Riu015fvanlu0131 A, u015een u0130, Canuzakov K, Tu00fclu00f6bayev A, Tau015f A, Saklykov R, Ceylan N, Tu00fcrku00e7apar u00dc, Alimov U....The aim of this study was to examine variations in stress, metabolic, and physiological parameters of horses used in the traditional equestrian team sport of Kök-Börü in relation to winning and losing outcomes. Methods: To accomplish this, blood samples were taken from horses on four different teams who participated in two separate games, both before and after game. These samples were used to measure levels of cortisol, ACTH, beta-endorphin, adrenaline, noradrenaline, triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4) via species-specific commercial ELISA kits. The autoanalyzer tested biochemical an...
Pinnell EF, Her J, Gordon D, Kinsella HM, Langston CE, Toribio RE.An adult American Quarter Horse mare presented for pigmenturia and lethargy of 12 hours' duration and was diagnosed with silver maple leaf toxicity. The mare had intravascular hemolysis and azotemia. The mare was treated with a transfusion of whole blood, fluids administered IV, antibiotics, oxygen insufflation, and supportive care. The azotemia persisted despite conventional medical management and hemodialysis was elected. After 2 intermittent hemodialysis treatments over 3 days, the azotemia almost resolved, clinical signs improved, and the mare was discharged. The blood urea nitrogen, c...
Busechian S, Orvieto S, Nocera I, Rueca F.Equine Gastric Ulcers Syndrome (EGUS) is a worldwide disease present in equids of different breeds, activity levels, and age groups. It is divided into two different illnesses: Equine Squamous Gastric Disease (ESGD) affecting the squamous mucosa and Equine Glandular Gastric Disease (EGGD) affecting the glandular mucosa. The historical horserace is a traditional competition that is common in Italy. They can be divided into two different types: speed races and jousting tournaments. Anglo-Arabians and Thoroughbreds are used for the two competitions with training and management systems similar to ...
Phannithi T, Laikul A, Pathomsakulwong W, Rungsri P, Apichaimongkonkun T, Watchrarat K, Cherdchutham W.External hoof characteristics, balance, and conformation have been extensively studied in horses; however, mules remain understudied in these aspects. This study evaluated the size, shape, and symmetry of untrimmed and unshod forelimb hooves, compared the symmetry between forelimb hooves and stratified external forelimb hoof measurements based on the body condition score of mules raised in the foothill plains of northern Thailand. The forelimb hooves of 38 mules were photographed and 33 parameters, including angular and linear measurements, were analyzed. A multivariate analysis was used to ex...
Tomal A, Szu0142apka-Kosarzewska J, Mironiuk M, Michalak I, Marycz K.Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is a critical endocrine condition in horses, characterized by hyperinsulinemia, hyperlipidemia, and insulin resistance, posing a significant threat to their health. This study investigates the efficacy of supplementing EMS-affected horses with enriched with Cr(III), Mg(II), and Mn(II) ions using biosorption process in improving insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, reducing inflammation, and mitigating obesity-related fat accumulation. Our results demonstrate that supplementation reduces baseline insulin and glucose levels, contributing to decreased adipo...
Morris L, Harteveld R, Gibb Z.Insemination of mares with frozen-thawed spermatozoa requires intensive management and results in 40%-60% per cycle pregnancy rates. Objective: To determine if satisfactory fertility is possible for frozen-thawed semen after processing it through a microfluidic device, followed by storage at 17°C for up to 24 h before fixed-time insemination. Methods: Uncontrolled field trials. Methods: A pilot study evaluated the motility of frozen-thawed spermatozoa after centrifugation and storage (17°C) in two different media for up to 48 h. Subsequently, the motility of frozen-thawed semen processed...
Torres Borda L, Kelemen Z, Auer U, Jenner F.Equine social behaviour studies face challenges stemming from the absence of a comprehensive ethogram with unequivocal standardised definitions and the resulting limits to data comparison across studies. To address these constraints, this ethogram offers researchers a standardised framework, defining thirty-seven distinct equine social behaviours supplemented by video examples for enhanced clarity. These definitions amalgamate insights from existing ethograms and are fine-tuned through meticulous video observations, encompassing contextual cues such as distinguishing between aggressive and pla...
Bordin C, Raspa F, Greppi M, Harris P, Ellis AD, Roggero A, Palestrini C, Cavallini D, Bergero D, Valle E.In the last decade, haynets and slow feeders have been promoted as sustainable tools to improve the feeding management of horses and reduce forage waste, but little is known about their effects on ponies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the effects of different hay feeding methods on the ingestive behaviors, intake rate and mouth shaping of ponies belonging to two breed types, which are characterized by different head morphologies. Shetland type (SH, = 5) and Welsh/Cob type (WC, = 4) ponies were fed hay using four feeding methods: on the ground (G), a fully filled hay...
Peere S, van Den Branden E, Papas M, Gerits I, Smits K, Govaere J.Twin gestation in the mare is undesirable and can have disastrous consequences. As in many cases, the key to success in twin management lies in a thorough follow-up and accurate recording of clinical findings in the pre-breeding examination. A pregnancy diagnosis in the mobility phase is imperative for a good outcome in the event of twin reduction. If a twin gestation is not diagnosed during this early pregnancy stage, several other procedures exist for managing post-fixation twins (>16 days) with varying degrees of success. Most twin pregnancies are the result of multiple ovulations (dizygo...
Chow L, Flaherty E, Pezzanite L, Williams M, Dow S, Wotman K.Ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) represents the most common conjunctival tumor in horses and frequently results in vision loss and surgical removal of the affected globe. Multiple etiologic factors have been identified as contributing to OSSN progression, including solar radiation exposure, genetic mutations, and a lack of periocular pigmentation. Response to conventional treatments has been highly variable, though our recent work indicates that these tumors are highly responsive to local immunotherapy. In the present study, we extended our investigation of OSSN in horses to better und...
Pires LSA, Abrahu00e3o C, Dias de Castro LL, Hammerschmidt J, Antunes J, Molento CFM, Molento MB.Horse welfare assessment (HWA) does not account for individual or herd parasite infection. This study investigated the connection between HWA and individual parasite fecal egg count (FEC) in 90 Thoroughbred horses. All horses were naturally infected with gastrointestinal parasites and were evaluated for individual welfare indicators and FEC monthly, for 12 months. Horses were divided into three groups of 30 mares, 30 foals aged between 13 and 16 months (G2013), and 30 foals aged between two months and one year (G2014). A horse welfare protocol was developed and 1024 assessments were carried ou...
Thompson MA, McCann BE, Rhen T, Simmons R.Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP) manages a herd of feral horses () which was present on the landscape prior to the establishment of the park. The population presents a unique scenario in that it has experienced fairly intensive and well-documented management since the park's establishment, including herd size reductions, intentional introduction of diversity, and subsequent attempts to remove introduced lineages. This provides an interesting case study on the genetic effects of diverse evolutionary forces on an isolated feral population. To explore the effects of these forces and clarif...
Ripollu00e9s-Lobo M, Perdomo-Gonzu00e1lez DI, Valera M, Gu00f3mez MD.Limb-conformation defects significantly influence equine performance and welfare, necessitating thorough investigation for effective management. This study examines the prevalence and genetic parameters of 14 limb-conformation defects in Menorca Purebred horses using data from 1120 records (509 animals with an average age of 101.87 ± 1.74 months) collected between 2015 and 2023. Defects were evaluated using a three-class scale by three appraisers, and a Bayesian approach via Gibbs sampling was employed to estimate genetic parameters including gender, birth period, stud selection criteria, eva...
DeBoer M, Keener L, Layeux-Parks J, Schueller O, Johnson L, Martinson K.Hay nets are a commonly used management practice to increase intake time and reduce hay waste but may impact horse health. The objectives were to compare hay usage, dental wear, and dental conditions between horses fed with (NET) or without (CON) hay nets during a 2-year cross-over study. In September 2021, 13 mature adult horses were blocked by bodyweight (BW) and randomly assigned to the NET or CON treatments for one year. After one year (September 2022), horses switched treatments and the trial concluded in September 2023. Horses were housed in adjacent dry lots with shelter, ad libitum wat...
Reed RA, Berghaus LJ, Reynolds RM, Holmes BT, Krikorian AM, Sakai DM, Ishikawa Y, Knych HK.Understanding the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of fentanyl in horses is crucial for optimizing pain management strategies in veterinary medicine. Unassigned: Six adult horses were enrolled in a randomized crossover design. Treatments included: placebo, two 100 mcg/h patches (LDF), four 100 mcg/h patches (MDF), and six 100 mcg/h patches (HDF). Patches were in place for 72 h. Blood was obtained for fentanyl plasma concentration determination, thermal threshold, mechanical threshold, heart rate, respiratory rate, and rectal temperature were obtained prior patch placement and at m...
Ross M, Proudfoot K, Campbell Nishimura E, Morabito E, Merkies K, Mitchell J, Ritter C.Horse obesity is a growing concern that can result in negative welfare. The role horse owners play in horse weight management is not well understood. This study aimed to: (1) explore the attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of owners with overweight or obese horses regarding their horses' weight; and (2) understand the motivators and barriers for owners to implement, improve and maintain weight management-related strategies. A semi-structured interview guide based on the Theoretical Domains Framework was developed. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 24 owners in Prince Edward Island, Ca...
Charlotte C P, Benoit B, Olivier M L.To evaluate secondary intention wound healing in the horse's limbs when treated with the synthetic epidermis spray (Novacika®, Cohesive S.A.S, France) or with a standard bandaging technique. Methods: Six Standardbred mares were included in the study. Four 2.5 x 2.5 cm full-thickness skin wounds were created on each thoracic limb. Two wounds were located on the dorsoproximal aspect of the cannon bone and the other two at the dorsoproximal aspect of the fetlock. Six hours after creation, wounds were randomly treated with synthetic epidermis spray or standard bandaging. The wounds were assessed ...
Sundra T, Kelty E, Rossi G, Rendle D.Dopaminergic agonists are accepted as the most effective treatment for pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction. However, some horses are refractory to daily oral pergolide, the recommended registered treatment. Extended-release cabergoline (ERC) injection may offer an alternative. The objective of this retrospective case series was to describe clinical and endocrinological responses to ERC. Unassigned: Medical records of horses treated with weekly intramuscular injections of ERC (5 mg/mL, BOVA Aus) at either 0.01 mg/kg (high dose, HD) ( = 10) or 0.005 mg/kg (low dose, LD) ( = 30) w...
Bazvand B, Rashidi A, Zandi MB, Moradi MH, Rostamzadeh J.Population structure and genetic diversity are the key parameters to study the breeding history of animals. This research aimed to provide a characterization of the population structure and to compare the effective population size (Ne), LD decay, genetic diversity, and genomic inbreeding in Iranian native Caspian (n = 38), Turkmen (n = 24) and Kurdish (n = 29) breeds and some other exotic horses consisting of Arabian (n = 24), Fell pony (n = 21) and Akhal-Teke (n = 20). A variety of statistical population analysis techniques, such as principal component analysis (PCA), discriminant analysis of...
Ruet A, Lemarchand J, Briant C, Arnould C, Lansade L.In stabled horses, several behaviours are considered to be important indicators of the state of welfare at the individual level: stereotypies, aggressive behaviours towards humans and the "withdrawn", alert, sternal, lateral and observation postures. Until now, these behaviours have been extensively studied in relation to different horse management practices. However, little is known about their changes or consistency over time. This study aimed to investigate differences in the expression of these behaviours assessed on 44 stabled horses during an initial 3-month period and then again on the ...
Li X, Ma J, Li H, Li H, Ma Y, Deng H, Yang K.The objective of this study was to examine the effects of supplemental β-alanine feeding on the athletic performance of Yili horses involved in speed racing, focusing on alterations in plasma free amino acid patterns pre and post exercise. Additionally, the research aimed to evaluate the effects of carnosine on the plasma acid-base buffering capacity and antioxidant levels in these horses. Twelve Yili horse stallions, averaging 3 years in age and 346.50 ± 21.39 kg in weight, were chosen and randomly divided into two groups: a control group and a test group, each comprising six horses...
do Nascimento AGCR, de Paula AM, Busato JG, da Rocha GC, Perecmanis S, da Silva SG, Neto ART.Equine farming generates a significant amount of waste, prompting the need for effective management. Composting enhanced by filamentous fungi holds promise for this purpose. This study focused on inoculating Aspergillus fumigatus isolates in composting horse bedding made with wood shavings (Pinus elliottii) The experiment lasted 90 days, with two treatment groups, control and inoculated, analyzing temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, total organic carbon and nitrogen content, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignina contents. Both treatments entered the thermophilic phase by the fourth day, r...
de Preux M, Precht C, Guevar J, Graubner C, Thenhaus-Schnabel S, Buser L, Lukes A, Koch C.A 16-year-old warmblood mare was referred with a progressive history of behavioral changes and left-sided blindness. Following neuroanatomical localization to the forebrain, magnetic resonance imaging of the head revealed a well-delineated, 4.5 cm in diameter, round pituitary mass causing marked compression of the midbrain and optic chiasm. Euthanasia was recommended but declined by the owners. Veterinary specialists and a human neurosurgeon collaboratively prepared for surgical case management. A novel navigated transmandibular lateral transsphenoidal approach was developed to access the re...
Treu00df D, Lischer C, Merle R, Ehrle A.Overriding spinous processes, also known as 'kissing spines', are one of the most common causes of back pain in horses. The aim of this study was to investigate which options for diagnosis and treatment are preferred by equine orthopaedic specialists and assess which techniques are used for local injection. Methods: An online survey was distributed among members of the European/American College of Veterinary Surgeons, the European/American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, the International Society of Equine Locomotor Pathology and nationally recognised advanced equine ...
Haralambus R, Juri M, Mokry A, Jenner F.Effective management of postoperative pain is essential to ensure patient welfare, reduce morbidity and optimize recovery. Opioids are effective in managing moderate to severe pain in horses but concerns over their adverse effects on gastrointestinal (GI) motility and associated increased colic risk limit their widespread use. Studies investigating the impact of systemic opioids on both GI motility and colic incidence in horses have yielded inconclusive outcomes. Therefore, this retrospective study aims to assess the influence of systemic administration of butorphanol, morphine, and methadone ...
Blanco-Doval A, Azkargorta M, Iloro I, Beaskoetxea J, Elortza F, Barron LJR, Aldai N.Mare milk has traditionally been attributed a number of health promoting properties. However, knowledge on its composition and functionality remains scarce, with particularly limited studies on mare milk proteomics. This study deeply characterized mare milk proteome accounting for both caseins and proteins in the whey fraction, also addressing the impact of lactation stage and different management systems. Milk samples from Basque Mountain Horse breed mares belonging to three different farms and three lactation stages were analysed after in-gel and in-solution digestion using nLC-MS/MS. Among ...
Fenner K, Wilson BJ, Ermers C, McGreevy PD.Agonistic behaviours are often directed at other animals for self-defence or to increase distance from valued resources, such as food. Examples include aggression and counter-predator behaviours. Contemporary diets may boost the value of food as a resource and create unanticipated associations with the humans who deliver it. At the same time the domestic horse is asked to carry the weight of riders and perform manoeuvres that, ethologically, are out-of-context and may be associated with instances of pain, confusion, or fear. Agonistic responses can endanger personnel and conspecifics. They are...
Bello K, Lorch G, Papich MG, Kim K, Toribio RE, Yan L, Xie Z, Hill K, Phelps MA.Additional immunomodulatory treatment is needed for the management of immune-mediated disease in horses. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is an immunomodulatory agent used in human and veterinary medicine for the prevention of graft rejection and the management of autoimmune diseases. Few studies exist investigating the pharmacokinetics of MMF in horses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of a single dose of MMF in healthy horses in the fed vs. fasted state. Six healthy Standardbred mares were administered MMF 10 mg/kg by a nasogastric (NG) tube in a fed and fasted state. ...
Alruhaili MH, Marzok M, Gattan HS, Salem M, Kandeel M, Selim A.Cryptosporidium is an intestinal protozoan that cause diarrhea in livestock all over the world and have zoonotic importance. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in horses in Egypt and evaluate the associated risk factors. A total of 420 fecal samples were collected from three governorates (Giza, Kafr ElSheikh and Qalyubia) and examined microscopically using Ziehl-Neelsen staining method. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. was 29% and Kafr ElSheikh governorate had the highest rate in comparison to other areas. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium...
Girma A, Tamir D.Epizootic Lymphangitis (EL) is the most widespread fungal disease of equids and causes a significant economic loss along with a decreasing equid population across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), particularly in Ethiopia. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis were designed to pool the results of individual studies and estimate the prevalence of EL among equids in Ethiopia. A systematic search of research articles on the prevalence and risk factors of EL among equids in Ethiopia was conducted in registers, databases, and other sources. Cochrane's Q, inverse variance (I), sensitivity anal...
Durham AE, Frank N, McGowan CM, Menzies-Gow NJ, Roelfsema E, Vervuert I, Feige K, Fey K.Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is a widely recognized collection of risk factors for endocrinopathic laminitis. The most important of these risk factors is insulin dysregulation (ID). Clinicians and horse owners must recognize the presence of these risk factors so that they can be targeted and controlled to reduce the risk of laminitis attacks. Diagnosis of EMS is based partly on the horse's history and clinical examination findings, and partly on laboratory testing. Several choices of test exist which examine different facets of ID and other related metabolic disturbances. EMS is controlled ...
McGreevy PD, Cripps PJ, French NP, Green LE, Nicol CJ.A greater knowledge of the effect of management factors is required to investigate the ontogeny of abnormal behaviour in the stabled horse. A postal survey of racehorse (flat) trainers yielded information about 22 yard and management factors. The relationship of the factors to the prevalence of abnormal behaviour was analysed by logistic regression. Management factors related to the time spent in the stable showed the strongest associations with stereotypic behaviour. The risk of horses performing abnormal behaviour increased: 1) as the amount of forage fell below 6.8 kg/day, 2) when bedding t...
Hitchens PL, Morrice-West AV, Stevenson MA, Whitton RC.Studies of racehorse injury or fatality in various countries have identified common, and in some cases conflicting, risk factors. We conducted a systematic search of the relevant literature published from 1990 to 2017. Peer-reviewed articles were included if they reported the incidence of fatal or catastrophic musculoskeletal injury (CMI) in Thoroughbred flat races (n=21) or risk factors for CMI (n=65). Pooled effect sizes were estimated using the random-effects DerSimonian-Laird model. The pooled incidence of CMI was 1.17 (95% confidence interval 0.90, 1.44) per 1000 race starts. Almost 300 f...
Takai S, Ohbushi S, Koike K, Tsubaki S, Oishi H, Kamada M.The prevalence of virulent Rhodococcus equi in isolates from soil and feces of foals on a farm with endemic R. equi infections was significantly higher than that of a farm with no history of the disease. Foals bred on a farm with the endemic disease might be constantly exposed to virulent R. equi in their environment.
Yarnell K, Hall C, Billett E.Animal management often involves procedures that, while unlikely to cause physical pain, still cause aversive responses. The domestic horse (Equus caballus) regularly has excessive hair clipped off to facilitate its use as a riding/driving animal and this procedure causes adverse behavioral responses in some animals. The aim of this study was to compare behavioral and physiological measures to assess the aversive effect of this procedure. Ten horses were selected on the basis of being either compliant (C: n=5) or non-compliant (NC: n=5) during this procedure. The horses were subjected to a sha...
McGreevy PD, Oddie C, Burton FL, McLean AN.This article examines the recently completed equid ethogram and shows how analogues of social interactions between horses may occur in various human-horse interactions. It discusses how some specific horse-horse interactions have a corresponding horse-human interaction - some of which may be directly beneficial for the horse while others may be unusual or even abnormal. It also shows how correspondent behaviours sometimes become inappropriate because of their duration, consistency or context. One analogue is unlikely to hold true for all horse-human contexts, so when applying any model from ho...
Koene P, Ipema B.It may become advantageous to keep human-managed animals in the social network groups to which they have adapted. Data concerning the social networks of farm animal species and their ancestors are scarce but essential to establishing the importance of a natural social network for farmed animal species. Social Network Analysis (SNA) facilitates the characterization of social networking at group, subgroup and individual levels. SNA is currently used for modeling the social behavior and management of wild animals and social welfare of zoo animals. It has been recognized for use with farm animals ...
Reinemeyer CR, Nielsen MK.Equids are hosts to dozens of species of internal parasites that infect no other domestic animals. Virtually all horses, especially those exposed to pasture, experience some level of parasitism continuously. Despite pathologic evidence of parasitic damage in various organs and tissues, few parasitisms are manifested systemically in well-managed horses. Contrary to conventional wisdom, only three common parasitisms of horses are likely to be manifested as colic: Strongylus vulgaris, Parascaris equorum, and Anoplocephala perfoliata. This article discusses the life cycles, pathophysiology, manife...
Curtis L, Burford JH, England GCW, Freeman SL.Acute abdominal pain (colic) is the most common reason for emergency veterinary treatment in the horse. Consolidation of data through a systematic review is important to inform evidence-based medicine and clinical guidelines, but there are currently no published systematic reviews on colic in the horse. The aim of this study was to identify, categorize and appraise the evidence on factors associated with increased risk of developing abdominal pain (colic) due to gastrointestinal disease in the adult horse. A scoping review was performed to identify and categorize evidence on all risk factors f...
Nicol C.It is frequently asserted that equine stereotypies, such as crib-biting, wind-sucking and weaving, are caused by boredom. However, this explanation is too general to be of practical use in discerning the causes of each stereotypy or in devising management practices to prevent their occurrence. The majority of equine stereotypes start within one month of weaning when both the nutritional and social environment of the foal are substantially altered. Epidemiological research has revealed that the provision of low quantities of forage and minimal opportunities for social contact are associated wit...
Cohen ND, Matejka PL, Honnas CM, Hooper RN.The association between various management factors and development of colic was studied in 821 horses treated for colic and 821 control horses treated for noncolic emergencies by practicing veterinarians in Texas between Oct 1, 1991 and Dec 31, 1992. History of previous colic and history of previous abdominal surgery were found to be significantly associated with colic. Change in stabling conditions during the 2 weeks prior to the time of examination, recent change in diet, and recent change in level of activity significantly increased the risk for development of colic. Changes in activity lev...
York A, Matusiewicz J, Padalino B.This review aims to provide practical outcomes on how to minimise the incidence of transport-related problem behaviours (TRPBs) in horses. TRPBs are unwanted behaviours occurring during different phases of transport, most commonly, a reluctance to load and scrambling during travelling. TRPBs can result in injuries to horses and horse handlers, horse trailer accidents, disruption of time schedules, inability to attend competitions, and poor performance following travel. Therefore, TRPBs are recognised as both a horse-related risk to humans and a human-related risk to horses. From the literature...
Ruet A, Lemarchand J, Parias C, Mach N, Moisan MP, Foury A, Briant C, Lansade L.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...
Sykes BW, Bowen M, Habershon-Butcher JL, Green M, Hallowell GD.To date, risk factors for equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD) have not been described in Thoroughbred racehorses. Objective: To determine management factors associated with EGGD, identify clinical signs in affected horses, and compare these to equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD). Methods: The study was carried out on 109 Thoroughbred racehorses from 8 training yards (3 in the United Kingdom and 5 in Australia). Methods: Gastroscopic examination alongside a questionnaire regarding management, feeding, exercise, and health. Results: Management factors and clinical signs were different for...
McBride SD, Long L.A telephone survey was conducted of 100 racing stables, 100 riding schools and 100 competition establishments (8,427 horses in total) to determine what management practices were being applied to horses showing stereotypic behaviour, and to determine the underlying reasons for them by assessing the perceptions and opinions of the people working with the horses. The results indicated that horse owners are concerned about stereotypic behaviour, first, because it reduces the performance of the animal (31, 30 and 27 per cent of the owners of racing stables, riding schools and competition establishm...
Contino EK.Joint disease is one of the most common issues effecting sport horses. Because there is no cure for joint disease, treatment goals surround slowing progression of the disease, minimizing pain, increasing function, and optimizing performance. Accomplishing these goals often requires a multimodal approach that combines systemic medications or supplements; intra-articular therapies, such as corticosteroids or biologics; management considerations; and physical therapy exercises.
Taylor MA, Hunt KR.The term 'anthelmintic drug resistance' describes the heritable ability of some nematode parasites to survive treatment with anthelmintic drugs at the recommended therapeutic dose levels. Genes for resistance appear to be present in many of the important pathogenic nematodes of ruminants and horses. Under intensive management systems, where heavy reliance is placed on anthelmintic drugs for worm control, the selection of resistant genotypes may result in increased reports of the drugs failing to control the nematode populations against which they are aimed. Anthelmintic resistance has been rep...
Luu00eds C, Cothran EG, Oom Mdo M.The Sorraia horse is a closed breed with reduced effective population size and considered in critical maintained risk status. The breed exists in 2 main breeding populations, one in Portugal and one in Germany, with a smaller population size. A set of 22 microsatellite loci was used to examine genetic diversity and structure of the Sorraia horse breed and to compare individual inbreeding coefficient F, estimated from pedigree data, with individual heterozygosity and mean d(2). The Sorraia horse shows lower levels of microsatellite diversity when compared with other horse breeds. Due to managem...
Larsen ML, Ritz C, Petersen SL, Nielsen MK.Ivermectin resistance has recently been described in Parascaris equorum and there have been reports from several countries of a shortened egg reappearance period (ERP) following ivermectin treatment for cyathostomins. This study was aimed at determining the efficacy of ivermectin in treating cyathostomins and P. equorum in Danish horses. A total of 196 animals were selected from 52 farms, all of which were using a selective anthelmintic treatment strategy. ERP was investigated with weekly samples from 96 horses from nine farms. Horses were treated with ivermectin oral paste by their owners at ...
Videla R, Andrews FM.Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is common in horses. A history of mild intermitted recurrent colic signs after eating is noted in many horses. Management of horses with abdominal pain caused by gastric ulcers is especially difficult, because non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, typically used to control abdominal pain, may exacerbate this condition. Effective pharmacologic agents are available to treat EGUS and eliminate abdominal pain, but more comprehensive measures of environmental and dietary management are needed to manage horses with EGUS and prevent recurrence. This article focu...
Pedersen SK, Cribb AE, Windeyer MC, Read EK, French D, Banse HE.Prevalence of, and risk factors for, equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD) are well established. Limited data exists on risk factors for equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD). Objective: To identify management factors associated with EGGD in show jumping Warmbloods in training. A secondary objective was to identify management factors associated with ESGD. Methods: Cross-sectional. Methods: Gastroscopies were performed in horses following a 12-16 h fast. Management questionnaires were collected for each horse. Risk factors were determined using multivariable logistic regression modelling. Re...
Pickrell J.Indoor atmospheres in swine or poultry confinement buildings, horse stalls or human dwellings contain gases, dusts and endotoxin in concentrations significantly in excess of those in outdoor environments. Although concentrations of such constituents differ appreciably between species, many of such differences may be related to differences in indoor mass loading and ventilation, or to the homogeneity of such ventilation. The high protein content of these indoor dust particles suggest they are of animal origin. Their ability to form bacterial colonies and to form or bind endotoxin suggest that t...
Turner A, Kirkpatrick JF.Contraception is becoming a common approach for the management of captive and wild ungulates yet there are few data for contraceptive effects on entire populations. Management-level treatment of mares with porcine zona pellucida (PZP) vaccine resulted in zero population growth of the Assateague Island wild horse population within 1 year of initiation of treatment. Contraceptive efficacy was 90% for mares treated twice in the first year and annually thereafter. For mares given a single initial inoculation, contraceptive efficacy was 78%. The effort required to achieve zero population growth dec...
Gonu00e7alves S, Julliand V, Leblond A.Many factors have been identified as risk factors for colic in horses in several epidemiological studies. The aim of our paper was to review the results of 12 epidemiological studies, in order to assess the impact of each risk factor for colic. According to the literature, the factors that increase the risk of colic are feeding practices (type and quality of food, type and changes of feeding), the intrinsic factors of horses (sex, age and breed), management (type and changes of housing and activity), medical history (a previous colic, administration of a medical treatment) and parasite control...
Individual animals vary in their behaviour and reactions to novel situations. These differences may extend to differences in cognition among individuals. We tested twenty-six horses for their ability to detour around symmetric and asymmetric obstacles. All of the animals were able to get around the barrier to reach a food target, but varied in their approach. Some horses moved slowly but were more accurate in choosing the shortest way. Other horses acted quickly, consistently detoured in the same direction, and did not reliably choose the shortest way. The remaining horses shifted from a faste...
Firshman AM, Valberg SJ, Bender JB, Finno CJ.To characterize onset and clinical signs of polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) in a well-defined population of affected Quarter Horses, identify risk factors for PSSM, determine compliance of owners to dietary and exercise recommendations, and evaluate the efficacy of dietary and exercise recommendations. Methods: 40 Quarter Horses with PSSM and 37 unaffected control horses. Methods: Owners of horses with PSSM completed a retrospective questionnaire concerning their horse's condition. Results: Between horses with PSSM and control horses, no significant differences were found in sex distrib...
Nilsson O, Lindholm A, Christensson D.A field evaluation of anthelmintics in 336 horses on 37 farms was conducted between February and May 1986 in Sweden. The herds, each comprising at least eight horses, had histories of grazing on permanent pastures and receiving regular treatments against parasites at least three times a year. Small strongyles were refractory to (pro)-benzimidazole drugs in all but one of 23 herds examined. There was an average reduction in egg output of approximately 60%, and approximately 30% of 205 horses examined were shedding less than 100 eggs g-1 7 days after treatment. There was great between-herd varia...
Tang L, Li Y, Srivathsan A, Gao Y, Li K, Hu D, Zhang D.Captivity maybe the only choice for survival of many endangered vertebrates, and understanding its broad effects is important for animal management and conservation, including breeding endangered species for subsequent release. Extreme environmental changes during captivity may influence survival ability in the wild. Captivity decreases gut bacterial diversity in a wide range of animals. However, most studies directly compare animals living in captivity with those in the wild, and there is a lack of understanding of effects of gradient shift in lifestyle during species reintroduction based on ...
Rowland M, Coombs T, Connor M.Traveller horses are often perceived to be exposed to poor welfare due to Travellers' traditional way of horsemanship. However, few studies have investigated Traveller horse welfare. Hence, the present study aims to explore Traveller horse owners' attitudes to horse care and welfare. Semi-structured interviews and discussion groups examined 14 Irish Traveller horse owners' attitudes and approach to horse ownership. Additionally, a body condition scoring (BCS) instrument was assessed for its accuracy and ease of use when applied by Traveller horse owners. Additionally, the BCS system was used t...