Observational studies in horses involve systematically assessing and recording behaviors, conditions, or other characteristics without manipulating the study environment. These studies provide insights into natural equine behaviors, health conditions, and interactions with their environment. Researchers often focus on aspects such as herd dynamics, feeding patterns, or responses to environmental changes. The data collected can help identify trends, correlations, and potential risk factors for certain conditions. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore various observational methodologies and their applications in understanding equine behavior and health.
Piccot-Crézollet C, Cauvin ER, Lepage OM.To compare accuracy of 2 methods for injection of the podotrochlear bursa in horses. Methods: Observational study. Methods: 17 French Standardbreds. Methods: In each horse, contrast medium was injected into the podotrochlear bursa of 1 foot by use of a distal palmar approach with the needle inserted parallel to the sole (DPPS) and into the podotrochlear bursa of the other foot by use of a distal palmar approach to the navicular position (DPNP). Podotrochlear bursa injection was evaluated by means of radiographic examination in all horses and postmortem examination in 6. Results: Contrast mediu...
Rogers CW, Firth EC, Anderson BH.To examine the effect of race training on kinematic parameters of the trot in a sample of 2-year-old Thoroughbred fillies. Methods: Two-year-old Thoroughbred fillies that had been either trained for racing (n=7) or left untrained in small paddocks (n=7) were examined for lameness, and linear and temporal kinematic data were collected from video recordings of each horse trotted in-hand, 5, 9 and 13 weeks after the beginning of training. Horses were graded as: sound (Grade 0), suspected but not obviously lame (Grade 1), or definitely lame at the trot (Grade 2). Results: Mean velocity at the trot...
Goehring LS, van Maanen C, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM.The presence of toxins or infectious agents combined with environmental factors in combination with a susceptible host can be the cause for neurological disease in groups of horses. During a 5 year observational period outbreaks of neurological diseases among horses were evaluated. Causes of occurring neurological diseases were equine botulism, lolitrem intoxications, equine herpesvirus type 1-associated myelo(encephalo)pathy, and encephalitis caused by (disseminated) Streptococcus equi subspecies equi infection. This article focuses on the first three syndromes because of their predominant in...
Santamaría S, Bobbert MF, Back W, Barneveld A, van Weeren PR.To investigate the effects of early training for jumping by comparing the jumping technique of horses that had received early training with that of horses raised conventionally. Methods: 40 Dutch Warmblood horses. Methods: The horses were analyzed kinematically during free jumping at 6 months of age. Subsequently, they were allocated into a control group that was raised conventionally and an experimental group that received 30 months of early training starting at 6 months of age. At 4 years of age, after a period of rest in pasture and a short period of training with a rider, both groups were ...
Pritchard JC, Lindberg AC, Main DC, Whay HR.Working animals provide an essential transport resource in developing countries worldwide. Many of these animals are owned by poor people and work in harsh environments, so their welfare is a cause for concern. A protocol was developed to assess the welfare of working horses, mules and donkeys in urban and peri-urban areas, using direct observation of health and behaviour parameters. In this study, 4903 animals used for draught, pack and ridden work in Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Jordan and Pakistan were assessed between December 2002 and April 2003. The data showed that donkeys were more likel...
Firth EC, Rogers CW, Perkins NR, Anderson BH, Grace ND.This is the first in a series of papers reporting studies in 2-year-old Thoroughbred racehorses that aimed to determine the response of musculoskeletal tissues to early training on grass and sand racetracks. In this paper, the experimental set-up of the whole study is described, and nutritional, workload, and clinical, radiographic and pathological outcomes are reported, including semi-quantitative assessment of macroscopic changes in articular cartilage. Methods: The study group comprised 14 two-year-old Thoroughbred fillies reared entirely at pasture. Of these, seven were selected by a licen...
Weese JS, Archambault M, Willey BM, Hearn P, Kreiswirth BN, Said-Salim B, McGeer A, Likhoshvay Y, Prescott JF, Low DE.Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection was identified in 2 horses treated at a veterinary hospital in 2000, prompting a study of colonization rates of horses and associated persons. Seventy-nine horses and 27 persons colonized or infected with MRSA were identified from October 2000 to November 2002; most isolations occurred in a 3-month period in 2002. Twenty-seven (34%) of the equine isolates were from the veterinary hospital, while 41 (51%) were from 1 thoroughbred farm in Ontario. Seventeen (63%) of 27 human isolates were from the veterinary hospital, and 8 (30%) were ...
Weese JS, Rousseau J, Traub-Dargatz JL, Willey BM, McGeer AJ, Low DE.To evaluate the prevalence of nasal colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in horses and horse personnel. Methods: Prospective prevalence study. Methods: 972 horses and 107 personnel from equine farms in Ontario, Canada and New York state. Methods: Nasal swab specimens were collected from horses and humans on farms with (targeted surveillance) and without (nontargeted surveillance) a history of MRSA colonization or infection in horses during the preceding year. Selective culture for MRSA was performed. Isolates were typed via pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and ...
Perkins NR, Reid SW, Morris RS.To describe patterns in training, racing, and general health in a population of Thoroughbred racehorses in New Zealand. Methods: A longitudinal study was designed to collect data on horses training under the care of 20 selected trainers from 20 different stables and five regional training venues in the mid to lower regions of the North Island. Data were collected from trainers at approximately monthly intervals between October 1997 and July 2000, and electronic data containing race and trial results for all starts in New Zealand for the same time period were obtained from New Zealand Thoroughb...
Davidson AH, Traub-Dargatz JL, Rodeheaver RM, Ostlund EN, Pedersen DD, Moorhead RG, Stricklin JB, Dewell RD, Roach SD, Long RE, Albers SJ, Callan RJ....To compare neutralizing antibody response between horses vaccinated against West Nile virus (WNV) and horses that survived naturally occurring infection. Methods: Cross-sectional observational study. Methods: 187 horses vaccinated with a killed WNV vaccine and 37 horses with confirmed clinical WNV infection. Methods: Serum was collected from vaccinated horses prior to and 4 to 6 weeks after completion of an initial vaccination series (2 doses) and 5 to 7 months later. Serum was collected from affected horses 4 to 6 weeks after laboratory diagnosis of infection and 5 to 7 months after the first...
Hodgson D, Howe S, Jeffcott L, Reid S, Mellor D, Higgins A.Oral administration of altrenogest for oestrus suppression in competition horses is believed to be widespread in some equestrian disciplines, and can be administered continuously for several months during a competition season. To examine whether altrenogest has any anabolic or other potential performance enhancing properties that may give a horse an unfair advantage, we examined the effect of oral altrenogest (0.044 mg/kg), given daily for a period of eight weeks, on social hierarchy, activity budget, body-mass and body condition score of 12 sedentary mares. We concluded that prolonged oral ad...
Cassiat G, Pourcelot P, Tavernier L, Geiger D, Denoix JM, Degueurce D.The costs and investments required for the purchase and training of showjumpers justify the need to find selection means for jumping horses. Use of objective kinematic criteria correlated to jumping ability could be helpful for this assessment. Objective: To compare back kinematics between 2 groups of horses of different competition levels (Group 1, competing at high level; Group 2 competing at low level) while free jumping over a 1 m vertical fence. Methods: Three-dimensional recordings were performed using 2 panning cameras. Kinematic parameters of the withers and tuber sacrale (vertical dis...
Gross DK, Stover SM, Hill AE, Gardner IA.To assess the accuracy and reliability of a visual method of evaluating horseshoe characteristics. Methods: 1,199 Thoroughbred racehorses. Methods: Characteristics of 1 forelimb horseshoe were visually assessed on horses immediately prior to racing by 5 field observers at 5 major racetracks in California. Characteristics evaluated included horseshoe type; toe grab height; and the presence of a rim, pad, and heel traction devices. Sensitivity and specificity for observer assessment of horseshoe characteristics were calculated by comparing observer assessments to a postmortem laboratory standard...
Morel MC, Newcombe JR, Swindlehurst JC.Numerous and conflicting reports exist regarding factors that may effect mare reproductive performance, in particular multiple ovulation (MO) and its consequences. Sequential ultrasonic examination was used to monitor 3075 ovulations in 1581 mainly Thoroughbred mares to ascertain: whether increasing age is associated with an increase in MO; whether this is counteracted by an increase in embryo mortality (EM) prior to Day 13; and whether this embryonic loss may be associated with small-for-age embryonic vesicles (Days 13/14). Overall ovulation rate was 1.31, MO occurring in 29.3% of cycles. MO ...
Miller RL, Webster JK, Mariger SC.The purposes of this study were to identify the source and frequency of agricultural injuries in Utah, and determine an injury rate for common agricultural activities. Previous studies conducted in Utah examined injury rates by utilizing emergency room logs. This study collected data directly from the source, farmers and ranchers in Utah, and included all modes of treatment. A random sample of Utah Farm Bureau members were mailed questionnaires to assess the number of injuries occurring during the past three years, the mode of treatment for the most recent injury, and the percentage of time sp...
Fuller CJ, Bladon BM, Driver AJ, Barr AR.The objective of this study was to assess the reliability of lameness scoring in horses. One veterinary surgeon examined nineteen lame horses on four occasions. Gait was recorded by camcorder, and scored from 0 to 10 ranging from sound to non-weight bearing lameness. A global score of overall change in lameness during the study was also determined for each horse. To measure intra-assessor reliability of the scoring systems, one veterinary surgeon scored videotapes of the horses' gaits on two occasions. To measure inter-assessor reliability, three veterinary surgeons viewed the videotapes, assi...
Hausberger M, Bruderer C, Le Scolan N, Pierre JS.The aim of the present study was to broach the question of the relative influence of different genetic and environmental factors on different temperament/personality traits of horses (Equus caballus). The researchers submitted 702 horses to standardized experimental tests and investigated 9 factors, either genetic or environmental. Genetic factors, such as sire or breed, seemed to influence more neophobic reactions, whereas environmental factors, such as the type of work, seemed to play a more dominant role in reactions to social separation or learning abilities. Additive effects were evident,...
Ameni G, Terefe W.A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of epizootic lymphangitis (EL) in 309 cart-mules (cart-pulling mules) in Bako and Ejaji towns, Western Ethiopia using clinical and microbiological examinations, between November 2002 and April 2003. The overall prevalence was 21% (CI=16.6-26%). The clinical, histological and mycological characteristics of EL in a cart-mule were similar with those in a horse. There was significant (chi2=133.5, P=0.001) association between tick infestation and EL lesions in study cart-mules. Amblyoma coherence and Boophilus genera were the ticks c...
Pinchbeck GL, Clegg PD, Proudman CJ, Morgan KL, French NP.Equine fatalities during racing continue to be a major welfare concern and falls at fences are responsible for a proportion of all equine fatalities recorded on racecourses. Objective: To identify and quantify risk factors for horse falls in National Hunt (NH) racing and to report the frequency of falling and falling-associated fatalities. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted on 2879 horse starts in hurdle and steeplechase races on 6 UK racecourses. Any horse that suffered a fall at a steeplechase or hurdle fence during the race was defined as a case. Data were obtained by intervi...
Gerber V, Straub R, Marti E, Hauptman J, Herholz C, King M, Imhof A, Tahon L, Robinson NE.Endoscopic scoring of airway mucus quantity and quality has not been critically assessed. Objective: To evaluate mucus scores for 1) observer- and horse-related variance and 2) association with inflammation, mucus viscoelasticity and measured volume. Methods: Variance of scoring within and between observers and over time within horses were determined for airway mucus accumulation, apparent viscosity, localisation and colour, and correlations of mucus accumulation scores with neutrophil ratios in secretions. The relationship of accumulation score to measured volumes of 'artificial mucus' was in...
Donaldson MT, McFarlane D, Jorgensen AJ, Beech J.To evaluate the correlation between plasma alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) concentration and body mass index (BMI) in healthy horses. Methods: 82 healthy horses. Methods: Plasma alpha-MSH concentration was determined by radioimmunoassay. At the time blood samples were collected, body condition scores (BCS) were determined and measurements of girth circumference, body length, and height were obtained. Weight was estimated by use of the following formula: estimated weight (kg) = [girth (cm)2 x length (cm)]/11,877. Body mass index was calculated as estimated weight (kg)/height (m...
Rothschild CM, Sellon DC, Bryan GM, Gay JM, Hines MT.The objectives of this study were to observe the effects of trimethoprim-sulfadiazine on equine tear production and to determine normal fluctuations in Schirmer tear test (STT) values in horses. A randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded clinical trial measuring STT values in 15 horses over an 8-week period was performed. The treatment group (eight horses) received 30 mg/kg trimethoprim-sulfadiazine orally once a day and the control group (seven horses) received placebo (flour) at the same time. All horses were housed outdoors throughout the study. Schirmer tear test values were measured at 0, ...
Deane JC, Dagleish MP, Benamou AE, Wolf BT, Marlin D.To evaluate the consistency of partial pressures (P) of arterial oxygen (aO(2)), arterial carbon dioxide (aCO(2)) and pH measurements in equine carotid arterial blood samples taken into syringes made from three different materials and stored at room temperature or placed in iced water for measurement at three different times. Methods: Prospective observational study over 19 days. Methods: Four clinically normal Thoroughbred or Thoroughbred-cross horses (three geldings, one mare, mean age 6.25 years, range 5-7 years). Methods: Identical blood samples were taken on two separate occasions from th...
Spier SJ, Berger Pusterla J, Villarroel A, Pusterla N.Behavioural reactions to selected handling procedures were compared between conditioned, or imprint-trained, and untrained foals raised on the same farm. Nineteen randomly chosen healthy foals were imprint trained at birth and 24 h later (Group A). Twenty-one similar foals that were not imprint-trained served as age-matched controls (Group B). Training began within 10 min of birth and consisted of touch desensitization by gentle rubbing. Each tactile stimulus was repeated 30-50 times over 45-60 min, until the foal no longer resisted the procedure and appeared relaxed. The procedure was then re...
Landman MA, de Blaauw JA, van Weeren PR, Hofland LJ.A population of 805 horses (70 per cent dressage, 20 per cent show jumpers and 10 per cent trotters) with orthopaedic problems was examined for signs of lameness and back problems, irrespective of their original complaints. In the horses with a back problem the prevalence of lameness was 74 per cent, and back problems were diagnosed in 32 per cent of the lame horses. These percentages were significantly higher than those recorded in a control population of 399 horses, of which 20 per cent were lame and 12 per cent had back problems. In the group of horses with orthopaedic problems there was a ...
Weese JS, DaCosta T, Button L, Goth K, Ethier M, Boehnke K.After recognition of a cluster of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in horses and humans at the Ontario Veterinary College Veterinary Teaching Hospital, environmental contamination with MRSA was evaluated. A total of 260 environmental surfaces were sampled during periods when MRSA-infected horses were hospitalized, and MRSA was isolated from 25/260 sites (9.6%). The most commonly contaminated sites were stalls housing MRSA-positive horses, but other stalls, medical equipment, personal items, and equine restraint devices also were contaminated. The role of the environ...
Santamaría S, Bobbert ME, Back W, Barneveld A, van Weeren PR.To quantify variation in the jumping technique within and among young horses with little jumping experience, establish relationships between kinetic and kinematic variables, and identify a limited set of variables characteristic for detecting differences in jumping performance among horses. Methods: Fifteen 4-year-old Dutch Warmblood horses. Methods: The horses were raised under standardized conditions and trained in accordance with a fixed protocol for a short period. Subsequently, horses were analyzed kinematically during free jumping over a fence with a height of 1.05 m. Results: Within-hor...
Santamaría S, Bobbert ME, Back W, Barneveld A, van Weeren PR.To determine whether differences in jumping technique among horses are consistent at various ages. Methods: 12 Dutch Warmblood horses. Methods: Kinematics were recorded during free jumps of horses when they were 6 months old (ie, no jumping experience) and 4 years old (ie, the horses had started their training period to become show jumpers). Mean +/- SD height of the horses was 1.40 +/- 0.04 m at 6 months of age and 1.70 +/- 0.05 m at 4 years of age. Results: Strong correlations were found between values from 6-month-old foals and 4-year-old horses for variables such as peak vertical accelerat...
Kim LD, Kreitner K, Scott DM, Seabaugh K, Duncan CG, Magzamen S.Limited research exists on impacts of air pollution on non-human mammals, particularly animal athletes such as Thoroughbred racehorses. Athletes have a greater risk of exposure as heightened exertion and increased airflow carry more pollutants deeper into the respiratory tract. Objective: To provide insights into the impact of ambient air pollution, particularly fine particulate matter (PM), on race speed. Methods: Retrospective observational study. Methods: Data were obtained from The Jockey Club Information Systems, covering 31 407 winning races by Thoroughbred horses in California spannin...
Fiedler JM, Ayre ML, Rosanowski S, Slater JD.Anthropomorphizing can misinform the making of inferences about animal mental experiences. This is a consideration when implementing the Five Domains Model for animal welfare assessment. An online survey run in 2021 captured horse sector participants' perspectives about anthropomorphism and wellbeing in relation to horses. Most respondents, 82.9% ( = 431/520), believed that anthropomorphism could influence horse welfare and wellbeing. These respondents were then asked how, in their opinion, anthropomorphism might relate to horse welfare. A thematic analysis identified two themes: (1) 'Anthropo...
Grandgeorge M, Lerch N, Delarue A, Hausberger M.Equine-assisted intervention (EAI) studies deal with clients, whereas very few studies focused on the effects on animals. EAI equids are also submitted to management, which influences their welfare. Management and working conditions depend on human decisions and perception. We gathered information through a survey about facilities managers' strategies (n = 51) and obtained direct information on management and working practices and their consequences on equids' welfare through an observational study (n = eight facilities, 174 equids). Differences in managers' perceptions of good management prac...
Jovanović V, Vučinić M, Voslarova E, Nenadović K.In Serbia, at present, there is very little information about the welfare of horses. The aim of this study was to identify the main welfare issues likely to be encountered in five different categories of horses (Western riding horses, riding school horses, leisure horses, jumping horses, and endurance horses) kept in stabled housing systems. A total of 50 horses were evaluated using the Animal Welfare Indicator (AWIN) welfare assessment protocol for horses. Identified welfare issues in horses were inadequate box dimensions (52%, 26/50), insufficient quantity of bedding material (34%, 17/50), d...
Mata F, Franca I, Araújo J, Paixão G, Lesniak K, Cerqueira JL.Hoof trimming and shoeing determine the horse's hoof shape and balance. Hoof conformation plays a crucial role in limb biomechanics and can consequently prevent or predispose to injury. This study investigated the relationship between the morphometric characteristics of the horse's hoof, specifically, the dorsal hoof wall angle (DHWA), the coronet band circumference (CBC), and lameness in 73 horses categorised as undertaking either show jumping, dressage, or riding school activities. Results from logistic regression indicated that horses with either a combination of acute DHWA with large CBC, ...
Laleye BOFV, Seye M, Chiavaccini L.Limited knowledge exists on recognition and treatment of equine abdominal pain in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed at finding indicators for recognizing abdominal pain, evaluating responses to clinical and behavioral changes, and assessing the impact of timely referral on colic outcomes in a suburban region of Senegal. The final goal was to identify factors that may be leveraged to improve the outcome of horses presented for abdominal pain in Senegal. Unassigned: Retrospective, observational cohort study. Unassigned: Data from 26 foals and 40 adult horses referred for acute a...
Peters BC, Gabriels RL, Schmid AA, Pan Z, Merritt T, Hoffman A, Hepburn S.The current paper aimed to assess the feasibility of a modified intervention protocol named "Occupational Therapy using Zones of Regulation Concepts in an Equine Environment" (OT-ZOR Equine). Unassigned: A single arm A-B feasibility study was conducted, involving 14 autistic youth ages 6-13 years who first received 10-weeks of occupational therapy without horses (OT-ZOR Clinic) followed by 10-weeks of OT-ZOR Equine. Unassigned: All participants completed the study and attended 95% of OT-ZOR Equine sessions. Occupational therapists maintained 91% fidelity to the OT-ZOR Equine intervention proto...
Taddey CM, Roecken M, Kreling KM, Cruz AM.Reliable lameness thresholds for vertical head displacement for trotting on a circular path and on different surfaces have yet to be defined. Withers movement in lame horses could help improve the diagnostic accuracy of sensor technology. Objective: To define head movement lameness threshold ranges and describe the relationship between head and withers movement during trotting under different circumstances in sound and forelimb lame horses. Methods: Retrospective analysis of clinical data and comparison with control group. Methods: Fifty-five sound and thirty-four naturally lame horses were tr...
Sidwell AE, Duz M, Hill B, Freeman S, Hole SL.Dental disease is a common but often under-recognised condition in horses, possibly due to an inability to recognise clinical signs of oral discomfort. Some dental disorders are reportedly more painful than others, but there is no current metric by which dental pain can be objectively assessed. This study aimed to determine whether a facial expression-based pain scale offered an objective and reliable method for assessing dental pain in horses. It was hypothesised that dental disorders affecting the periodontium would produce high pain scores. Twelve horses with dental disease were evaluated f...
Sundra T, Knowles E, Rendle D, Kelty E, Lester G, Rossi G.The metabolic and lipid profiles of horses treated with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors are not well understood. This retrospective study evaluated blood parameters in hyperinsulinemic horses treated with either ertugliflozin (0.05 mg/kg) or dapagliflozin (0.02 mg/kg) orally once daily. Blood samples were collected at baseline (day 0) and after 7 and/or 30 days of treatment. Statistical analyses were conducted using Wilcoxon signed-rank, Mann-Whitney and Spearman's rank correlation tests. Thirty-four horses received dapagliflozin and 24 received ertugliflozin. Significant (p<0.05)...
Robertson T, Thomas E, Starbuck G, Yarnell K.As a free-ranging, social species, the housing of horses () may limit their opportunity to display natural behaviour, compromising well-being. This review records and presents studies that have investigated horse housing design, evaluates the location and number of studies carried out to date, and reports the methods used to assess impact on equine well-being. A Boolean search was conducted in two databases: Web of Science and Scopus, filtered according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol, resulting in 60 peer-reviewed papers for evaluation. ...
Fletcher K, Limon G, Agongo E, Akunzule A, Essel G, Padalino B, Grist A, Gibson TJ.Donkey slaughter in West Africa has received limited scientific attention, despite increasing over recent years. This study aimed to explore factors affecting donkey welfare, both ante-mortem and at slaughter, in the Upper East region of Ghana. A total of 134 donkeys at five different slaughter points were assessed using animal-based indicators. Slaughter involved either blunt force trauma (BFT) using a wooden pole (1 location) or a metal hammer (2 locations); or non-stun ventral neck incision (VNI) (2 locations). Time to loss of consciousness (or return) was assessed, with behavioural and bra...
Hinrichs K, Schnobrich M, Fernandes CB, Fleury P, Barillari V, Bruggeworth S.Transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration (TVA) is being performed commonly in clinical equine practice. There is limited information in the literature about the type and incidence of complications related to TVA. We conducted a survey (Study 1), completed by 23 practicing veterinarians, soliciting information about the types and incidence of minor and major complications and of fatalities they had experienced associated with performance of TVA. In Study 2, data from a large clinical practice in which six veterinarians performed over 14,000 TVAs over a period of 7 years was reviewed t...
Choi Y, Parkin T.Superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendinopathy is one of the most common musculoskeletal diseases in Thoroughbreds and a major cause of retirement from racing among racehorses in South Korea. However, there are no previous epidemiological studies on SDF tendinopathy-related risk factors for racehorses in South Korea. The interventions derived from such a study could reduce the occurrence of SDF tendinopathy and, therefore, extend horses' racing careers. Objective: To identify the risk factors associated with SDF tendinopathy for Thoroughbreds in South Korea. Methods: Retrospective case-control ...
Krueger K, Roll A, Beyer AJ, Föll A, Bernau M, Farmer K.When animals observe human signals, they may learn from them. Such learning from humans has been reported for intentional communication between humans with animals, but animals might also learn socially by observing unintentional information transfer when eavesdropping on humans-human encounters. In this study, 12 of 17 horses significantly changed their preference for a feeding location after observing approval in a human-human interaction there, and horses kept in social housing adapted in a higher percentage of trials to human-human demonstrations than those in individual housing. This indi...
Cygańska AK, Giżewska B, Zdunek K.BACKGROUND Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) significantly reduces quality of life. During horseback riding, the movement of the horse's back affects the tension of the pelvic floor muscles. This study aimed to compare reported symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction in women with past, current, and no history of horse show jumping. MATERIAL AND METHODS We examined 160 women (age 23.69±3.96 years). The cohort group consisted of 74 women training currently and training in the past, and a control group of 86 women not practicing horseback riding. The study used the original questionnaire and the Aust...
Loublier C, Costa M, Taminiau B, Lecoq L, Daube G, Amory H, Cesarini C.Research on fecal microbiota changes during hospitalization of horses with colic is emerging. Objective: Describe changes of the fecal microbiota during hospitalization of horses with colic caused by inflammatory (INFL), simple (SIMPLE), and strangulated (STR) obstructions, and investigate associations with survival. Methods: Twenty-three horses with colic: 9 in INFL, 5 in STR, and 9 in SIMPLE groups. Seventeen horses survived, and 6 were euthanized. Methods: Prospective observational study. Fecal samples were collected on admission (D1), on days 3 (D3) and 5 (D5). Bacterial taxonomy profiling...
Allano M, Arsenault J, Archambault M, Fairbrother JH, Sauvé F.Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major cause of nosocomial infections, including in veterinary settings. Objective: To investigate the prevalence, risk factors for Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and MRSA colonization, and the duration of MRSA colonization. Methods: Elective cases admitted to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital were recruited (228 horses). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over 3 years. Nasal swabs were collected at admission and cultured for SA. Methicillin-resistant isolates were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-...
Jastrzębska E, Górecka-Bruzda A, Ogłuszka M, Lipka MS, Pawłowska A.This pilot study investigated the effects of massage therapy on stress indicators in recreational horses, focusing on salivary cortisol levels, heart rate and conflict behaviors. Five recreational horses were analyzed under two experimental conditions: without and with massage treatments before riding sessions. Saliva samples were collected at four specific intervals in each condition to measure cortisol concentrations using an ELISA test. Observations of behavioral indicators and heart-rate monitoring complemented the physiological data. The results revealed that massage significantly reduced...
Franzen V, Reisbeck D, Leibl Y, Schoster A, May A.While there is agreement that horses experience pain during the actual headshaking attacks, there is still a lack of research about the time between the individual episodes in this species. Objective: To evaluate the signs of pain in horses with TMHS at rest in the absence of common triggering factors. Methods: Twenty TMHS horses (not head shaking at the time of pain assessment), 20 horses with colic, and 20 clinically healthy horses. Methods: Descriptive study assessing pain in TMHS horses during the absence of clinical signs using the Horse Grimace scale (HGS). To grade the pain shown with T...
May A, Hanche-Olsen S, Goehring LS, Matiasek K, Jäderlund KH, Zablotski Y, Gröndahl G.Acquired equine polyneuropathy in Nordic horses (AEP) is the most prevalent equine polyneuropathy in Norway, Sweden, and Finland and is characterised by pelvic limb knuckling due to metatarsophalangeal extension dysfunction. Objective: To evaluate the function of descending motor pathways in AEP using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Methods: An analytical, observational cohort design. Methods: Clinical findings and TMS results of 20 horses from an AEP outbreak in Sweden were evaluated at 5-month intervals. Latency time (LT) in milliseconds (ms) between coil discharge and onset of musc...
de Chiara M, Montano C, De Matteis A, Guidi L, Buono F, Auletta L, Del Prete C, Pasolini MP.Subjective evaluation of gait by official endurance veterinarians (OEVs) is used to determine 'fitness-to-compete' in horses participating in endurance competitions. Objective gait analysis systems could aid in quick and verifiable judgements. Objective: To assess the agreement between objective analysis of head and pelvis vertical movement asymmetry performed with a markerless artificial intelligence motion tracking system (AI-MTS) and subjective lameness assessment performed by an accredited FEI OEV to judge horse gaits. Methods: Cross-sectional. Methods: During three endurance competitions,...
Alberghina D, Tombolani C, Quintavalla F.Evaluating the body temperature of horses () is essential for monitoring their health. Rectal thermometry is the most common method for determining the temperatures of adult horses and foals. However, this method requires restraining the animals for several seconds, and it poses potential risks to both horses and humans. This study compared infrared and rectal thermometry in 126 horses, evaluating age and measurement site influences on body temperature. Horses were divided into three groups: foals (4-12 months), Shetland ponies (8-12 months), and adult horses (2-30 years). Rectal, ocular...
Ciamillo SA, Bills KW, Gassert TM, Richardson DW, Brown KA, Stefanovski D, Ortved KF.Stress-induced bone injury can lead to catastrophic injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses. Accumulation of high-speed exercise can increase the risk of subchondral bone injury. Objective: To investigate the effect of high-speed exercise on the subchondral bone of the metacarpo-metatarsophalangeal (MCP/MTP) joints using standing cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in young racing Thoroughbreds. Methods: Observational cohort study. Methods: Forty-one 2-year-old Thoroughbred racehorses during their first year of training were evaluated at 0, 6 and 12 months. Horses were evaluated for lameness an...
Wienhold S, Bär L, Ringleb Z, Zirpel V, Gomolla A, Denk BF, Volkmer N, Gaertner RJ, Klink ESC, Pruessner JC.In any therapeutic setting, the outcome depends in part on the therapeutic alliance, characterized by mutual understanding, empathy and trust among the participants. This also manifests through physiological synchronization (PS) processes involving breathing, heart and brain. This study examined the dynamics of heart rate variability (HRV) synchronization patterns during horse-assisted therapy. We explored the correlations between the therapist's horse preference, levels of early life adversity (ELA), and PS relationships within and across dyads of participants, therapists, and therapy horses....
Loftus L, Newman A, Leach M, Asher L.There is increasing focus on how to induce and measure positive affective states in animals and the development of social license to operate has brought this to the forefront within equestrianism. This study aimed to utilise a range of methods to induce and measure positive affect in horses in real-world settings. Twenty healthy horses were scored for personality, exposed to four induction methods (wither scratching, high value food provision, positive reinforcement training and the addition of an affiliative conspecific), and data collected on their behaviour (QBA and ethograms) and physiolog...
Faithfull R, Lewis K, Drury E, McBride S.Despite welfare concerns, conflict behaviours (indicative of momentary states of acute stress) are common in horses during dressage competitions. Identifying factors that affect conflict behaviours during competition therefore has the potential to improve equine welfare. The aim of this exploratory study was to assess the effect of bridle type (double versus snaffle) in relation to other potential affecting factors (e.g., average head angle, competition level and type, tack variation) on conflict behaviours during dressage competition. An ethogram was created to analyse the conflict behaviour ...
Gozalo-Marcilla M, Redondo JI, Bettschart-Wolfensberger R, Domenech L, Doménech J, Johnston GM, Taylor PM.To report on the Confidential Enquiry into Perioperative Equine Fatalities 4 (CEPEF4). Methods: Confidential, observational, prospective, multicentre, cohort study. Methods: 47,396 horses/ponies undergoing general anaesthesia (GA). Methods: Characteristics of each GA (249 variables) were collected. Outcomes after seven days were ALIVE (or discharged), EUTHANASIA or DEAD. Logistic regression analysed patient demographics and the anaesthetic drugs (p < 0.05). Results: Data were collected from 47,396 GAs in 93 centres in 28 countries. Death rates were 1.2% overall, 0.6% for cases classified as NO...
Suomala H, Brotherus I, Hänninen L, Ternman E, Mykkänen AK.Very little is known about sleep disturbances in horses, although several management or animal-based factors may contribute to an increased risk of disturbances. Objective: To investigate factors related to rest and sleep behaviour of horses kept in stalls as perceived by Nordic horse owners or caretakers and their association with suspected sleep disturbances (SSD). Methods: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: The 40 question online international survey included a convenience sample of horse owners or caretakers with horses over 4 years old kept in the same individual stalls for at least the l...
Smith R, Perkins E, Pinchbeck G, Ireland J.Poor pain management in horses is a welfare concern. The 'diagnosis' of pain cannot be separated from the broader set of interactions through which it emerges. The interactions that take place during veterinary consultations shape the ways in which, or whether, pain management is discussed. Objective: To understand owners' and veterinarians' decision making in relation to chronic pain and its management. Methods: Qualitative ethnographic study. Methods: Data were collected from four veterinary practices in Great Britain between May 2023 and April 2024. Around 200 h of ethnographic observatio...
