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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.
Diagnostic criteria for equine thoracolumbar myofascial pain syndrome: A foundational study. Diagnostic criteria for myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) are well established in humans but remain underexplored in horses. This study aimed to identify which MPS clinical signs were present in the equine thoracolumbar region, assess internal coherence among clinical indicators, and explore the diagnostic relevance of owner-reported behavioural, signalment, management, and clinical variables. A population of 120 horses underwent a static physical assessment of the thoracolumbar region. Owner-reported horse behaviours were collected through a questionnaire. Taut band, hypersensitive spot, local t...
Physiological Evaluation of Quarter Horses Undergoing Five-Month Taming Focused on Hippotherapy. Preparing horses for hippotherapy programs requires management approaches that prioritize animal welfare and facilitate adaptation to novel stimuli. This study monitored physiological responses during the implementation of a progressive taming protocol for Quarter Horses intended for hippotherapy. Seven animals were monitored over a five-month period, including an acclimation phase and three taming stages. Continuous heart rate, plasma cortisol concentration, and ocular infrared thermography were assessed before and after exercise. Baseline ( = 0.0466) and minimum ( = 0.0095) heart rate values...
Dendritic-cell diversity in equine blood revealed by single-cell transcriptomics. Detailed classification of equine dendritic cells (DC) is necessary to address various research questions, such as the role of DC subsets in immune-mediated diseases of horses. Unassigned: We applied single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on DC enriched from the blood of two horses. Unassigned: All main DC subsets were detected by key gene expression, including conventional DC type 1 (cDC1; ) and type 2 (cDC2; , ), as well as plasmacytoid DC (pDC; ). In addition, we detected a small cluster of hematopoietic progenitors, as well as transitional DC (tDC; , ) and putative DC type 3 (DC3; , ). Our...
Validation of a smart textile electrocardiographic monitoring device in racehorses during high-speed exercise. Exercise-associated cardiac arrhythmias may contribute to poor performance and sudden cardiac death in horses. Widespread monitoring is limited by device availability and suitability for field use. Objective: To (1) compare electrocardiographic (ECG) quality from a smart textile system (Myant Skiin Equine) with a reference device (Televet II) during exercise, and (2) evaluate whether arrhythmia detection with Myant Skiin Equine is comparable to the Televet II. Methods: Prospective blinded clinical study. Methods: Fifty racehorses (25 Thoroughbreds, 25 Standardbreds) underwent up to three high-...
Smartphone-Based Technologies in Equine Sports Medicine: Supporting Athlete Management-A Review. Equine sports medicine is increasingly oriented toward objective, field-based monitoring systems that support both performance optimization and welfare assessment. In this context, smartphone-based technologies have emerged as accessible tools capable of integrating data acquisition, processing, and interpretation within a single platform. This narrative review aims to examine the role of smartphones in equine sports medicine, focusing on their function as standalone sensing devices and as gateways for wearable and external sensor systems. The analysis is based on a structured synthesis of cur...
Detecting and measuring respiratory events in horses during exercise with a microphone: deep learning vs. standard signal processing. Monitoring respiration parameters such as respiratory rate could be beneficial to understand the impact of training on equine health and performance and ultimately improve equine welfare. In this work, we compare deep learning-based methods to an adapted signal processing method to automatically detect cyclic respiratory events and extract the dynamic respiratory rate from microphone recordings during high-intensity exercise in Standardbred trotters. Results: Our deep learning models are able to detect exhalation sounds (median F1 score of 0.94) in noisy microphone signals and show promising r...
Matched embryo-endometrium RNA-seq reveals coordinated but asymmetric transcriptomic reprogramming at the onset of early equine pregnancy. Maternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP) in the mare requires coordinated adaptations of both the conceptus and the endometrium during the peri-recognition interval; however, integrated transcriptomic analyses of both compartments within the same biological window remain limited. Here, we analyzed conceptus RNA-seq data across embryonic age (Days 8 and 12 post ovulation) and endometrial RNA-seq data across pregnancy status (pregnant versus non-pregnant mares sampled between Days 8 and 12 post ovulation). In pregnant mares, conceptus recovery and endometrial biopsy collection were performed with...
Polygenic Prediction of Equestrian Sport Discipline Among Horses Bred for Jumping and Dressage. Horses bred for different equestrian sports vary in physical, physiological and behavioural requirements. Characterising genetic markers associated with discipline provides an opportunity to improve identification of horses best suited to either jumping or dressage. Using a composite selection signals test, genomic regions under positive selection in German warmblood horses divergent for discipline were identified that contained lead SNPs proximal to or within genes with functions relevant to the requirements for jumping and dressage. Dressage genes function in tortuosity of movement (GRM5) an...
Forage nutritive analysis in practical equine feeding: challenges and opportunities. Previous research has shown that forage nutritive analyses are not used to any large extent in equine nutrition. As forages differ widely in nutritional quality, knowledge of the nutritive value is essential to avoid under- or overfeeding of horses. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate how forage nutritive analyses were used among horse owners in Sweden, and to identify challenges horse owners encounter with such analyses. Methods: Data was collected through an online survey with questions about the respondent, access to forage analytical reports, if and how the respondent used ...
Gross and Histopathologic Comparison of the Distal Third Metacarpal Bone and the Proximal First Phalanx with Sodium Fluoride Positron Emission Tomography Radiopharmaceutical Uptake in Five Horses. Injuries of the metacarpophalangeal joint are a major cause of morbidity and catastrophic fracture in racing horses, yet early osseous pathology is often difficult to detect using conventional imaging. This pilot study aimed to correlate sodium fluoride Positron Emission Tomography (F-NaF PET) radiopharmaceutical uptake with gross and histopathologic changes in the distal third metacarpal bone (MC3) and proximal first phalanx (P1). Five horses (three racing Thoroughbreds with fetlock injury and two non-racing controls) underwent ante-mortem F-NaF PET and cone-beam CT imaging (CBCT), followed b...
Differences in Stride Characteristics Between Lead and Wheel Horses in Competitive Chuckwagon Racing. In Chuckwagon racing, teams of four Thoroughbreds with two lead horses in front and two wheel horses directly behind pull a 600 kg wagon around a racetrack. Our study focuses on stride parameters that have previously retrospectively predicted impending injuries. We hypothesize that in aid of the initiation of the tight figure-of-eight turn at the start of the race, the more agile lead horses gallop with higher stride frequency (SF) and reduced stride length (SL), and that differences are exacerbated in the initial accelerative race segments. Methods: Speed, SF, and SL were quantified with glob...
Transcriptomic and Meat Quality Differences in Longissimus Dorsi Muscle of Surgically Castrated Three-Year-Old Kazakh Horses. Although the Kazakh horse is a dual-purpose breed renowned for both milk and meat production, the extent to which surgical castration alters gene expression in its muscles has not yet been fully elucidated. In this study, left longissimus dorsi muscle (LDM) samples were obtained from six Kazakh stallions (W group) and six Kazakh geldings (S group) to comparatively evaluate meat quality parameters, examine histological characteristics in tissue sections, and apply transcriptomic profiling to comprehensively explore the principal regulatory pathways and candidate genes through which surgical cas...
Phenotypic characterization through identification of gait and coat color phenotype of the Mountain Pleasure Horse. Phenotypic characterization of traits like gait and coat color is useful for minor breed identification and conservation. The Mountain Pleasure Horse (MPH) is a minor American breed as it is listed as threatened by the Livestock Conservancy. Objective: The study objective was to utilize phenotypic characterization for identifying gait and coat color phenotype of the MPH. Methods: Gait was characterized utilizing frame-by-frame analysis to identify spatiotemporal variables of purebred horses (nโฏ=โฏ6) performing the flat walk and saddle rack. Coat color was characterized using coat color assi...
Mastication characterization of horses fed bermudagrass hay in a two-part field study. Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.) is a common forage in the southeastern United States but remains controversial in equine diets due to reported associations with impaction colic. Reduced fiber digestibility has been proposed as a contributing factor, however differences in mastication of fine-stemmed bermudagrass hay have not been studied and may play a role in digestive disturbances. Objective: To compare chewing characteristics, including chews per unit weight and chews per minute, in horses consuming bermudagrass hay compared to other common hay types. Methods: Two studies were conducted....
A Case of Separate os tarsale primum in a Horse. Anatomical variation in the equine tarsus may involve either fusion of the with the or the presence of a separate . The distal row of tarsal bones is therefore of particular anatomical interest, as an independent first tarsal bone has been only sporadically documented in previous studies. In this study, twelve equine tarsal joints were examined using macroscopic and radiographic methods. In eleven specimens, six tarsal bones were identified, whereas in one specimen (1/12, 8.3%), seven tarsal bones were observed due to the presence of an independent with an irregular cuboid shape. Radiograph...
Prevalence and Genetic Characterization of Giardia duodenalis and Blastocystis sp. in Horses in Shanxi Province, North China. (synonyms and ) and sp. are prevalent zoonotic intestinal protozoans with significant public health and economic importance. Both parasites infect various hosts, including humans and most livestock. can cause infections ranging from asymptomatic carriage to clinical manifestations such as acute diarrheal disease, growth stunting and malabsorption, whereas sp. infection is often asymptomatic and its pathogenicity remains debated. Following the rapid expansion of modern equine industries (horse racing, equestrian sports, production, and tourism), concern about the spread of parasitic diseas...
Feasibility and safety of repeated 23% hypertonic saline boluses for electrical impedance tomography contrast enhancement in anaesthetised horses. Hypertonic saline (HS) has been used to enhance electrical impedance tomography (EIT) cardiac-related signals associated with pulmonary perfusion in other species, but its suitability and physiological effects in horses are unknown. This exploratory study aimed to determine whether intravenous administration of 100 mL of 23% HS produces a detectable change in thoracic impedance in anaesthetised horses, and to evaluate the physiological effects of repeated bolus administration. Six adult horses were anaesthetised twice using total intravenous anaesthesia. Hypertonic saline 23% was administered ...
Exploration of the relationship between laboratory stress parameters and leukocyte coping capacity in ponies exposed to repetitive handling during a research project. Stress is an umbrella term indicating increased allostatic load with the potential to reach a pathological state of the organism. In this context, cortisol concentration and neutrophil granulocytes-to-lymphocyte ratio (NEU: LYM) are expected to increase. On the functional pathway, stress reduces the oxidative burst capacity of neutrophils and therefore, the leucocyte coping capacity (LCC) quantifying this oxygen radical generation of neutrophils. Therefore, we hypothesized that in ponies subjected to repetitive handling, LCC will decrease and will be negatively correlated with cortisol concent...
Sport predispositions in warmblood horses: insights from Grand Prix competitions. The aim of this study was to pilot the assessment of sport predispositions in warmblood horse breeds, both domestic and foreign, and to evaluate factors influencing their performance. Data from 293 horses (725 starts) competing in national Grand Prix events with obstacle heights of 140-145 cm were analysed using general mixed models. The origins of Polish Halfbred Horses were examined, and correlations between results in the Young Horse Championships and later Grand Prix performance were assessed. Results showed that performance is significantly influenced by genetic factors, such as breed and...
A Breed-Specific SNP Panel With Higher Theoretical Exclusion Power and Practical Equivalence to International Standards for Parentage Testing in Pura Raza Espaรฑola Horses. Accurate parentage assignment is essential for managing livestock breeding and genetic improvement. This study evaluated a breed-specific SNP panel (375 SNPs) for the Pura Raza Espaรฑola (PRE) horse, comparing its performance against the traditional STR reference panel (18 microsatellite) and the international ISAG SNP core panel (378 SNPs) across population scenarios differing in levels of inbreeding and kinship. The PRE-specific SNPs were selected from the Axiom EQUIGENE array based on high genotyping reliability (call-rateโ>โ99%), Mendelian error minimization, Hardy-Weinberg equilibr...
Towards a Comprehensive Screening Approach for Detecting Gene Doping in Racehorses and Sport Horses by Targeting Common and Intrinsic Plasmid Sequences. The evolution of biotechnology and gene therapy has unfortunately facilitated the emergence of gene doping. Those misused applications are prohibited in equestrian sports (International Equestrian Federation (FEI)) and in horseracing (International Federation of Horseracing Authorities [IFHA]), reflecting major concerns regarding horse welfare and the integrity of competitions. Among the biotechnological tools that could be misused, eukaryotic expression plasmids represent a particular threat due to their ease of production, customisable design and ability to carry a wide range of performance ...
Vital bone and increased osteoid in equine osteochondrosis dissecans of the proximal phalanx: A controlled study indicating a mineralization deficit rather than vascular failure. Osteochondrosis and osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) are among the most common orthopaedic disorders in young horses. Although traditionally explained by vascular failure and ischaemic necrosis, recent findings in human juvenile OCD suggest that impaired bone mineralization may play an important role. Horses are known to have relatively low circulating vitamin D metabolites, raising the question of whether insufficient mineralization contributes to equine OCD. This study investigated the bone vitality and mineralization status of osteochondrosis dissecans fragments (OCDFs) collected from the do...
Evaluation of a canine Coll2-1 ELISA kit for use in equine serum and its correlation with radiographic joint disease. This study evaluated an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of Coll2-1, a peptide fragment of type II collagen released during cartilage degradation in horses using a kit originally developed for dogs. Objective: The objectives of this study were to: 1) assess the analytical applicability of the canine Coll2-1 ELISA in equine serum and 2) explore the correlations between Coll2-1 concentrations and radiographic scores of osteoarthritis (OA) in horses. Methods: Twelve Lusitano stallions, of similar age and workload but presenting different radiographic scores were include...
Cracks in the ice: biological challenges and incremental progress in equine oocyte vitrification. Equine oocyte vitrification could enhance the flexibility of in vitro embryo production, yet developmental competence remains reduced. Only vitrification of oocytes matured in vivo yields foaling rates comparable to fresh oocytes. Recent advances in vitrification at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage, supported by systematic comparisons of cryoprotective agents and exposure times, has enabled consistent blastocyst production and birth of several foals. Comparative studies of GV and metaphase II (MII) stages suggest biological advantages of vitrification after in vitro maturation (IVM), warranting...
Continuous Bluetooth pulse oximetry monitoring in conscious and anesthetized horses: a pilot study. To assess the feasibility, patient tolerance, and accuracy of a wireless Bluetooth pulse oximeter sensor system on horses for an extended period. Unassigned: A prospective, case-control, unblinded study involved 7 horses at risk of hypoxemia and 7 healthy controls. A wireless Bluetooth transmission sensor was attached to their nostril for a prolonged period. Sensor retention time, patient tolerance, and sensor performance in capturing valid monitoring points were recorded. During the monitoring, 4 samples of arterial blood were collected, and paired measurements (SaO2) and estimations (SpO2) o...
Skull morphometry and sexual dimorphism in the Kyrgyz horse: A multivariate size-corrected analysis. This study aimed to evaluate sexual dimorphism in Kyrgyz horse skulls by separating size and shape components using Mosimann log-shape ratios, based on 18 linear cranial measurements recorded from 39 specimens. Raw linear data were analyzed alongside size-corrected Mosimann log-shape ratios to distinguish overall size from size-independent shape. Males showed larger raw means than females for all 18 variables, and 14 measurements remained significant after false-discovery-rate correction. The strongest raw differences involved skull length to nasale, total skull length, nasal length, breadth b...
Machine learning-based gait classification and genome-wide association identify a QTL for gait type in Colombian paso horses. Coordinated mammalian locomotion relies on spinal circuits where regulates strides and alternative gaits. However, does not explain differences between the Colombian paso horse breed's specialized gaits, Colombian trocha and Colombian trot. We used inertial sensors and machine learning to develop accurate phenotyping ( = 225 horses), before performing genome-wide association analysis ( = 85 horses, 670K array). We identified a 2.43 Mb quantitative trait locus (QTL) on ECA16, where haplotypes featuring lead variants (rs1147402472, = 1.95 ร 10; rs1136628503, = 8.52 ร 10) explained 48.6% of...
A multimodal approach to equine thoracolumbar myofascial pain: integrating clinical examination, AI-based gait analysis, and the ridden horse pain ethogram. Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is considered highly prevalent in horses, yet it is frequently underdiagnosed due to limited understanding of its clinical presentation and functional consequences, as well as the inherent challenges associated with its clinical assessment and objective measurement. In equines, the relationship between palpation-based MPS indicators, gait asymmetries, and pain-related behaviours during ridden work remains unclear. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the association between thoracolumbar palpation pain scores and gait asymmetries measured in-hand and dur...
