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.
Faramarzi B, Thomason JJ, Sears WC.To quantitate changes in hoof wall growth and hoof morphology induced by mild exercise in Standardbreds. Methods: 18 Standardbreds. Methods: Horses were exercised at approximately 6 m/s (4,200 to 5,600 m/d) on 4 d/wk for 17 weeks. Both exercise (n = 9) and nonexercise (control group; 9) groups were housed in a large paddock throughout the study. At the beginning and end of the study, right forelimb feet of all horses were digitally photographed and underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Hoof wall measurements were obtained from the images to evaluate hoof wall growth and morphometric variables....
Oliveira Filho JP, Badial PR, Cunha PHJ, Cruz TF, Araújo JP, Divers TJ, Winand NJ, Borges AS.Equine serum or plasma iron concentration drops quickly during inflammation. Accumulation of iron inside macrophages and reduction of the intestinal absorption of this element cause hypoferremia during systemic inflammatory processes. These mechanisms are mediated by hepcidin, a 25 amino acids peptide synthesized mainly in the liver in response to iron stores and inflammation. Hepcidin is an important peptide for systemic iron homeostasis and also has antibacterial and antifungal activities. Hepcidin up-regulation is particularly useful during acute inflammation, especially before adaptive imm...
Burocziova M, Riha J.Genetic relationships and population structure of 8 horse breeds in the Czech and Slovak Republics were investigated using classification methods for breed discrimination. To demonstrate genetic differences among these breeds, we used genetic information - genotype data of microsatellite markers and classification algorithms - to perform a probabilistic prediction of an individual's breed. In total, 932 unrelated animals were genotyped for 17 microsatellite markers recommended by the ISAG for parentage testing (AHT4, AHT5, ASB2, HMS3, HMS6, HMS7, HTG4, HTG10, VHL20, HTG6, HMS2, HTG7, ASB17, AS...
Wennerstrand J, Gómez Alvarez CB, Meulenbelt R, Johnston C, van Weeren PR, Roethlisberger-Holm K, Drevemo S.Back problems are important contributors to poor performance in sport horses. It has been shown that kinematic analysis can differentiate horses with back problems from asymptomatic horses. The underlying mechanism can, however, only be identified in a uniform, experimental setting. Our aim was to determine if induction of back pain in a well-defined site would result in a consistent change in back movement. Back kinematics were recorded at a walk and trot on a treadmill. Unilateral back pain was then induced by injecting lactic acid into the left longissimus dorsi muscle. Additional measureme...
Hausberger M, Gautier E, Biquand V, Lunel C, Jégo P.Stress at work, as shown by a number of human studies, may lead to a variety of negative and durable effects, such as impaired psychological functioning (anxiety, depression...). Horses share with humans this characteristic of working on a daily basis and are submitted then to work stressors related to physical constraints and/or more "psychological" conflicts, such as potential controversial orders from the riders or the requirement to suppress emotions. On another hand, horses may perform abnormal repetitive behaviour ("stereotypies") in response to adverse life conditions. In the present st...
Eivers SS, McGivney BA, Fonseca RG, MacHugh DE, Menson K, Park SD, Rivero JL, Taylor CT, Katz LM, Hill EW.Intense selection for elite racing performance in the Thoroughbred horse (Equus caballus) has resulted in a number of adaptive physiological phenotypes relevant to exercise; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for these characteristics are not well understood. Adaptive changes in mRNA expression in equine skeletal muscle were investigated by real-time qRT-PCR for a panel of candidate exercise-response genes following a standardized incremental-step treadmill exercise test in eight untrained Thoroughbred horses. Biopsy samples were obtained from the gluteus medius before, i...
Giesecke K, Hamann H, Sieme H, Distl O.Stallion fertility has increasing importance as the artificial insemination is employed in horses more intensely. Molecular genetic markers may be useful tools to evaluate the stallion fertility before breeding. The prolactin receptor gene (PRLR) was chosen as a candidate for stallion fertility because of its influence on testicular and accessory sex gland function. Screening the equine PRLR gene for polymorphisms in Hanoverian stallions revealed two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Association and haplotype analyses were performed in 162 Hanoverian warmblood stallions for these intrage...
Minami Y, Yamano S, Kawai M, Hiraga A, Miyata H.To find a new parameter indicating muscle fitness in Thoroughbred horses, we examined time-dependent recovery of glycogen content and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+)-ATPase activity of skeletal muscle after intensive treadmill running. Two repeated 50-sec running sessions (13 m/sec) were performed on a flat treadmill (approximately 90%VO2max). Muscle samples of the middle gluteal muscle were taken before exercise (pre) and 1 min, 20 min, 60 min, and 24 hr after exercise. Muscle fiber type composition was determined in the pre muscle samples by immunohistochemical staining with monoclonal an...
Allen WR, Wilsher S.Constant, self induced mobility throughout the uterine lumen between days 6 and 17 after ovulation, complete envelopment by a self-secreted glycoprotein capsule between days 7 and 30 and 'injection' of specialised, gonadotrophin-secreting trophoblast cells into the maternal endometrium at days 35-37 are three unusual aspects of equine embryogenesis. The outer trophoblast layer of the allantochorion finally establishes a stable, microvillous contact with the lumenal epithelium of the endometrium around days 40-42 and placentation commences thereafter. The allantochorion elongates steadily until...
Pagger H, Schmidburg I, Peham C, Licka T.This aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the stiffness of the equine cervical spine depends on the direction of force applied and on spinal position. Muscles and nuchal ligament were removed from the cervical spines of 17 horses that were without a history of cervical or neurological disease. The cervical spines were then flexed/extended dorsoventrally (with the spine straight and with the occiput rotated 30° against T1) and laterolaterally. Mean dorsoventral stiffness was 297 N/m (± 135) in flexion, 1347 N/m (± 2083) in extension, 421 N/m (± 164) in lateral flexion, 279 N/m ...
Schuurman W, Gawlitta D, Klein TJ, ten Hoope W, van Rijen MH, Dhert WJ, van Weeren PR, Malda J.If chondrocytes from the superficial, middle, and deep zones of articular cartilage could maintain or regain their characteristic properties during in vitro culture, it would be feasible to create constructs comprising these distinctive zones. Objective: Zone-specific characteristics of zonal cell populations will disappear during 2-dimensional expansion but will reappear after 3-dimensional redifferentiation, independent of the culture technique used (alginate beads versus pellet culture). Methods: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: Equine articular chondrocytes from the 3 zones were expan...
Martinello T, Bronzini I, Maccatrozzo L, Iacopetti I, Sampaolesi M, Mascarello F, Patruno M.Mammalian adult stem cells show, in vitro, extensive differentiative ability and may represent a versatile tool for tissue regenerative purposes, even after long-term storage. Multipotent stem cells isolated from horse blood have been shown to possess the capacity to differentiate into diverse mesenchymal lineages although their full characterization is still at an early stage. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of cryopreservation on stemness characteristics of adult equine mesenchymal stem cells isolated from peripheral blood (ePB-MSC). Each sample of ePB-MSC was analyzed immed...
Fielding CL, Magdesian KG, Rhodes DM, Meier CA, Higgins JC.To describe the clinical and clinicopathologic abnormalities in endurance horses eliminated from competition and requiring emergency medical treatment. Methods: Retrospective study over a 2-year period (2005-2006). Ten horses that successfully completed the ride in 2006 were included for comparison. Methods: Temporary equine emergency field hospital. Methods: All horses (n=30) that were removed from endurance competition and treated for a metabolic abnormality were studied. Methods: Horses were treated with IV fluids and analgesics. Monitoring included lab work (PCV, total protein, and electro...
Chuang MS, Huang HH, Dixon KM, Chen KS, Mao CL, Chen CL.The pharmacokinetics of clenbuterol in equine urine and blood was investigated. Methods: Urine and blood samples were collected following 3-day multiple oral administrations. The samples were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and further confirmed by solid phase extraction and capillary electrophoresis. Results: Urinary clenbuterol was detectable until day 14 after the last dose. The urinary excretion of clenbuterol was characterized by a biphasic pattern. The half-lives of the bi-exponential elimination (t(1/2alpha) and t(1/2beta)) for urinary clenbuterol were about 12.1 and 48...
Florindo HF, Pandit S, Gonçalves LM, Alpar HO, Almeida AJ.The successful development of particulate vaccines depends on the understanding of their physicochemical and biological characteristics. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to develop and characterise stable surface modified poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanoparticles, using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), alginate (ALG) and glycolchitosan (GCS) containing a Streptococcus equi enzymatic extract adsorbed onto the surface. The characterisation of the preparations and a physicochemical study of the adsorption process were performed. The adsorption of S. equi proteins is a rapid process reaching, wit...
Padua MB, Kowalski AA, Cañas MY, Hansen PJ.Uterine serpins (USs), designated as SERPINA14, are expressed in the endometrium in response to progesterone. All species identified as having USs exhibit epitheliochorial placentation and are in the Ruminantia and Suidae orders of the Laurasiatheria superorder. The objective was to identify US genes in species within and outside Laurasiatheria and evaluate whether evolution of the US gene was associated with development of the epitheliochorial placenta. Through queries of nucleotide and genomic databases, known US genes were identified (caprine, bovine, porcine, water buffalo), and new US cod...
Gilger BC, Brooks DE.This first IEOC symposium met its goals of gathering a group of leading equine ophthalmology clinicians and researchers to identify the challenges of the field. To facilitate collaboration, notes from round-table discussions, including the ideas and plans that were discussed are being complied and will be distributed to the attendees. Development of an IEOC membership organisation and website was discussed and supported by the group in an effort further to advance the science of equine ophthalmology. To present results from the collaborations made at this first IEOC meeting, an IEOC mini-sympo...
Brama PA, Holopainen J, van Weeren PR, Firth EC, Helminen HJ, Hyttinen MM.There is ample evidence on topographical heterogeneity of the principal biochemical components of articular cartilage over the surface of the joint and the influence of loading thereon, but no information on depth-related zonal variation in horses. Objective: To study depth-related zonal variation in proteoglycan (PG) and collagen content in equine articular cartilage. Methods: Two techniques (safranin-O densitometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) were applied to sections of articular cartilage from the proximal phalangeal bone of the metacarpophalangeal joint of 18-month-old Tho...
Brama PA, Firth EC, van Weeren PR, Tuukkanen J, Holopainen J, Helminen HJ, Hyttinen MM.Subchondral bone provides structural support to overlying articular cartilage and plays an important biomechanical role in osteochondral diseases. Mechanical features of bone correlate strongly with bone mineral density, which is directed by the loading conditions to which the tissue is subjected. Objective: To investigate the influence of physical activity levels on subchondral bone mineral density (sBMD) in foals during early development. Methods: Three groups of foals were subjected to different physical activity levels from birth until age 5 months. A proportion of these foals were subject...
Setterbo JJ, Garcia TC, Campbell IP, Reese JL, Morgan JM, Kim SY, Hubbard M, Stover SM.To compare hoof acceleration and ground reaction force (GRF) data among dirt, synthetic, and turf surfaces in Thoroughbred racehorses. Methods: 3 healthy Thoroughbred racehorses. Methods: Forelimb hoof accelerations and GRFs were measured with an accelerometer and a dynamometric horseshoe during trot and canter on dirt, synthetic, and turf track surfaces at a racecourse. Maxima, minima, temporal components, and a measure of vibration were extracted from the data. Acceleration and GRF variables were compared statistically among surfaces. Results: The synthetic surface often had the lowest peak ...
Knych HK, Steffey EP, Mama KR, Stanley SD.To verify the isoflurane anesthetic minimum alveolar concentration (MAC)-sparing effect of a previously administered target plasma fentanyl concentration of 16 ng/mL and characterize an anticipated further sparing in isoflurane MAC associated with higher target plasma fentanyl concentrations. Methods: 8 horses. Methods: Horses were assigned 2 of 3 target plasma fentanyl concentrations (16, 24, and 32 ng/mL), administered in ascending order. Following determination of baseline MAC, horses received a loading dose of fentanyl followed by a constant rate infusion; MAC determination was performed i...
Mansfield J, Yu J, Attenburrow D, Moger J, Tirlapur U, Urban J, Cui Z, Winlove P.A combination of two-photon fluorescence (TPF), second harmonic generation (SHG) and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) imaging has been used to investigate the elastin fibre network in healthy equine articular cartilage from the metacarpophalangeal joint. The elastin fibres were identified using their intrinsic two-photon fluorescence and immuno-staining was used to confirm the identity of these fibres. SHG was used to reveal the collagen matrix and the collagen fibre orientations were determined from their SHG polarization sensitivity, while CARS was used to clearly delineate the c...
Tardif S, Brady HA, Breazeale KR, Bi M, Thompson LD, Bruemmer JE, Bailey LB, Hardy DM.Zonadhesin is a rapidly evolving protein in the sperm acrosome that confers species specificity to sperm-zona pellucida adhesion. Though structural variation in zonadhesin likely contributes to its species-specific function, the protein has not previously been characterized in organisms capable of interbreeding. Here we compared properties of zonadhesin in several animals, including the horse (Equus caballus), donkey (E. asinus), and Grevy's zebra (E. grevyi) to determine if variation in zonadhesin correlates with ability of gametes to cross-fertilize. Zonadhesin localized to the apical acroso...
Graham NS, Clutterbuck AL, James N, Lea RG, Mobasheri A, Broadley MR, May ST.Affymetrix GeneChip arrays are a powerful tool for transcriptome profiling and have been applied to a wide range of species. A genomic DNA (gDNA)-based probe selection method has been developed which broadens the range of species to which GeneChips may be successfully applied. This study demonstrated that gDNA-based probe selection on the Affymetrix U133+2 GeneChip array can be used to study the equine transcriptome which, to date, has received only limited attention. More than 29,000 transcripts can be detected in equine brain and liver and in primary cultures of equine articular chondrocytes...
Clauss M, Codron D, Hummel J.Like other members of the odd-toed ungulates (the perissodactyls), equids once had a higher species diversity in the fossil record than they have today. This is generally explained in comparison to the enormous diversity of bovid ruminants. Theories on putative competitive disadvantages of equids include the use of a single toe as opposed to two toes per leg, the lack of a specific brain cooling (and hence water-saving) mechanism, longer gestation periods that delay reproductive output, and in particular digestive physiology. To date, there is no empirical support for the theory that equids fa...
Wang L, Zhang W, Wang C, Meng F, Du W, Wang T.In this study, the configuration of a bionic horse robot for equine-assisted therapy is presented. A single-leg system with two degrees of freedom (DOFs) is driven by a cam-linkage mechanism, and it can adjust the span and height of the leg end-point trajectory. After a brief introduction on the quadruped bionic horse robot, the structure and working principle of a single-leg system are discussed in detail. Kinematic analysis of a single-leg system is conducted, and the relationships between the structural parameters and leg trajectory are obtained. On this basis, the pressure angle characteri...
Smits K, Hoogewijs M, Woelders H, Daels P, Van Soom A.Many wild equids are at present endangered in the wild. Concurrently, increased mechanization has pushed back the numbers of some old native horse breeds to levels that are no longer compatible with survival of the breed. Strong concerns arose in the last decade to preserve animal biodiversity, including that of rare horse breeds. Genome Resource Banking refers to the cryostorage of genetic material and is an approach for ex situ conservation, which should be applied in combination with in situ conservation programmes. In this review, we propose that, owing to the great reproductive similarity...
Mundy LN, Ishihara A, Wellman ML, Bertone AL.To assess efficiency of gravity filtration to enhance recovery of equine bone marrow elements including stem and progenitor cells. Methods: 12 healthy adult horses. Methods: Bone marrow aspirates were collected from the fifth sternebral body and filtered by gravitational flow to obtain bone marrow elements. Raw and harvested bone marrow and marrow effluent were evaluated for WBC and platelet counts, automated and cytomorphologic cell differential counts, mesenchymal stem cell CFUs, cell viability, and differentiation capacity. Isolated cells were analyzed for CD90 and major histocompatibility ...
Badinga L, Michel FJ, Fields MJ, Sharp DC, Simmen RC.Uterine expression of the mRNA encoding antileukoproteinase (ALP) is highest in pig uterus during mid- to late pregnancy, suggesting a stage of pregnancy-dependent role for this elastase/cathepsin G protease inhibitor in feto-maternal interactions. To examine a potential relationship between uterine synthesis of ALP and the type of placentation in mammalian species, the expression of ALP mRNA and/or protein in pregnant mares, cows, rats, and mice was evaluated. Genomic DNA and mRNA hybridization analyses were performed using a porcine ALP cDNA as probe. The concentration of ALP protein in repr...
Cerebral lateralisation is the tendency for an individual to preferentially use one side of their brain and is apparent in the biased use of paired sensory organs. Horses vary in eye use when viewing a novel stimulus which may be due to different physiological reactions. To understand the interplay between physiology and lateralisation, we presented a novel object (an inflated balloon) to 20 horses while electrocardiogram traces were collected. We measured the amount of time each horse looked at the balloon with each eye. We calculated 'sample entropy' as a measure of non-linear heart rate var...
Zweygarth E, Lopez-Rebollar LM, Meyer P.Twenty blood samples of zebras (Equus zebra zebra) from the Karoo National Park and the Bontebok National Park in South Africa, all seropositive for Theileria equi, were subjected to in vitro culture to identify carrier animals and to isolate the parasites. Sixteen animals had a detectable parasitaemia in Giemsa-stained blood smears examined before culture initiation, the remaining four animals were identified as T. equi carriers by in vitro culture. Cultures were initiated either in an oxygen-reduced gas mixture or in a 5% CO2-in-air atmosphere. Out of the 20 blood samples, 12 cultures of T. ...
Fenger CK, McKeever KH, Hinchcliff KW, Kohn CW.To determine components of the increase in oxygen consumption (VO2) and evaluate determinants of hemoglobin saturation (SO2) during incremental treadmill exercise in unfit horses. Methods: 7 unfit adult mares. Methods: Horses performed 1 preliminary exercise test (EXT) and 2 experimental EXT. Arterial and mixed venous blood samples and hemodynamic measurements were taken during the last 30 seconds of each step of the GXT to measure PO2, hemoglobin concentration ([Hb]), SO2, and determinants of acid-base state (protein, electrolytes, and PCO2). Results: Increased VO2 during exercise was facilit...
Hurcombe SD, Scott VH.To determine whether direct intra-abdominal pressures (IAP) and calculated direct abdominal perfusion pressures (APP) are location dependent within the abdomen of standing horses. We hypothesize that IAP will be increased and calculated APP will be decreased at a ventral abdominal location (V) when compared to values obtained from the left (LFl) or right flank (RFl). Methods: Prospective experimental design. Methods: University-based equine research facility. Methods: Seven healthy adult horses, 4 geldings and 3 mares. Methods: Measurements of direct IAP obtained from the RFl, LFl, and V locat...
Belyaev RI, Kuznetsov AN, Prilepskaya NE.The vertebral column is a hallmark of vertebrates; it is the structural basis of their body and the locomotor apparatus in particular. Locomotion of any vertebrate animal in its typical habitat is directly associated with functional adaptations of its vertebrae. This study is the first large-scale analysis of mobility throughout the presacral region of the vertebral column covering a majority of extant odd-toed ungulates from 6 genera and 15 species. In this study, we used a previously developed osteometry-based method to calculate available range of motion. We quantified all three directions ...
Zaitseva S, Dagurova O, Radnagurueva A, Kozlova A, Izotova A, Krylova A, Noskov S, Begmatov S, Patutina E, Barkhutova DD.The Buryatian horse is an ancient breed and, as an indigenous breed, they have unique adaptive abilities to use scarce pastures, graze in winter, and survive in harsh conditions with minimal human care. In this study, fecal microbiota of Buryatian horses grazing in the warm and cold seasons were investigated using NGS technology on the Illumina MiSeq platform. We hypothesized that the composition of microbial communities in the feces of horses maintained on pasture would change in the different seasons, depending on the grass availability and different plant diets. We conducted microhistologic...
Johnson L, Carter GK, Varner DD, Taylor TS, Blanchard TL, Rembert MS.The number of Sertoli cells is important in spermatogenesis as noted by significant correlations between the number of Sertoli cells and the number of germ cells observed as early as type B2 spermatogonia in the horse. However, the stage within spermatocytogenesis at which these relationships first occur is unclear. The relationships between the number of Sertoli cells and parenchymal weight and the number of germ cells during the mitosis of spermatogenesis were determined in 184 adult horses to identify the developmental stage (that is, the earliest germ cell) at which significant relationshi...
Bedford SJ, Gowdy HL, Hinrichs K.This study was designed to compare the effects of different media and containers on longevity of motility of spermatozoa during in vitro incubation at 38 degrees C in either air or 5% CO2 atmosphere. Three ejaculates were collected from each of 4 stallions. The media tested were skim milk-glucose, modified Krebs/Ringer and Hank's salts solution for incubation in an air atmosphere, and modified Krebs/Ringer and Brackett and Oliphant (BO) defined medium for incubation in a 5% CO2 atmosphere. All samples were incubated in 5-mL borosilicate glass tubes filled with 3 mL of extended spermatozoa, 5-m...
Essén-Gustavsson B, Jensen-Waern M.Glycogenolysis and lipolysis are essential for energy production in muscle during prolonged exercise but less is known about the role of amino acid metabolism. The aim was to study the effect of an endurance race on pro- and macroglycogen, triglycerides and amino acid concentrations in muscle and on selected blood parameters, especially the amino acid response in the blood during the recovery phase. Seven endurance-trained horses completed a race covering 100-120 km. Blood samples were collected one day before the race, after the finish and 1 and 8 days after the race. Needle biopsy specimens ...
Suk MH, Kwon JY. To determine the effects of an equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) program on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in children with cerebral palsy (CP). An evaluator-blinded, parallel, two-arm, randomized controlled clinical trial with 1:1 randomization. A tertiary university hospital and a local arena. Forty-six children with CP (24 boys and 22 girls) classified as Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I, II, or III were included. The EAAT program was conducted for 40 min twice a week for 16 weeks (32 lessons). Clinical global impression scales, motor capacity, cardi...
Amann RP, Thompson DL, Squires EL, Pickett BW.Extragonadal reserves totalled 89 X 10(9) spermatozoa for 5--16-year-old sexually rested stallions and 60 X 10(9) for 2--4-year-olds. Regardless of age, the cauda epididymidis contained 62% of the total reserves and the vas deferens, including the ampulla, contained 7% of the total reserves of spermatozoa. The caput plus corpus epididymidis from 5--16-year-old stallions (N = 41) contained 14.9 X 10(9) spermatozoa per side as compared (P less than 0.01) to 8.5 X 10(9) for 2--4-year olds (N = 30). Frequency of ejaculation did not influence the number of spermatozoa found in caput plus corpus epi...
Cox L, Vanderwall DK, Parkinson KC, Sweat A, Isom SC.There is compelling evidence that oocytes from mares >18 years of age have a high incidence of inherent defects that result in early embryonic loss. In women, an age-related decrease in oocyte quality is associated with an increased incidence of aneuploidy and it has recently been determined that the gene expression profile of human oocytes is altered with advancing age. We hypothesised that similar age-related aberrations in gene expression occur in equine oocytes. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to compare gene expression profiles of individual oocytes and cumulus cells from y...
Ramón T, Prades M, Armengou L, Lanovaz JL, Mullineaux DR, Clayton HM.Athletic taping is used frequently by human athletes to stabilise, maintain or strengthen soft tissue structures, but empirical evidence supporting any changes in equine kinematics is lacking. Objective: To assess the effects of athletic taping of the fetlock applied by an experienced athletic trainer on forelimb mechanics in healthy horses. Objective: That athletic taping of the distal forelimb reduces 1) hyperextension of the fetlock joint during stance, 2) flexion of the fetlock joint during swing and 3) ground reaction forces during stance. Methods: Ground reaction force and kinematic data...
Haase B, Obexer-Ruff G, Dolf G, Rieder S, Burger D, Poncet PA, Gerber V, Howard J, Leeb T.The KIT receptor protein-tyrosine kinase plays an important role during embryonic development. Activation of KIT is crucial for the development of various cell lineages such as melanoblasts, stem cells of the haematopoietic system, spermatogonia and intestinal cells of Cajal. In mice, many mutations in the Kit gene cause pigmentation disorders accompanied by pleiotropic effects on blood cells and male fertility. Previous work has demonstrated that dominant white Franches-Montagnes horses carry one copy of the KIT gene with the p.Y717X mutation. The targeted breeding of white horses would be et...
Glade MJ.Skeletal homeostasis during late gestation, lactation, and the post-lactational recovery period is poorly understood. In an experiment using an animal model (the horse), metacarpal breaking strengths (MBS) estimated via transmission ultrasonics were examined during the last 12 weeks of gestation and for 40 weeks after parturition. MBS increased during the last 6-10 weeks of gestation in mares fed amounts of calcium (Ca) recommended by the National Research Council; maximum MBS coincided with the week of parturition. In contrast, MBS in mares fed 20% less Ca remained relatively constant during ...
Harding C, Viljanto M, Habershon-Butcher J, Taylor P, Scarth J.YK-11 is a steroidal selective androgen receptor modulator, a compound class prohibited in both equine racing and human sports because of their potentially performance enhancing properties. YK-11 is easily accessible via internet-based supplement vendors making this compound a possible candidate for doping; however, its phases I and II metabolism has not yet been reported in the horse. The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vivo metabolites of YK-11 in urine and plasma following oral administration with three daily doses of 50 mg to two Thoroughbred horses. In vitro incubations ...
Matsuura A, Ohta E, Ueda K, Nakatsuji H, Kondo S.To obtain basic knowledge about selecting horses for therapeutic riding, the influence of equine conformation on rider oscillation and relationships between these factors and the evaluation on horses as the therapeutic riding were studied. Thirty-five riding horses were used. Equine conformation was estimated by 24 indices. Rider oscillation was measured by an accelerometer fixed at the rider's waist. The spatial position of the oscillation was estimated by a double integration of the acceleration. Horses were evaluated for therapeutic riding by a Riding for the Disabled Association instructor...
Sevane N, Dunner S, Boado A, Cañon J.Equine osteochondrosis (OC) is a frequent developmental orthopaedic disease with high economic impact on the equine industry and may lead to premature retirement of the animal as a result of chronic pain and lameness. The genetic background of OC includes different genes affecting several locations; however, these genetic associations have been tested in only one or few populations, lacking the validation in others. The aim of this study was to identify the genetic determinants of OC in the Spanish Purebred horse breed. For that purpose, we used a candidate gene approach to study the associati...
van Heule M, Verstraete M, Blockx Z, De Blende P, Dini P, Daels P.Cooled storage of semen after thawing can expand the use of frozen semen, providing the possibility of thawing and evaluating the semen at the storage site and subsequently shipping the semen. Our objectives were (1) to examine the motility and viability of frozen-thawed semen after cooled storage and (2) to compare two cooled-storage protocols for frozen-thawed semen. The samples (n = 31) were either placed immediately in a passive cooling box for 8 or 24 hours (CB) or placed in a refrigerator at 4°C for 30 minutes and then transferred to a passive cooling box (REF). Total and progressive ...
Takahashi T, Matsui A, Mukai K, Ohmura H, Hiraga A, Aida H.It is important to know the effects of the inclination of a slope on the activity of each muscle, because training by running on a sloped track is commonly used for Thoroughbred racehorses. The effects of incline (from -6 to +6%) on the forelimbs and hind limbs during walking and trotting on a treadmill were evaluated by an integrated electromyogram (iEMG). The muscle activities in the forelimbs (5 horses) and hind limbs (4 horses) were measured separately. Two stainless steel wires were inserted into each of the brachiocephalicus (Bc), biceps brachii (BB), splenius (Sp), and pectoralis descen...
Krcmar S, Mikuska A, Merdić E.The response of female tabanids to natural attractants was studied in the Monjoros Forest along the Nature Park Kopacki rit in eastern Croatia. Tabanids were caught in canopy traps baited with either aged cow, horse, sheep, or pig urine and also in unbaited traps. Tabanids were collected in a significantly higher numbers in traps baited with natural attractants compared to unbaited traps. The number of females of Tabanus bromius, Tabanus maculicornis, Tabanus tergestinus, and Hybomitra bimaculata collected from canopy traps baited with cow urine and traps baited with other natural attractants ...
Bakała A, Karlik W, Wiechetek M.The aim of the study was to establish the optimal methods for hypothermic storage of equine isolated hepatocytes. Viability of equine isolated hepatocytes after hypothermic storage was dependent on the type of storage medium as well as on the cell density in the storage suspension and the preservation period. Hepatocytes stored at 4 degrees C in Hanks' Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) and Williams' Medium E (WE) for 24 h showed very low viability, numerous cell membrane blebs, very low attachment rate (11.9 +/- 6.5% and 34.8 +/- 19.1%, respectively) and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenylte...
Davis MS, Lockard AJ, Marlin DJ, Freed AN.In human subjects that exercise strenuously in cold weather, there is evidence that hyperventilation with cold air leads to peripheral airway cooling, desiccation and mucosal injury. Our hypothesis was that hyperventilation with cold air can result in penetration of unconditioned air (air that is not completely warmed and humidified) into the peripheral airways of exercising horses, resulting in peripheral airway mucosal injury. To test this hypothesis, a thermister-tipped catheter was inserted through the midcervical trachea and advanced into a sublobar bronchus in three horses that cantered ...
Gregg K, Polejaeva I.Prevention and regulation of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) disease transmission solely depend on identification, isolation, and elimination of infected animals because of lack of an effective vaccine. Embryo production via the somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technology uses oocytes collected mainly from untested animals, which creates a potential risk of EIAV transmission through infected embryos. The current review examines the risk of EIAV disease transmission through SCNT embryo production and transfer. Equine infectious anemia virus is a lentivirus from the family Retroviridae...
Holcomb KE, Tucker CB, Stull CL.Horses in the United States are commonly managed in outside pens or pastures in small groups. Limited research on shade use by domestic horses housed singly in individual pens has shown benefits and a preference for using available shade. The objective of this study was to examine the amount of shade use and the behavioral and physiological responses of small groups of horses when housed with access to shade (SH) and without access to shade (SUN). Thirty-six horses were randomized into 3 consecutive trials using 3 horses per group and 4 groups per trial. Groups experienced 5 d in each treatmen...
