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.
Pearce GP, May-Davis S, Greaves D.To investigate the occurrence of geometrical asymmetries in the macro-architecture of left and right femurs from Thoroughbred racehorses previously used in competitive training and racing in New South Wales, Australia. Methods: Detailed postmortem measurements were made of 37 characteristics of left and right femurs from eleven Thoroughbred racehorses euthanased for reasons unrelated to the study. Measurements focused on articulating surfaces and sites of attachment of muscles and ligaments known to be associated with hindlimb locomotion. Results: Five measurements were significantly larger in...
Wyse C, Cathcart A, Sutherland R, Ward S, McMillan L, Gibson G, Padgett M, Skeldon K.Exercise-induced oxidative stress (EIOS) refers to a condition where the balance of free radical production and antioxidant systems is disturbed during exercise in favour of pro-oxidant free radicals. Breath ethane is a product of free radical-mediated oxidation of cell membrane lipids and is considered to be a reliable marker of oxidative stress. The heatshock protein, haem oxygenase, is induced by oxidative stress and degrades haemoglobin to bilirubin, with concurrent production of carbon monoxide (CO). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of maximal exercise on exhaled ethane...
Hinrichs K.Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has recently become efficient enough to be considered for clinical use. With ICSI, one spermatozoa is injected into a mature oocyte. Harvesting of an oocyte ex vivo, followed by ICSI and transfer of the fertilized oocyte to the oviduct, may be applicable when semen quality is insufficient for standard insemination. Sperm injection, followed by in vitro embryo culture to the blastocyst stage, may be used in cases where multiple oocytes are to be fertilized (e.g. when oocytes are collected post-mortem). Nuclear transfer (cloning) of horses is possible but ...
Yamano S, Eto D, Hiraga A, Miyata H.To consider the optimal training programme for Thoroughbred horses, we examined the recruitment pattern of muscle fibres including hybrid muscle fibres in well-trained Thoroughbred horses. The horses performed exercise at three different intensities and durations; i.e., 100% VO2max for 4 min, 80% and 60% VO2max for 8 min on a treadmill with 10% incline. Muscle samples were obtained from the middle gluteal muscle before, during (4 min at 80% and 60% VO2max), and after exercise. Four muscle fibre types (types I, IIA, IIA/IIX, and IIX) were immunohistochemically identified, and optical density of...
Zhang B, Jin S, Jin J, Li F, Montelaro RC.Characterization of cellular receptors for human, simian, and feline immunodeficiency viruses that are tropic for lymphocytes and macrophages have revealed a common theme of a sequential binding of viral envelope proteins with two coreceptors to mediate virus infection of target cells. In contrast to these dual tropic immunodeficiency viruses, the ungulate lentiviruses, including equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), exclusively infect cells of the monocyte-macrophage lineage to cause progressive degenerative diseases without clinical immunodeficiency. EIAV causes a uniquely dynamic disease t...
Weinstock J, Willerslev E, Sher A, Tong W, Ho SY, Rubenstein D, Storer J, Burns J, Martin L, Bravi C, Prieto A, Froese D, Scott E, Xulong L, Cooper A.The rich fossil record of horses has made them a classic example of evolutionary processes. However, while the overall picture of equid evolution is well known, the details are surprisingly poorly understood, especially for the later Pliocene and Pleistocene, c. 3 million to 0.01 million years (Ma) ago, and nowhere more so than in the Americas. There is no consensus on the number of equid species or even the number of lineages that existed in these continents. Likewise, the origin of the endemic South American genus Hippidion is unresolved, as is the phylogenetic position of the "stilt-legged"...
Eizema K, van den Burg MM, de Jonge HW, Dingboom EG, Weijs WA, Everts ME.The major structural protein in skeletal muscle, myosin heavy chain (MyHC), is primarily transcriptionally controlled. We compared the expression of MyHC isoforms on the mRNA and protein level in biopsies from the m. gluteus medius from adult untrained horses. In transverse sections, the majority of fibers showed qualitatively identical mRNA and protein expression patterns. However, coexpression of 2a and 2d/x MyHCs was substantially more common at the protein than at the mRNA level, suggesting a fine-tuning of these two genes in normal muscle not subjected to any training protocol. Because tr...
Bowers J, Slocombe RF.To compare the effect of girth materials and commonly used girth tensions on athletic performance of race-horses and to test the length tension properties of commercially available girths. Methods: Seven horses were exercised at speeds to produce 95% of maximal heart rates on 15 occasions using a randomised block design, and girthed with 5 different girths at 3 nominal tensions of 6, 12 or 18 kg. The girths used were a standard elastic race girth, an 'American' elastic race girth, an elastic race girth twice the normal width, a standard canvas race girth and a canvas race girth at twice the no...
Bowers J, Slocombe RF, Sides RH, Bayly WM, Kingston JK.To determine the effect of girth construction and tension on respiratory mechanics and gas exchange during supramaximal treadmill exercise in horses. Methods: Six healthy detrained Thoroughbred horses were exercised on a treadmill inclined at 10% at 110% VO2max. Horses were instrumented for respiratory mechanics and gas exchange studies, and data were recorded during incremental exercise tests. The animals were exercised for 2 min at 40% VO2max, and samples and measurements were collected at 1 min 45 sec. After 2 min, speed was increased to that estimated at 110% VO2max and data was collected ...
Wilson GJ, Walsh LJ.To quantify the temperature changes in the dental pulp associated with equine dental procedures using power grinding equipment. Methods: A matrix experimental design with replication on the same sample was followed to allow the following independent variables to be assessed: horse age (young or old), tooth type (premolar or molar), powered grinding instrument (rotating disc or die grinder), grinding time (15 or 20 seconds) and the presence or absence of water coolant. Methods: Sound premolar and molar teeth from a 6-year-old horse and a 15-year-old horse, which had been removed postmortem, wer...
Swanstrom MD, Zarucco L, Hubbard M, Stover SM, Hawkins DA.Because thoroughbred racehorses have a high incidence of forelimb musculoskeletal injuries, a model was desired to screen potential risk factors for injuries. This paper describes the development of a musculoskeletal model of the thoroughbred forelimb and a dynamic simulation of the motion of the distal segments during the stance phase of high-speed (18 m/s) gallop. The musculoskeletal model is comprised of segment, joint, muscle-tendon, and ligament information. The dynamic simulation incorporates a proximal forward-driving force, a distal ground reaction force model, muscle activations, and ...
Pumarola M, Vidal E, Trens JM, Serafín A, Marquez M, Ferrer I.Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is reported in a 16-year-old Pure Spanish breed female horse suffering from progressive ataxia and motor deficiencies. The neuropathological study revealed NIIs throughout the central nervous system, although mainly in the brain stem and spinal cord. This distribution did not correlate with neuron loss, which was marked in the hippocampus and moderate in the neocortex, particularly in the occipital cortex. As in humans, NIIs in the horse were hyaline autofluorescent inclusions composed of non-membrane-bound aggregates of filaments and fine granule...
Loomis PR, Squires EL.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...
Pfau T, Witte TH, Wilson AM.Biomechanical studies often employ optical motion capture systems for the determination of the position of an object in a room-based coordinate system. This is not ideal for many types of study in locomotion since only a few strides may be collected per ;trial', and outdoor experiments are difficult with some systems. Here, we report and evaluate a novel approach that enables the user to determine linear displacements of a proprietary orientation sensor during cyclical movement. This makes experiments outside the constraints of the laboratory possible, for example to measure mechanical energy ...
Payne RC, Hutchinson JR, Robilliard JJ, Smith NC, Wilson AM.We provide quantitative anatomical data on the muscle-tendon units of the equine pelvic limb. Specifically, we recorded muscle mass, fascicle length, pennation angle, tendon mass and tendon rest length. Physiological cross sectional area was then determined and maximum isometric force estimated. There was proximal-to-distal reduction in muscle volume and fascicle length. Proximal limb tendons were few and, where present, were relatively short. By contrast, distal limb tendons were numerous and long in comparison to mean muscle fascicle length, increasing potential for elastic energy storage. W...
Gil L, Saura S, Echegaray A, Martinez F, de Blas I, Akourki A, Gonzalez N, Espinosa E, Josa A.The present study evaluated the effect of supplementing the medium used to mature equine oocytes in vitro with oestrous mare serum (EMS) or horse follicular fluid (HFF). To this end, 144 ovaries were obtained from mares aged 16-21 months and transported to the laboratory in Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline (D-PBS) at 30 degrees C. Oocytes were harvested from the ovaries by slicing, and then selected for in vitro maturation (IVM) according to the number of cumulus cell layers and the characteristics of the cytoplasm. The selected oocytes were washed three times in TCM199 medium plus HEPES (...
Quinlivan M, Zamarin D, García-Sastre A, Cullinane A, Chambers T, Palese P.Equine influenza is a common disease of the horse, causing significant morbidity worldwide. Here we describe the establishment of a plasmid-based reverse genetics system for equine influenza virus. Utilizing this system, we generated three mutant viruses encoding carboxy-terminally truncated NS1 proteins. We have previously shown that a recombinant human influenza virus lacking the NS1 gene (delNS1) could only replicate in interferon (IFN)-incompetent systems, suggesting that the NS1 protein is responsible for IFN antagonist activity. Contrary to previous findings with human influenza virus, w...
Carnevale EM, Coutinho da Silva MA, Panzani D, Stokes JE, Squires EL.Oocyte transfer is a potential method to produce offspring from valuable mares that cannot carry a pregnancy or produce embryos. From 2000 through 2004, 86 mares, 19.2 +/- 0.4 yr of age (mean +/- S.E.M.), were used as oocyte donors in a clinical program at Colorado State University. Oocytes were collected from 77% (548/710) of preovulatory follicles and during 96% (548/570) of cycles. Oocytes were collected 21.0+/-0.1h after administration of hCG to estrous donors and cultured 16.4 +/- 0.2 h prior to transfer into recipients' oviducts. At 16 and 50 d after transfer, pregnancies were detected i...
Nagamine CM, Castro F, Buchanan B, Schumacher J, Craig LE.Spirochetes were identified histologically in canker (proliferative pododermatitis) in 3 horses. The data suggest that spirochetes may contribute to the pathology of equine chronic foot diseases similar to the manner in which they contribute to the pathology of bovine papillomatous digital dermatitis and contagious ovine digital dermatitis.
Lorenzo-Figueras M, Preston T, Ott EA, Merritt AM.To evaluate the effect of ingestion of a high-carbohydrate versus a high-fat meal on relaxation of the proximal portion of the stomach and subsequent gastric emptying in horses. Methods: 6 healthy adult horses. Methods: The study consisted of 2 phases. In phase I, horses were offered a high-fat (8% fat) or a high-carbohydrate (3% fat) pelleted meal (0.5 g/kg) of identical volume, caloric density, and protein content. In phase II, meals consisted of a commercial sweet feed meal (0.5 g/kg) or this meal supplemented with corn oil (12.3% fat) or an isocaloric amount of glucose (2.9% fat). Proximal...
Lopes MS, Mendonça D, Cymbron T, Valera M, da Costa-Ferreira J, Machado Ada C.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...
Riggenbach Ch, Stranzinger G, Poncet PA, Glowatzki ML, Muntwyler J, Gaillard C, Rieder S.In this study it was investigated whether the "Einsiedler" warmblood horse, a historically old horse population from central Switzerland (Abbey of Einsiedeln), is distinguishable from micellaneous horse breeds, using molecular genetic techniques. The breeding history of Einsiedler horses is characterised by systematic line breeding through the dams. Therefore, two Einsiedler dam lines (N = 28), going back to the middle of the 19th century according to pedigree entries, were the focus of the survey. Random samples of diverse warmblood horse populations, but also samples from more distinct types...
Tharasanit T, Colenbrander B, Stout TA.Horse embryos are rarely cryopreserved in practice because expanded blastocysts tolerate freezing poorly, and the embryo begins expanding very soon after entering the uterine cavity. This study examined the effects of freezing on cytoskeleton integrity, and investigated whether cell damage could be reduced using trypsin to thin the blastocyst capsule or cytochalasin-B (cyto-B) to stabilise the cytoskeleton. Sixty-nine embryos were recovered 7 days after ovulation and equilibrated in 10% glycerol, with or without pretreatment with 0.2% trypsin or 7.5 microg/ml cyto-B. Forty-two of the embryos w...
Colborne GR, Heaps LA, Franklin SH.Joint congruity and ligaments restrain the distal limb joints from excessive motion in the transverse and frontal planes, but the magnitudes and direction of the horizontal twisting moments around the hoof's centre of pressure (CoP) that induce these motions are unknown. Objective: To quantify the horizontal moment around the vertical axis through the hoof's CoP at walk, and to determine whether these are symmetric. Methods: Nine sound Thoroughbred horses (mean age 53 years; mean mass 502 kg) were led at walk in a straight line across a Kistler force platform. Five trials were collected for ea...
Matera MG, Calzetta L, Sanduzzi A, Page CP, Cazzola M.It has been demonstrated in mammals that the airway hyper-responsiveness, which accompanies viral infections, is the result of increased reflex bronchoconstriction due to inhibition of muscarinic prejunctional receptors, which belong to M2 subtypes. Multiple mechanisms account for virus-induced M2 receptor dysfunction. Viral neuraminidase may deglycosylate the M2 receptor, decreasing acetylcholine affinity. Equine influenza remains a common viral respiratory disease of horses worldwide, which results in loss to the equine industry, by decreasing performance, convalescence time and loss of peak...
Cleaver BD, Grubaugh WR, Davis SD, Sheerin PC, Franklin KJ, Sharp DC.Melatonin is thought to play a role in relaying photic information to the central nervous system as part of the seasonal reproductive cycle of the mare. However, the mechanisms by which melatonin may act are unknown. Therefore, this study was designed to determine whether exposure to constant light would, by reducing circulating melatonin concentrations, have any effect on hypothalamic gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) content and circulating levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Blood samples were collected for 12 h at 15-min intervals from 8 ovariect...
Delarocque J, Frers F, Huber K, Jung K, Feige K, Warnken T.Insulin dysregulation (ID) is an equine endocrine disorder, which is often accompanied by obesity and various metabolic perturbations. The relationship between weight variations and fluctuations of the insulin response to oral glucose tests (OGT) as well as the metabolic impact of ID have been described previously. The present study seeks to characterize the concomitant metabolic impact of variations in the insulin response and bodyweight during repeated OGTs using a metabolomics approach. Methods: Nineteen Icelandic horses were subjected to five OGTs over one year and their bodyweight, insuli...
Catalani G, Dottavio ME, Rasia M.During acute exercise several significant cardiovascular alterations take place, along with possible physiopathological consequences, such as Exercise Inducted Pulmonary Haemorrhage (EIPH). Given the relevance of blood rheology in the determination of flow resistance and its supposed participation in the stated events, the present paper focuses on the analysis of modifications in haematocrit, blood viscosity and erythrocyte deformability in Thoroughbred horses caused by two different levels of effort (6 to 9 m/s and 13 to 16 m/s), in the same track they train in and with their own jockeys. The...
Cittadini A, Domínguez R, Sarriés MV, Pateiro M, Lorenzo JM.This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the total or partial replacement of NaCl by a commercial low-salt mixture Pansalt® (T1) or Kombu (L. ochroleuca) seaweed powder (T2), respectively, on the quality properties of dry-cured foal "cecina". Salt reformulation unaffected fat percentages, decreased (P < 0.001) moisture and ash contents, while protein amounts increased (P < 0.001) in the T2 batch. Considering the physicochemical variables, any significant differences were observed among batches, except for a*, water activity, and springiness values. T1 and T2 samples presented a si...
Piskoty G, Jäggin S, Michel SA, Weisse B, Terrasi GP, Fürst A.There are no detailed studies describing the resistance of equine tibiae and radii to side impact loads, such as a horse kick and a better understanding of the general long bone impact behavioural model is required. Objective: To quantify the typical impact energy required to fracture or fissure an equine long bone, as well as to determine the range and time course of the impact force under conditions similar to that of a horse kick. Methods: Seventy-two equine tibiae and radii were investigated using a drop impact tester. The prepared bones were preloaded with an axial force of 2.5 kN and wer...
Tam TL, Hogsette J, TenBroeck S.The stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), is a bloodsucking ectoparasite that causes irritation and distress to livestock, wildlife, and humans. Both sexes are vicious blood-feeders that feed on a variety of animals. Optically attractive sticky traps have been used to capture stable flies, and some companies claim that sticky traps can protect animals from the bites of stable flies. To further investigate the protective ability of sticky traps, Home and Garden Mosquito (HGM) traps were selected for evaluations at the University of Florida Horse Teaching Unit (HTU). Broodmares coated with fluor...
Carstanjen B, Amory H, Sulon J, Hars O, Remy B, Langlois P, Lepage OM.Bone responds to exercise with changes in bone (re-)modelling, which might be monitored non-invasively with biochemical bone markers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of exercise on serum osteocalcin and serum carboxy-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen generated by matrix metalloproteinases (CTX-MMP) concentration in young racehorses. Seventy-one 2 to 4-year-old Thoroughbreds were included in this prospective infield study. Blood sampling was performed six times (i.e. six sampling cycles) during a 9-month period. Serum samples were analysed with commercial ...
Dahl S, Cotrel C, Leleu C.A retrospective study concerning spontaneous active recovery intensity, i.e. at a freely chosen speed, after a submaximal exercise in trotters showed that the mean intensity demanded by trainers corresponds to 40-50% of maximal heart rate (max HR; unpublished data). However, in human athletes, optimal active recovery intensity was found to be about 60-70% of max HR. Is the spontaneous recovery optimal after a submaximal exercise in trotters? Objective: To compare different recovery intensities and define the most efficient one. Methods: Thirty-seven trotters performed a standardised exercise t...
Clayton HM, White AD, Kaiser LJ, Nauwelaerts S, Lavagnino M, Stubbs NC.A lightweight bracelet that provides tactile stimulation to the horse's pastern and coronet induces a higher flight arc of the hoof. This study addresses the pattern of habituation to these devices. Objective: To evaluate short-term habituation to tactile stimulation of the pastern and coronet in trotting horses. Methods: Tactile stimulation was provided by a lightweight (55 g) device consisting of a strap with seven chains that was attached loosely around the pastern. Reflective markers were fixed to the dorsal hoof wall, the forehead and over the tenth thoracic vertebra of eight sound horses...
Aoki T, Shibata M, Violin G, Higaki S, Yoshioka K.It is desirable to attend to the mare at the time of foaling in order to assist fetal delivery and prevent complications. The early detection of the onset of labor is an important issue for the equine industry. The purpose of this study was to examine the applicability of a sensor for foaling detection using the data of surface temperature (ST), roll angle (rotation about the y-axis) and y-axis (long axis of the tail) acceleration which were collected from a multimodal device attached to the ventral tail base of the mare. The data were collected every 3 minutes in 17 pregnant mares. Roll angle...
Depuydt E, Chiers K, Van Hecke L, Saunders J, Martens A, Pille F, Spaas JH.Injuries to equine tendons and ligaments are career-compromising, causing reduced performance and premature retirement. Promising treatment alternatives have been investigated in the field of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In this study, the tissue adherence and protein expression of tenogenic primed mesenchymal stem cells (tpMSCs) after administration to ex vivo tendon and ligament explants is investigated. First, collagen type I (COL I) and smooth muscle actin (SMA) expression was assessed in cytospins prepared from native MSCs and tpMSCs. Second, equine superficial digital flexor tendon and...
Verschooten F, Verbeeck J.This paper describes the application of a measuring device 'Flextest' to control the effect of traction force and traction time during flexion tests of the distal limb joints of the forelimbs. The optimal force for a flexion test is 100 N, over 1 min. A higher force (150 N) was not harmful. A slightly positive flexion response (100 N/1 min) in a horse with no other clinical signs or radiographic abnormalities is not of clinical significance. Individual left and right flexion and extension angles are almost identical and do not depend on age. Stabled horses which have been rested or horses rest...
Maulave J, Mascaró Triedo C, Portier K.To assess the reliability of a French version of the Horse Grimace Scale (HGSfv). Methods: Prospective, randomized, clinical study. Methods: The operated (OP) group included 13 horses undergoing elective surgery. The positive (PC) and negative control (NC) groups included seven colicking horses and eight exercising sport horses, respectively. Methods: Photographs were extracted from videos of the horses' heads. Videos were taken before and immediately after surgery in OP, on arrival of the horse in PC, and at rest in their stalls in NC. Pictures were evaluated by three anaesthetists [Diplomate...
Valberg S.The glycogen depletion patterns in the gluteus muscle of Standardbred horses were studied under different trotting intensities. After racing significant glycogen depletion was found in all Type I and IIA fibres and in a varying percentage of Type IIB fibres, depending on the individual horse. When horses performed exercise over a short distance (5 to 8 km) at three different speeds, glycogen depletion was difficult to detect for the faster speeds (10 and 8 m/sec) but notably involved a major proportion of Type I fibres at the slowest speed (6 m/sec). When exercise was prolonged over a greater ...
Zhang P, Sun Y, Tan C, Ling M, Li X, Wang W, Cong Y.To prevent and control H3N8 subtype equine influenza, we prepared virus-like particles (VLPs) comprising the HA, NA and M1 proteins of H3N8 equine influenza virus (EIV) through the insect cell-baculovirus expression system. The results of Western blot and hemagglutination analyses demonstrated that the constructed VLPs comprising HA, NA and M1 proteins have good hemagglutination activity. Immunoelectron microscope revealed that the VLPs share similar morphology and structure with natural virus particles. The hyperimmune serum from horses immunized with the VLPs were injected into mice by means...
Forsyth RK, Brigden CV, Northrop AJ.Oral chondroprotective supplements are commercially popular for veteran (and other athletic or arthritic) horses prone to joint degeneration, yet lack conclusive scientific support. Objective: To quantify the effects of an oral joint supplement (combination glucosamine hydrochloride (GHCL), chondroitin sulphate (CS) and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine) in vivo on stride parameters of veteran horses. Methods: Twenty veteran horses were randomly assigned to a treatment (n = 15) or placebo group (n = 5). Pre-treatment gait characteristics were recorded at trot using digital video footage (50 Hz). The rang...
Ginther OJ, Pierson RA.A linear-array ultrasound scanner with a 5-MHz transducer was evaluated for studying follicular and luteal status in mares, and the ultrasonic properties of equine ovaries were characterized. Follicular diameters were estimated in vivo and after removing and slicing six ovaries. Correlation coefficients between the two kinds of determinations were 0.91 for number of follicles >/=2 mm in diameter and 0.95 for diameter of largest follicle. The ovaries of five mares were examined daily until all mares had been examined from three days before an ovulation to three days after the next ovulation....
Yamada T, Aoi S, Adachi M, Kamimura T, Higurashi Y, Wada N, Tsuchiya K, Matsuno F.Horses use the transverse gallop in high-speed running. However, different animals use different gaits, and the gait preference of horses remains largely unclear. Horses have fore-aft asymmetry in their body structure and their center of mass (CoM) is anteriorly located far from the center of the body. Since such a CoM offset affects the running dynamics, we hypothesize that the CoM offset of horses is important in gait selection. In order to verify our hypothesis and clarify the gait selection mechanisms by horses from a dynamic viewpoint, we developed a simple model with CoM offset and inves...
Wijnberg ID, Franssen H, van der Kolk JH.To determine the influence of age on results of quantitative analysis of electromyographic (EMG) needle examination in the subclavian, triceps, and lateral vastus muscles of Dutch Warmblood horses. Methods: 7 healthy young Dutch Warmblood horses (range, 13 to 18 months old), 7 healthy adult Dutch Warmblood horses (range, 4 to 10 years old), and 7 healthy elderly Dutch Warmblood horses (range, 18 to 21 years old). Methods: An EMG needle examination was performed to evaluate insertional activity, spontaneous activity, and motor unit action potential (MUAP) variables. Although all horses were con...
Hertzsch R, Richter A.Based on their performance-enhancing potential, caffeine and theophylline are prohibited substances in equine sports. Residues in horses can be caused by wilful application or by unintended uptake of contaminated feed. The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities recently introduced international residue limits (IRLs) to facilitate the discrimination between pharmacological relevant and irrelevant concentrations in doping samples. The objective of this study was to investigate the scientific validity of these IRLs. A systematic analysis was performed to assess the IRLs by different ...
Hawe C, Dixon PM, Mayhew IG.The electrodiagnostic measurement of the thoracolaryngeal reflex (TLR) ('slap test') latency was compared to 5 other diagnostic techniques used for evaluation of laryngeal function, namely laryngeal muscle palpation, resting and immediately postexercise endoscopic examinations, and palpable and endoscopic responses to the TLR. Compared to resting endoscopy, the electrodiagnostic measurement of TLR latency was not found to be an accurate test for the evaluation of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN), nor was laryngeal muscle palpation or the endoscopic response to the TLR. Twenty-five (71%) of...
Cissell JM, Milton SC, Dahlgren LA.To evaluate the effects of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) treatment on the metabolism of equine tendon fibroblasts in vitro to aid in investigating the response of tendon fibroblasts to injury and novel therapeutics. Methods: Superficial digital flexor tendon fibroblasts isolated via collagenase digestion from six young adult horses were grown in monolayer in four concentrations of PGE₂ (0, 10, 50, 100 ng/ml) for 48 hours. Cells and medium were harvested for gene expression (collagen types I and III, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein [COMP], decorin, and matrix metalloproteinase-1, -3, and -1...
Lumsden GG, Quan-Taylor R, Smith SM, Washbrooke IM.Three anthelmintic pastes were compared in terms of their ability to suppress the output of parasite eggs in the faeces of 108 grazing horses at four sites in Britain; the horses were treated once with either ivermectin, fenbendazole or pyrantel. At each site, the horses grazed together throughout the trials which took place during the summers of 1985 and 1986. The median periods before parasite eggs reappeared in faeces were 70 days for ivermectin, 14 days for fenbendazole and 39 days for pyrantel embonate. Geometric mean faecal egg counts in the groups treated with ivermectin and pyrantel we...
Rankins EM, Malinowski K.The New Jersey horse racing industry has declined over the last 5 years as indicated by decreases in the number of racing days, stallions standing, mares bred, and foals registered. These changes were hypothesized to have potential negative consequences for veterinary practices. The objective of the survey was to investigate changes in veterinary practice revenue and staff over a five-year period. Members of the New Jersey Association of Equine Practitioners completed a survey detailing their involvement in the horse racing industry and breeding of racehorses. A response rate of 49% was achiev...
Herdrich MRA, Arrieta SE, Nelson BB, Frisbie DD, Moorman VJ.OBJECTIVE To determine accuracy for a technique of needle redirection at a single craniolateral site for injection of 3 compartments of the equine stifle joint, describe the external needle position, and identify the location of the needle tip within each joint compartment. SAMPLE 24 equine cadaver stifle joints. PROCEDURES Stifle joints were placed in a customized stand. After the needle was placed, external needle position was measured and recorded. Each joint compartment (medial and lateral compartments of the femorotibial joint and the femoropatellar joint) was injected with a solution con...
Contreras-Mendez LA, Medrano A.There are many protocols for horse sperm cryopreservation, but results are inconsistent; sperm survival after freeze-thawing is usually poor; in consequence, fertility is low. The objective of this work was to see whether slow cooling before freezing to minus 3 °C instead of +5 °C, the traditional target temperature, could improve horse sperm cryosurvival, capability to carry out capacitation and the acrosome reaction induced by progesterone. Spermatozoa from five stallions were packaged in straws and slowly cooled to +5 °C. Half of the straws were frozen directly and the other half was ...
Langton CM, Riggs CM, Evans GP.The velocity of ultrasound waves through bone has been used widely as a non-invasive method for assessing bone quality. Accurate measurement of velocity depends on accurate assessment of the distance travelled by the sound wave. It has been argued that the sonic pathway is deflected around the marrow cavity and so does not follow a straight line through the bone; therefore, correction factors have been developed to account for the extra distance travelled. This hypothesis was examined in vitro using sections from the equine third metacarpal bone. Two 1 MHz transducers used with the transmittin...
Raz T, Hunter B, Carley S, Card C.The objective was to compare the reproductive performances associated with the first (Cycle-1), second (Cycle-2), and mid-season (MS-Cycle) ovulations of the breeding season in donor mares that were treated with equine-FSH (eFSH) in the early vernal transition. Mares (n=15) kept under ambient light were examined ultrasonographically per-rectum starting January 30. When an ovarian follicle > or =25mm in diameter was detected, twice daily eFSH treatments were initiated. The eFSH treatments ceased when a follicle > or =35mm was detected, and 36h later hCG was administered. Thereafter, mares were ...
