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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.
Dynamic properties of a dirt and a synthetic equine racetrack surface measured by a track-testing device. Racetrack surface is a risk factor for Thoroughbred racehorse injury and death that can be engineered and managed. To investigate the relationship between surface and injury, the mechanical behaviour of dirt and synthetic track surfaces must be quantified. Objective: To compare dynamic properties of a dirt and a synthetic surface in situ using a track-testing device designed to simulate equine hoof impact; and to determine the effects of impact velocity, impact angle and repeated impact on dynamic surface behaviour. Methods: A track-testing device measured force and displacement during impact ...
Strongylus vulgaris associated with usage of selective therapy on Danish horse farms-is it reemerging? Nematodes belonging to the order Strongylida are ubiquitous in grazing horses, and the large strongyle Strongylus vulgaris is considered the most pathogenic. This parasite was originally described widely prevalent in equine establishments, but decades of frequent anthelmintic treatment appears to have reduced the prevalence dramatically. Increasing levels of anthelmintic resistance in cyathostomin parasites have led to implementation of selective therapy to reduce further development of resistance. It has been hypothesized that S. vulgaris could reoccur under these less intensive treatment cir...
Structural elucidation of phase I and II metabolites of bupivacaine in horse urine and fungi of the Cunninghamella species using liquid chromatography/multi-stage mass spectrometry. Bupivacaine is a local anaesthetic prohibited in equine sports. It is highly metabolized in the horse but a thorough description of its metabolite profile is lacking. An administration study should find appropriate analytical targets for doping control. Furthermore, knowledge of an in vitro system for production of metabolites would be beneficial. Methods: Marcain® (bupivacaine hydrochloride) was administered subcutaneously to a horse and urine samples were collected. In vitro metabolic systems consisting of the fungi Cunninghamella elegans and Cunninghamella blakesleeana were incubated with ...
The ambulatory practitioner and the referral center: two perspectives in equine surgery. Practicing at a referral center makes one aware of the necessity for consistent clear communication with the referring veterinarians. The referring veterinarian is ultimately the primary client of the referral center and should be respected as such. Once the necessary care has been provided, the client and horse should be returned to the care of the referring veterinarian. It is important that the referring veterinarian stay involved in the case and communicate if they wish for more or less contact with the referral center.
Diabetes, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome in horses. Analogous to the situation in human medicine, contemporary practices in horse management, which incorporate lengthy periods of physical inactivity coupled with provision of nutritional rations characterized by inappropriately high sugar and starch, have led to obesity being more commonly recognized by practitioners of equine veterinary practice. In many of these cases, obesity is associated with insulin resistance (IR) and glucose intolerance. An equine metabolic syndrome (MS) has been described that is similar to the human MS in that both IR and aspects of obesity represent cornerstones of it...
The use of equipment and training practices and the prevalence of owner-reported ridden behaviour problems in UK leisure horses. UK leisure horses are owned primarily for riding. Ridden behaviour problems may compromise the use of the horse in this role and lead to harsh redress or relinquishment of the horse. Despite the consequences of these problems little is known about their prevalence or the working lives of UK leisure horses. Objective: To generate data on the work undertaken by leisure horses, the equipment and training practices used with them and prevalence of ridden behaviour problems. Methods: An internet survey was used to generate horse-level data from a convenience sample of leisure horse carers. Responde...
Managing obesity in pasture-based horses. Obesity - a common problem in pasture-based horses - warrants intervention because it is associated with an increased risk for development of laminitis. Treating obesity in pasture-based horses is relatively simple and generally involves reducing caloric intake by using grazing muzzles and/or increasing caloric expenditure through exercise. To prevent recurrence of obesity after weight loss, clients should be educated on how to monitor body condition and to adjust feeding and management programs to maintain proper body condition.
Ambulatory equine practice management. The horse owner not only expects outstanding care for their horse; they also recognize and appreciate a well-run equine practice. They expect their veterinarian to show up on time for appointments; they expect to receive decipherable invoices and statements on a regular basis and they appreciate an assistant who enhances the services that their veterinarian provides. A well-managed ambulatory equine practice supports the ideals of both high standards of care and mobility. In fact, a poorly managed practice will ultimately impact the care that an equine veterinarian attempts to provide the hors...
Whip use by jockeys in a sample of Australian Thoroughbred races–an observational study. The use of whips by jockeys is an issue. The current study viewed opportunistic high-speed footage of 15 race finishes frame-by-frame to examine the outcomes of arm and wrist actions (n = 350) on 40 horses viewed from the left of the field. Any actions fully or partially obscured by infrastructure or other horses were removed from the database, leaving a total of 104 non-contact sweeps and 134 strikes. For all instances of arm actions that resulted in fully visible whip strikes behind the saddle (n = 109), the outcomes noted were area struck, percentage of unpadded section making conta...
Reproduction in ambulatory practice. The value of providing equine reproductive services in ambulatory setting is well established. Ambulatory practice has been, and will most likely continue to be, the primary provider of equine reproductive veterinary services. The limitations for performing various reproductive procedures in an ambulatory setting are those imposed by the amount of equipment and supplies that must be brought to the patient, as well as those imposed when procedures require additional assistance. This is analogous to human medical care: the ambulance cannot substitute for a hospital but it can certainly provide s...
Equine wellness care in ambulatory practice. Clients want dependable veterinary care and to understand how the services will benefit and meet their horse’s needs. Wellness visits provide ambulatory practitioners with great opportunities to strengthen the doctor-client-patient bond; effective communication with clients during wellness visits, where new literature or facts can be presented, can offer opportunities for demonstrating the value of having the veterinarian maintain a primary role in disease control. The criteria for selecting vaccines, interpreting FECs, and diagnosing dental pathology require the continued need for veterinar...
Equine ambulatory practice: challenges and opportunities. Current economic conditions make the practice of equine medicine challenging, to say the least. The downward trend in the US economy has had a huge impact on horse owners and equine veterinarians alike. Horses are expensive to keep; as such, economics are the driving factor in the problem of the unwanted horse. Under these conditions, efficient equine ambulatory practices are well-suited to weather the economic storm. As contributors to this issue of Veterinary Clinics of North America note, one can practice high-quality medicine and surgery without the overhead and expense of a large clinic. ...
Risk factors for superficial digital flexor tendinopathy in Thoroughbred racehorses in hurdle starts in the UK (2001-2009). Superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendinopathy is a common injury in Thoroughbred horses racing over hurdles. Identification of risk factors may allow the introduction of measures to minimise the incidence of this injury. Objective: To identify risk factors for SDF tendinopathy in Thoroughbred horses in hurdle races in the UK. Methods: Potential risk factors for SDF tendinopathy were studied between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2009 using a retrospective cohort study design with 1031 case starts and 168,637 control starts. Potential risk factors were screened using univariable logistic regres...
Horse owners’/managers’ perceptions about effectiveness of biosecurity measures based on their experiences during the 2007 equine influenza outbreak in Australia. Following the first ever equine influenza outbreak in Australia in 2007, a study was conducted involving 200 horse owners and managers to determine their perceptions about effectiveness of biosecurity measures and the factors associated with these perceptions. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with horse owners/managers to obtain information about their perceptions of the effectiveness of biosecurity practices, their sources of information about infection control during the outbreak and their horse industry involvement. Two outcome variables were created from horse owners' responses to a ...
Thirty-year amendment of horse manure and chemical fertilizer on the availability of micronutrients at the aggregate scale in black soil. This study evaluates manure and chemical fertilizer effects on micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn) content and availability in crops. Methods: Seven treatments were selected, including three conventional fertilization treatments (NP, horse manure (M), and NP plus M (NPM)), three corresponding double rate fertilization (N2P2, M2, and N2P2M2), and a CK. Soil samples were collected and separated into four aggregates by wet-sieving in September 2009. Corn samples were collected and analyzed simultaneously. Results: Treatment N2P2 increased DTPA extractable Fe, Mn, and Cu in soil by 732%, 388%, and ...
The genetic origin and history of speed in the Thoroughbred racehorse. Selective breeding for speed in the racehorse has resulted in an unusually high frequency of the C-variant (g.66493737C/T) at the myostatin gene (MSTN) in cohorts of the Thoroughbred horse population that are best suited to sprint racing. Here we show using a combination of molecular- and pedigree-based approaches in 593 horses from 22 Eurasian and North-American horse populations, museum specimens from 12 historically important Thoroughbred stallions (b.1764-1930), 330 elite-performing modern Thoroughbreds and 42 samples from three other equid species that the T-allele was ancestral and there...
Fermentation of six different forages in the semi-continuous fermentation technique Caesitec. The aim of the present study was to compare carbohydrate degradation of forages which store carbohydrates either predominantly as fructan or starch, in horses' hindgut. The effects of an abrupt change from hay-based feeding to green fodder-based feeding on the caecal flora were tested with the in vitro hindgut simulation technique 'Caesitec'. Six trials with different forages (English ryegrass, tall fescue, grass mixture-horses, grass mixture-cows, lucerne, white clover) were conducted. During a 4-day stabilisation period, samples were taken once a day before loading the fermenters with hay. A...
Amino acid supplementation does not alter whole-body phenylalanine kinetics in Arabian geldings. Stable isotope infusion methods have not been extensively used in horses to study protein metabolism. The objectives were to develop infusion and sampling methodologies for [1-(13)C] phenylalanine and apply these methods to determine whether the addition of supplemental amino acids to a control diet affected whole-body phenylalanine kinetics in mature horses. Arabian geldings were studied using a 6-h primed (9 μmol/kg), constant (6 μmol · kg(-1) · h(-1)) i.v. infusion of L-[1-(13)C] phenylalanine, with blood and breath sampled every 30 min, to measure whole-body phenylalanine kinet...
From the horse’s mouth: perceptions of the management of the 2007 equine influenza outbreak in Australia. In August 2007, Australia experienced its first-ever outbreak of equine influenza, a highly infectious respiratory disease of horses. Although the outbreak spread over a large geographic area, it was eradicated within 5 months following a substantial disease control effort led by federal and state animal health authorities. Despite its timely control, this large-scale outbreak caused severe impacts on horse owners and industry participants. This study aimed to describe the perceptions of horse owners and managers, impacted by outbreak control measures, regarding the state government's animal h...
Equine poisoning by coffee husk (Coffea arabica L.). In Brazil, coffee (Coffea arabica) husks are reused in several ways due to their abundance, including as stall bedding. However, field veterinarians have reported that horses become intoxicated after ingesting the coffee husks that are used as bedding. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether coffee husk consumption causes intoxication in horses. Six horses fed coast cross hay ad libitum were given access to coffee husks and excitability, restlessness, involuntary muscle tremors, chewing movements and constant tremors of the lips and tongue, excessive sweating and increased respirat...
Characteristics of relinquishing and adoptive owners of horses associated with U.S. nonprofit equine rescue organizations. Nonprofit equine rescue organizations in the United States provide care for relinquished horses and may offer adoption programs. With an estimated 100,000 "unwanted" horses per year and few municipal shelters providing wholesale euthanasia, there is a need to minimize the number of unwanted horses and maximize their successful transition to new caregivers. This study's objectives were to characterize the relinquishing and adoptive owners interacting with nonprofit rescue organizations. Nonprofit organizations (n = 144) in 37 states provided information by survey on 280 horses relinquished betw...
Rapid screening of anabolic steroids in horse urine with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry after chemical derivatisation. Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) has been successfully applied to the detection of anabolic steroids in biological samples. However, the sensitive detection of saturated hydroxysteroids, such as androstanediols, by electrospray ionisation (ESI) is difficult because of their poor ability to ionise. In view of this, chemical derivatisation has been used to enhance the detection sensitivity of hydroxysteroids by LC/MS. This paper describes the development of a sensitive ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC/MS/MS) method for the screening of a...
A method to minimise error in 2D-DLT reconstruction of non-planar markers filmed with a moving camera. This article describes a method that allows estimating, with the 2D version of the direct linear transformation (DLT), the actual 2D coordinates of a point when the latter is not strictly in the calibration plane. Markers placed in vertical line, above, below and in the centre of a horizontal calibration plane were filmed by a moving camera. Without correction, strong errors (up to 64.5%) were noticed for markers out of the calibration plane. After correction, calculated coordinates were consistent with actual values (error < 0.55%). The method was then applied to slip distance measuremen...
Influence of day of postpartum breeding on pregnancy rate, pregnancy loss rate, and foaling rate in Thoroughbred mares. Records (years 2005-2007) were analyzed from a Thoroughbred stud farm in central Kentucky. Data from all breeding cycles of foaling mares were tabulated (3184 cycles of 2003 foaling mares bred between 7 and 163 days postpartum). A multiple logistic regression model employing Bayesian statistics was used to adjust for factors that significantly affected outcome; odds ratios (ORs) for pregnancy rate, pregnancy loss rate, and foaling rate were determined to examine the influence of day of postpartum breeding on these parameters. Mares bred before Day 22 (Day 0 = day of foaling) postpartum had a d...
