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.
Saul A, Pritchard P, Shrubb J, Robinson N, Stavisky J.Feeling undervalued, having limited opportunities to utilise clinical skills and lack of career progression have been identified as factors negatively affecting the job satisfaction and retention of small animal registered veterinary nurses (RVNs). The aim of this study was to explore the roles and activities of equine veterinary nurses, and the barriers and facilitators associated with their professional progression. Methods: An anonymous, cross-sectional online questionnaire was distributed to all RVNs and student veterinary nurses working with equids in VetPartners practices. The questions ...
Skelton G, Wulster-Bills K, Ciamillo S, Anishchenko S, van Eps A.To characterize healthy foot perfusion patterns under static weight-bearing load using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET. Unassigned: In 8 healthy adult light-breed horses (from May 2021 through September 2024), 18F-FDG was injected while horses stood continuously weight-bearing (CWB) for a 20-minute scan period. A repeat scan was then performed after 20 minutes of ambulation. On a separate occasion, scans were performed with ambulation allowed between injection and scanning (Amb_Control). 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake was quantified via metabolic volume and standardized uptake values for c...
Wonghanchao T, Sanigavatee K, Pongnarudech P, Suchairat T, Jitsopin S, Wanichayanon B, Rattanakarn D, Jantakanangkoon P, Jaraswutiwong T, Kalanuson N....Horses competing in eventing competitions encounter significant challenges that increase their risk of severe injuries and metabolic disorders. Numerous studies have focused on the risk of such injuries and disorders during the cross-country segment. While one study has examined autonomic responses during this segment, research on these responses across all three phases of competition, particularly during one-day events, is still limited. The objective of this study was to analyse the autonomic responses of horses by measuring heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) during three exerc...
Huang Q, Ren W, Shan D, Su Y, Li Z, Li L, Wang R, Ma S, Wang J.This study aimed to compare blood samples from Yili horses with outstanding and average performance in 5000 m races through transcriptome sequencing, identify key differentially expressed genes, lncRNAs, and circRNAs, as well as related enriched pathways, and elucidate their regulatory networks. This study used six healthy four-year-old Yili stallions as subjects, divided into an excellent group (E group, = 3) and an ordinary group (O group, = 3) based on their 5000-m race performance. Blood RNA-Seq technology was used to analyze differentially expressed mRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs. A total...
da Silva GM, Navas C, Carvalho MB, Sampaio Y, Rocha MN, Gomes-Silva A, de Matos Guedes HL, Cunha L, Castilho LR, da Silva JL, Felicori LF.Horse immunoglobulins have been utilized for over a century in serotherapy to treat venomous animal bites and various other conditions. However, molecular-level information about these immunoglobulins remains limited, particularly regarding immunoglobulin lambda light chains (Igλ), which constitute over 90 % of circulating antibodies. Despite the sequencing of the equine genome, the International ImMunoGeneTics information system (IMGT) has not yet annotated Igλ in its database, restricting the analysis of the horse antibody repertoire. In this study, we analyzed the equine Igλ repertoire...
Warren P, Mc Crudden D, O'Reilly S, Mc Eleney C.Macroalgae have been used in supplements and feedstuffs for equines and other animals for many years. Health-related attributes of macroalgal bioactive compounds, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anthelmintic effects, have been largely reported in non-equine species to date. Given the prevalence of resistance to antimicrobial and anthelmintic drugs, sourcing naturally occurring alternatives is of high priority in the current One Health strategy. Nutritionally, seaweed contains a broad range of macro and micro nutrients. These nutrients, combined with the bioactive compounds such as...
Miguel EL, Carneiro MFL, Griffo ALC, Baatsch Nascimento F, Dória RGS, Corrêa RR, Celeghini ECC.Vaginal varicosities in mares are rarely reported, although considered relatively common. Clinical recognition can be challenging, especially during early pregnancy, due to the intermittent nature of the bleeding. This report aims to describe the diagnostic approach, clinical evolution, and treatment of a case of vaginal varicosity in a pregnant mare, emphasizing a practical and minimally invasive method. A 9-year-old Brazilian Sport Horse mare with intermittent vaginal hemorrhage underwent clinical evaluation, showing no abnormalities. Vaginoscopy with a rigid endoscope revealed varicose vein...
Dalla Costa E, Bovo M.Flowchart illustrating interdisciplinary collaboration in animal research. A horse symbolizes the focus, with pathways connecting physiology, behavior, and environment to decision-making and regulatory indications. Data analysis, system understanding, and data interpretation lead to feedback and warning. Visual elements include sun, clouds, a light bulb, gears, and a graph.
Key K, Berg K, Kirkegaard J, Andresen KR, Skov Hansen S.Computer vision-based algorithms offer accessible alternatives for equine gait analysis but require thorough assessment under diverse conditions. Objective: To evaluate a proprietary vision-based algorithm's reliability in measuring vertical displacement signals (VDS) at the eye, withers and croup, alongside groundline estimation, for horses trotting on straight lines and circles under field conditions. Methods: Cross-sectional comparative study evaluating agreement, variability and reliability of a markerless computer vision algorithm. Methods: We obtained 67 handheld iPhone recordings from 3...
Hanousek K, O'Hara V, Riddell DO, Piercy RJ.In Thoroughbred horses, a highly prevalent short interspersed nuclear element (SINE) mutation in the myostatin gene (MSTN) promoter influences circulating myostatin concentration and is associated with muscle morphology, fracture risk and optimal race distance. Our prior data reveal that within horses there is substantial variation in serum myostatin concentration, particularly in MSTN heterozygotes and wild type horses but it was unclear whether such variation relates to within-horse differences or to environmental or temporal effects. Here we report the intra-horse consistency of circulating...
Takahashi K, Mukai K, Takahashi Y, Ebisuda Y, Sugiyama F, Hatta H, Kitaoka Y.To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying oxygen-dependent regulation of skeletal muscle adaptations, eight Thoroughbred horses performed 2 min of exercise at a velocity corresponding to 95% maximal O2 uptake under a normoxic condition, while using inspired O2 levels of 0.21 (normoxia), 0.26 (hyperoxia) or 0.16 (hypoxia). At the end of the exercise, arterial O2 saturation was significantly higher with hyperoxia and lower with hypoxia than with normoxia. However, no significant difference in plasma lactate or muscle glycogen concentrations was observed across the O2 conditions. A metabol...
Wnuk E, Janicka W, Stachurska A, Owerczuk R, Łuszczyński J.Differences in the ranges and capacities of sensory modalities cause horses to perceive their surroundings differently than humans. To date, the horses' sense of smell has been studied mainly regarding social and reproductive behaviour. The role of olfaction in horse management and use also seems to be of utmost importance. The aim of this study was to determine the response to a scent of different intensities by horses of different sexes and types (warmblood horses vs ponies). The study involved 21 adult mares and geldings, of which 15 subjects learned how to complete the required task and we...
Solanki O, Talluri TR, Jhamb D, Kumar S, Pargi KK, Paul N, Kutty M, Dedar RK, Meena M, Gaur M, Bhattacharya TK.The current study evaluated the effect of L-Carnitine supplementation to the stallion semen extender on pre-freeze and post-thaw semen quality and oxidative parameters in Marwari breed stallions. Methods: For this purpose, thirty-six semen ejaculates (6 ejaculates from each stallion) were collected using an artificial vagina (AV) from six adult Marwari stallions. The gel free semen was extended with different concentrations of L-Carnitine (LC) i.e. 0 mM (control), 2.5 mM (T1), 5 mM (T2) and 10 mM (T3). Pre-freeze and post-thaw semen evaluations were conducted for various seminal attributes and...
Farias BJP, Furtado DA, Barbosa do Nascimento JW, Neto JPL, de Morais FTL, Santos TLS, Vasconcelos AS, Silva RC, Alves JIP, Mcmanus C, Silveira RMF....This study presents the development and proof of concept of a wearable monitoring system designed to measure respiratory rate (RR) and coat surface temperature (CST) in horses. The device integrates an embedded system based on an ESP-32 microcontroller equipped with sensors for RR (strain gauge) and CST (DS18B20) Data are transmitted in real time via Wi-Fi and stored locally on SD cards. The system was validated against conventional manual methods under field conditions. Agreement between methods was evaluated using Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) and Bland-Altman plots. Results show...
Schumacher A, Merle R, Stöckle S, Gehlen H.Polo is an equestrian sport with a long tradition, but to date there is little scientific data on health risks, particularly lameness. In an international online survey, 145 polo players (47.6% female, 52.4% male) with an average of 13.4 years of playing experience were questioned about lameness risks and influencing factors. The respondents reported a median of six horses, most frequently mares as their best-performing and healthiest animals. Horse age was significantly associated with the risk of lameness, increasing by approximately 19.5% per year (OR = 1.195; = 0.030) and differed dependi...
Taylor DEF, Lancaster BE, Ellis AD.There are few 24 h time budgets for horses, especially for domesticated horses kept at pasture. Most time budgets utilise short-term scan sampling, which can miss behaviours. This study aimed to assess the seasonal variation in continuous behaviour of domesticated Icelandic horses at pasture during winter and spring in fair weather. Eight Icelandic horses (11.25 ± 9.19 years; 7 geldings, 1 stallion) were observed in a 26 acre field. Herd location and individual behaviour were continuously observed during 3 h periods amounting to 3 × 24 h in winter and late spring, compiled over 43 days (~21 ...
d'Ingeo S, Siniscalchi M, Quaranta A, Cousillas H, Hausberger M.Current research on acoustic encoding of emotional content suggests that there are universal cues, allowing for decoding within and across taxa. This is particularly important for human-animal relationships, wherein domestic animals are supposed to be particularly efficient in decoding human emotions. Here we investigated whether the decoding of the emotional content in human voices shared universal acoustic properties, or whether it could be influenced by experience. Emotional human voices were presented to two populations of horses, in which behavioral, cardiac, and brain responses were meas...
Serighelli-Júnior G, Strugava L, de Oliveira Franco JD, Kulik K, Dornbusch PT, Machado M, Moreno JCD.To describe the detailed anatomy of the equine thoracoabdominal region and to compare the accuracy of ultrasound-guided versus blind intercostal nerve injection techniques, targeting the thoracic intercostal nerves (T12-T18) in equine cadavers. Methods: Randomized, blinded, cadaveric study. Methods: Eight fresh adult equine cadavers. Methods: Eight horse cadavers were used: one in phase I (436 kg; 4 years old) for anatomic landmarks identification and seven in phase II [420 (317-560 kg); 16 (3-22 years old) [median (minimum-maximum)] for comparative study. In phase I, dissections were performe...
Taned M, Zandi MB, Salek Ardestani S, Abdoli M, Spangler ML.Race performance in Thoroughbred horses is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Understanding their genetic architecture is essential for designing effective breeding programs. Objective: This study aimed to estimate genetic parameters and trends for key performance traits in Iranian Thoroughbred racehorses. Methods: Performance data, including race completion time (RCT), rank at the end of the competition (REC), and average speed (AS), were obtained from the Iranian Equestrian Federation (2002-2021). Pedigree data from 14,391 individuals were analyzed using CFC software. Gene...
Giannone C, Atallah E, Dalla Costa E, Benetti E, Santolini E, Tassinari P, Bovo M.Technology for monitoring behaviour and health of horses has evolved significantly, presenting new opportunities and challenges in equine management and healthcare. This scoping review consolidates recent findings on wearable sensors and non-contact technologies, discussing their benefits and limitations. Among these advancements, heart rate monitors stand out as a key point in equine monitoring. By tracking heart rate variability, devices help monitor cardiac autonomic regulation, optimise training regimens and allow early detection of cardiac issues, although accuracy can be compromised by i...
McPeek JL, Menarim B, Sponseller B, McClendon M, Adam EN, Adams AA, Slone S, Page AE.Subjective lameness evaluations are critical components of equine musculoskeletal health assessments. Objective approaches can supplement diagnosis and may be preferred for specific cases and scientific purposes. Objective: Evaluate agreements between subjective evaluation of two veterinarians and standard clinical interpretations from outputs of an AI-based smartphone application (Sleip; AI-SPA), the inertial measurement unit (IMU) system Equinosis Q Lameness Locator (LL), and the IMU system Equisym (ES). Methods: In vivo experiment. Methods: Twenty-five research horses (10-30 years) were e...
Purnama MTE, Fikri F, Çalışkan H, Wicaksono AP.Racehorses endure high physical demands, which often result in musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and reduced performance. Although conventional therapies are effective, competition-related drug regulations restrict their use. Acupuncture, rooted in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, has gained interest as a non-pharmacological alternative for managing pain, enhancing recovery, and promoting overall welfare in equine athletes. This review aims to critically evaluate the current evidence on the efficacy of acupuncture in racehorses, focusing on musculoskeletal pain management, post-exercise r...
McCrae P, Spong H, Moorehead J, Pearson W.A smart textile device has been developed for the recording of electrocardiograms (ECGs) in horses; however, the utility of this device for long-duration heart rate variability (HRV) monitoring and detection of physiological arrhythmias is unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study was to validate a smart textile device for HRV over long durations (6 h) in resting horses. ECGs were recorded simultaneously via the Myant Skiin Equine textile device and a reference device (Televet 100) in 12 horses. ECGs were evaluated by a blinded observer for arrhythmias, and HRV metrics were calculated. ...
Stokes C, Natalini CC, Wills R, Eddy A, Mochal-King C, O'Shea C, Fontenot RL.To evaluate the analgesic properties and adverse effects of liposomal bupivacaine administered via caudal epidural in horses. Methods: Pharmacodynamic study. Methods: A total of 10 healthy adult horses. Methods: Liposomal bupivacaine (10 mL; 1.3%) was administered into the caudal epidural space via an indwelling epidural catheter inserted to a length of 15 cm. Mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) testing with pressure algometry was used to measure analgesia at four anatomic locations for 72 h following injection. Physical examinations (including rectal temperature, heart rate, respirat...
Lepage H, de Chaisemartin C, Spadaro Rosselo A, Leroy H, Lepage O.To describe and report clinical outcomes after transcutaneous guttural pouch (GP) catheterization (TGPC) in standing horses. Methods: Ex vivo study and case series. Methods: One cadaver head, records of 10 normal horses and 14 horses treated with TGPC. Methods: Relevant anatomical landmarks were determined through dissection of one cadaveric specimen and 10 normal radiographic studies. Records of horses diagnosed with empyema or mycosis and treated with standing TGPC were reviewed for complications that occurred during or after the operation. Results: Ex vivo and radiological studies identifie...
Rhodes AD, McCoy AM, Stewart MC, Gutierrez-Nibeyro SD.To evaluate postoperative racing performance of a population of Standardbred racehorses following arthroscopic removal of an osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) lesion of the femoropatellar joint. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: A total of 45 client-owned Standardbred racehorses. Methods: OCD lesions were measured and graded using the length of the subchondral bone defect from preoperative radiographs. Postoperative racing results were obtained from the United States Trotting Association, and follow-up owner surveys were conducted. A control group of contemporaneous paternal siblings free o...
Hellige M, Schröder C, Seehusen F, Rohn K, Geburek F.Computed tomographic myelography (CTM) is diagnostic for extradural spinal cord compression but knowledge about vertebral ratios from transverse images in flexion and normal position of unaffected horses is lacking. Objective: To compare the ratios of the cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of the spinal cord, the vertebral canal and of the contrast enhanced dural tube on transverse CTM images at C3-C4 in neutral and flexed positions in unaffected Warmbloods. Methods: CTM was performed in 13 neurologically unaffected Warmbloods in neutral and flexed cervical vertebral column positions. Ratios were ca...
Melanie Catanchin CS, Bell J, Labens R, Quinn CT.Detomidine hydrochloride is an alpha adrenoceptor agonist that is commonly used in equine practice to provide sedation and analgesia for horses undergoing standing procedures. Reported effects following intravenous administration of detomidine in horses include bradycardia, bradyarrhythmias, transient hypertension, sweating, piloerection and dose-dependent sedation, ataxia and analgesia. This case report describes a novel response characterised by tachycardia and profound muscle tremors following the administration of intravenous detomidine to a horse undergoing a standing procedure.
Moghbeli Damane M, Ayatollahi Mehrgardi A, Esmailizadeh A, Momen M.Inbreeding is caused by mating between related individuals and is associated with reduced fitness and performance. Generally, in the horse population, inbreeding is caused by geographically restricted areas and intensive natural or artificial selection. For this reason, assessing accurate inbreeding is essential for developing and implementing effective breeding strategies aimed at preserving genetic diversity and reducing the harmful consequences of inbreeding. One of the most accurate approaches for assessing genomic inbreeding and autozygosity is through the analysis of runs of homozygosity...
Papini L, de Preux M, Pauwels F, Missotten J, Van der Vekens E.(1) Background: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is increasingly used in equine practice to diagnose musculoskeletal injuries, including fractures in the distal limb. However, limited detail in the thick cortical bone of the metacarpus/metatarsus hinders accurate diagnosis. In human medicine, the addition of aluminum filters (AF) enhanced image quality while reducing radiation exposure. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of AF on image quality in CBCT scans of equine distal limbs. (2) Methods: Adult equine cadaver limbs were scanned with a mobile CBCT unit using varying tube currents ...
