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.
The type of diet that a horse consumes is one of the most important factors determining the mineral profile and tensile strength of its hooves, so the quality and nutritional value of the supplied feed are fundamental to achieving satisfactory hoof quality. The objective of this study was to compare the differences in the mineral concentrations of sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), and Iron (Fe) between two diets, namely silage and a commercial concentrate, using atomic absorption spectrometry and to determine which led to higher increases in the hoof tensile strength of ho...
Mares were inseminated with motile spermatozoa suspended in 30-150 microliters Tyrode's medium directly onto the uterotubal papilla at the anterior tip of the uterine horn, ipsilateral to the ovary containing a dominant preovulatory follicle of > or = 35 mm in diameter, by means of a fine gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) catheter passed through the working channel of a strobed light videoendoscope. Insemination of 10, 8, 25, 14, 11 and 10 mares with, respectively, 10.0, 5.0, 1.0, 0.5, 0.1 or 0.001 x 10(6) motile spermatozoa resulted in conception rates of, respectively, 60, 75, 64, 29,...
The goal of this research was to evaluate the ability of the genotyping information available in the Brazilian Criollo Horse Stud Book to describe the genetic variability of the breed and the exclusion probability determined in comparative tests. Altogether, two softwares were used in the analyses of the available genotypes: Cervus 3.0.3 and Genepop 4.0. Eight microsatellite markers totaled 109 alleles, with an average of 13.6 +/- 0.6 alleles per locus. Large differences between expected and observed heterozygosity were ubiquitous (0.821 +/- 0.07 and 0.470 +/- 0.17, respectively). Although the...
To evaluate the effect of hippotherapy (physical therapy utilizing the movement of a horse) on muscle activity in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Methods: Pretest/post-test control group. Methods: Therapeutic Riding of Tucson (TROT), Tucson, AZ. Methods: Fifteen (15) children ranging from 4 to 12 years of age diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy. Methods: Children meeting inclusion criteria were randomized to either 8 minutes of hippotherapy or 8 minutes astride a stationary barrel. Methods: Remote surface electromyography (EMG) was used to measure muscle activity of the trunk and upper...
Equine coronavirus (ECoV) leads to outbreaks with variable morbidity and mortality. Few previous reports of risk factors for infection are available in the literature. Unassigned: To describe unique clinical findings and risk factors for infection and development of clinical disease. Unassigned: 135 horses on a farm affected by ECoV outbreak. Unassigned: Retrospective cohort study. Data obtained included age, breed, gender, activity level, housing, and feed at the onset of the outbreak. Factors were evaluated for assessment of risk of infection using simple logistic regression or Fisher's exac...
Warm-season grasses (WSG) incorporated into traditional cool-season rotational grazing systems to increase summer yields are typically established in monoculture in separate pasture areas. Few studies have evaluated alternative interseeded establishment of WSG, despite potential benefits for improving biodiversity and land-use efficiency. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of establishment method (monoculture vs. interseeded) on crabgrass pasture forage yield, nutritive value, and preference under equine grazing. Three adult standardbred mares grazed two main plots on two ...
Feral horses in Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP) represent an iconic era of the North Dakota Badlands. Their uncertain history raises management questions regarding origins, genetic diversity, and long-term genetic viability. Hair samples with follicles were collected from 196 horses in the Park and used to sequence the control region of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and to profile 12 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) markers. Three mtDNA haplotypes found in the TRNP horses belonged to haplogroups L and B. The control region variation was low with haplotype diversity of 0.5271, nucleotide...
This Opinion piece is offered as a cursory overview of sperm development, function, and transport through the eyes of an equine veterinarian. My professional background is predominantly clinical in nature, but my fascination with sperm function and preservation has led to a fairly sizeable review of the scientific literature over the years in hopes of extracting laboratory findings that have application to my daily activities in the clinical arena. Spermatozoa are quite unique among cellular types with regard to both form and function, and represent the only endogenously derived cell type that...
Osteochondrosis (OC) develops in growing horses due to disturbed differentiation and maturation of cartilage, particularly at the predilection sites of the fetlock, hock and stifle joints. Horses with osteochondrotic lesions are at a high risk of developing orthopaedic problems later in life. This article briefly reviews the published heritability estimates for OC and offers perspectives for selection in the horse industry. Heritabilities for OC in Warmblood and Standardbred horses have been estimated at 0.1-0.4 in animal threshold models. Whole genome scans using microsatellites have identifi...
To document morphologic changes that occur in equine intestinal serosa after experimentally induced ischemia and subsequent reperfusion (jejunum, ascending colon) or after intraluminal distention and decompression (jejunum). Methods: Morphologic effects of ischemia-reperfusion or intraluminal distention-decompression determined on the serosal layer of the equine jejunum. The large colon serosa was evaluated after ischemia-reperfusion injury. Methods: Seven adult horses. Methods: After induction of general anesthesia and ventral median celiotomy, ischemia was created by arteriovenous (AVO) and ...
In this study, 198 donor mares of different breeds, ages, and reproductive category were inseminated with fresh, cooled and frozen or frozen and cooled semen at the embryo transfer station or in private artificial insemination centers during 10 breeding seasons. The results of this activity were retrospectively analyzed by Pearson Chi-square test and logistic regression to evaluate factors affecting multiple ovulations, embryo recovery, embryo quality, and embryo diameter. Out of the 661 cycles, 937 ovulations were recorded (mean ovulations/cycle: 1.42 ± 0.58). Ovulation rate and incidence of...
In horses, osteoarthritis (OA) mostly affects metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal (fetlock) joints. The current modalities used for diagnosis of equine limb disorders lack ability to detect early OA. Here, we propose a new alternative approach to assess experimental cartilage damage in fetlock joint using Acoustic Emissions (AE). Objective: To evaluate the potential of AE technique in diagnosing OA and see how AE signals changes with increasing severity of OA. Methods: An in vitro experimental study. Methods: A total of 16 distal limbs (8 forelimbs and 8 hindlimbs) from six Finn horses...
A breed known for its versatility, the American Quarter Horse (QH), is increasingly bred for performance in specific disciplines. The impact of selective breeding on the diversity and structure of the QH breed was evaluated using pedigree analysis and genome-wide SNP data from horses representing 6 performance groups (halter, western pleasure, reining, working cow, cutting, and racing). Genotype data (36 037 single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs]) from 36 Thoroughbreds were also evaluated with those from the 132 performing QHs to evaluate the Thoroughbred's influence on QH diversity. Results s...
The objective of the present study was to characterize the nutritional composition, fatty acid profile, and IgG concentration of the milk produced by Chilean Corralero horse (CCH) mares from breeding farms located in southern Chile. Forty-five milk samples were collected from three of the biggest breeding farms (coded as A, B and C) specialized in breeding and selection of CCH in Chile (15 mares sampled per farm). Farms differed in days in milk (DIM). A negative association between DIM and ash, milk protein, milk solids, saturated fatty acids (SFA), and gross energy (GE) was found, whereas DIM...
Cheung E, Mills D, Ventura BA.There is concern amongst the public, equestrians, animal welfare organisations, and horse-sport governing bodies regarding the welfare of performance horses, but equestrian culture appears slow to change. The present study seeks to increase our understanding of human factors underlying the persistence of welfare-compromising management and training practices within the performance horse world. Individual, semi-structured interviews focused on equestrians' attitudes were conducted with 22 equestrians from classical equestrian disciplines in the US, Canada, and the UK. Interview transcripts were...
Böck MJ, Fernandez TJ, Pereira VP, da Veiga ML, de Mello Bertoncheli Dos Santos C, de Morais-Pinto L.We examined 52 horse aortas to characterize the morphological aspects of the aortic bulb wall and the ascending aorta. The morphometric data were analyzed using ImageJ®-Fiji 1.5 software. The Tunica intima was composed of endotheliocytes with scarce cytoplasm and ellipsoid nuclei, supported by a collagenous subendothelial stratum. The Tunica media was composed entirely of fascicles of vascular smooth muscle cells interspersed with bundles of collagen fibers and elastic lamellae, characterizing the aortic medial lamellar unit. The Tunica adventitia consisted of two distinct sub-layers: the ext...
Bazvand B, Rashidi A, Zandi MB, Moradi MH, Rostamzadeh J, Mahmoudi P.Iran is home to genetically distinct horse breeds shaped by geography and history. Breeds like the Kurdish, Caspian pony, and Turkmen reflect deep-rooted diversity and unique adaptive traits. Objective: This study aimed to identify genomic regions exhibiting signatures of selection and to detect candidate genes and biological pathways related to body size that may influence performance in various Iranian and exotic horse breeds. Methods: Samples were collected from three Iranian native breeds (Caspian pony, Turkmen, and Kurdish) and three exotic breeds (Fell pony, Arabian, and Akhal-Teke) orig...
Campos Schweitzer A, Vercherin A, Rossignol F.To report successful stabilization of three cervical fracture types with articular involvement using different ventral cervical intervertebral fusion constructs. Methods: A 9-year-old French sport pony gelding, a 5-year-old Anglo-Arabian gelding and a 2-year-old French Warmblood mare. Methods: Short case series. Methods: Ventral cervical intervertebral fusion was performed in three cervical fracture cases: A vertebral body, a vertebral arch and a unilateral facet joint fracture. Selected implants for this purpose were an 11-hole 4.5/5.0 LCP, a three-dimensional (3D)-printed titanium cervical i...
Bailey VN, Gilbert BM, Vetter M, Oberhaus EL.The mechanism by which photoperiod influences the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and regulates seasonal reproduction in horses has yet to be fully elucidated. The hypophyseal pars tuberalis (PT) has been indicated as a critical site for the transduction of melatonin signals through melatonin-responsive, PT-specific cells that produce thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in many mammalian species. However, this has yet to be investigated in horses. The objective of this study was to explore the interaction of melatonin and thyroid-stimulating hormone in the equine HPG axis. Pituitaries ...
Kisilevich Q, O'Connor SGP, Bayly WM, Léguillette R.To validate a single-lead ECG fitness tracker device (FT) against the reference multilead ECG recording device (RM) for heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) monitoring of horses during routine swimming. Unassigned: 40 race-fit Thoroughbred racehorses were used for 5 days in May 2024. Surface ECG recordings were obtained simultaneously from the FT and RM devices in horses swimming 63.65 m across a pool. Electrocardiograms were reviewed and artifacts corrected when necessary, and correlations were analyzed between the 2 devices for HR and HRV parameters. Descriptive statistics and Bland-Altm...
Wunderlich G, Bull M, McGilchrist N, Zhao C, Ross T, Rose M, Chapman B.The equine gut microbiome is a complex and dynamic ecosystem, housing a diverse consortium of bacteria and anaerobic fungi (AF) capable of breaking down complex plant matter and converting it into vital energy sources for their host. The aim of this study was to broaden our current understanding of bacterial and AF diversity in the equine hindgut and how it differs between cohorts and responds to dietary shifts. Results: Faecal samples were collected from 48 horses and the bacteriome and anaerobic mycobiome analysed using long-read amplicon sequencing. Samples were collected from racehorses (R...
Northwood A, Berner D.Radiographic protocols for the metacarpo-/tarsophalangeal joint during pre-purchase examinations (PPE) vary internationally, but their impact on pathology detection remains unclear. Optimising imaging protocols is essential to balance diagnostic accuracy with workflow efficiency and radiation exposure. Objective: To evaluate the effect of different radiographic view combinations on fetlock pathology detection and observer agreement in a PPE context; hypothesising that detection rates vary with view selection. Methods: Retrospective observational study. Methods: Two observers reviewed fetlock r...
Hildebrand WH, Zaleśny G.Stereotypical behaviours in animals, often linked to stress, are repetitive actions that may lack a clear purpose. This review examines the relationship between cortisol levels, a key stress hormone, and stereotypic behaviour across various animal species, including zoo mammals, horses, and dogs. A total of 99 studies were analysed to understand whether elevated cortisol levels are associated with stereotypies. While many studies report a positive correlation between cortisol and stereotypical behaviour, more detailed research suggests that these behaviours may also serve as coping mechanisms,...
Fiedler JM, Rosanowski S, Ayre ML, Slater JD.Participation in horse-related activities frequently involves relocating horses from the home stable to an activity venue, which might require local, regional, or international travel. In these circumstances, horses are exposed to unfamiliar surroundings and experience changes to their daily routines, which could have negative welfare impacts. An online survey was conducted in 2021 to ask experienced horse sector participants about the horse management practices that they perceived worked well and provided for positive horse welfare when undertaken at venues. Qualitative analysis identified fo...
Corbally AF, Mulligan FJ, Sweeney T, Fahey AG.This study examines the associations between linearly scored phenotypic traits and auction sales prices of young event horses in Ireland, aiming to identify key traits influencing market value. Data from 307 horses sold at public auctions (2022-2023) were analysed using regression analysis, binary optimisation, and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Regression identified Head-neck Connection, Quality of Legs, Walk length of Stride, and Scope as highly significant predictors of sales price ( < 0.001), with Length of Croup, Trot Elasticity, Trot Balance, and Take-off Direction also significa...
Bosch K, Zsoldos RR, Hartig A, Licka T.The influence of soft tissue structures, including ligaments spanning one or more intervertebral junctions and the nuchal ligament, on motion of the equine cervical joints remains unclear. The present study addressed this using four post-mortem horse specimens extending from head to withers with all ligaments intact. Three-dimensional kinematics was obtained from markers on the head and bone-anchored markers on each cervical and the first thoracic vertebra during rotation, lateral bending, flexion and extension of the whole head, and neck segment. Yaw, pitch, and roll angles in 8 cervical join...
Sikorska U, Maśko M, Rey B, Domino M.Water treadmill (WT) exercise is used for horses' rehabilitation and training. Given that each training needs to be individualized for each horse, the goal is to assess whether infrared thermography (IRT) can serve as a non-invasive tool for daily monitoring of individual training and rehabilitation progress in horses undergoing WT exercise. Fifteen Polish Warmblood school horses were subjected to five WT sessions: dry treadmill, fetlock-depth water, fetlock-depth water with artificial river (AR), carpal-depth water, and carpal-depth water with AR. IRT images, collected pre- and post-exercise,...
Taylor DEF, Lancaster BE, Ellis AD.Visual observation to record grass intake is time-consuming and labour-intensive. Technological methods, such as activity monitors, have been used but only record head position. This study aimed to evaluate sound recorders attached to headcollars to acoustically measure grass intake behaviour in horses as a low-cost alternative method. Pilot Study 1 assessed 6 × 11 min periods comparing bites/min and chews/min between video footage (VD) and sound recorders (SR). Grazing was identified audibly (SR) and visually through soundwave pattern software (SR). Chew rates (SR: 47 ± 5 chews/min, VD: 43 ...
Shaffer SK, Medjaouri O, Swenson B, Eliason T, Nicolella DP.The ability to quantify equine kinematics is essential for clinical evaluation, research, and performance feedback. However, current methods are challenging to implement. This study presents a motion capture methodology for horses, where three-dimensional, full-body kinematics are calculated without instrumentation on the animal, offering a more scalable and labor-efficient approach when compared with traditional techniques. Kinematic trajectories are calculated from multi-camera video data. First, a neural network identifies skeletal landmarks (markers) in each camera view and the 3D location...
Becard B, Sapone M, Martin P, Hanne-Poujade S, Babu A, Hébert C, Joly P, Bertucci W, Houel N.The saddle's adaptability to the rider-horse pair's biomechanics is essential for equestrian comfort and performance. However, approaches to dynamic evaluation of saddle fitting are still limited in equestrian conditions. The purpose of this study is to propose a method of quantifying saddle adaptation to the rider-horse pair in motion. Eight rider-horse pairs were tested using four similar saddles with small modifications (seat depth, flap width, and front panel thickness). Seven inertial sensors were attached to the riders and horses to measure the active range of motion of the horses' forel...
Staiger EA, Pereira de Toledo A, Rizzato Paschoal V, Patterson Rosa L.Horse gaits are a trait highly selected and prized in diverse breeds. Meanwhile, gait classification relies mostly on subjective visual observations by evaluators. Noninvasive equipment able to track locomotion in horses and output quantitative gait parameters is not only helpful in evaluating locomotion but also in designating gait types and its variations. Equine locomotion pattern designation based solely on observer evaluation can be subjective; therefore, utilizing tools that provide quantitative results and track individual limb movements, especially during intermediate-speed gaits, can ...
Choi Y, Jung Y, Wickens CL, Yoon M.Horses are social animals, with early life experiences playing a crucial role in their physiological and behavioral development. This study explored the influence of herd dynamics and foundational training on behavioral and hormonal changes in weaned foals. We examined 13 six-month-old Quarter Horse foals over a three-month training period, performing behavioral observations, temperament assessments, and hormone analyses at the start, midpoint, and end of the training. The results indicated that affiliative behaviors decreased significantly, while agonistic behaviors first increased and then d...
Vallejo-Soto P, Dorado J, Herrera-García R, Álvarez-Delgado C, Gómez-Laguna J, Santiago Á, Manrique M, González Ariza A, León Jurado JM....Assisted reproductive techniques are often extrapolated from horses to donkeys, despite poorer fertility outcomes in jennies. This issue has been attributed to unknown uterine species-specific differences. This study compared, through histomorphometry, the endometrium of jennies and mares. Endometrial biopsies (N = 12) were taken from reproductively sound jennies (n = 6) and mares (n = 6) in estrus. Histomorphometric analysis evaluated luminal (LE, µm) and glandular epithelium height (GE, µm), glandular lumen diameter (LD, µm), glandular area (GA, µm), the number of glands (#G), and glandu...
Liu J, Yang Y, Wen L, Wen M, Zeng Y, Ren W, Yao X.The Kazakh horse is an outstanding dual-purpose dairy and meat breed in China, characterized by early maturity, tolerance to coarse feed, and strong stress resistance. Previous studies have examined gene expression patterns in the testicular tissues of Kazakh horses at different age stages, but the molecular mechanisms regulating testicular sexual maturation remain unclear. To address this gap, this study conducted HE staining and in-depth transcriptome sequencing analysis of Kazakh horse testicular tissue before and after sexual maturity. HE staining showed that the G3 group had well-formed s...
Santana ML, Bignardi AB, Faria RAS, Silva JAIV.Thermal load is a major welfare and performance concern for athletic horses, as physical exertion increases internal heat production. Although several phenotypic strategies have been developed to mitigate its effects, the genetic basis of thermal tolerance in horses remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to (1) evaluate the influence of thermal indices on the racing performance of Brazilian Quarter Horses, and (2) investigate the genetic basis of thermal tolerance through the estimation of genetic parameters across temperature gradients. We analyzed 21,857 racing-time (RT) records from 5...
Jafari H, Abebe BK, Cong L, Ahmed Z, Zhaofei W, Sun M, Muhatai G, Chuzhao L, Dang R.The domestication and selective breeding of horses have profoundly influenced the emergence of adaptive traits and stress resistance mechanisms, shaping modern equine populations. This comprehensive review examines the genomic foundations of these traits, emphasizing recent advancements in high-throughput sequencing technologies and bioinformatics. These tools have elucidated the genetic underpinnings of key characteristics such as endurance, speed, metabolic efficiency, and disease resistance. Importantly, the review identifies and connects gene variants associated with thermoregulation, immu...
Libak Haugaard S, Schneider MJ, Nissen SD, Saljic A, Fruergaard Andersen P, Carstensen H, Hopster-Iversen C, Jespersen T, Larsen S, Buhl R.Mitochondrial respiration sustains the high energy demands of endurance exercise, yet the extent to which atrial, ventricular, and skeletal muscle mitochondria adapt remains uncertain. At the same time, endurance athletes face an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), but the role of cardiac metabolism in arrhythmia susceptibility is poorly understood. Here, we compared mitochondrial respiration in skeletal muscle and across all four cardiac chambers between trained and untrained racehorses ( = 34) to investigate adaptations associated with long-term endurance exercise. We further examine...
Friend MM, McGaffigan EM, Hall SM, Staniar WB, Smarsh DN.Equine blood samples are often collected in uncontrolled, distant environments and stored for later analysis. Objective: This study aimed to determine how sample storage methods influence complete blood count (CBC) parameters, hypothesizing that temperature and time elapsed from collection to analysis would affect CBC parameters. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 10 healthy Quarter Horse mares (age: 13 ± 4.5 years old) and stored in EDTA tubes at room temperature (22°C), above ice (8°C), refrigerated (4°C), or in contact with ice (2°C). The IDEXX ProcyteDx was used to obtain CBCs...
Amaral TM, Ramos PDCA, Silva RA, Ferreira MM, Filho EDS.In the context of Brazilian equestrian sports, the Quarter Horse (QH) breed has the third largest population of registered horses and stands out for its numerous abilities in various disciplines. Studies on equine health and athletic performance parameters are scarce, especially involving molecular markers. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the differential expression of microRNAs and target genes involved in metabolic pathways of exercise and to assess hematological and clinical changes in 10 horses (Equus caballus Linnaeus) of the QH breed under different physiological conditions. H...
Bachmann M, Bochnia M, Wensch-Dorendorf M, Glatter M, Schäfer S, Simroth K, Greef JM, Zeyner A.Feed intake and digestibility are important indicators for sufficient nutrient supply, but they can be assessed only to a limited extent in horses on pasture. In horses, feed intake is embedded in a complex behavioural pattern of searching, selecting, chewing and almost constant movement called foraging. The objectives of this study were to estimate organic matter intake (OMI) and organic matter digestibility (OMD) in six horses, 24 h/day on pasture, based on plant alkanes and synthetic n-hexatriacontane (C) excretion. A multi-compartmental model was fitted to the marker excretion and the C m...
Bourassi S, Jack H, Florczyk A.A 4-year-old Arabian cross paint mare was referred for evaluation of chronic mucopurulent discharge and epiphora of the left eye. Ophthalmic and radiographic evaluations confirmed distal nasolacrimal duct atresia with absence of the nasolacrimal orifice. Initial minimally invasive treatments, including guidewire-assisted catheterization and diode laser photoablation, were unsuccessful. Definitive treatment was achieved using a Fogarty arterial embolectomy catheter under standing sedation. Controlled balloon inflation and deflation enabled progressive dilation of the obstructed duct, and a surg...
Yuan X, Yao X, Zeng Y, Wang J, Ren W, Wang T, Li X, Yang L, Yang X, Meng J.The effects of physical exercise on protein expression and metabolites in the plasma exosomes of horses are not yet clear. This study aims to elucidate the effects of exercise training on the expression of plasma extracellular vesicle proteins and metabolites in horses through multi-omics analysis, providing reference indicators for the training and performance evaluation of horses. Methods: Eight healthy 3-year-old horses were selected for the study, with four untrained horses as the control group and four trained horses as the training group. After conducting proteomic and metabolomic an...
