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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 origins of Iberian horses assessed via mitochondrial DNA. Despite a number of recent studies that have focused on the origin of domestic horses, genetic relationships between major geographical clusters still remain poorly understood. In this study we analyzed a 296 bp mtDNA fragment from the HVI region of 171 horses representing 11 native Iberian, Barb, and Exmoor breeds to assess the maternal phylogeography of Iberian horses. The mtDNA haplogroup with a CCG motif (nucleotide position 15,494 to 15,496) was the most frequent in Iberian and Barb breeds (0.42 and 0.57, respectively), regardless of geographic location or group of breeds. This finding su...
Effect of oestrous-cycle stage on the response of mares in a novel object test and isolation test. In various species, sex, hormonal treatments and oestrous-cycle stage have been shown to affect the animal's response in behavioural tests. Few such studies have been performed in the horse. The main aim of the present study was to investigate whether oestrous-cycle stage affects mares' response to a novel object test and isolation test and, in part, to study whether mares, assumed to suffer from oestrous-related behavioural problems, respond differently in these tests when compared with controls. Twelve mares were tested twice, in oestrus and dioestrus, in a crossover design. Seven behavioura...
A novel method for determination of collagen orientation in cartilage by Fourier transform infrared imaging spectroscopy (FT-IRIS). The orientation of collagen molecules is an important determinant of their functionality in connective tissues. The objective of the current study is to establish a method to determine the alignment of collagen molecules in histological sections of cartilage by polarized Fourier transform infrared imaging spectroscopy (FT-IRIS), a method based on molecular vibrations. Methods: Polarized FT-IRIS data obtained from highly oriented tendon collagen were utilized to calibrate the derived spectral parameters. The ratio of the integrated areas of the collagen amide I/II absorbances was used as an ind...
Linear kinematics at take-off in horses jumping the wall in an international Puissance competition. Sagittal plane SVHS video recordings (50 Hz) were made of horses jumping the wall at an international Puissance competition. Video sequences were manually digitized and six kinematic variables at take-off were analyzed. Nine horses started the competition with the fence height at 1.80 m, and two horses attempted the fence in the fifth and final round with the fence height at 2.27 m. For successful performances, fence height was correlated with the following take-off variables: vertical velocity of the centre of mass (r = 0.45, p = 0.03); height of centre of mass (r = 0.44, p = 0.04); distance ...
Can jumping capacity of adult show jumping horses be predicted on the basis of submaximal free jumps at foal age? A longitudinal study. The purpose of this study was to quantify performance characteristics of good jumping horses, and to determine whether these were already detectable at foal age. Kinematic data were collected of horses performing free jumps over a 0.60 m high fence at six months of age and of these same horses jumping with a rider over a 1.15 m high fence at five years of age. At five years of age the horses were divided into three groups on the basis of a puissance competition: a group of seven best jumpers that made no errors and in the end cleared a 1.50 m high fence, a group of nine worst jumpers that were...
Preliminary trial on the reproducibility of epizootic lymphangitis through experimental infection of two horses. Epizootic lymphangitis (EL) was experimentally reproduced in four horses that had been purchased from an EL-free district. Two horses were injected with either 0.2 mL of the yeast form of Histoplasma capsulatum var. farciminosum (HCF) in pus (Horse 1), or 0.2 mL (ca. 20 mg) of a suspension in saline of the mycelial form (Horse 2), both into the pre-scapular and pre-femoral lymph nodes, with scarification of the skin of the left hind limb, conjunctiva of the right eye and the nasal membrane of the right nostril. The two other horses served as controls. Nodular lesions of EL appeared during the ...
Extracellular matrix composition of the equine superficial digital flexor tendon: relationship with age and anatomical site. The objectives of the present study were to test the hypotheses that: (1) the composition of the extracellular matrix of the equine superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) shows great functional similarities with articular cartilage, i.e. that significant differences exist in biochemical composition of differently loaded areas (which in the case of tendons may be more apparent as tendon shows more obvious differences than cartilage); and (2) that, as in articular cartilage, no substantial alterations in biochemical composition take place during ageing once adulthood has been attained. Tendon ...
Biochemical markers of cardiac injury in normal, surviving septic, or nonsurviving septic neonatal foals. The cardiac biomarkers cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and I (cTnI) and the cardiac isoenzyme of creatine kinase (CKMB) are used extensively in human medicine to diagnose and provide valuable prognostic information in patients with ischemic, traumatic, and septic myocardial injury. We designed a study to establish normal values for these markers in healthy, neonatal foals and to compare them with values obtained from septic neonates in a referral hospital population. The 25th, 50th, 75th, and 95th percentiles for cTnI and CKMB in the healthy-foal population were 0.08, 0.14, 0.25, 0.49 ng/mL and 1.4,...
Digestible energy intake, dry matter digestibility and mineral status of grazing New Zealand Thoroughbred yearlings. To measure the nutritive value of pasture in terms of digestible energy intake (DEI) and dry matter (DM) digestibility, and to determine the effect of Ca, P, Cu, Zn, and Se supplementation on growth rate and degree of physeal swelling in Thoroughbred yearlings grazed on pasture. Methods: Fourteen yearling horses were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 groups and rotationally grazed on a ryegrass/white clover pasture for 7 months. One group was supplemented daily with a mineral mix. Liveweight changes were recorded at fortnightly intervals and pasture mineral composition determined at monthly interva...
The robustness of faecal steroid determination for pregnancy testing Kaimanawa feral mares under field conditions. To investigate the utility of faecal oestrone sulphate (OS) concentrations for detecting pregnancy in mares during behavioural studies of feral horses, in which the collection and preservation of samples is not immediate. Methods: Oestrone sulphate concentrations were measured in fresh dung samples collected from 153 free-roaming Kaimanawa mares throughout the year. In addition, multiple samples were taken from the same pile to investigate the reliability of diagnosis from a single sample, as well as the influence of time until preservation on OS concentrations. Samples were also taken before ...
Differential lectin binding patterns in the oviductal ampulla of the horse during oestrus. We investigated the oligosaccharide sequence of glycoconjugates, mainly sialoglycoconjugates, in the horse oviductal ampulla during oestrus by means of lectin and pre-lectin methods such as the KOH-neuraminidase procedure to remove sialic acid residues and incubation with N-glycosidase F to cleave N-linked glycans. Ciliated cells displayed N-linked oligosaccharides throughout the cytoplasm. The cilia glycocalyx expressed both N- and O-linked (mucin-type) oligosaccharides, both showing a high variety of terminal sequences. In the most non-ciliated cells, the whole cytoplasm contained N-linked o...
Frozen semen management in equine breeding programs. Success with frozen semen requires attention to detail and a basic understanding of the techniques for properly handling and thawing and inseminating frozen semen. Practitioners should also be familiar with strategies used for managing mares for insemination with thawed semen. This manuscript will review those techniques and also present fertility data collected in a commercial setting. Factors that affect pregnancy rates for mares inseminated with frozen-thawed semen such as timing and frequency of insemination were examined for two separate data sets consisting of 332 and 536 mare cycles col...
The Lusitano horse maternal lineage based on mitochondrial D-loop sequence variation. The analysis of mitochondrial D-loop sequences (408 bp) from 145 Lusitano founder mares yielded a total of 27 different haplotypes. The distribution of these mtDNA sequences was quite unequal, with the three most frequent ones representing 56.5% of all the Lusitano founder mares and 14 haplotypes (51.9%) being rare variants found only once in the sampling. Four main haplotype clusters were present in the Lusitano breed. The comparison of these sequences with other equine haplotypes shows that they fall in groups shared with other horse breeds. These data support the hypothesis of multiple dome...
Mitochondrial DNA analysis of horses recovered from a frozen tomb (Berel site, Kazakhstan, 3rd Century BC). Sequence polymorphism of the mitochondrial DNA D-loop was used to determine the genetic diversity of horses recovered from a Scythian princely tomb dating from the beginning of the 3rd century BC. Eight haplotypes were found among the 13 ancient horse samples tested. Phylogenetical analysis showed that these ancient horse's sequences, along with two Yakut ones, were distributed throughout the tree defined by modern horses' sequences and are closely related to them. No clear geographical affiliation of the specimens studied was thus determined. Our work, among others, supports the very ancient ...
Up-regulation of site-specific remodeling without accumulation of microcracking and loss of osteocytes. Functional adaptation of bone normally protects the skeleton from fracture during daily activity. Accumulation of microcracking and loss of osteocytes have been implicated in the regulation and initiation of targeted (reparative) remodeling of bone and, in certain situations, the development of fatigue or stress fracture. We performed a histologic study of the dorsal cortex of the mid-diaphysis of the third metacarpal (Mc-III) bone of Thoroughbred racehorses after bones were bulk-stained in basic fuchsin and transverse calcified sections were prepared. The Thoroughbred racehorse is an extreme ...
Relationships between hoof-acceleration patterns of galloping horses and dynamic properties of the track. To define relationships between hoof-acceleration patterns of galloping horses and dynamic properties of the track. Methods: 8 Thoroughbred horses without lameness. Methods: Acceleration-time curves were recorded by use of accelerometers attached to each hoof as each horse galloped over the track straightaway. Four sessions were conducted for each horse, with the track surface modified by sequentially adding water before each session. These acceleration-time curves were analyzed to determine peak accelerations during the support phase of the stride. Track dynamic properties (hardness, rebound,...
Effect of exercise on age-related changes in collagen fibril diameter distributions in the common digital extensor tendons of young horses. To determine whether specific treadmill exercise regimens would accelerate age-related changes in collagen fibril diameter distributions in the common digital extensor tendon (CDET) of the forelimbs of young Thoroughbreds. Methods: 24 female Thoroughbreds. Methods: Horses were trained for 18 weeks (6 horses; short term) or 18 months (5 horses; long term) on a high-speed treadmill; 2 age-matched control groups (6 horses/group) performed walking exercise only. Horses were (mean +/- SD) 24 +/- 1 months and 39 +/- 1 months old at termination of the short-term and long-term regimens, respectively. ...
Influence of species and anatomical location on chondrocyte expansion. Bovine articular cartilage is often used to study chondrocytes in vitro. It is difficult to correlate in vitro studies using bovine chondrocytes with in vivo studies using other species such as rabbits and sheep. The aim of this investigation was to study the effect of species, anatomical location and exogenous growth factors on chondrocyte proliferation in vitro. Methods: Equine (EQ), bovine (BO) and ovine (OV) articular chondrocytes from metacarpophalangeal (fetlock (F)), shoulder (S) and knee (K) joints were cultured in tissue culture flasks. Growth factors (rh-FGFb: 10 ng/ml; rh-TGFbeta: 5...
PNA-binding glycans are expressed at high levels on horse mature and immature T lymphocytes and a subpopulation of B lymphocytes. In mammals, the binding of peanut agglutinin (PNA) on the plasma membrane defines subpopulations among lymphocytes from peripheral blood and lymphoid organs. PNA binds Galbeta 1,3GalNAc residues provided that they are not sialylated. Here, we studied the expression of PNA-binding glycans on healthy horse peripheral blood, thymus, lymph node and spleen lymphocytes. We first demonstrated the binding specificity of PNA for galactose residues by competition experiments and the inhibitory role of sialic acids in PNA binding by sialidase digestion. Unlike human and murine lymphocytes, all equine lym...
Effects of Carolina rinse solution, dimethyl sulfoxide, and the 21-aminosteroid, U-74389G, on microvascular permeability and morphology of the equine jejunum after low-flow ischemia and reperfusion. To evaluate effects of Carolina rinse solution, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and 21-aminosteroid, U-74389G, on microvascular permeability and morphology of the equine jejunum after low-flow ischemia and reperfusion. Methods: 20 healthy adult horses. Methods: Under anesthesia, full-thickness biopsy specimens of a distal portion of the jejunum were obtained for baseline measurements. In addition to a control segment, 2 jejunal segments were identified as sham-operated or experimental segments. Experimental segments underwent 60 minutes of low-flow ischemia and 3.5 hours of reperfusion. Treatments ...
Evaluation of the passive function of the biceps brachii muscle-tendon unit in limitation of shoulder and elbow joint ranges of motion in horses. To quantify the passive contribution of the biceps brachii muscle-tendon unit to the limits of elbow joint extension during shoulder joint flexion in horses. Methods: Normal right forelimb specimens from 6 Thoroughbred cadavers. Methods: Specimens included the scapula, humerus, radius-ulna, biceps brachii muscle-tendon unit, and stabilizers of the shoulder and elbow joints. Specimens were mounted to a rigid board by transfixation pins through the humerus and instrumented for mechanical manipulation of the limb and joint angle and load measurements. Flexion and extension limits of shoulder and ...
In vivo muscle function vs speed. I. Muscle strain in relation to length change of the muscle-tendon unit. The activity of muscles can be concentric (shortening), eccentric (lengthening) or isometric (constant length). When studying muscle function it is important to know what the muscle fascicles are actually doing because the performance of muscle is strongly influenced by the type of activity: force decreases as a function of shortening velocity during concentric contractions; force produced during eccentric contractions can be stronger than maximum isometric force, and force production is enhanced if a concentric contraction follows an eccentric phase. It is well known that length changes of mu...
Cloned horse pregnancies produced using adult cumulus cells. The objectives of the present study were to: (1) clone horses using adult cumulus cells; and (2) determine whether the cumulus cell donor affected the outcome. In vivo-matured cumulus-oocyte complexes were obtained using transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration; oocytes were used as cytoplasts, whereas cumulus cells (from one of three different mares) were used as donor cells. Immediately following nuclear transfer and activation procedures, cloned embryos were transferred surgically to the oviduct of recipient mares (n = 2-5 embryos per recipient) that had ovulated within 24 h prior...
Blood-oxygen binding in healthy Standardbred horses. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of regulating factors on the oxygen equilibrium curve (OEC) under standard conditions and then to calculate the oxygen extraction between arterial and jugular venous blood in healthy Standardbred horses. The results were compared to those previously obtained in humans and cattle, using the same experimental method. The partial oxygen pressure at 50% saturation of haemoglobin, measured under standard conditions (standard P50), was 24.8+/-2.0 (SD of mean) mmHg. This value was similar to the cattle standard P50 (25.0+/-1.4 mmHg, SD of mean) bu...
Aerobic training, but not creatine supplementation, alters the gluteus medius muscle. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of oral supplementation of creatine on the muscular responses to aerobic training. Twelve purebred Arabian horses were submitted to aerobic training for 90 d, with and without creatine supplementation, and evaluated with respect to BW and BCS and to the area and frequency of the different types of muscle fibers in the gluteus medius. Supplementation consisted of the daily administration of 75 g of creatine monohydrate mixed into the ration for the 90 d of training. Physical conditioning was conducted on a high-performance treadmill, an...
Ex vivo investigation of the use of hydrothermal energy to induce chondrocyte necrosis in articular cartilage of the metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints of horses. To evaluate the use of hydrothermal ablation of articular cartilage for arthrodesis in horses through investigation of the effects of joint lavage with physiologic saline (0.9% NaCI) solution (80 degrees C) for various treatment times on chondrocyte viability in the articular cartilage of the metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints of cadaveric horse limbs. Sample Population-7 pairs of metacarpophalangeal and 8 pairs of metatarsophalangeal joints from 8 Thoroughbreds. Methods: The horses were euthanatized for reasons unrelated to musculoskeletal disease. On a random basis, 1 joint o...
