviors and 24-hour time budgets were assessed on d...
Repeatability and test-retest reliability of thermal and pressure pain threshold testing in healthy thoroughbred horses. Quantitative sensory testing (QST) has been used in horses to assess nociceptive responsiveness but its broader clinical application is limited by variability across anatomical sites, environmental conditions, operator technique, and behavioral endpoints. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, within-session repeatability, and test-retest reliability of thermal threshold (TT) and pressure pain threshold (PPT) testing in healthy Thoroughbred horses. Unassigned: Eleven adult Thoroughbred horses (4 mares, 7 geldings; median [IQR] age 6 [5-6] years; body weight 558 ± 47 kg) underwent...
Effects of flow-controlled expiration on oxygenation and early recovery in horses undergoing general anaesthesia. FLow-controlled EXpiration (FLEX) has been shown to significantly enhance oxygenation in horses under clinical and experimental conditions. Objective: To compare pulmonary gas exchange during early recovery following general anaesthesia in horses ventilated with FLEX compared with conventional intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) and to assess recovery characteristics between ventilation modes. Methods: Randomised, crossover in vivo experiments. Methods: Six adult horses underwent two 2-h anaesthetic episodes in a randomised crossover design (FLEX vs. IPPV), separated by a two-wee...
Spatiotemporal dynamics of equine group formation reveal the gradual emergence of social cohesion. Stable social relationships are essential for horse welfare, yet domestic management often involves regrouping unfamiliar individuals, potentially causing social stress. Fine-scale dynamics of social integration remain poorly quantified due to limitations of observational sampling. Using ultra-wideband real-time positioning, we tracked the development of spatial and social relationships in two newly formed equine groups (n = 19) over 2-12 months. Inter-individual distances decreased significantly, with time spent within 3 m of conspecifics increasing from 1.2 to 27.3% within two months, d...
Correction: Phenylbutazone concentrations in synovial fluid following administration via intravenous regional limb perfusion in the forelimbs of six adult horses. [This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2026.1810077.].
Vietnam’s Horse Sector: A Comprehensive Review of History, Production Systems, Health Challenges, and Research Priorities. Horses in Vietnam have a long historical presence and continue to hold economic, socio-cultural, and medicinal importance across diverse regions. Despite these roles, comprehensive scientific information on equine development, including health and disease patterns, reproductive performance, genetic resources, and biomedical applications, remains limited and fragmented. In this review, we summarize existing knowledge on equine populations, production systems, and their development in Vietnam, as well as their roles in cultural practices, livelihoods, and traditional medicine. We then identify m...
A point-based laminitis risk scoring system and machine learning framework for prediction of laminitis in horses. Laminitis is a painful and potentially life-threatening inflammatory condition of the equine hoof, and its detection remains a major challenge in veterinary practice. Although several risk factors have been reported, the prediction of the onset of laminitis in a subclinical stage using routine clinical data is still limited. This study aims to address this gap by developing an interpretable machine learning (ML) framework for the prediction of the risk of laminitis in horses. A point-based risk scoring system was first constructed using multivariate logistic regression to quantify the contribu...
Inertial measurement units are comparable to motion capture for measuring intersegmental spinal angular velocities in horses. To compare inertial measurement unit (IMU)-derived intersegmental spinal motion data with measurements obtained from a marker-based motion-capture system. Unassigned: 4 horses were instrumented with custom marker clusters incorporating a 3-D-printed base designed to secure the IMU, ensuring both systems recorded data from the same anatomical location and orientation. A total of 3,737 paired time points across 37 gait cycles were analyzed. Agreement in intersegmental angular velocities across 3 planes of motion was evaluated using Bland-Altman analysis and intraclass correlation coefficients. U...
