Ponies are members of the Equidae family and share many physiological and anatomical characteristics, yet they are distinguished by several key differences. Ponies are generally smaller in stature, with a height at the withers of 14.2 hands (58 inches) or less, while horses exceed this height. In addition to size, ponies often exhibit a stockier build, thicker manes, tails, and coats, and a greater bone density compared to horses. These differences can influence their suitability for various tasks and environments. This topic encompasses a collection of peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the genetic, phenotypic, and behavioral distinctions between ponies and horses, as well as their implications for breeding, management, and performance in equine disciplines.
Wijnberg ID, Owczarek-Lipska M, Sacchetto R, Mascarello F, Pascoli F, Grünberg W, van der Kolk JH, Drögemüller C.A 7-month-old New Forest foal presented for episodes of recumbency and stiffness with myotonic discharges on electromyography. The observed phenotype resembled congenital myotonia caused by CLCN1 mutations in goats and humans. Mutation of the CLCN1 gene was considered as possible cause and mutation analysis was performed. The affected foal was homozygous for a missense mutation (c.1775A>C, p.D592A) located in a well conserved domain of the CLCN1 gene. The mutation showed a recessive mode of inheritance within the reported pony family. Therefore, this CLCN1 polymorphism is considered to be a...
Strand E, Fjordbakk CT, Sundberg K, Spangen L, Lunde H, Hanche-Olsen S.Two genetically and phenotypically distinct horse breeds are used for harness racing in Scandinavia: the Standardbred (SB) and Coldblooded Trotter. These racehorses have identical environmental, management and racing conditions. Therefore, this study was undertaken to identify and compare the relative prevalence of upper respiratory tract (URT) obstructive disorders in these 2 breeds. Objective: To determine whether these 2 phenotypically different breeds of harness racehorses have different predispositions for URT disorders. Methods: Retrospective study of 88 Norwegian Coldblooded Trotters (N...
Paillot R, Prowse L.The humoral immune response induced by ISCOM-matrix (Immuno Stimulating COMplex-Matrix)-adjuvanted equine influenza virus (EIV) vaccine is well documented in horses. ISCOM-matrix adjuvanted vaccines against human influenza are strong inducers of cell-mediated immunity (CMI), including T cell proliferation and virus-specific cytotoxic T cell. In the horse, the CMI response to equine influenza vaccination is less well characterised. An ISCOM-based vaccine has been shown to induce interferon gamma (IFN-γ) synthesis, a CMI marker, in the horse, but this has not been shown for the ISCOM-matrix vac...
Woodward AD, Fan MZ, Geor RJ, McCutcheon LJ, Taylor NP, Trottier NL.In nonruminant herbivores, microbially derived AA could contribute to whole-body AA homeostasis and thus decrease predicted AA requirements. However, postileal capacity of AA uptake is currently unknown. Therefore, to test the hypothesis that Lys is transported across the large colon mucosal apical membrane with capacity similar to that of the small intestinal mucosa in the pony and pig, we examined Lys transport in vitro using brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV). Mucosa was collected from the distal jejunum (DJ) and proximal large colon (PLC) of growing pigs (n = 3) and ponies (n = 4), flas...
Abdunnabi AH, Ahmed YA, Philip CJ, Davies HM.There is scant morphological data for equine carpal bones despite the frequent pathology in Thoroughbreds (TB). This study aimed to identify morphological and morphometrical variations and similarities in carpal bones between and within TB and Ponies (Po). Carpal bones from nine TB and 13 Po were prepared by boiling and drying. Lateromedial width, dorsopalmar depth, proximodistal height, relative density and volume of each bone were measured. Normalized measurements of the radial (Cr) and third (C3) carpal bones were significantly different in all dimensions, and there were significant variati...
Fox-Clipsham LY, Brown EE, Carter SD, Swinburne JE.The Fell and Dales are UK pony breeds that have small populations and may be at risk from in-breeding and inherited diseases. Foal immunodeficiency syndrome (FIS) is a lethal inherited disease caused by the recessive mutation of a single gene, which affects both Fell and Dales ponies and potentially other breeds that have interbred with either of these. FIS, previously known as Fell pony syndrome, is characterised by progressive anaemia and severe B lymphocyte deficiency. The identification of the causal mutation for this disease led to the recent development of a DNA-based carrier test. In th...
Rendo F, Iriondo M, Manzano C, Estonba A.Here, we present the results of a genetic analysis of 463 Pottoka ponies corresponding to four generations, using 17 microsatellite markers. Ten years after the beginning of the Pottoka conservation programme, the values for the genetic diversity of the breed are still high and stable, indicating the success of the programme. We found null alleles in Pottoka for the ASB23, HMS3 and HTG10 microsatellites. Together with information obtained from other pony breeds from the Iberian Peninsula, this finding indicates that these microsatellites should not be used for phylogenetic analyses or parentag...
Nagel C, Aurich J, Palm F, Aurich C.Heart rate (HR) is an important parameter of fetal well-being. In horses, HR and heart rate variability (HRV) can be determined by fetomaternal electrocardiography (ECG) from mid-pregnancy to foaling. Normal values for physiological parameters in larger breeds are often used as reference values in ponies. However, HR increases with decreasing size of the animal and in ponies is higher than in warmblood horses. It is not known if fetal HR is affected by breed and if values obtained in larger breeds can be used to assess Shetland fetuses. We have determined fetomaternal beat-to-beat (RR) interva...
Borst LB, Patterson SK, Lanka S, Barger AM, Fredrickson RL, Maddox CW.To evaluate a commercially available modified-live Streptococcus equi subsp equi vaccine for safety and persistence in vaccinated ponies and to detect recombination or reversion events in the vaccine strain. Methods: 5 ponies that were 1.5 to 8 years old (group 1) and 4 ponies that were 6 months old (group 2). Methods: Ponies were vaccinated, with a subsequent booster vaccination 2 to 3 weeks later, and monitored for 50 days. At booster vaccination, an equal amount of a tetracycline-resistant wild-type strain of S equiwas administered. Recovery of all strains was performed by use of bacteriolo...
Freitas GC, Carregaro AB, Gehrcke MI, De La Côrte FD, Lara VM, Pozzobon R, Brass KE.This study evaluated the analgesia effects of the epidural administration of 0.1 mg/kg bodyweight (BW) of morphine or 5 μg/kg BW of buprenorphine in ponies with radiocarpal joint synovitis. Six ponies were submitted to 3 epidural treatments: the control group (C) received 0.15 mL/kg BW of a 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl) solution; group M was administered 0.1 mg/kg BW of morphine; and group B was administered 5 μg/kg BW of buprenorphine, both diluted in 0.9% NaCl to a total volume of 0.15 mL/kg BW administered epidurally at 10 s/mL. The synovitis model was induced by injecting 0.5 ng of lipopol...
Page AE, Loynachan AT, Bryant U, Stills HF, Adams AA, Gebhart CJ, Pusterla N, Horohov DW.Lawsonia intracellularis is the etiological agent of infectious intestinal hyperplasia for which several clinical diseases have been described including proliferative enteropathy (PE), intestinal adenomatosis, and ileitis. While initially recognized as the causative agent of PE in pigs, L. intracellularis is now viewed as an emerging cause of intestinal hyperplasia in a wide range of mammalian species, including horses. Equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE) has been reported worldwide though definitive diagnosis is difficult and the epidemiology of the disease remains poorly understood. Weanl...
Kainzbauer C, Rushton J, Tober R, Scase T, Nell B, Sykora S, Brandt S.In January 2010, 18 months after excision of an ocular squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), a Connemara mare presented with anorexia and periorbital/parotideal lesions. Post mortem examination revealed these lesions as forming one entity, with 2 additional growths in the retropharyngeal region and the left jugular groove, respectively. The lesions were confirmed histopathologically as SCCs. Using PCR, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 2008 and 2010, tumour tissue, intact skin and vulval mucosa were screened for Equus caballus papillomavirus type 2 (EcPV-2) and bovine papillomavirus typ...
Karikoski NP, Horn I, McGowan TW, McGowan CM.Endocrinopathic causes of laminitis may be a common underlying causative pathogenesis in first-opinion or field cases presenting with laminitis, as opposed to laminitis produced in inflammatory research models. This study aimed to determine whether evidence of an underlying endocrinopathy was present in horses presented for laminitis to a first-opinion/referral veterinary teaching hospital. A second aim was to compare the signalment of horses and ponies with laminitis with the equine hospital population during the same period. All horses presenting for laminitis at Helsinki University Equine T...
Menendez MI, Clark DJ, Carlton M, Flanigan DC, Jia G, Sammet S, Weisbrode SE, Knopp MV, Bertone AL.To evaluate healing of surgically created large osteochondral defects in a weight-bearing femoral condyle in response to delayed percutaneous direct injection of adenoviral (Ad) vectors containing coding regions for either human bone morphogenetic proteins 2 (BMP-2) or -6. Methods: Four 13mm diameter and 7mm depth circular osteochondral defects were drilled, 1/femoral condyle (n=20 defects in five ponies). At 2 weeks, Ad-BMP-2, Ad-BMP-6, Ad-green fluorescent protein (GFP), or saline was percutaneously injected into the central drill hole of the defect. Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (...
Asplin KE, Curlewis JD, McGowan CM, Pollitt CC, Sillence MN.Several conditions associated with laminitis in horses are also associated with insulin resistance, which represents the failure of glucose uptake via the insulin-responsive glucose transport proteins in certain tissues. Glucose starvation is a possible mechanism of laminitis, but glucose uptake mechanisms in the hoof are not well understood. Objective: To determine whether glucose uptake in equine lamellae is dependent on insulin, to characterise the glucose transport mechanism in lamellae from healthy horses and ponies, and to compare this with ponies with laminitis. Methods: Study 1 investi...
Kuemmerle JM, Fürst AE.To report open reduction and joint stabilization using a prosthetic capsule technique for treatment of a craniodorsal coxofemoral luxation in a lightweight pony. Methods: Clinical report. Methods: Pony stallion (8 years old, 113 kg). Methods: A craniodorsal approach to the coxofemoral joint was performed under general anesthesia. After open reduction, a prosthetic capsule technique was used. Four 3.5 mm self-tapping cortical anchor screws were implanted: 2 screws were inserted above the cranial aspect of the dorsal acetabular rim, and 2 screws were inserted into the femoral neck. Subsequently,...
Komáromy AM, Rowlan JS, La Croix NC, Mangan BG.To describe the clinical phenotype and genetics of equine Multiple Congenital Ocular Anomalies (MCOA) syndrome in PMEL17 (Silver) mutant ponies. Methods: Five presumably unrelated ponies. Methods: The ponies were examined under field conditions in their barn by slit lamp biomicroscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy, and applanation tonometry. Blood was collected and genomic DNA extracted for MCOA genotyping using the PMEL17ex11 marker. Results: One pony solely presented with temporal ciliary body cysts, suggestive of the less severe Cyst phenotype of MCOA; the animal was heterozygous at the MCOA loc...
van de Goor LH, van Haeringen WA, Lenstra JA.As a consequence of the close integration of horses into human society, equine DNA analysis has become relevant for forensic purposes. However, the information content of the equine Short Tandem Repeat (STR) loci commonly used for the identification or paternity testing has so far not been fully characterized. Population studies were performed for 17 polymorphic STR loci (AHT4, AHT5, ASB2, ASB17, ASB23, CA425, HMS1, HMS2, HMS3, HMS6, HMS7, HTG4, HTG6, HTG7, HTG10, LEX3 and VHL20) including 8641 horses representing 35 populations. The power of parental exclusion, polymorphic information content...
Brault LS, Penedo MC.A putative mutation causative of cerebellar abiotrophy (CA), a genetic defect found almost exclusively in Arabian horses, was recently identified. Objective: To investigate the presence of the CA mutation in breeds other than Arabian and ascertain whether the mutation had been introduced into these breeds by Arabian ancestry. The CA mutation is present in breeds of horses with Arabian ancestry. Methods: Allele-specific PCR was used to genotype 1845 non-Arabian horses for the CA mutation. For those breeds in which at least one carrier was identified, an additional 266 horses were genotyped to d...
McKenzie HC.Hyperlipidemia is the presence of elevated lipid concentrations in the blood and is associated with periods of negative energy balance and physiologic stress. In increased concentrations, circulating lipids typically occur in the triglyceride form, which may interfere with numerous normal physiologic functions, particularly by reducing insulin sensitivity. Although the hyperlipidemia risk is greatest in ponies, miniature horses, and donkeys, all equids are at risk if they are in a situation involving negative energy balance. The sedentary lifestyle of many modern horses and the frequent feedin...
Cillán-Garcia E, Taylor SE, Townsend N, Licka T.To report a surgical technique that allows decompression and anatomic re-alignment for management of subluxation of the atlantoaxial articulation. Methods: Clinical report. Methods: Four-year-old Welsh Section B pony gelding. Methods: Attempts at closed reduction of subluxation of the atlantoaxial articulation under general anesthesia were unsuccessful, so a ventral surgical approach allowing partial ostectomy of the dens of the axis was used to facilitate reduction. Results: Recovery from surgery was uneventful and the pony remained comfortable without neurologic deficits. Both neck stiffness...
Dugdale AH, Curtis GC, Milne E, Harris PA, Argo CM.Excessive accumulations or depletions of body fat have been associated with increased morbidity and mortality in horses and ponies. An objective, minimally-invasive method to accurately quantify body fat in living animals is required to aid nutritional management and define welfare/performance limits. Objective: To compare deuterium oxide (D(2) O) dilution-derived estimates of total body water (TBW) and body fat with values obtained by 'gold standard' proximate analysis and cadaver dissection. Objective: D(2) O dilution offers a valid method for the determination of TBW and body fat in equids....
Dugdale AH, Curtis GC, Harris PA, Argo CM.Evaluation of equine body fat content is important for nutritional and clinical purposes. However, our understanding of total body fat and its regional distribution in the body is sparse. Currently, body fat evaluation relies on the subjective assessment of body condition score (BCS), which has never been validated against 'gold standard' chemical analysis or dissection measurements in ponies. Objective: To define the relationships between subjective (BCS), objective (morphometric) indices of body fat and 'gold standard' measurements of actual body composition. Objective: BCS and morphometry o...
Pinard CL, Basrur PK.To characterize the ocular anomalies, determine their recurrence in families and assess the mode of inheritance of the most prevalent anomalies through pedigree analysis in a herd of Exmoor ponies. Methods: Thirty Exmoor ponies residing in south-western Ontario, Canada. Methods: Ophthalmic examination was performed using direct ophthalmoscopy, slit-lamp biomicroscopy and indirect ophthalmoscopy, pre- and post-pupillary dilation. Following compilation of ocular findings, pedigree analysis was conducted to assess the recurrence pattern of specific anomalies in families and the data were tested f...
Bömcke E, Gengler N, Cothran EG.In Greece, seven native horse breeds have been identified so far. Among these, the Skyros pony is outstanding through having a distinct phenotype. In the present study, the aim was to assess genetic diversity in this breed, by using different types of genetic loci and available genealogical information. Its relationships with the other Greek, as well as foreign, domestic breeds were also investigated. Through microsatellite and pedigree analysis it appeared that the Skyros presented a similar level of genetic diversity to the other European breeds. Nevertheless, comparisons between DNA-based a...
Thompson DL, Hoffman R, DePew CL.Eight pony mares received 4 mg of recombinant porcine prolactin (rpPRL) daily for 45 d beginning on January 15; eight control mares received vehicle. Reproductive end points and various indicators of metabolism, hair shedding, and thyroid activity were monitored. Prolactin concentrations peaked in mares treated with rpPRL at 94 +/- 19 ng/mL 2 h after injection and were 5.1 +/- 1.7 ng/mL 24 h after injection. Treatment with rpPRL increased (P < .01) hair shedding within 14 d, which peaked at 28 d and then dropped precipitously. Binding of 125I-equine prolactin confirmed that antibodies were ...
Moore-Colyer MJ, Hyslop JJ, Longland AC, Cí·¯ord D.An in sacco mobile bag technique was used to determine the rate and extent of disappearance of unmolassed sugar-beet pulp, soyabean hulls, hay cubes and an oat hull-naked oats mixture (67:33, w/w) in the foregut and total digestive tract of ponies. Ponies were administered naso-gastrically polyester mesh bags containing 350 mg feed, in a Latin square design. Bags were collected at the ileo-caecal junction (small intestine bag, SIB) and in the faeces (faecal bag, FB) and their residues analysed for proximate constituents and NSP composition and content. DM disappearances from individual bags we...
Matto TN, Bharkad GP, Bhat SA.A total of 1,304 faecal samples of different species of equids were examined for presence of helminthic eggs from five different centres in Mumbai and Pune regions of Maharashtra state from October 2011 to June 2012. Overall prevalence of helminthic infestation was found to be 20.63 % with higher rate of occurrence in monsoon (31.29 %) followed by winter (20.40 %) and summer (14.23 %). Four species of nematodes viz. strongyles (10.81 %), Strongyloides westeri (13.19 %), Parascaris equorum (0.23 %) and Dictyocaulus arnfieldi (0.23 %); two species of trematodes viz. amphistomes (1.38 %)...
Kullmann A, Weber PS, Bishop JB, Roux TM, Norby B, Burns TA, McCutcheon LJ, Belknap JK, Geor RJ.Hyperinsulinaemia is implicated in the pathogenesis of endocrinopathic laminitis. Insulin can bind to different receptors: two insulin receptor isoforms (InsR-A and InsR-B), insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) and InsR/IGF-1R hybrid receptor (Hybrid). Currently, mRNA expression of these receptors in equine tissues and the influence of body type and dietary carbohydrate intake on expression of these receptors is not known. Objective: The study objectives were to characterise InsR-A, InsR-B, IGF-1R and Hybrid expression in lamellar tissue (LT) and insulin responsive tissues from horse...
Love EJ, Taylor PM, Whay HR, Murrell J.Buprenorphine has recently obtained UK Marketing Authorisation for horses. The analgesic effects are long lasting, and have considerable potential for postoperative pain relief. This observer blinded, randomised study aimed to evaluate postsurgical analgesia in ponies premedicated with buprenorphine prior to castration under intravenous anaesthesia. Ponies received either 0.01 mg/kg bodyweight (BW) buprenorphine (group B) or an equivalent volume of 5 per cent glucose (group C) given intravenously before induction of anaesthesia. Pain was assessed and recorded using dynamic interactive visual a...
Henriksson J, Sauveroche M, Roth LSV.Due to our long history of living in close association with horses, these animals are suggested to have enhanced skills in understanding and communicating with humans. Today, horses have become important to humans for sport and leisure and their understanding of human behaviour and their human-directed behaviour are therefore of great importance. In this study, we investigated 22 horses in a human contact-seeking experiment where they were presented with an unsolvable problem and a detour experiment with a human demonstrator. The unsolvable problem consisted of pieces of carrot in a closed buc...
Nolan A, Reid J, Welsh E, Flaherty D, McCormack R, Monteiro AM.The pharmacokinetics of propofol and ketamine administered together by infusion were investigated in four ponies. Blood propofol and plasma ketamine and norketamine concentrations were measured by high performance liquid chromatography. After premedication with detomidine (20 micrograms kg-1) anaesthesia was induced with ketamine (2.2 mg kg-1 intravenously). The trachea was intubated and the ponies were allowed to breathe 100 per cent oxygen. A bolus dose of propofol (0.5 mg kg-1) was then administered intravenously and propofol and ketamine were infused for 60 and 45 minutes, respectively. Th...
Lopes MS, Mendonça D, Rojer H, Cabral V, Bettencourt SX, da Câmara Machado A.The Terceira Pony is a horse indigenous to Terceira Island in the Azores. These horses were very important during the colonization of the island. Due to their very balanced proportions and correct gaits, and with an average withers height of 1.28 m, the Terceira Pony is often confused with a miniature pure-bred Lusitano. This population was officially recognized as the fourth Portuguese equine breed by the national authorities in January, 2014. The aim of this study was to analyze the morphology and the genetic diversity by means of microsatellite markers of this emerging horse breed. The biom...
Strand E, Fjordbakk CT, Sundberg K, Spangen L, Lunde H, Hanche-Olsen S.Two genetically and phenotypically distinct horse breeds are used for harness racing in Scandinavia: the Standardbred (SB) and Coldblooded Trotter. These racehorses have identical environmental, management and racing conditions. Therefore, this study was undertaken to identify and compare the relative prevalence of upper respiratory tract (URT) obstructive disorders in these 2 breeds. Objective: To determine whether these 2 phenotypically different breeds of harness racehorses have different predispositions for URT disorders. Methods: Retrospective study of 88 Norwegian Coldblooded Trotters (N...
Schneider NR, Yeary RA.Elimination kinetics of nitrite and nitrate in the dog, sheep, and pony were determined. The elimination half-lives of nitrite were 0.499, 0.475, and 0.566 hours in the dog, sheep, and pony, respectively; those of nitrate were 44.681, 4.233, and 4.821 hours. Apparent specific volumes of distribution (V'd) of nitrite were variable among the 3 species--1,623.7 ml/kg in the dog, 278.0 ml/kg in the sheep, and 191.6 ml/kg in the pony. The V'd of nitrate were less varied--dog, 238.5 ml/kg; sheep, 291.1 ml/kg; and pony, 209.3 ml/kg. In the in vitro studies on protein binding in canine plasma, the ext...
Knowles EJ, Moreton-Clack MC, Shaw S, Harris PA, Elliott J, Menzies-Gow NJ.Analysis of plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone concentration [ACTH] aids diagnosis of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID). Comparisons of the validated chemiluminescent-immunoassay (CI) and immunofluorescent (IF) assays are limited. Objective: To compare the results of [ACTH] analysis by CI and IF methods of samples collected in autumn and spring and assess cross-reactivity. Methods: Method comparison. Methods: Plasma from nonlaminitic ponies was analysed concurrently using the IF and CI methods in autumn and the following spring. Diagnostic thresholds for the IF method were derived u...
Setchell BP, Cox JE.In 3 testes of 2 adult Pony stallions under halothane anaesthesia, catheters were inserted into a vein and a lymphatic vessel in the spermatic cord and into a vein on the surface of the testis. Lymph and venous blood were collected from the catheters in the cord and p-aminohippurate (2% w/v, 0 . 1 ml/min) was infused into the vein on the testis to determine blood flow by dilution. After 1 h, 6000 i.u. hCG was injected i.v. and collections continued for 45 min. The testes weighed 126-176 g. Lymph flow was 20-150 microliter/min before hCG and 100-270 microliter/min after hCG; the range of blood ...
Liu XX, Pan JF, Zhao QJ, He XH, Pu YB, Han JL, Ma YH, Jiang L.The X chromosome shows a special interaction between demographic factors and genetic variation, and the analysis of X-linked genomic variation can therefore provide insights into the unique effects of demography and selection on the horse genome that cannot be readily detected by autosomal markers. Debao (DB) ponies have experienced intense selective pressure for the development of their small stature (<106 cm at adult height). To identify selective sweeps on the X chromosome of the DB pony, we performed a genome-wide scan of three Chinese horse breeds using an Equine SNP70 BeadChip. Using Yi...
Patipa LA, Sherlock CE, Witte SH, Pirie GD, Berghaus RD, Peroni JF.To evaluate the incidence of colic and risk factors for colic in equids hospitalized for ocular disease. Methods: Retrospective observational study. Animals-337 equids (317 horses, 19 ponies, and 1 donkey) hospitalized for ocular disease. Methods: Medical records of equids hospitalized for > 24 hours for treatment of ocular disease between January 1997 and December 2008 were reviewed. Information from only the first hospitalization was used for equids that were hospitalized for ocular disease on more than 1 occasion. Information gathered included the signalment, the type of ocular lesion and t...
Schurink A, Ducro BJ, Bastiaansen JW, Frankena K, van Arendonk JA.Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is the most common allergic disease present in horses worldwide. It has been shown that IBH is under genetic control, but the knowledge of associated genes is limited. We conducted a genome-wide association study to identify and quantify genomic regions contributing to IBH in the Dutch Shetland pony population. A total of 97 cases and 91 controls were selected and matched on withers height, coat colour and pedigree to minimise the population stratification. A blood sample was collected from participating Shetland pony mares, their IBH phenotype was scored and...
Sigurðardóttir H, Ablondi M, Kristjansson T, Lindgren G, Eriksson S.The Icelandic horse and Exmoor pony are ancient, native breeds, adapted to harsh environmental conditions and they have both undergone severe historic bottlenecks. However, in modern days, the selection pressures on these breeds differ substantially. The aim of this study was to assess genetic diversity in both breeds through expected (HE) and observed heterozygosity (HO) and effective population size (Ne). Furthermore, we aimed to identify runs of homozygosity (ROH) to estimate and compare genomic inbreeding and signatures of selection in the breeds. Results: HO was estimated at 0.34 and 0.33...
Grubaugh W, Sharp DC, Berglund LA, McDowell KJ, Kilmer DM, Peck LS, Seamans KW.When mares were pinealectomized in summer or in winter there was no difference in the annual ovulation date of these animals and of pineal-intact controls during the first post-operative breeding season but in the second season the ovulation date of the winter pinealectomized mares was significantly delayed, suggesting a long-term but clear pineal involvement in seasonal reproductive patterns. Exposure of pinealectomized mares to a stimulatory photoperiod failed to advance the average date of first annual ovulation and was similar to that of intact mares receiving no stimulatory lighting. The ...
Gasthuys F, de Moor A, Parmentier D.The effects of change in position and respiration modes were studied in 5 experimental ponies during a standard halothane anaesthesia. A marked cardiovascular depression (decrease in mean arterial blood pressure, cardiac output, stroke volume and left ventricle work) occurred in recumbent, spontaneously breathing ponies. No significant differences were found between right and left lateral recumbency. The most pronounced cardiovascular depression was observed in the dorsal position. Sternal recumbency appeared to be slightly beneficial (higher systemic blood pressure and arterial oxygenation). ...
Joonè CJ, Bertschinger HJ, Gupta SK, Fosgate GT, Arukha AP, Minhas V, Dieterman E, Schulman ML.Few studies have investigated ovarian function in the mare undergoing porcine zona pellucida (pZP) immunocontraception despite reported ovarian dysfunction in other species. Objective: This study aimed to describe ovarian function and oestrous cyclicity in pony mares following treatment with either the conventional pZP vaccine or a novel recombinant form of the vaccine derived from porcine ZP3 and ZP4 (reZP). In addition, the contraceptive efficacy of pZP vs. reZP was assessed. Methods: Blinded, randomised, prospective clinical trial. Methods: Mares (n = 21) were randomised into 3 groups of 7:...
Lowe JE, Sellers AF, Brondum J.Pelvic flexure fistulas (2.5 cm diameter) were established in eight 160 kg Shetland X ponies. Impaction was induced at the pelvic flexure 25 times in the 8 animals through partial obstruction by a 1 litre rubber rebreathing bag fixed at the fistula site. Blood flow probes were implanted on the dorsal and ventral colic arteries (right colic artery and colic branch of ileocolic artery) in two of the ponies. Intraluminal pressure changes were measured at 8 different locations in the large colon during episodes of colic and following administration of flunixin or xylazine. Episodes of colic charac...
Uberti B, Eberle DB, Pressler BM, Moore GE, Sojka JE.OBJECTIVE-To determine whether urine protein-to-creatinine (UP:C) ratio assessment provides an estimate of urine protein excretion (UPE) over a 24-hour period in horses and ponies, establish a preliminary UP:C ratio reference range, and determine UP:C ratio variation over time in healthy equids. ANIMALS-11 female horses and 6 female ponies. PROCEDURES-Urine was collected from all equids at 4-hour intervals for 24 hours. Total 24-hour UPE (mg of protein/kg of body weight) and UP:C ratio were determined; these variables were also assessed in aliquots of urine collected at 4-hour intervals. On 2 ...
Monahan CM, Chapman MR, French DD, Taylor HW, Klei TR.Moxidectin was tested as an oral gel formulation during a controlled test performed to evaluate dosages against equine gastrointestinal parasites. Four groups of ten ponies were used. Ponies ranged from 1 to 20 years of age and were naturally infected in southern Louisiana or Mississippi. Fecal exams and fecal cultures were performed on all ponies to determine the strongyle egg counts and the percent distributions of large and small strongyles. Following these determinations, ponies were allocated to replicates of four ponies to provide an even distribution of strongyle infection, age, weight ...
Florence L, McDonnell SM.Despite growing interest in application natural models of hoof-maintenance in domestic horses, little data is available to describe natural conformation and proposed mechanisms of self-maintenance. Objective: Quantitatively describe hoof growth and wear during a period of 'self-trimming' within a herd of semi-feral ponies. Methods: Hoof length, growth and wear were measured for a sample of 40 animals during a period of 'self-trimming' from June through September, 2005. Results: For front hooves, mean toe lengths in July, August and September were significantly less than in June. For the hind, ...
Górniak W, Wieliczko M, Soroko M, Korczyński M.Methods of estimating horse body weight using mathematical formulae have better accuracy than methods of reading body weight from measuring tape. The aim of the study was to evaluate established formulae for estimating horse body weight from data gathered using measurement tape. The research was conducted in a group of 299 adult horses and ponies of selected breeds: ponies ( = 58), Polish Noble Half Breed ( = 150), Silesian Breed ( = 23), Wielkopolski Breed ( = 52), and Thoroughbred ( = 16). Body measurements were performed on each horse using a measuring stick and tape. The actual body weight...
Edwards GB, Proudman CJ.A retrospective study of 75 cases of pedunculated lipoma obstruction (PLO) of the intestine was conducted. Age, breed and sex distributions were compared to the non-PLO colic population. Horses in the PLO group were significantly older than in the non-PLO colic group (P < 0.001). A significant increase in risk of PLO was associated with geldings (O.R. 2.32) and with ponies (O.R. 3.75). Of the 75 PLO cases analysed, 69 were strangulating, 70 involved small intestine and 5 involved small colon. Cases of strangulation obstruction tended to have lipomas originating distant to the mesenteric border...
Bamford NJ, Harris PA, Bailey SR.To compare circannual plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and seasonal dexamethasone suppression test (DST) results between three different equine breed groups. Methods: Six Standardbred horses, six Andalusian horses and six mixed-breed ponies were followed over a 1-year period, during which time groups were managed identically. Blood samples were collected monthly (around the autumn equinox) or in every second month (other times of the year) for the determination of plasma ACTH concentrations using a chemiluminescent immunoassay. Overnight DSTs were performed quarterly...
