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Topic:Equine Science
Equine Science encompasses the study of horses and their management, health, and performance. This field integrates various scientific disciplines such as biology, genetics, nutrition, physiology, and veterinary medicine to understand and improve the well-being and capabilities of horses. Areas of focus include equine anatomy, reproduction, behavior, and disease prevention. Research in equine science aims to enhance horse care, optimize training and performance, and address health challenges. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the diverse aspects of equine science, providing insights into the latest advancements and methodologies in the field.
Black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) and domestic horse (Equus caballus) hindgut microflora demonstrate similar fermentation responses to grape seed extract supplementation in vitro. The domestic horse is used as a nutritional model for rhinoceros maintained under human care. The validity of this model for browsing rhinoceros has been questioned due to high prevalence of iron overload disorder (IOD) in captive black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), which is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Iron chelators, such as tannins, are under investigation as dietary supplements to ameliorate or prevent IOD in prone species. Polyphenolic compounds variably affect microbial fermentation, so the first objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of grape seed ext...
Application of testosterone to epitestosterone ratio to horse urine – a complementary approach to detect the administrations of testosterone and its pro-drugs in Thoroughbred geldings. Detection of testosterone and/or its pro-drugs in the gelding is currently regulated by the application of an international threshold for urinary testosterone of 20 ng/mL. The use of steroid ratios may provide a useful supplementary approach to aid in differentiating between the administration of these steroids and unusual physiological conditions that may result in atypically high testosterone concentrations. In the current study, an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was developed to quantify testosterone (T) and epitestosterone (E). ...
Structural and functional characteristics of the thoracolumbar multifidus muscle in horses. The multifidus muscle fascicles of horses attach to vertebral spinous processes after crossing between one to six metameres. The fascicles within one or two metameres are difficult to distinguish in horses. A vertebral motion segment is anatomically formed by two adjacent vertebrae and the interposed soft tissue structures, and excessive mobility of a vertebral motion segment frequently causes osteoarthropathies in sport horses. The importance of the equine multifidus muscle as a vertebral motion segment stabilizer has been demonstrated; however, there is scant documentation of the structure a...
The Challenges of Using Horses for Practical Teaching Purposes in Veterinary Programmes. Students enrolled in veterinary degrees often come from an urban background with little previous experience in handling horses and other large animals. Many veterinary degree programmes place importance on the teaching of appropriate equine handling skills, yet within the literature it is commonly reported that time allocated for practical classes often suffers due to time constraint pressure from other elements of the curriculum. The effect of this pressure on animal handling teaching time is reflected in the self-reported low level of animal handling competency, particularly equine, in stude...
Anatomical transverse magnetic resonance imaging study of ligaments in palmar surface of metacarpus in Miniature donkey: identification of a new ligament. Palmar region of metacarpus in the horses and donkeys is an important region because of its tendons and ligaments which contribute to stay apparatus. This study was done on forelimbs of 6 healthy Miniature donkeys to detect the tendons, ligaments and their accessories on the palmar surface of metacarpus in this animal. Methods: Based on that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a good technique to evaluate the soft tissues such as tendons and ligaments, palmar aspects of metacarpus in 6 euthanatised Miniature donkeys were prepared for anatomical and trans-sectional MRI studies to determine the ...
Hormone Therapy in Clinical Equine Practice. A wide variety of hormone therapies are used in clinical practice in the reproductive management of horses. The goal of this article is to review therapeutic options for a variety of clinical indications.
Isolation and characterization of equine dental pulp stem cells derived from Thoroughbred wolf teeth. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult multipotent stem cells that are capable of self-renewal and differentiation into multiple cell lineages. Methods for cell therapy using MSCs have been developed in equine medicine. Recently, human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) have drawn much attention owing to their trophic factor producing ability and minimally invasive collection methods. However, there have been no reports on equine dental pulp-derived cells (eDPCs). Therefore, the aim of this study was to isolate and characterize the eDPCs from discarded wolf teeth. Plastic-adherent spindle-shaped ...
Modulating effects of exercise training regimen on skeletal muscle properties in female polo ponies. The match play patterns in equestrian polo are unique and require specific training programs to ensure sport performance. The effect of commonly used exercise training regimens on the adaptation of skeletal muscle is unclear. The present study investigated the modulating effects of the classic training regimen, comprised of aerobic exercise training with increasing exercise intensities and varying duration combined with match play, on the properties of muscle in polo ponies. Nine healthy adult female polo ponies were subjected to four consecutive subsets of 1 year classic training regimen incl...
Mitochondrial ATP is required for the maintenance of membrane integrity in stallion spermatozoa, whereas motility requires both glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. To investigate the hypothesis that oxidative phosphorylation is a major source of ATP to fuel stallion sperm motility, oxidative phosphorylation was suppressed using the mitochondrial uncouplers CCCP and 2,4,-dinitrophenol (DNP) and by inhibiting mitochondrial respiration at complex IV using sodium cyanide or at the level of ATP synthase using oligomycin-A. As mitochondrial dysfunction may also lead to oxidative stress, production of reactive oxygen species was monitored simultaneously. All inhibitors reduced ATP content, but oligomycin-A did so most profoundly. Oligomycin-A and CCCP also sign...
Development and application of a UHPLC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of 17 steroidal hormones in equine serum. A new, fast and simple analytical method that is able to identify and quantify simultaneously 17 steroid hormones and metabolites (pregnenolone, 17-OH-pregnenolone, progesterone, 17-OH-progesterone, androsterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, testosterone, cortisol, corticosterone, aldosterone, 11-deoxycortisol, 11-deoxycorticosterone, dihydrotestosterone, estrone and estradiol) has been developed in equine serum using the ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry technique. A total of 400 µl of sample was deproteinized ...
Glucocorticoid metabolism in equine follicles and oocytes. The objective of this study was to determine whether (1) systemic and intrafollicular cortisol concentrations in horses are directly related and (2) supraphysiological levels of glucocorticoids affect in vitro maturation (IVM) rates of oocytes. Specifically, we studied the (1) changes in the intrafollicular cortisol and progesterone in context with granulosa cell gene expression during maturation of equine follicles (from 5-9 mm, 10-14 mm, 15-19 mm, 20-24 mm, and ≥25 mm in diameter) and (2) effects of cortisol supplementation on IVM rates and gene expression of equine cumulus-oocyte comple...
Genetic characterization of the Miyako horse based on polymorphisms of microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA. To help plan conservation of the endangered Miyako horse, a biological resource of the Miyako Islands in Japan, we characterized the genetics of the breed by genotyping 32 microsatellites and identifying mitochondrial DNA haplotypes. We also calculated genetic distances between individuals based on the proportion of shared alleles and visualized the genetic relationships with a phylogenetic tree. Two important results were obtained. One is that accurate pedigree registration of the horse by using microsatellites is possible, as the exclusion power of parentage testing is 0.999998. Another is t...
The presence of seminal plasma, especially derived from stallion semen, helps preserve chilled Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) sperm motility. The effects of seminal plasma (SP), derived from autologous, homologous and heterologous species (stallion, boar and dog) on chilled Asian elephant sperm quality, were determined. Semen was collected from eight males and samples with ≥30% motile spermatozoa were used in the study. Semen was diluted with Tris-glucose-egg yolk extender, supplemented with different SP types and preserved at 4°C for 48 hr. Experiment 1 (n = 31), showed that the presence of SP (autologous) helped to preserve sperm quality in terms of sperm motility and acrosome integrity (p < .05). Homologous SP did not ...
Horse Injury during Non-Commercial Transport: Findings from Researcher-Assisted Intercept Surveys at Southeastern Australian Equestrian Events. Equine transportation research has largely focused on the commercial land movement of horses. Data on the incidence and factors associated with horse injuries during non-commercial transportation (privately owned horse trucks and trailers) is scant. This study surveyed 223 drivers transporting horses to 12 equestrian events in southeastern Australia. Data collected encompassed driver demographics, travel practice, vehicle characteristics, and incidents involving horse injury. Approximately 25% (55/223) of participants reported that their horses were injured during transportation. Of these 72% ...
Support for equine vets juggling practice and parenthood. This year's BEVA congress saw the launch of MumsVet, an online support network for working parents. Set up by four working vet mums, including the new BEVA president, Vicki Nicholls, the network - for dads as well - aims to help vets balance work and parenthood. Gill Harris reports.
Diet-Dependent Modular Dynamic Interactions of the Equine Cecal Microbiota. Knowledge on dynamic interactions in microbiota is pivotal for understanding the role of bacteria in the gut. We herein present comprehensive dynamic models of the horse cecal microbiota, which include short-chained fatty acids, carbohydrate metabolic networks, and taxonomy. Dynamic models were derived from time-series data in a crossover experiment in which four cecum-cannulated horses were fed a starch-rich diet of hay supplemented with barley (starch intake 2 g kg body weight per day) and a fiber-rich diet of only hay. Cecal contents were sampled via the cannula each h for 24 h for both die...
Relationships between body condition score and ultrasound skin-associated subcutaneous fat depth in equids. In equids, health and welfare depend on body composition. A growing number of equids are now used as leisure and companion animals, and often found overfeed. The need for a close monitoring of body fatness led to the search for tools allowing a rapid and non-invasive estimation of fatness. This study intends to assess real-time ultrasonography (RTU) usefulness in establishing a relationship between ultrasound measures of subcutaneous fat-plus-skin thickness (SF-Skin) and body condition score (BCS) in horses and donkeys. Forty-three healthy animals (16 donkeys and 27 horses) were used in this s...
Correlations between cresty neck scores and post-mortem nape fat measurements in horses, obtained after photographic image analysis. Obesity and emaciation in horses have major detrimental effects on health and morbidity, reproductive failure, work performance or carcass quality. Scoring is a current management tool used to assess and monitor equine body condition due to its simplicity and low cost. However, accurate assessment of obesity remains a challenge, even though a number of approaches have been tested, particularly for research purposes on adiposity. Their merit is usually validated by comparison with standard scoring methods. The overall aim of this study was to establish the correlation between post-mortem nape f...
Filarial infection caused by Onchocerca boehmi (Supperer, 1953) in a horse from Italy. Equids can be infected by a range of skin-dwelling filarial nematodes, including four species of the genus Onchocerca. Current literature on equine onchocercosis is fragmentary and often limited to isolated case reports. The present study aimed to describe a clinical case of equine onchocercosis caused by Onchocerca boehmi (Supperer, 1953) (syn. Elaeophora boehmi) in an 8-year-old gelding Belgian show jumper from northern Italy. The horse was presented with a firm and painless mass on the proximal third of the right metacarpal region. Ultrasound examination showed a peritendinous enlargement a...
Relationships among stallion fertility and semen traits using estimated breeding values of German Warmblood stallions. A high quality of stallion semen is of particular importance for maximum reproductive efficiency. In the present study, we estimated the relationships among estimated breeding values (EBVs) of semen traits and EBVs for the paternal component of the pregnancy rate per estrus cycle (EBV-PAT) for 100 German Warmblood stallions using correlation and general linear model analyses. The most highly correlated sperm quality trait was total number of progressively motile sperm (r = 0.36). EBV-PAT was considered in three classes with stallions 1 SD below (<80), around (80-120), and above (>120) the popu...
Owner reported diseases of working equids in central Ethiopia. Working horses, donkeys and mules suffer from numerous diseases and clinical problems. However, there is little information on what owners perceive as important health concerns in their working animals. Objective: To identify and prioritise with owners the diseases and other health concerns in working equids in central Ethiopia using participatory methodologies. Methods: Participatory situation analysis (PSA). Methods: The study was conducted with carthorse- and donkey-owners in 16 sites in central Ethiopia. Multiple participatory methodologies were utilised, including ranking, matrices and fo...
Efficacy of a Feed Dispenser for Horses in Decreasing Cribbing Behaviour. Cribbing is an oral stereotypy, tends to develop in captive animals as a means to cope with stress, and may be indicative of reduced welfare. Highly energetic diets ingested in a short time are one of the most relevant risk factors for the development of cribbing. The aim of this study was to verify whether feeding cribbing horses through a dispenser that delivers small quantities of concentrate when activated by the animal decreases cribbing behaviour, modifies feeding behaviour, or induces frustration. Ten horses (mean age 14 y), balanced for sex, breed, and size (mean height 162 cm), we...
In Vitro and In Vivo Development of Horse Cloned Embryos Generated with iPSCs, Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and Fetal or Adult Fibroblasts as Nuclear Donors. The demand for equine cloning as a tool to preserve high genetic value is growing worldwide; however, nuclear transfer efficiency is still very low. To address this issue, we first evaluated the effects of time from cell fusion to activation (<1h, n = 1261; 1-2h, n = 1773; 2-3h, n = 1647) on in vitro and in vivo development of equine embryos generated by cloning. Then, we evaluated the effects of using different nuclear donor cell types in two successive experiments: I) induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) vs. adult fibroblasts (AF) fused to ooplasts injected with the pluripotency-inducin...
Are Eyes a Mirror of the Soul? What Eye Wrinkles Reveal about a Horse’s Emotional State. Finding valid indicators of emotional states is one of the biggest challenges in animal welfare science. Here, we investigated in horses whether variation in the expression of eye wrinkles caused by contraction of the inner eyebrow raiser reflects emotional valence. By confronting horses with positive and negative conditions, we aimed to induce positive and negative emotional states, hypothesising that positive emotions would reduce whereas negative emotions would increase eye wrinkle expression. Sixteen horses were individually exposed in a balanced order to two positive (grooming, food antic...
Exposure of a tendon extracellular matrix to synovial fluid triggers endogenous and engrafted cell death: A mechanism for failed healing of intrathecal tendon injuries. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of normal synovial fluid (SF) on exposed endogenous tendon-derived cells (TDCs) and engrafted mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) within the tendon extracellular matrix. Methods: Explants from equine superficial digital flexor (extra-synovial) and deep digital flexor tendons (DDFTs) from the compressed, intra-synovial and the tensile, extra-synovial regions were cultured in allogeneic or autologous SF-media. Human hamstring explants were cultured in allogeneic SF. Explant viability was assessed by staining. Proliferation of equine monolayer MSC...
Breakthroughs in Equine Embryo Cryopreservation. Most equine embryos are collected from the donor mare and transferred immediately as fresh embryos or shipped cooled to a recipient station for transfer within 24 hours. Very few equine embryos are frozen despite the numerous advantages of embryo cryopreservation. There are 2 major hurdles: Only the small embryos (<300 μm) provide good pregnancy rates after freezing/thawing and transfer. Also there is no good procedure for superovulating mares; thus, extra embryos for freezing are not readily available. Using either a slow cool or a vitrification method, pregnancy rates of small equine e...
Effects of Common Equine Endocrine Diseases on Reproduction. Endocrine diseases, such as equine metabolic syndrome and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, are common in domesticated horse populations, and the frequency with which these diseases are encountered and managed by equine veterinary practitioners is expected to increase as the population ages. As clinicians learn more about the effects of these diseases on equine reproductive physiology and efficiency (including effects on reproductive seasonality, ovulation efficiency, implantation, early pregnancy loss, duration of pregnancy, and lactation), strategies and guidelines for improving fertili...
