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Topic:Horse Owners
The relationship between horse owners and horses encompasses various aspects of equine management, care, and interaction. This topic explores the dynamics between humans and horses, focusing on areas such as husbandry practices, welfare considerations, and the psychological and physical effects of human interaction on horses. It includes studies on training methods, behavioral assessments, and the impact of owner expertise on horse health and performance. Additionally, the topic examines the influence of human-animal bonds on horse behavior and well-being. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that investigate these interactions and their implications for equine management and welfare.
Management Strategies for Reducing the Risk of Equines Contracting Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) in the Western United States. Vesicular stomatitis viruses (VSVs) cause a condition known as vesicular stomatitis (VS), which results in painful lesions in equines, cattle, swine, and camelids, and when transmitted to humans, can cause flu-like symptoms. When animal premises are affected by VS, they are subject to a quarantine. The equine industry more broadly may incur economic losses due to interruptions of animal trade and transportation to shows, competitions, and other events. Equine owners, barn managers, and veterinarians can take proactive measures to reduce the risk of equines contracting VS. To identify appropria...
Information delivery and the veterinarian-horse owner relationship in the context of Hendra virus in Australia. Hendra virus (HeV) is an emerging bat-borne virus endemic in Australia that can be transmitted from horses to humans and has a high fatality rate for horses and people. Controversy surrounding HeV risk mitigation measures have strained the veterinarian-horse owner relationship. This study aimed to characterise the veterinarian-horse owner relationship in general and also in the context of HeV by analysing data derived from the 'Horse Owners and Hendra Virus: A Longitudinal Study to Evaluate Risk' (HHALTER) study. Australian horse owners were recruited via emails, social media and word-of-mouth...
Determining a Welfare Prioritization for Horses Using a Delphi Method. Equine welfare issues are receiving increasing attention in the UK, but welfare problems can arise from a wide range of causes. In order to identify the most important welfare concerns for horses, we used a Delphi method with 19 equine welfare experts. An initial list of 84 equine welfare issues was generated using an online discussion board and NVivo thematic analysis. Subsequently, experts ranked these welfare issues for perceived prevalence, severity and duration of suffering associated with each issue on a 6-point Likert scale. All issues with a mean score of 3 or above ( = 37) were includ...
Temporary Relocation during Rest Periods: Relocation Stress and Other Factors Influence Hair Cortisol Concentrations in Horses. Horse transportation for temporary relocation during rest periods is a common and widespread practice among horse owners, either from sport competition or working tasks. This study aimed to determine the effect of a relocation period and the multiple factors associated with a rest period on hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs) in horses. Additionally, this study reports the seasonal effect on HCCs and hair growth over a year. Thirteen police horses, Pure Spanish stallions of various ages (5-13 y), were selected to participate in this study. Hair sample collection was carried out approximately e...
Parasite Occurrence and Parasite Management in Swedish Horses Presenting with Gastrointestinal Disease-A Case-Control Study. All grazing horses are exposed to intestinal parasites, which have the potential to cause gastrointestinal disease. In Sweden, there is a concern about an increase in parasite-related equine gastrointestinal disease, in particular , since the implementation of prescription-only anthelmintics approximately 10 years ago. In a prospective case-control study, parasitological status, using fecal analyses for strongyle egg counts, the presence of eggs and Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as well as serology for , were compared between horses presenting with or without gastrointestinal disease at a ...
Aging Equines: Understanding the Experience of Caring for a Geriatric Horse with a Chronic Condition. This study evaluated the experience of 1,448 people in the United States who currently care for or had previously cared for a geriatric horse and how that experience was qualified by the presence or absence of a chronic condition in the horse. An anonymous, online questionnaire was distributed to a cross-country sample to investigate the burden of caregivers from the perspective of owners of geriatric horses. Traumatic events and veterinary care decisions were also explored. Findings from the study supported the hypothesis that owners of geriatric horses with a chronic condition experienced hi...
Advances in Holding and Cryopreservation of Equine Oocytes and Embryos. Methods for holding of oocytes and embryos during shipment as well as for their cryopreservation can greatly aid equine reproductive management. Oocytes can be held at room temperature overnight or at cooler temperatures for two nights without affecting maturation or embryo development after intracytoplasmic sperm injection. In contrast, methods for cryopreservation of equine oocytes that support high rates of embryo development have not yet been established. Equine embryos may be held overnight at temperatures from 5°C to 19°C without reduction in viability, but longer holding periods, or h...
A Retrospective Survey of Factors Affecting the Risk of Incidents and Equine Injury During Non-Commercial Transportation by Road in the United Kingdom. The number of equines injured as a result of incidents during road transport is currently unknown in the United Kingdom. Although previous research has identified factors that affect an equine's behavioural and physiological responses to transportation, their contribution to incident occurrence and injury risk is unclear. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with incident occurrence and equine injury during transportation by road. An online survey was administered between 12th May 2017 and 21st July 2017 in the UK. The survey was open to those transporting equines non-comme...
Industry Perceptions of HERDA in Performance Horses. Hereditary equine regional derma asthenia (HERDA), an autosomal-recessive trait, found in Quarter Horses, causes abnormal collagen structure. Owing to current breeding practices, 3.5% of registered quarter horses and 28.3% of the cow horse population are heterozygote carriers. Research demonstrated homozygote horses develop hyperextensible skin susceptible to injury and other abnormal tissues containing high fibrillar collagen content. No research exists determining the effects of the disease in heterozygote carriers. Currently, 30% of cutting sires are HERDA carriers, potentially increasing t...
Mapping the bacterial ecology on the phyllosphere of dry and post soaked grass hay for horses. Soaking hay fodder to reduce dust and soluble carbohydrate (WSC) contents prior to feeding is common practice among horse owners. Soaking can increase bacteria load in hay but no information exists on how this process alters the bacteria profile, which could pose a health risk or digestive challenge, to horses by introducing foreign bacteria into the gastrointestinal tract and so altering the normal profile. The current objectives were to map the bacterial profile of 3 different hays and determine how soaking alters this with the aim of improving best practice when feeding stabled horses. A Pe...
A Cross-Sectional Survey of the Training and Management of a Cohort of 2-Year-Old Standardbred Racehorses in New Zealand. There are limited data on the training and management practices of Standardbred trainers in New Zealand. The aims of this study were to describe the 2-year-old training practices of Standardbred trainers and to examine if there were differences in the production process between public (commercial) and amateur (licensed-to-train) trainers. An online Qualtrics survey was conducted after the 2016/7 racing season and completed by 154 Standardbred trainers, 88 (57%) of which had 2-year-olds in training. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the data stratified by public and licensed-to-train...
Owner Compliance to an Environmental Management Protocol for Severe Equine Asthma Syndrome. Severe equine asthma (SEA) syndrome is a chronic recurrent respiratory disease, common among adult horses. The disease occurs in genetically susceptible individuals after their exposure to organic dust. Thus, environmental management has proved essential in controlling airway challenge and disease exacerbation. This is a demanding process that can only be achieved through the horse owners' cooperation. One year after initial diagnosis of SEA in a group of 39 horses, owner compliance to an environmental management protocol was evaluated. The overall compliance to the protocol was poor and the h...
A Farrier Making Every Contact Count: A Microlevel Analysis of Farrier-Client Interaction for Partnership Working in Managing a Horse With Laminitis. There is an evidence base in human and small animal veterinary health care contexts which understands how practitioners engage in partnership working with patients and owners to support adherence to treatment/care plans. However, as yet, it is believed there is no similar evidence base for how practitioners in equine health care contexts work with equine owners. It is argued that this is essential for understanding complex equine practitioner-owner interaction involving the prevention and management of laminitis. The aim of this study was to explore farrier-client interaction where risk manage...
Differential Defecation of Solid and Liquid Phases in Horses-A Descriptive Survey. Free faecal liquid (FFL) is a condition in horses where faeces are voided in one solid and one liquid phase. The liquid phase contaminates the tail, hindlegs and area around the anus of the horse, resulting in management problems and potentially contributing to impaired equine welfare. The underlying causes are not known, but anecdotal suggestions include feeding wrapped forages or other feed- or management-related factors. Individual horse factors may also be associated with the presence of FFL. This study, therefore, aimed to characterize horses showing FFL particularly when fed wrapped fora...
Optimising the Efficacy of Equine Welfare Communications: Do Equine Stakeholders Differ in Their Information-Seeking Behaviour and Communication Preferences? Information on the management of animals within domestic environments is freely available to animal owners and caregivers either online, or in paper form by request. However, awareness is growing within the animal welfare sector that simply providing written guidelines or educational material is not enough to affect a positive change in owners in relation to animal welfare. In the quest to improve equine welfare, understanding the way that owners and other stakeholders seek information and their communication preferences is key to effective dissemination of up to date equine welfare informatio...
Does having a pet influence the physical activity of their young female owners? Many studies have shown that having a dog has an impact on the increase in physical activity (PA) of people. However, what is often not taken into account in many such studies is owning of other pets. The aim of this study was to compare PA levels between animal owners and non-owners and to research potential differences between owners of different kinds of animals. Methods: 111 young females of mean age 21 ± 1.2 years enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Czech version of short International physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to assess PA level, supplemented with a quest...
Practice of Noseband Use and Intentions Towards Behavioural Change in Dutch Equestrians. Understanding equestrians' noseband tightening practices and intentions is necessary to target welfare improvement strategies. Firstly, we measured tightness in dressage and show jumping horses in The Netherlands, shortly after implementation of the two-finger rule by the Royal Dutch Equestrian Federation. Noseband tightness decreased with age, was less tight in dressage horses than in show jumpers, and was dependent on the interaction between competition level and discipline. Fifty-nine percent of the riders tightened nosebands to such an extent that they adhered to the new regulation. Second...
Improving the Recognition of Equine Affective States. A key welfare problem for horses is that people commonly fail to recognise, and consequently neglect to resolve, equine behavioural signs of distress, worsening the welfare of the horse and potentially putting the safety of the handler at risk as a result. Members of equestrian Facebook groups were asked to view six videos and assess the horse's behaviour in each; the authors selected the videos and considered each video to demonstrate behaviour associated with negative affective states. An additional six equine behaviourists also completed the survey as an "expert comparison group" from whom ...
Needs Assessment: What Are the Barriers to Use of Equine Genetic Testing? Genetic testing offers precise and accurate data to horse owners concerning their horse's health and offers potential economic value increases of foal crops via genome-assisted selection. Despite availability of at least 96 commercially available markers, fewer than 20 are commonly used. This project seeks to identify the barriers to the incorporation of genomic tools in diverse equine operations. Based on studies examining public opinion of human medical testing, we expected that lack of genetic education and few industry requirements for testing may contribute to neutral or negative opinions...
Effects of hair coat characteristics on radiant surface temperature in horses. Horse owners may lack knowledge about natural thermoregulation mechanisms in horses. Horses are managed intensively; usually stabled at night and turned out during the day. Some are clipped and many wear a blanket, practices which reduce the horse's ability to regulate heat dissipation. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between hair coat characteristics, body condition and infrared surface temperatures from different body parts of horses. Under standard conditions, the body surface temperature of 21 adult horses were investigated using infrared thermography. From severa...
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...
Factors associated with euthanasia in horses and ponies enrolled in a laminitis cohort study in Great Britain. Euthanasia is a complex topic, with animal owners using multiple factors to shape their decision-making process. Previous epidemiological studies have described causes of equine mortality in specific populations, but there is limited evidence regarding factors contributing specifically to equine euthanasia in Great Britain (GB). This observational study used a prospective cohort design: the objectives were to describe owner-reported reasons for euthanasia, estimate the rate of euthanasia and identify associated factors in horses/ponies enrolled in a web-based epidemiological study of laminitis...
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...
[Euthanasia in horses – Results of a survey addressing horse owners and veterinarians]. Euthanasia represents a procedure with high responsibility for veterinarians in equine practice. The procedure should avoid pain and suffering for the horse and be carried out with the least possible stress for the patient and its owner. The presented study investigated the emotional impact of a horse's euthanasia procedure on the owner in order to enable development of future recommendations in improving the management of this procedure in horses. Methods: Questionnaires concerning euthanasia of a horse for horse owners and veterinarians, respectively were developed and sent by mail or publis...
Preliminary insight into horse owners’ perceptions of, and attitudes towards, exotic diseases in the United Kingdom. The potential for an exotic disease incursion is a significant concern for the United Kingdom (UK) equine industry. Horse owners' perceptions of, and attitudes towards, exotic diseases can influence decisions to adopt disease preparedness strategies. The objectives of this study were to describe horse owners' 1) perceptions of the term 'exotic disease', and 2) attitudes towards their risk of being affected by an exotic disease. In order to address these objectives, qualitative content analysis was undertaken on data collected using two open-ended survey questions. Results: Horse owners (n =...
History, clinical findings and outcome of horses with radiographical signs of equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis. The progression of equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EOTRH) has not been completely evaluated, and currently, the only effective treatment is extraction of severely affected teeth. We aim to describe how the disease relates to the history and clinical findings and to report on the outcome in individual horses. This case series comprises data collected from 20 horses (age 14-29 years old) with radiographic findings of EOTRH in their incisor and/or canine teeth. Most horses affected with EOTRH in this study were admitted for dental problems, but some for other complaints...
Sparing the gut: COX-2 inhibitors herald a new era for treatment of horses with surgical colic. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used to manage a wide variety of conditions in horses, including management of colic. Flunixin meglumine is by far the most commonly used drug in the control of colic pain and inflammation and has become a go-to for not only veterinarians but also horse-owners and nonmedical equine professionals. NSAID use, however, has always been controversial in critical cases due to a high risk of adverse effects associated with their potent cyclo-oxygenase (COX) inhibition. There are two important COX isoenzymes: COX-1 is generally beneficial for ...
