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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.
Equine-related treatments for mental disorders lack empirical support: a systematic review of empirical investigations. Equine-related treatments (ERT) for mental disorders are becoming increasingly popular for a variety of diagnoses; however, they have been subjected only to limited systematic investigation. Objective: To examine the quality of and results from peer-reviewed research on ERT for mental disorders and related outcomes. Methods: Peer-reviewed studies (k = 14) examining treatments for mental disorders or closely related outcomes were identified from databases and article reference sections. Results: All studies were compromised by a substantial number of threats to validity, calling into question t...
Achilles tendon injuries in elite athletes: lessons in pathophysiology from their equine counterparts. Superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) injury in equine athletes is one of the most well-accepted, scientifically supported companion animal models of human disease (i.e., exercise-induced Achilles tendon [AT] injury). The SDFT and AT are functionally and clinically equivalent (and important) energy-storing structures for which no equally appropriate rodent, rabbit, or other analogues exist. Access to equine tissues has facilitated significant advances in knowledge of tendon maturation and aging, determination of specific exercise effects (including early life), and definition of some of the...
Regional disturbances in blood flow and metabolism in equine limb wound healing with formation of exuberant granulation tissue. As in other fibroproliferative disorders, hypoxia has been suggested to play a key role in the pathogenesis of exuberant granulation tissue (EGT). The purpose of this study was to investigate metabolism and blood flow locally in full-thickness wounds healing with (limb wounds) and without (body wounds) formation of EGT. Microdialysis was used to recover endogenous metabolites from the wounds, and laser Doppler flowmetry was used to measure blood flow. Measurements were performed before wounding and 1-28 days after wounding. Blood flow was consistently lower in limb wounds than in body wounds t...
Reproductive performance of Arab mares in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproductive performance of the Arab mares in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods: Managers of 26 studfarms containing 1014 Arab mares at five districts were asked to complete a questionnaire on the reproductive efficiency of their mares. Results: The mean age at first mating was 3.06 ± 0.5 years. Mares were mated equally in winter and all over the year. Natural mating was mostly used (76.9%). The means of estrus duration and estrus interval were 6.58 ± 1 days and 19.57 ± 1.8 days, respectively. The means of first service and over- all pregna...
Does a magnetic blanket induce changes in muscular blood flow, skin temperature and muscular tension in horses? Static magnetic blankets are often claimed to induce increases in blood flow, reduce muscle tension and tenderness, and be beneficial in both prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries in horses. However, there are no studies that confirm alleged beneficial effects of magnets on muscles of the back in healthy horses. Objective: To investigate whether static magnets sewn into a blanket affect back muscle blood flow, skin temperature, mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) and behaviour in healthy horses. Methods: Prospective, randomised, blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study. Me...
Dietary crude protein intake influences rates of whole-body protein synthesis in weanling horses. The objective of this study was to measure whole-body protein kinetics in weanling horses receiving forage and one of two different concentrates: (1) commercial crude protein (CCP) concentrate, which with the forage provided 4.1 g CP/kg bodyweight (BW)/day (189 mg lysine (Lys)/kg BW/day), and (2) recommended crude protein (RCP) concentrate which, with the same forage, provided 3.1 g CP/kg BW/day (194 mg Lys/kg BW/day). Blood samples were taken to determine the response of plasma amino acid concentrations to half the daily concentrate allocation. The next day, a 2 h-primed, constant inf...
Equine influenza culture methods. Equine influenza viruses are cultured in embryonated hen eggs, or in mammalian cells, generally Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, using methods much the same as for other influenza A viruses. Mutations associated with host adaptation occur in both eggs and MDCK cells, but the latter show greater heterogeneity and eggs are the generally preferred host. Both equine-1 H7N7 and equine-2 H3N8 viruses replicate efficiently in 11-day-old eggs, but we find that equine-1 viruses kill the embryos whereas equine-2 viruses do not.
In vitro mechanical testing of braided polyurethane elastic fiber and braided polyester for equine laryngoplasty. In vitro comparison of the mechanical properties of braided polyurethane elastomer (Lycra®) and braided polyester (Ethibond™) (1) when inserted into the muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage and (2) as suture loops. Methods: Experimental. Methods: Equine cadaver larynges (n = 15). Methods: The muscular processes (n = 30) of the arytenoid cartilages were dissected from each larynx and embedded in a resin base. Lycra® and Ethibond™ prostheses were randomly allocated to the left or right muscular process and each underwent cyclic fatigue (25-50 N) followed by load-to-failure...
Acute hemorrhage and blood transfusions in horses. Treatment of acute hemorrhage in the horse involves targeted medical management and also may involve surgical stabilization. This article provides an approach to the initial stabilization and information on available topical hemostats. The practice of blood collection and transfusion is also described, with attention to new information on viability of transfused equine blood, potential negative effects of blood transfusion, and methods of cell salvage.
Epidemiology of shivering (shivers) in horses. Investigating the epidemiology of shivering in horses. Objective: The purpose of this study was to characterise the signalment, clinical signs and management factors associated with shivering (also known as shivers), a relatively rare, poorly defined movement disorder in horses. Methods: Web-based case series survey and case-control study. Methods: A Web-based survey was used to obtain information from owners, worldwide, who suspected that their horse had shivering. Survey respondents were asked to answer standardised questions and to provide a video of the horse. Authors reviewed the surveys ...
Associations of health status and conformation with longevity and lifetime competition performance in young Swedish Warmblood riding horses: 8,238 cases (1983-2005). To determine associations of health status and conformation with competition longevity and lifetime performance in young Swedish Warmblood riding horses. Methods: Cohort study and genetic analysis. Methods: 8,238 horses. Methods: Horses were examined for health, conformation, and performance from 1983 to 2005, when they were 4 to 5 years old, and competition results from 1983 to 2012 were evaluated. Associations between conformation, health, and talent scores of young horses and longevity (years in competition) and lifetime performance were analyzed. Odds ratios of competing later in life amon...
Vitrification of equine oocytes with a polyvinyl alcohol after in vitro maturation with equine growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-I. In vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures are limited by the inability to mature equine oocytes on in vitro methods. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate structural integrity of equine oocytes subjected to vitrification with a synthetic polymer (PVA). Methods: The effect of eGH and its relationship with IGF-I on in vitro maturation (IVM) were evaluated. Compact cumulus oocytes complexes (n=122) were cultured in TCM-199 with eGH, IGF-I or eGH+IGF-I for 30h at 38.5C in air with 5 % CO2. Oocytes were fixed after IVM or subjected to the vitrification protocol. Cryopreserved oocytes were ...
Reproducibility and feasibility of acoustoelastography in the superficial digital flexor tendons of clinically normal horses. To evaluate the feasibility and repeatability of in vivo measurement of stiffness gradients by means of acoustoelastography in the superficial digital flexor tendons (SDFTs) of clinically normal horses. Methods: 15 clinically normal horses. Methods: For each horse, stiffness gradient index and dispersion values for SDFTs in both forelimbs were evaluated in longitudinal orientation by use of acoustoelastography at 3 sites (5, 10, and 15 cm distal to the accessory carpal bone) by 2 observers; for each observer, data were acquired twice per site. The left forelimb was always scanned before the ri...
The role of an alpha animal in changing environmental conditions. The maintenance and development of conservation areas by grazing of large herbivores, such as Przewalski's horses, is common practice. Several nature conservation areas house male bachelor groups of this species. When males are needed for breeding they are removed from the groups, often without considering group compositions and individual social positions. However, alpha animals are needed for ensuring group stability and decision making in potentially dangerous situations in several species. To investigate the role of the alpha male in a bachelor group, we observed the behaviour of five Prze...
Successful control of winter pyrexias caused by equine herpesvirus type 1 in Japanese training centers by achieving high vaccination coverage. Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) is a major cause of winter pyrexia in racehorses in two training centers (Ritto and Miho) in Japan. Until the epizootic period of 2008-2009, a vaccination program using a killed EHV-1 vaccine targeted only susceptible 3-year-old horses with low antibody levels to EHV-1 antigens. However, because the protective effect was not satisfactory, in 2009-2010 the vaccination program was altered to target all 3-year-old horses. To evaluate the vaccine's efficacy, we investigated the number of horses with pyrexia due to EHV-1 or equine herpesvirus type 4 (EHV-4) infecti...
Influence of emotional balance during a learning and recall test in horses (Equus caballus). Modern day horse-human relationships entail different types of sport and riding activities, which all require learning. In evaluating the interaction between learning and emotions, studying normal coping strategies or adaptive responses to the surroundings is critical. 34 horses were involved in a cognitive test, in the absence of physical effort, to analyze performance, as well as physiological and behavioral responses related to learning, memorization and recall, associated to the capacity to reverse a learned model. Synthetic Equine Appeasing Pheromone (EAP) was used in 17 horses in order t...
Effectiveness of conventional and hydrosurgical debridement methods in reducing Staphylococcus aureus inoculation of equine muscle in vitro. The success of primary healing of equine traumatic wounds is dependent on thorough debridement. A specific hydrosurgical debridement device (Versajet(TM) )(a) is gentle to viable tissues, yet effectively removes macroscopic contaminants and debris. We wished to investigate whether it is effective in reducing bacterial burden and whether it differs from traditional methods. No previous reports compare hydrosurgical debridement and conventional wound debridement with regard to bacterial reduction from in vitro inoculated soft tissue. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of hydrosurgical debrid...
Comparative study of the effects of fetal bovine serum versus horse serum on growth and differentiation of primary equine bronchial fibroblasts. Airway fibroblasts have become a critical addition to all facets of structural lung tissue changes such as in human asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but little is known about their role in the equine recurrent airway obstruction, a disease that resembles to the human asthma. Since the equine bronchial fibroblasts (EBF) have not been isolated and characterized yet, the use of defined medium was investigated. Results: Primary EBF were cultured on non-collagen coated flasks without serum or in the presence of fetal bovine serum (FBS) or horse serum (HS) or in serum depleted mediu...
Equine arteritis virus does not induce interferon production in equine endothelial cells: identification of nonstructural protein 1 as a main interferon antagonist. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of equine arteritis virus (EAV) on type I interferon (IFN) production. Equine endothelial cells (EECs) were infected with the virulent Bucyrus strain (VBS) of EAV and expression of IFN-β was measured at mRNA and protein levels by quantitative real-time RT-PCR and IFN bioassay using vesicular stomatitis virus expressing the green fluorescence protein (VSV-GFP), respectively. Quantitative RT-PCR results showed that IFN-β mRNA levels in EECs infected with EAV VBS were not increased compared to those in mock-infected cells. Consistent wit...
Objective classification of different head and neck positions and their influence on the radiographic pharyngeal diameter in sport horses. Various head and neck positions in sport horses are significant as they can interfere with upper airway flow mechanics during exercise. Until now, research has focused on subjectively described head and neck positions. The objective of this study was to develop an objective, reproducible method for quantifying head and neck positions accurately. Results: Determining the angle between the ridge of the nose and the horizontal plane (ground angle) together with the angle between the ridge of nose and the line connecting the neck and the withers (withers angle) has provided values that allow preci...
Pharyngeal diameter in various head and neck positions during exercise in sport horses. In equine athletes, dynamic stenotic disorders of the upper airways are often the cause for abnormal respiratory noises and/or poor performance. There are hypotheses, that head and neck flexion may influence the morphology and function of the upper airway and thus could even induce or deteriorate disorders of the upper respiratory tract. Especially the pharynx, without osseous or cartilaginous support is prone to changes in pressure and airflow during exercise. The objective of this study was to develop a method for measuring the pharyngeal diameter in horses during exercise, in order to analy...
Absence of maternal cell contamination in mesenchymal stromal cell cultures derived from equine umbilical cord tissue. This study aimed to determine whether maternal cell contamination exists in cells derived from equine umbilical cord tissue, a perspective material for cell-based therapies in veterinary medicine. Potential maternal cell contamination was analyzed at DNA level via a set of 16 microsatellite markers in cells originating from the cord tissue of 22 foals. In these cells no maternal cell contamination was detected at a sensitivity level of 0.01%. Our results suggest that equine umbilical cord tissue-derived cells are entirely of fetal origin.
Intraocular pressure changes in equine athletes during endurance competitions. To assess intraocular pressure (IOP) in conditioned equine athletes and document changes with exercise. A secondary objective was to assess associations between IOP and heart rate, as well as with other subjective physical parameters. Methods: Horses were evaluated during 50 mile endurance ride competitions. Data were collected on 69 horses during five different competitions at three different locations with 59 horses ridden once, nine horses ridden in two competitions, and one horse ridden in three competitions for a total of 80 horse-ride combinations. Methods: Intraocular pressure was measu...
