Safety in horses encompasses practices, equipment, and protocols designed to prevent accidents and injuries to both horses and humans. It involves understanding equine behavior, proper handling techniques, and the use of protective gear. Safety measures include the correct fitting and use of tack, appropriate rider attire such as helmets and boots, and safe stable management practices. This topic also covers the design of equestrian facilities to minimize hazards and the implementation of emergency procedures. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore various aspects of equine safety, including risk factors, preventive strategies, and the effectiveness of safety interventions in equestrian activities.
Boiron A, Barazer C, Clement C, Sahli Vivicorsi S, Bellamy L, Le Toux G, Boisramé S.Horse riding is a popular yet dangerous sport, often resulting in facial traumas due to unpredictable horse reactions or falls. This retrospective study examines 20 patients. The aim of the study is to analyze maxillofacial traumas of equine origin and discuss prevention strategies. Conducted from 2004 to 2021 at our university hospital's emergency department in France, inclusion criteria encompassed patients with maxillofacial trauma admitted to the emergency department and referred to ENT and/or dentistry post-horse-related accidents. Patients were identified from the Health Data warehouse. ...
Taesuji M, Rattanamas K, Yim PB, Ruenphet S.The Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) card, a cotton-based cellulose membrane impregnated with a chaotropic agent, effectively inactivates infectious microorganisms, lyses cellular material, and fixes nucleic acid. The aim of this study is to assess the stability and detection limit of various RNA viruses, especially the avian influenza virus (AIV), Newcastle disease virus (NDV), and African horse sickness virus (AHSV), on the FTA card, which could significantly impact virus storage and transport practices. To achieve this, each virus dilution was inoculated onto an FTA card and stored at r...
Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Durjava M, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, Puente SL, Marcon F, Mayo B, Pechová A, Petkova M, Ramos F....Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of a tincture from the dried fruit of (Turcz.) Baill. (omicha tincture), when used as a sensory additive in feed for horses, cats, dogs, and in feed and in water for drinking for poultry. The product is a water/ethanol (55:45 v/v) solution, with a dry matter content of not more than 4% (w/w) and a content of 0.01%-0.15% (w/w) for the sum of schisandrin and deoxyschisandrin. The Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) concluded that omic...
Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Durjava M, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, López Puente S, Marcon F, Mayo B, Pechová A, Petkova M....Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of a feed additive obtained from the dried leaves of L. (ginkgo extract) when used as a sensory additive in feed for horses, dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs. Ginkgo extract contains ≥ 24% total flavonoids, ≥ 6% total terpene lactones and ≤ 1 mg/kg ginkgolic acids. The EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) concluded that ginkgo extract is safe for the target species at the following concentrations in complete fee...
Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Durjava M, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, Puente SL, Marcon F, Mayo B, Pechová A, Petkova M, Ramos F....Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of cajuput oil obtained from fresh leaves of Maton & Sm. ex R. Powell and (L.) L., when used as a sensory additive for all animal species. The FEEDAP Panel concluded that cajuput oil is safe up to the maximum proposed use levels in complete feed of 30 mg/kg for sows and dogs, 50 mg/kg for horses and ornamental fish, 40 mg/kg for salmon and 5 mg/kg for cats. For the other species, the ...
Quam VG, Belacic ZA, Long S, Rice HC, Dhar MS, Durgam S.Safe, efficacious therapy for treating degenerate deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) and navicular bone fibrocartilage (NBF) in navicular horses is critically necessary. While archetypal orthobiologic therapies for navicular disease are used empirically, their safety and efficacy are unknown. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EV) may overcome several limitations of current orthobiologic therapies. Objective: To (1) characterise cytokine and growth factor profiles of equine bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BM-MSC)-derived extracellular vesicles (BM-EV) and (2) evaluate the ...
Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Durjava M, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, Puente SL, Marcon F, Mayo B, Pechová A, Petkova M, Ramos F....Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of a tincture from the roots of C.A.Mey. (ginseng tincture), when used as a sensory additive in feed for horses, dogs and cats. The product is a water/ethanol (40:60 v/v) solution, with a dry matter content of no more than 6% and a content of 0.01%-0.5% (w/w) for the sum of the two triterpene saponins ginsenoside Rb1 and ginsenoside Rg1. The Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) concluded that the tincture is safe for horses, dogs and...
Jugant S, Regnier A, Douet JY.To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of diamond burr debridement (DBD) for the treatment of calcific band keratopathy (CBK) in horses. Methods: Medical records from horses with CBK were reviewed over a period of 4 years. Diagnosis of CBK was based on slit-lamp examination findings, and DBD was performed on standing sedated horses. Follow-up was obtained by clinical reevaluation of the treated eyes or a telephone survey with the referring veterinarian. Results: Twenty-two horses of different ages (median: 11 years; range: 5-23) representing 24 CBK-affected eyes (14 left eyes and 10 righ...
Colbath AC, Goodrich L, Frye C, Dow S.Neurological diseases and injuries in veterinary patients (horses, dogs, and cats) are complex, and effective treatment options are limited. Neuronal loss, damage to nerve conduction pathways, and inflammation and scarring associated with spinal cord injury pose major challenges in managing many neurological diseases. Furthermore, most of these neuropathologies lack definitive pharmacological treatments, driving interest and research into novel interventions. Our objective is to provide a narrative review of the current literature surrounding cellular therapies including neuronal and glial ste...
Carlier S, Depuydt E, Van Hecke L, Martens A, Saunders J, Spaas JH.Mesenchymal stem cells provide a valuable treatment option in orthopedic injuries in horses. Unassigned: The aim of this study was to evaluate the hematological, biochemical, immunological and immunomodulatory parameters following intralesional treatment with tenogenic primed equine allogeneic peripheral blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (tpMSCs) in client-owned horses with naturally occurring superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) and suspensory ligament (SL) injuries. Unassigned: The immunogenicity and immunomodulatory capacities of tpMSCs were assessed in a modified mixed lymphocyte re...
Martabano BB, Dow S, Chow L, Williams MMV, Mack MK, Bellone R, Wotman KL.To determine the safety and efficacy of perilesional human recombinant interferon alpha-2b (IFNα2b) for treatment of periocular squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) in horses. Methods: Eleven horses (12 eyes) with PSCC were enrolled in this prospective clinical study with owner consent. Methods: Systemically healthy horses were included in the study following confirmation of PSCC via biopsy. Every two weeks for a maximum of six treatments, horses were sedated and perilesional injection of IFNα2b (10 million IU) was performed. Tumors were measured prior to each injection and at one, three, and 12 m...
Iribarne A, Palma MB, Andrini L, Riccillo F, Rodriguez D, Casella M, Garay F, Zabala JS, Mazza L, Muro A, Buero G, Miriuka SG, Carosella E, García MN.Wound healing after skin injury is a complex process, particularly in equines where leg wounds are prevalent and their repair is complicated due to the anatomical characteristics. Conventional treatments are not effective enough. The umbilical cord offers an unlimited source of adult mesenchymal stem cells (ucMSCs) from Wharton's jelly tissue. The present study aims to demonstrate the safety and therapeutic potential of the allogeneic use of equine ucMSCs (e-ucMSCs) in the healing of severe equine leg wounds. The methods employed were the isolation, culture and expansion of e-ucMSCs. Flow cyto...
Kim EY, Lee EJ, Kim RE, Kil TY, Kim MK.Amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cells (AF-MSCs), which can be obtained from fetal tissue, reportedly have self-renewal capacity and multi-lineage differentiation potential. The aim of this study was to identify the biological characteristics of AF-MSCs and evaluate their stability and safety in long-term culture. To confirm the biological characteristics of AF-MSCs, morphology, proliferation capacity, karyotype, differentiation capacity, gene expression level, and immunophenotype were analyzed after isolating AF-MSCs from equine amniotic fluid. AF-MSCs were differentiated into adipocytes, chon...
Müller-Klein A, Braun MN, Ferreira de Sá DS, Michael T, Link-Dorner U, Lass-Hennemann J.Equine-assisted therapies are becoming increasingly popular for addressing physical and psychological disabilities in clients. The role of the horse's welfare in equine-assisted service receives increasing attention in research. Several studies have shown that horses are able to perceive human emotions and respond to human stress responses. However, no research has yet looked at the other side of the coin-whether and how humans perceive and react to equine stress levels during equine-assisted services. To fill this gap in the research, we employed a within-subjects design, in which horse-naïv...
Silva JA, Castañares M, Mouguelar H, Valenciano JA, Pellegrino MS.Endometritis, the inflammation of the endometrium, is the leading cause of subfertility in mares, and therefore responsible for major economic losses in the horse industry worldwide. It is generally treated with uterine lavages combined with ecbolic agents and local or systemic antibiotics. However, since antibiotic overuse has been associated with antimicrobial resistance in mares with persistent endometritis, new prevention and treatment alternatives are needed. One such alternative could be the use of probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from the host. Thanks to their species speci...
Vincent A, Morrissey M, Acri M, Guo F, Hoagwood K.This study examines the effect of volunteering within a Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl) premiere accredited center by exploring the experiences of volunteers leading horses in adaptive riding lessons. Adaptive Riding lessons are horseback riding lessons for individuals ages four through the lifespan, with special needs, varying from cognitive, physical, social-emotional, or other challenges. Volunteers directly impact the rider-horse bond by increasing accessibility to horseback riding for individuals with disabilities, fostering a meaningful bond...
Ferlini Agne G, Kapusniak AE, Wooldridge AA, Jung SW.In this case report, a high dose of torsemide (6mg/kg, every 12 hours for 3 days followed by 12mg/kg, every 12 hours for 4 days) was administered orally to a horse with congestive heart failure (CHF) and atrial fibrillation. Blood samples for measurement of plasma torsemide concentrations were obtained one hour after each drug administration. Pharmacodynamic effects of oral torsemide were evaluated by daily physical examination, electrocardiography, and serum biochemistry. The horse tolerated administration of torsemide. A decrease in ventral oedema and venous congestion was subjectively noted...
Orozco Lopez D, Mochal-King C, Fontenot R, O'Shea CM.To determine the ability to completely transect the equine accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon (AL-DDFT) via an ultrasonographically-guided, percutaneous looped thread desmotomy using FiberWire suture as a cutting device. Methods: Ex-vivo study. Methods: A total of 24 normal equine distal forelimb specimens. Methods: Under ultrasonographic guidance, a Jamshidi needle was placed between the suspensory ligament and the AL-DDFT, and between the AL-DDFT and the deep digital flexor tendon, through two stab incisions. FiberWire suture was fed through the needle and looped around the...
Pereira GF, Fenelon ACG, Horr M, Nogueira GM, Delfiol DJZ.The analysis of cerebrospinal fluid has diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic value in neurological illnesses in horses. There are different methods for obtaining cerebrospinal fluid, with the collection between the C1 and C2 vertebrae being a more recent methodology, which allows the procedure to be performed in standing patients, without the limitations of general anesthesia and with a low contamination of the sample with blood, presenting itself as a practical alternative. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of a local dural blockade in healthy horses submitted to cerebrospinal f...
Schmitt PR, Sanderson W, Rogers JT, Barzee TJ, Peterson MM.Both pre-race meet and daily turf surface condition measurements are required by regulations adopted as part of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA). The Orono Biomechanical Surface Tester (OBST) is the primary device used for characterizing a racing surface and is used for the pre-meet inspections. Tools that are better suited for the daily testing of turf surfaces are also needed to meet the new federal regulations. The purpose of this study was to compare five simple tools commonly used in turf applications to the OBST. Data were collected with each of the six devices at plots ch...
Brown KA, Bender SJ, Johnson AL.Adult horses with proprioceptive ataxia and behavior changes that have histologic lesions consistent with neurodegenerative disease have been increasingly recognized. Objective: Describe the history, clinical findings and histopathologic features of horses presented to a referral institution with neuroaxonal degeneration. Methods: One hundred horses with a necropsy diagnosis of neuroaxonal degeneration compatible with neuroaxonal dystrophy/degenerative myeloencephalopathy (eNAD/EDM). Methods: Retrospective study of horses presented to the University of Pennsylvania, New Bolton Center, between ...
Cassano JM, Leonard BC, Martins BC, Vapniarsky N, Morgan JT, Dow SW, Wotman KL, Pezzanite LM.Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU), an immune mediated disease characterized by repeated episodes of intra-ocular inflammation, affects 25% of horses in the USA and is the most common cause of glaucoma, cataracts, and blindness. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have immunomodulatory properties, which are upregulated by preconditioning with toll-like receptor agonists. The objective was to evaluate safety and migration of TLR-3 agonist polyinosinic, polycytidylic acid (pIC)-activated MSCs injected subconjunctivally in healthy horses prior to clinical application in horses with ERU. We hypothesized ...
Narinx F, Sauvage A, Ceusters J, Grulke S, Serteyn D, Monclin S.To establish the safety of subconjunctival injections of autologous muscle-derived mesenchymal stem cells (mdMSCs) in healthy horses and to evaluate their effect in four horses (six eyes) with severe chronic equine immune-mediated keratitis (IMMK) that was unresponsive to medical treatments. Methods: MdMSCs were cultured from minimally invasive muscle biopsies. In the safety group, four healthy horses received two subconjunctival injections of 2.5 and 5 million cells, respectively, at 1-month interval, to the same eye. Ocular side effects were monitored for 1 month following each injection. ...
Holtcamp K, Nicodemus MC, Phillips T, Christiansen D, Rude BJ, Ryan PL, Galarneau K.Effective teaching requires an educational environment that promotes learning, and yet, developing such an environment can be challenging within today's agricultural-based classroom for educators due to the trend to a more virtual teaching format and less hands-on learning. Animal interaction, particularly equine activities, has been shown to assist educators in the development of an emotionally safe environment for promoting learning. However, research is lacking as to whether the interaction with the animal needs to be direct or indirect within the collegiate educational environment to obser...
Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Durjava M, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, López Puente S, Marcon F, Mayo B, Pechová A, Petkova M....Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of an essential oil obtained from the fruit of L. (coriander oil), when used as a sensory additive in feed for all animal species. The EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) concluded that the use of coriander oil is safe up to the maximum proposed use levels of 30 mg/kg complete feed for piglets, pigs for fattening, sows, veal calves (milk replacer), cattle for fattening, sheep, goats and horses, salmonids, dogs and ornamental ...
Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Durjava M, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, López Puente S, Marcon F, Mayo B, Pechová A, Petkova M....Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of essential oils from fruit and stems of Mill. (bitter fennel oil and sweet fennel oil), when used as sensory additives (flavourings). For long-living and reproductive animals, the Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) considered of low concern the use of bitter fennel oil (with a content of estragole up to 6.1%) at the proposed use level in complete feed: 0.6 mg/kg for laying hens and rabbits, 1.0 mg/kg for sows and dairy cows, ...
Nyberg L, Linnavalli T, Hartmann E, Kalland M.Many horse enthusiasts have insufficient knowledge about horse behavior and welfare (BW) and learning and human-horse communication (LC), which poses a risk for both horse welfare and human safety. The main objective of this study was to investigate why riding school pupils participate or do not participate in non-riding education in BW and LC, using Self-determination theory (SDT). SDT posits that the quality of motivation is related to the individual's basic psychological needs. A convenience sample of 568 riding school pupils from Finland and Sweden completed an online questionnaire. The re...
Granella MCS, Souza AF, Zoppa ALDV.Exposure to ionizing radiation is an occupational risk for veterinarians due to the potential for carcinogenesis, reproductive disorders, cataracts, and hereditary genetic changes. This survey study aimed to identify the radiological protection practices routinely used by veterinarians who work with portable digital X-ray equipment in horses in Brazil and assess their knowledge regarding current legislation. A total of 120 voluntary participation questionnaires were sent to veterinarians who used portable digital radiographic equipment in horses nationwide. The frequencies of the answers were ...
Carlier S, Depuydt E, Suls M, Bocqué C, Thys J, Vandenberghe A, Martens A, Saunders J, Hellmann K, Braun G, Beerts C, Spaas JH.Mesenchymal stem cells are an innovative therapeutic for various equine orthopaedic diseases, including soft tissue injuries. Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of tenogenic primed equine allogeneic peripheral blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (tpMSCs) in horses with naturally occurring superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) and suspensory ligament (SL) injuries. Methods: Multicentre, blinded, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Methods: One hundred client-owned horses with SDFT and SL injuries were randomised to receive an intralesional tpMSC (66) or saline (34) in...
Herrmann I, Sanchez AJ.Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is the only current intervention that has the ability to modify the immune response toward a tolerogenic state. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of AIT in horses with allergic diseases in a systematic manner. Three databases were searched to identify articles reporting clinical outcomes and adverse events associated with AIT. The articles were evaluated for beneficial responses to AIT, defined as a ≥50% reduction in clinical signs, and clinical remission. Horses with respiratory diseases, urticaria, and pruritic dermatitis receiving ins...
Nelson DE, Rivara FP, Condie C.To determine patterns of helmet use and attitudes toward helmets among horseback riders, we analyzed a subset of data (n = 1,834) from a cross-sectional mail survey of horseback riders conducted from July to December 1991. Riders were randomly selected from the mailing list of a national mail-order company that sells horseback-riding equipment. Of 900 English-style riders, 517 (57.5%) wore helmets on their last ride, compared with only 81 of 684 (11.8%) Western-style riders. Among 546 riders who did not own helmets, their most commonly cited reasons included believing that helmets were unneces...
Mills NJ, Whitlock MD.Cases of head injury are reviewed in which riders wearing jockey skull caps have suffered impacts to the front, back or side of their helmets. The design and constructional materials of such helmets are assessed. Impact tests that simulate the accidents confirm the low energy absorption potential of some helmets for lateral impacts. Most pedal or motorcycle helmet designs afford better lateral impact protection.
Carroll SL, Sykes BW, Mills PC.Husbandry and veterinary procedures have the potential to generate fear and stress in animals. In horses, the associated responses can pose a significant safety risk to the human personnel involved in the procedure, as well as to the animal itself. Traditionally, physical restraint, punishment, and/or threat of an aversive, have been the most common strategies used to achieve compliance from the horse. However, from a welfare perspective, this is less than ideal. This approach also has the potential for creating a more dangerous response from the horse in future similar situations. When caring...
Costa-Paz M, Aponte-Tinao L, Muscolo DL.To assess prospectively the incidence, nature, and severity of injuries to polo riders competing in the 1996 Argentine High Polo season. Methods: Assessment, documentation, and provision of care for all injuries sustained during the 1996 season by one of the authors. Riders were also surveyed retrospectively for their previous polo injuries. Results: 34 riders took part in the study. Nine injuries were sustained prospectively and 55 injuries were reviewed retrospectively (64 total). The injuries were categorised as minor (10), moderate (13), and major (41). Twenty five (39%) injuries occurred ...
Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Kos Durjava M, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, López Puente S, Marcon F, Mayo B, Pechová A, Petkova M....Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of turmeric extract, turmeric oil, turmeric oleoresin and turmeric tincture from L. rhizome when used as sensory additives in feed and in water for drinking for all animal species. The FEEDAP Panel concludes that the additives under consideration are safe at the maximum proposed use levels: (i) turmeric extract at 15 mg/kg complete feed (or in water for drinking at comparable exposure) for a...
Short SS, Fenton SJ, Scaife ER, Bucher BT.Awareness of equestrian related injury remains limited. Studies evaluating children after equestrian injury report under-utilization of safety equipment and rates of operative intervention as high as 33%. Methods: We hypothesized that helmets are underutilized during equestrian activity and lack of use is associated with increased traumatic brain injury. We queried the trauma database of a level one pediatric trauma center for all cases of equestrian and rodeo related injury from 2005 to 2015. Analysis was conducted using SAS 9.4. Results: Of 312 children identified, 142 were assessed for use ...
Mutore K, Lim J, Fofana D, Torres-Reveron A, Skubic JJ.There is a paucity of evidence about traumatic injuries and their sequelae sustained due to equestrian injuries nationally. Methods: Retrospective study analyzing National Trauma Data Bank data from 2007 to 2016. Variables collected included age, sex, race, payer status, Injury Severity Score (ISS), hospital length of stay, Glasgow Coma Scale, systolic blood pressure (SBP) at presentation, discharge disposition, and mortality. Patient data were analyzed by anatomic region. Results: The most frequent type of injury was in the thorax, but head and neck injuries produced the highest mortality. In...
Davidson SB, Blostein PA, Schrotenboer A, Sloffer CA, VandenBerg SL.The size, speed, and unpredictable nature of horses present a significant risk for injury in all equine-related activities. Objective: We sought to examine the mechanism, severity, frequency, body regions affected, surgical requirements, rehabilitation needs, safety equipment utilization, and outcomes of equine-related injured patients. Methods: Records of inpatients who sustained an equine-related injury from 2002-2011 with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes E828 and E906 were retrospectively reviewed for pertinent data. Results: Ninety patients, 70% female, age (m...
Filby M, Jackson C, Turner M.The horseracing training industry has largely been ignored in terms of active occupational health research. Objective: To provide baseline statistics on the specific nature and type of accidents that occurred in English horseracing stables during 2008. Methods: All 716 training yards/stables registered with the British Horseracing Authority were contacted in April/May 2009 to complete the Racing Injury Accident Statistical Survey. The survey asked respondents to detail all recorded accidents and injuries during 2008. Results: Two hundred and fifty-six yards (36%) provided usable responses. The...
Roe JP, Taylor TK, Edmunds IA, Cumming RG, Ruff SJ, Plunkett-Cole MD, Mikk M, Jones RF.The objective of the present study was to determine the incidence of acute spinal cord injuries (ASCI) in all forms of horse riding in New South Wales (NSW) for the period 1976-1996. Other aims of the present study were to compare and contrast ASCI with vertebral column injuries (VCI) without neurological damage and to define appropriate safety measures in relation to spinal injury in horse-riding. Methods: A retrospective review was done of all ASCI cases (n = 32) admitted to the two acute spinal cord injury units in NSW for the cited period. A comparable review of VCI cases (n = 30) admitted...
Whitlock MR.To determine the distribution of injuries in the eventing discipline of equestrian sports and the effectiveness of the protective equipment worn. Methods: Data on all injuries sustained in the cross country phase over fixed obstacles were collected from 54 days of competition from 1992 to 1997. This involved 16,940 rides. Results: Data on a total of 193 injuries were collected, which included two deaths. This represents an injury rate of 1.1%. Head and facial injuries represented the largest group (31%), with one third of these requiring treatment in hospital. All riders were wearing protectiv...
Rathfelder FJ, Klever P, Nachtkamp J, Paar O.This article presents the examination of 78 accidents in horseback riding, referring to their origin and kind of injury. It was found that 76% of all injuries did not occur during the active phase of riding, but in the time just before and right after it. Children without any experience in horseback riding were most susceptible to injuries. Referring to lesions occurring before and after the active phase, the longer extremity was predominantly involved (40%); furthermore, the skull was injured in 18% and the hand in 14% of all lesions. During the active phase of horseback riding, skull injurie...
Ross DS, Ferguson A, Bosha P, Cassas K.Using a cross-sectional survey design, this study sought to determine usage rates and barriers to the use of protective equipment in roughstock athletes. Between 2004 and 2006, amateur, collegiate, and professional roughstock athletes were surveyed using national organizational mailing lists. Findings revealed that during competition, 69% never wore a helmet. Barriers were a negative effect on performance and sport persona. Conversely, 88% always wore a vest. The perception that vest usage was required encouraged roughstock athletes to wear them. Mouthpiece use results were mixed; 58% always u...
Silver JR, Parry JM.The increasing incidence of horse-riding accidents, which are often severe in nature, prompted a pilot study of a questionnaire designed to elucidate the cause of such accidents. It was hoped that, on a larger scale, the information gleaned would highlight possible preventative measures which might improve the safety of an important recreational pursuit enjoyed by young and old from many walks of life. A retrospective study of riders sustaining serious spinal injuries admitted to Stoke Mandeville Hospital was compared with riders sustaining minor but significant injuries as the accidents came ...
Theodore JE, Theodore SG, Stockton KA, Kimble RM.This retrospective cohort study reported on the epidemiology of horse-related injuries for patients presenting to the only tertiary paediatric trauma hospital in Queensland. The secondary outcome was to examine the use of helmets and adult supervision. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) was examined in relation to helmet use. Morbidity and mortality were also recorded. Methods: Included were all patients presenting with any horse-related trauma to the Royal Children's Hospital in Brisbane from January 2008 to August 2014. Data were retrospectively collected on patient demographics, hospital length o...
Tyson R, Smiley DC, Pleasant RS, Daniel GB.Hand holding of portable X-ray units is common in large animal ambulatory veterinary practice. Portable X-ray equipment manuals, veterinary teaching institutions, and state regulations discourage, or prohibit, hand holding of portable X-ray units. Our goal was to quantify surface radiation leakage of a typical portable X-ray unit and to measure operator exposure at simulated hand and collar positions during imaging of the equine distal extremity. Each exposure for the study was performed at 80 kVp and 7.5 mAs and repeated 10 times. Measurement of tube radiation leakage was performed along each...
Nolan MB, Schulman ML, Botha AE, Human AM, Roth R, Crampton MC, Bertschinger HJ.Commercial and regulatory limitations associated with native porcine zona pellucida (pZP) vaccines formulated with Freund's adjuvants may be overcome by developing effective recombinant ZP vaccines (reZP) and identifying alternative adjuvant formulations. A two-part preparatory study used 15 geldings and identified potentially effective alternative adjuvant formulations based on anti-pZP antibody response following treatment with pZP formulated with Addavax (AddaVax ™, Invivogen), Quil A (Quil-A® Adjuvant, Invivogen), Quil A and Poly (I:C) (HMW VacciGrade™, Invivogen), Pet Gel A (Montanid...
Meier A, de Laat M, Reiche D, Fitzgerald D, Sillence M.A previous six-week (wk) study demonstrated the potential of the sodium-glucose linked transport inhibitor velagliflozin as a novel treatment for equine insulin dysregulation. The present study examined the safety and efficacy of velagliflozin over 16 wk. of treatment, and over 4 wk. of withdrawal. Twenty-four insulin dysregulated ponies were selected, based on their hyper-responsiveness to a diet challenge meal containing 3.8 g non-structural carbohydrates (NSC)/kg bodyweight (BW). Ponies with serum insulin > 90 μIU/mL either 2 or 4 h after feeding were enrolled, and randomly allocated...
Carlier S, Depuydt E, Suls M, Bocqué C, Thys J, Vandenberghe A, Martens A, Saunders J, Hellmann K, Braun G, Beerts C, Spaas JH.Mesenchymal stem cells are an innovative therapeutic for various equine orthopaedic diseases, including soft tissue injuries. Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of tenogenic primed equine allogeneic peripheral blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (tpMSCs) in horses with naturally occurring superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) and suspensory ligament (SL) injuries. Methods: Multicentre, blinded, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Methods: One hundred client-owned horses with SDFT and SL injuries were randomised to receive an intralesional tpMSC (66) or saline (34) in...
O'Farrell DA, Irshad F, Thorns BS, McElwain JP.A series of pelvic and acetabular injuries caused by horse riding accidents is reported. The importance of wearing appropriate protective clothing when riding is emphasised.
Jäggin S, Fürst A, Hässig M, Auer J.The risk of injury to veterinarians treating horses is high, particularly when performing painful procedures. The present retrospective study investigated this risk, including the frequency and severity of kick injuries, by submitting questionnaires to 700 veterinary practitioners in Switzerland. Evaluation of 216 completed questionnaires revealed that the frequency of kick injuries was affected by the professional experience of the veterinarian, veterinarians being an owner of a horse, the season, the type of procedure, the percentage of equine patients in the practice population, the treatme...
Raidal SL, Edwards S, Pippia J, Boston R, Noble GK.The pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety of meloxicam have been evaluated in adult horses, but not foals. Physiologic differences between neonates and adults might alter drug pharmacokinetics and therapeutic index. Objective: The pharmacokinetics of meloxicam will be different in foals compared with adult horses, and foals could be at increased risk for adverse drug effects. Methods: Twenty lightbreed foals less than 6 weeks of age at commencement of the study. Methods: Single and repeated oral dose pharmacokinetics were determined for meloxicam (0.6 mg/kg) in 10 foals. The safety of the d...
Carrillo EH, Varnagy D, Bragg SM, Levy J, Riordan K.According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 30 million people ride horses each year in the United States. Horseback riding related injuries are common, with an estimated 50,000 emergency room visits annually. The popularity of recreational horseback riding has increased in South Florida and the incidence of associated traumatic injuries is a reflection of this. Methods: Retrospective review of patients admitted to a state designated Level I trauma center that sustained horseback riding associated injuries between January 2000 and December 2003. Information ex...
Marchand WR, Lackner R, Hartquist A, Finnell L, Nazarenko E.The primary aim of this pilot study was to assess the safety, feasibility, acceptability, as well as preliminary outcomes of a mindfulness and self-compassion-based psychotherapy incorporating horses (PIH) intervention, Whispers with Horses, for Veterans who had experienced trauma. Whispers with Horses was developed as a structured intervention that could be easily replicated for additional studies. If shown to be effective by future rigorous research, the aim is to disseminate a manualized version of the intervention to the field. Methods: Prospective open trial. Methods: A large Veterans Adm...
Meredith L, Antoun JS.This study aimed to investigate the perceptions and experiences of New Zealand horse riding schools with regard to horse-related facial injuries. All the riding schools listed in the New Zealand electronic phonebook directory were surveyed by post. The survey questions covered riding schools' perceptions of rider profile, general and facial injury patterns and safety equipment used. The face was perceived to be the most common injury site by only 4% of respondents. Helmets were enforced in only 35% of the schools during unmounted activities. Nearly half the schools did not enforce any safety e...
Cornick J, Martens J, Martens R, Crandell R, McConnell S, Kit S.A drug induced equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) mutant lacking thymidine kinase inducing activity was developed and evaluated as a vaccine. The safety and effectiveness of the vaccine to protect against experimentally induced EHV-1 respiratory disease were evaluated in weanling horses free of EHV-1 neutralizing antibody. The vaccine was safe when administered either intramuscularly or intravenously, and EHV-1 was not shed intranasally during the 12 days following administration. Intranasal challenge with virulent EHV-1 was used to evaluate vaccine efficacy. Following challenge, there was a signifi...
Hernlund E, Egenvall A, Hobbs SJ, Peterson ML, Northrop AJ, Bergh A, Martin JH, Roepstorff L.The development of safety and quality standards for equestrian surfaces needs to be based on objective, repeatable measurements which allow comparisons between surfaces. These measurements should incorporate the assessment of surface performance by riders. This study provides data from objective and subjective assessment of functional properties of high-level show jumping competition and warm-up arenas. Twenty-five arenas in nine international show jumping events were evaluated by mechanical in-situ testing with a surface tester, rider assessments using visual analogue scales (198 riders provi...