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Topic:Horse Management
Horse management encompasses the practices and techniques used to care for and maintain horses in various settings, including stables, pastures, and performance environments. This area of study covers a range of activities such as feeding, grooming, housing, exercise, and health monitoring to ensure the well-being and optimal performance of horses. Effective horse management requires an understanding of equine behavior, nutrition, and physiology, as well as the ability to implement routine care practices and respond to health issues. This page gathers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methods, strategies, and outcomes associated with different horse management practices.
Changes in Hoof Shape During a Seven-Week Period When Horses Were Shod Versus Barefoot. This crossover study tested the hypothesis that hoof shape would differ after a seven-week period of horses ( = 11) wearing shoes versus barefoot. An ANOVA appropriate to a crossover design was used to assess the differences in the change in hoof shape over the seven-week period and significance was set at < 0.05. Results are displayed as the mean difference for horses when shod versus barefoot ± the SEM for the left (L) and right (R) front hooves. Proximal hoof circumference (PHC) decreased when horses were shod and barefoot, but this decrease was greater when horses were shod (L -0.65 Â...
Bioformation of boldenone and related precursors/metabolites in equine feces and urine, with relevance to doping control. Boldenone (1-dehydrotestosterone) is an exogenous anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) but is also known to be endogenous in the entire male horse and potentially formed by microbes in voided urine, the gastrointestinal tract, or feed resulting in its detection in urine samples. In this study, equine fecal and urine samples were incubated in the presence of selected stable isotope labeled AAS precursors to investigate whether microbial activity could result in 1-dehydrogenation, in particular the formation of boldenone. Fecal matter was initially selected for investigation because of its high mic...
Effects of Horse Housing System on Energy Balance during Post-Exercise Recovery. This study examined the effects of two housing systems (free-range and box stalls) on recovery of energy balance after competition-like exercise in Standardbred horses. Eight adult geldings (mean age 11 years) were used. The study had a change-over design, with the box stall (BOX) and free-range group housing (FreeR) treatments each run for 21 days. The horses were fed forage ad libitum and performed two similar race-like exercise tests (ET), on day 7 and day 14 in each treatment. Forage intake was recorded during the last 6-7 days in each period. Blood samples were collected before, during, a...
Seasonal and Diurnal Variation in Water-Soluble Carbohydrate Concentrations of Repeatedly Defoliated Red and White Clovers in Central Kentucky. Nonstructural carbohydrates of pasture plants, comprising water-soluble carbohydrates (WSCs) and starch, may contribute to excessive consumption of rapidly fermentable carbohydrates by grazing horses. Seasonal and diurnal variation in WSCs were studied in red (Trifolium pratense L.) and white clovers (Trifolium repens L.) subjected to a typical management regime of rotationally grazed horse pastures. Two red and two white clover cultivars from monoculture plots were harvested after 4 weeks of growth from April to October of 2015, in the morning and afternoon of each harvest date. Water-soluble...
Identification of levers for improving dead equine traceability: A survey of French equine owners’ perception of regulatory procedures following their animal’s death. The core of the French equine traceability system is the census database (SIRE) managed by the French horse and riding institute (IFCE). Following the death of an equine, owners are legally obliged to take charge of cadaver removal by contacting a rendering company directly or after registration on the national ATM-équidés ANGEE association (ATM) website, which proposes negotiated prices for removal and recording of the death in the SIRE database. Despite these offers, ATM notes few users. Owners are also legally obliged to return the equine's passport to the IFCE, but only 30-40 % of owners...
Using Web-Based Surveys to Explore Equine Industry Practices and Future Research Needs. Social media are an ever-present part of daily life and for researchers and may be a useful platform to increase potential participant pools for Web-based surveys. Although survey usage to evaluate practices in the equine community is not new, the use of social media to advertise and enhance the usage of Web-based surveys is novel. In 2018, the University of Minnesota (UMN) equine Extension program developed and administered two Web-based surveys through the UMN equine Extension Facebook page and monthly e-newsletter. Surveys focused on industry practices and motivating factors behind the usag...
Re-evaluation of the pharmacokinetics of xylazine administered to Thoroughbred horses. Xylazine is widely used worldwide as a short-acting sedative in general equine and racing practice. In the UK, although it has a legitimate use during training, equine anti-doping rules state it is a prohibited substance on race day. The aim of the study was to produce a detection time (DT) to better inform European veterinary surgeons so that xylazine can be used appropriately under regulatory rules. Previous publications have various limitations pertaining to analysis method, particularly for plasma and limited length of time of sample collection. In this study, pharmacokinetic data were pro...
Positive Reinforcement-Based Training for Self-Loading of Meat Horses Reduces Loading Time and Stress-Related Behavior. The present work aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a self-loading training using positive reinforcement on stress-related behaviors shown by meat horses during loading procedures into a truck. Thirty-two meat horses ( = 18; = 14; 6 month-old) were included in the study. All horses had limited interactions with the farmer and were not used to be restrained nor lead by halter. Horses were divided in two groups: Control Group (C; = 14) and Training Group (T; = 18). T horses were trained to self-load: in order to teach the horses to enter into the truck, a targeting training technique throughou...
The changing face of veterinary practice. This month, David Steer discusses the impact of practice expansion on long-standing clients.
Mechanical nociceptive thresholds in endurance horses. Alteration of limb sensitivity is forbidden in equine sports but difficult to enforce. We aimed to develop an objective field method to assess mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) in endurance horses. Methods: A remotely controlled pneumatic actuator (1 mm tip) was used to measure forelimb pastern MNT in 108 endurance horses. Results: Median (IQR) MNT at rest was 1.9 N (0.9-3.5). Icing had no significant effect on limb sensitivity. MNT measured at weekly intervals increased from week 1 (1.2 N (0.6-1.8)) to week 3 (1.9 N (1.2-2.8)) (P<0.05). In 17 horses without impaired sensitivity, MNT ...
Characterization of Feeding, Sport Management, and Routine Care of the Chilean Corralero Horse during Rodeo Season. The aim of this study was to characterize the routine care, training, feeding, and nutritional management of Chilean corralero horses that participated in the rodeos of the Chilean Rodeo Federation. Forty-nine horse farms between the Metropolitan (33°26'16″ south (S) 70°39'01″ west (W)) and Los Lagos Regions (41°28'18″ S 72°56'12″ W), were visited and a survey was conducted on the management and feeding of the Chilean horse. Of the horses which participated in at least one official rodeo in the 2014-2015 season, 275 horses were included in the study. The survey consisted of five qu...
Perceptions of Whether Stereotypic Off-the-Track Thoroughbreds are Harder to Rehome Than Nonstereotypic OTTBs-A Pilot Survey Study. Several studies have indicated higher incidence of stereotypic behaviors (STBs) in Thoroughbreds. The aftercare of Off-the-Track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs) has received increased attention in the last decade; however, research on the impact of STBs on placement of OTTBs after their racing career is limited. Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) accredits centers throughout North America that work to rehome OTTBs in a safe, welfare-friendly manner. Although the authors have suspected that having an STB would make OTTBs more challenging to rehome, this hypothesis remains to be empirically tested. The...
[Ethics in Swiss equestrian sports: Is animal welfare adequately implemented?]. Animal welfare in equestrian sports is a very current and important topic for animal right groups as well as for the Swiss association for equestrian sports "Schweizerischer Verband für Pferdesport (SVPS)". The penalty commission "Sanktionskomission (SAKO)" of the SVPS reported only few to none cases of infringements of animal welfare provision on horses at a time in the past few years. This fact was criticised several times by different animal right groups in Switzerland. Therefore a survey was sent in 2017 to 544 active officials (horse show judges) of the SVPS. Overall, 146 answered questi...
The Effect of an Irregular Feeding Schedule on Equine Behavior. We used eight horses 1 to 12 years old to investigate the influence of irregular feeding times on the behavior. The animals were housed in individual boxes, fed with hay and barley-oat mixture at three set times; 05:00 (earlier feeding) on Thursdays, 07:00 (delayed feeding) on Saturdays and 06:00 (regular feeding) on other weekdays. Direct observations took place in 10 continuous weeks; they started 1 h prior to feeding and lasted for 2 h. Long-term behaviors (i.e. hay and concentrate consumption, resting) were recorded every 5 min, short-term behaviors (i.e. kicking, pawing the ground, comfo...
Demographic Factors Associated with Prince Edward Island Horse Farm Owner Awareness of the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Equines. The objectives of this study were to determine the proportion of owners of horse farms in Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada that were aware of the (CODE) and determine demographic factors associated with awareness. A questionnaire was completed by owners at fifty horse farms. In total, 38% of the farm owners were unaware of the CODE, 48% were aware, but were not familiar with its content and only 14% used the CODE when making decisions on caring for their horses. Owners of private stables were more aware of the CODE than owners of boarding stables. The CODE awareness varied between the three...
Natural Horse Boarding Vs Traditional Stable: A Comparison of Hormonal, Hematological and Immunological Parameters. In the equestrian world, two different types of management can be distinguished: traditional management and natural boarding. The aim of this research was to compare hormonal, hematological and immunological parameters of 47 horses kept in these two different managements. Blood and horsehair of the horses were sampled to determine DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) and cortisol concentration through RIA. Moreover, blood count was conducted, and flow cytometry was employed to phenotype lymphocyte subpopulations. Results showed that, in horsehair, DHEA concentration was significantly higher in natura...
Mutual interactions between cognition and welfare: The horse as an animal model. Research in cognitive psychology has repeatedly shown how much cognition and emotions are mutually related to one another. Psychological disorders are associated with cognitive (attention, memory and judgment) biases and chronic pain may affect attention, learning or memory. Laboratory studies have provided useful insights about the processes involved but observations about spontaneous animal models, living in different stress/welfare conditions may help understand further how cognition and welfare are interrelated in the « real world ». Domestic horses constitute such a model as they live i...
An application of temperature mapping of horse’s back for leisure horse-rider-matching. Leisure riding is a popular way of using horses however, unlike sport or racing horses, those are mostly not associated with one rider with high skills. Constant overload of equine musculoskeletal system causes pathologies, which are affecting horse mobility and decreases the horse-rider communication. The aim was to propose the new scoring system of thermograph analysis as an aspect of differences in heat distributions on horseback before and after leisure ridings. The study was conducted on sixteen Polish warmblood horses, scanned with a non-contact thermographic camera. Heat pattern of t...
Housing Horses in Individual Boxes Is a Challenge with Regard to Welfare. Horses are mainly housed in individual boxes. This housing system is reported to be highly detrimental with regard to welfare and could trigger the expression of four behavioural indicators of a compromised welfare state: stereotypies, aggressiveness toward humans, unresponsiveness to the environment, and stress-related behaviours. The aim of this study was to identify housing and management factors that could alleviate the detrimental effects of individual boxes on welfare. A total of 187 horses were observed over 50 days by scan sampling. The impact of 12 factors was investigated on the expr...
Osteochondral fragments of the pastern joint at the origin of the collateral ligament of the distal sesamoid bone: performance after arthroscopic removal (2000-2015). To describe the presence of fragments in the dorsal proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint and to report flat racing performance after surgical treatment. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Thirty-nine affected thoroughbred flat racehorses and 169 age- and sex-matched maternal siblings. Methods: Medical records from 2000 to 2015 were reviewed for thoroughbred horses that underwent arthroscopic removal of osteochondral fragments in the dorsal aspect of the PIP joint. The horses' 2-year-old year, 3-year-old year, and career athletic performances were compared with their matched siblings. Resul...
Influence of diet fortification on body composition and apparent digestion in mature horses consuming a low-quality forage. Stock-type mares (498 ± 9 kg BW; 12 ± 7 yr) were used in a completely randomized design for 56 d to test the hypothesis that concentrate fortification improves apparent digestion and enhances lean mass over the topline. Horses were stratified by age, BW, and BCS and randomly assigned to either a custom pelleted concentrate (CON; = 13), or an iso-caloric, iso-nitrogenous pellet that included amino acid fortification, complexed trace minerals, and fermentation metabolites (FORT; = 10). Concentrate was offered at a total 0.75% BW/d (as-fed) twice daily, and diets were designed to meet or exce...
Assessment of costs and insurance policies for referral treatment of equine colic. Colic is the most common emergency problem in horses. The aims of this study were to survey costs of different referral treatments and to review insurance policies relevant to horses with colic. Data were collected retrospectively from nine equine hospitals for case costs, categorised into four different outcomes: admitted and euthanased; euthanased during or immediately after surgery; medical treatment and survived more than 24 hours; and surgical treatment and survived more than 24 hours. Data from five UK equine insurance companies were extracted and analysed using a standardised case e...
The importance of anthelmintic efficacy monitoring: results of an outreach effort. Anthelmintic resistance in equine cyathostomin parasites is widespread. A surveillance-based parasite control program using fecal egg counts (FECs) and fecal egg count reduction tests (FECRTs) to decrease anthelmintic use and monitor treatment efficacy is recommended. The purpose of this study was to examine shifts in equine parasite control program management practices via a short course presented by the Penn State Extension, and to highlight how data collected from these programs is useful for monitoring anthelmintic efficacy on a large scale. Horse owners were enrolled after participating i...
Nutrient content changes from steaming or soaking timothy-alfalfa hay: effects on feed preferences and acute glycemic response in Standardbred racehorses1. Soaking hay and steaming hay are strategies that are used to reduce respirable dust particles for horses but may result in variable nutrient losses, including nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) and minerals. Since these losses have not been quantified in Canadian hay yet, the first aim of this study was to identify nutrient losses from first-cut timothy-alfalfa hay grown in southern Ontario, Canada, after soaking for 30 min or steaming for 60 min. It is uncertain whether horses prefer hay when it is dry, soaked, or steamed. To address this, 13 Standardbred racehorses were offered 2 of these hay...
Irish Equine Industry Stakeholder Perspectives of Objective Technology for Biomechanical Analyses in the Field. Wearable sensing technologies are increasingly used in human and equine gait research to improve ecological validity of research findings. It is unclear how these tools have penetrated the equine industry or what perspectives industry stakeholders' hold in relation to these relatively new devices. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Irish equine industry stakeholders to understand their perception of objective tools for biomechanical analysis in the field. The study participants came from professional/elite backgrounds in both the sport horse ( = 6) and thoroughbred ( = 6) sectors. ...
