Stress in horses refers to the physiological and behavioral responses of equines to various stressors, including environmental changes, social dynamics, and physical exertion. These responses can manifest through alterations in heart rate, cortisol levels, and behavior, among other indicators. Stress can affect a horse's overall health, performance, and welfare, making it a significant area of study in equine research. This topic encompasses research on identifying stressors, measuring stress responses, and understanding the implications of stress on equine health and behavior. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the mechanisms, effects, and management of stress in horses.
Fujiyama M, Jones T, Duke-Novakovski T.To evaluate perioperative stress-related hormones in isoflurane-anesthetized horses administered infusions of dexmedetomidine alone or with butorphanol or remifentanil, compared with ketamine-morphine. Methods: Randomized, prospective, nonblinded clinical study. Methods: A total of 51 horses undergoing elective surgical procedures. Methods: Horses were premedicated with xylazine, anesthesia induced with ketamine-diazepam and maintained with isoflurane and one of four intravenous infusions. Partial intravenous anesthesia (PIVA) was achieved with dexmedetomidine (1.0 μg kg hour; group D; 12 hor...
Colborne GR, Tang L, Adams BR, Gordon BI, McCabe BE, Riley CB.During transport, horses are subjected to acceleration in three dimensions, rapid braking, turning, noise, and other stressors. The animal's ability to make postural corrections may be insufficient to prevent injury or distress, and so knowledge of the compensatory motion patterns of the horse in the trailer is a necessary precondition for smart design of transport systems. A custom two-horse trailer was built for this project. It had a horse compartment 1.85 m wide by 3.95 m long, with adjustable bulkheads and a centre divider separating the horses. The floor was instrumented with 24 shearbea...
Uldahl M, Christensen JW, Clayton HM.Riders need core stability to follow and guide the horse's movements and avoid giving unintended or conflicting signals. This study evaluated the rider's performance of exercises on a gymnastic ball with on-horse performance and indicators of stress in the horse. Twenty experienced riders were scored performing three exercises on a gymnastic ball and for quality and harmony when riding based on evaluation of video recordings in which conflict behaviours were evident. The horse's heart rate and number of conflict behaviors during the riding test and cortisol levels after completion of the test ...
Hartmann E, Rehn T, Christensen JW, Nielsen PP, McGreevy P.The study investigated equine responses to novelty and handling, aiming to reveal whether horse-human relationships reflect criteria of an attachment bond. Twelve adult Standardbreds were subjected to a fear-eliciting test (novel objects presented close to two humans) and a handling test (being led passing novel objects) to study attachment-related behaviours and ease of handling. The tests were performed both before (pre-test) and after (post-test) horses had been trained by the same female handler (10 sessions of 15 min). Horses were assigned to three groups of four, each of which underwent ...
Zhu X, Suarez-Jimenez B, Zilcha-Mano S, Lazarov A, Arnon S, Lowell AL, Bergman M, Ryba M, Hamilton AJ, Hamilton JF, Turner JB, Markowitz JC....While effective treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exist, many individuals, including military personnel and veterans fail to respond to them. Equine-assisted therapy (EAT), a novel PTSD treatment, may complement existing PTSD interventions. This study employs longitudinal neuro-imaging, including structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI), resting state-fMRI (rs-fMRI), and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), to determine mechanisms and predictors of EAT outcomes for PTSD. Nineteen veterans with PTSD completed eight weekly group sessions of EAT undergoing multimodal MRI assessme...
Willmund G, Zimmermann P, Alliger-Horn C, Varn A, Fischer C, Parent I, Sobottka A, Bering R, Rose C, Ströhle A, Köhler K.Many traumatised individuals suffering from deployment related PTSD report severe problems in their relationships. Up until now, the therapeutic interventions used by the German Armed Forces have rarely targeted these problems through the integration of partners. For this reason, a Program designed specifically for couples was developed. In this prospective study equine-assisted psychotherapy was applied to soldiers and their spouses. The study population consisted of n = 36 couples, divided in n = 20 therapy group with a inpatient equine-assisted intervention and a 16-couples control grou...
Joonè CJ, Gradil CM, Picard JA, Taylor JD, de Tonnerre D, Cavalieri J.The primary aim of this study was to investigate the contraceptive efficacy of a self-assembling uterine device (iUPOD™) in the mare. In addition, the effects of iUPODs on oestrous cyclicity, uterine health and circulating concentrations of cortisol were evaluated. Methods: Domestic mares underwent oestrous monitoring and artificial insemination. After subsequent ovulation, mares underwent either placement (n = 7) or sham placement (n = 7; controls) of an iUPOD device. Devices were left in place for at least 3 months. Pregnancy diagnoses were carried out 14 days post-ovulation, with any pr...
Witkowska-Piłaszewicz O, Grzędzicka J, Seń J, Czopowicz M, Żmigrodzka M, Winnicka A, Cywińska A, Carter C.Assuring a high level of animal welfare is a critical aspect of contemporary animal husbandry. Equine athletes begin their careers at a very young age when they are still developing and they are both physically and mentally immature. Lack of scientific knowledge of the stress related to horse racing impedes the development of optimal training programs to attain equilibrium between the best sport results and optimal welfare. This study aimed to determine the influence of the intensity and type of physical activity on peripheral blood cortisol concentration. Thirty untrained Arabians, 9 enduranc...
Jones McVey R.This article describes the virtue of bravery in British equestrian culture and suggests that riders' tactics for bolstering bravery may have negative implications on equine welfare. These observations are based on 14 months of ethnographic research among amateur riders and the professionals who support them (n = 35), utilising participant observation and Dictaphone recordings. Riders suffering from 'confidence issues' could be belittled and excluded. Instructors' approaches towards bolstering bravery involved encouraging riders to 'get tough'-on both themselves and on their horses. Narrative t...
Christensen JW, Ahrendt LP, Malmkvist J, Nicol C.The mechanisms underlying individual variation in learning are key to understanding the development of cognitive abilities. In humans and primates, curiosity has been suggested as an important intrinsic factor that enhances learning, whereas in domesticated species research has primarily identified factors with a negative effect on cognitive abilities, such as stress and fearfulness. This study presents the first evidence of a link between object-directed curiosity and learning performance in young horses in two very different learning tasks (visual discrimination and pressure-release). We exp...
Suagee-Bedore JK, Linden DR, Bennett-Wimbush K.Group turnout provides important socializing opportunities for horses, particularly those that are primarily stalled. A high percentage of equine injuries occur during group turnout, which could partly be due to the physical constraints of fencing. To investigate appropriate paddock sizes for group turnouts, horses (n = 12) from a single herd were divided into groups of 4, stalled for 24 hours, and then turned out for 1 hour into one of three differently sized pens: 342, 263, and 184 m per horse. Groups rotated through pens across 3 days, receiving one treatment per day. Blood was sampled ...
Janczarek I, Stachurska A, Kędzierski W, Pawlak EW, Wilk I, Zyglewska K, Paszkowska A, Ryżak M, Wiśniewska A.The current predation threat of domestic horses is generally low, and horses do not know predators' frightening cues. We studied whether horses still recognise predation threats. The aim of the study was to analyse the emotional response of purebred Arabian horses (Arabian) and Polish Konik horses (Konik) to an Arabian panther (Panthera pardus nimr) (panther) growl and a grey wolf (Canis lupus) (wolf) howl. Panther vocalisation was known to Arabian ancestors, whereas ancestors of Konik knew wolf vocalisation. The response to the howls of golden jackals (Canis aureus) (jackal), which did not pr...
Mott RO, Hawthorne SJ, McBride SD.Measuring animal stress is fundamentally important for assessing animal emotional state and welfare. Conventional methods of quantifying stress (cortisol levels, heart rate/heart rate variability) require specialist equipment and are not instantly available. Spontaneous blink rate (SBR) has previously been used to measure stress responses in humans and may provide a non-invasive method for measuring stress in other animal species. Here we investigated the use of SBR as a measure of stress in the domestic horse. SBR was measured before and during a low-stress event (sham clipping) and compared ...
A human-animal relationship can be developed through subsequent interactions, affected by the positive or negative emotional valence of the proceeding one. Horses implement a process of categorization to classify humans with whom they interact as positive, negative, or neutral stimuli by evaluating the kind of approach and the nature of the contact. In these terms, human-animal interactions are emotionally charged events, eliciting specific emotional states in both subjects involved. Although the human-horse relationship has been mainly investigated through behavioral analysis, physiological i...
Samol MA, Uzal FA, Hill AE, Arthur RM, Stover SM.Tibial fractures cause ~3% of racehorse deaths. Pre-existing stress fractures have been associated with multiple racing and training fractures, but not complete tibial fractures. Objective: To describe racehorse tibial fractures and compare signalment and exercise histories of affected and control racehorses. Methods: Retrospective analysis of necropsy reports. Methods: Racehorses that had a complete tibial fracture (1990-2018) were retrospectively reviewed. Signalment and exercise histories of affected horses were compared to 1) racehorses that died because of non-tibial musculoskeletal injur...
Janczarek I, Stachurska A, Kędzierski W, Wiśniewska A, Ryżak M, Kozioł A.Predatory attacks on horses can become a problem in some parts of the world, particularly when considering the recovering gray wolf populations. The issue studied was whether horses transformed by humans and placed in stable-pasture environments had retained their natural abilities to respond to predation risk. The objective of the study was to determine the changes in cardiac activity, cortisol concentrations, and behavior of horses in response to the vocalizations of two predators: the gray wolf (Canis lupus), which the horses of the breed studied had coevolved with but not been exposed to r...
Hovey MR, Davis A, Chen S, Godwin P, Porr CAS.Stress can impact the health and well-being of animals negatively. Behavioral and physiological changes, particularly serum cortisol, offer objective and easy-to-use methods of evaluating stress in horses. However, limited studies support a positive relationship between changes in stress-related serum cortisol concentrations and stress-related behaviors in horses. This study assessed differences in stress-related behaviors and serum cortisol concentrations in horses used in a therapeutic riding program (TRH) or university riding program (UNI). Riders were grouped by disability type (TRH) or by...
Priyanka G, Anil Kumar B, Lakshman M, Manvitha V, Kala Kumar B.Ashwagandha ( L. Dunal.) is an important "" of Ayurveda. The roots are extensively used as an adaptogen and for different health issues. Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-stimulating effects of Ashwagandha are well-documented. The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Ashwagandha root extract as an adaptogen against various types of stress in horses. A total of 24 Kathiawari horses were selected and randomly divided into four groups. All the horses were provided with normal feed and water . Group 1 (G1) was treated as the control group, and the horses were given a n...
Stange LM, Krieter J, Czycholl I.Equine headshaking syndrome is a problematic behavior that has been described in literature for more than 100Â years. The signs of headshaking syndrome appear frequently and violently so that riding the horse can be dangerous. The aim of this research was to gain an overview of the underlying causes of equine headshaking syndrome to identify effective treatment options, reduce the distress of horses and, in a second step, potentially improve therapeutic possibilities for horse owners and veterinarians. Most studies on prevalence originate from Anglo-American countries, so this research was to ...
Gehlen H, Faust MD, Grzeskowiak RM, Trachsel DS.Heart rate variability (HRV) is a noninvasive technique to detect changes in the autonomous nervous system. It has rarely been investigated in horses with colic. Therefore, the objective was to assess the evolution of HRV parameters and cortisol concentrations in horses with colic. The 43 horses included in this study were categorized into three groups according to the treatment (1, surgical; 2, conservative; 3, euthanized). The HRV and laboratory variables were measured at admission (T1), the day after admission (T2), and at discharge (T3) and compared between groups and over time with an ANO...
Contreras-Aguilar MD, Lamy E, Escribano D, Cerón JJ, Tecles F, Quiles AJ, Hevia ML.This study aims to evaluate the circadian and circannual variations in a panel of analytes in horse saliva that have been previously described as biomarkers related to stress and disease, in order to interpret them correctly when they are measured in this species. This panel of analytes integrated cortisol, salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), lipase (Lip), total esterase (TEA), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), adenosine deaminase (ADA), γ-glutamyl transferase (gGT), creatine kinase (CK), urea, total bilirubin, total protein (TP), and phosphorus. These analytes were measured in saliva obtained from a p...
Lescun TB, Adams SB, Nauman EA, Breur GJ. The aim of this study was to determine how increasing stiffness of fracture site tissues distal to the pins in an equine distal limb transfixation cast influences stress at the bone-pin interface, within the bones distal to the transcortical pins, and contact pressure between the foot and the cast. Methods:  A transfixation cast finite element model was used to compare the bone-pin interface stress, pin stress, bone stress distal to the pins and contact pressure between the foot and the cast, using six stiffness values for a composite tissue block representing progressive stages of fractu...
Oberhaus EL, Thompson DL, Kerrigan LE, Chapman AM.Stress or excitement is a concern when performing endocrine tests on fractious horses. Sedation may be a solution; however, perturbation of test results may preclude useful information. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) is a known stimulator of prolactin, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), and ACTH. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone-induced ACTH is a diagnostic tool for the assessment of endocrinopathies such as pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction. It is unknown if drugs commonly used for sedation alter endocrine responses. The objective of this study was ...
Ruet A, Biau S, Arnould C, Galloux P, Destrez A, Pycik E, Boichot L, Lansade L.This study investigated the relationships between four behavioral and postural indicators of a compromised welfare state in loose boxes (stereotypies, aggressive behaviors toward humans, withdrawn posture reflecting unresponsiveness to the environment, and alert posture indicating hypervigilance) and the way horses perceived riding. This perception was inferred using a survey completed by the usual riding instructor and during a standardized riding session (assessment of behaviors and postures, qualitative behavior assessment (QBA) and characterization of the horses' locomotion using an inerti...
Arrazola A, Merkies K.Equine-assisted activities (EAA) for human well-being and health rely on human-horse interactions for therapeutic effect. At-risk participants with mental and emotional difficulties can show poor social skills and functioning relationships, potentially leading to unsuccessful human-horse interaction in EAA. This study addresses the effect of the attachment style (AS) of at-risk adolescents on horse physiology and behaviour during an equine-facilitated learning (EFL) program. Thirty-three adolescents participated in a 10-week EFL program with nine therapy horses (the same therapy horse per adol...
Schwarzmüller-Erber G, Stummer H, Maier M, Kundi M.Connectedness to nature and nature contact can provide many benefits to humans, like stress reduction, recovery from illness, and increased positive emotions. Likewise, recreational horseback riding is a widespread sports activity with the potential to enhance physical and psychological health. Yet, the influence of connectedness to nature on the wellbeing of older aged recreational horseback riders has not been investigated so far. The aim of the present study therefore was to explore the relationship between nature relatedness and physical, psychological and social wellbeing and happiness. T...
Valenzuela OA, Jellyman JK, Allen VL, Niu Y, Holdstock NB, Forhead AJ, Giussani DA, Fowden AL, Herrera EA.Prenatal glucocorticoid overexposure has been shown to programme adult cardiovascular function in a range of species, but much less is known about the long-term effects of neonatal glucocorticoid overexposure. In horses, prenatal maturation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and the normal prepartum surge in fetal cortisol occur late in gestation compared to other precocious species. Cortisol levels continue to rise in the hours after birth of full-term foals and increase further in the subsequent days in premature, dysmature and maladapted foals. Thus, this study examined the adult ca...
Masko M, Domino M, Lewczuk D, Jasinski T, Gajewski Z.A treadmill is an important tool in the equine analysis of gait, lameness, and hoof balance, as well as for the evaluation of horse rehabilitation or poor performance including dynamic endoscopy. Before all of these uses, horses have to be habituated to a treadmill locomotion. We used principal component analysis to evaluate the relationship between aspects of the horse's temperament and emotional response, and progress in the behavioral habituation to a treadmill. Fourteen horses were tested, by the same familiar handler, using the novel object test, the handling test, and both positive and n...
Mach N, Ruet A, Clark A, Bars-Cortina D, Ramayo-Caldas Y, Crisci E, Pennarun S, Dhorne-Pollet S, Foury A, Moisan MP, Lansade L.We simultaneously measured the fecal microbiota and multiple environmental and host-related variables in a cohort of 185 healthy horses reared in similar conditions during a period of eight months. The pattern of rare bacteria varied from host to host and was largely different between two time points. Among a suite of variables examined, equitation factors were highly associated with the gut microbiota variability, evoking a relationship between gut microbiota and high levels of physical and mental stressors. Behavioral indicators that pointed toward a compromised welfare state (e.g. stereotyp...
Zoccante L, Marconi M, Ciceri ML, Gagliardoni S, Gozzi LA, Sabaini S, Di Gennaro G, Colizzi M.Equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) have been suggested to improve adaptive behavior, and possibly motor function, in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study investigated the effects of EAAT on adaptive behavior and motor function in 15 children with ASD (13 males) aged 7-15 years as well as the impact of EAAT on the magnitude of stress in the parent-child system and the evolution in the child interaction with both the trained therapist and the therapeutic animal through the 20 weekly sessions of EAAT. EAAT were associated with greater adaptive behavior and coordination (all â‰...
Bukhari SSUH, Parkes RSV.About 112 million working equids are the source of income for 600 million people globally. Many equids are used for pulling loads (up to 15,000 kg per day) to transport goods. Most of them are associated with brick kilns, mining, and agriculture industries in developing countries. They may suffer from welfare issues such as overloading, being beaten, and being forced to work for long periods. These issues may occur due to a poor understanding of load-pulling equids. Understanding their capabilities and the elements that influence them is critical for efficient performance and welfare. The me...
Henry S, Zanella AJ, Sankey C, Richard-Yris MA, Marko A, Hausberger M.The present study aims to investigate whether the presence of unrelated adult horses at weaning would reduce the social stress of weaning and the emergence of undesirable behaviours. We tested this hypothesis in 32 domestic foals by comparing short and medium term behavioural and physiological responses to weaning in foals maintained in homogeneous groups of peers (PW) to those of foals grouped with both peers and unrelated adults (AW). In total, three trials were conducted, which each trial consisting of one AW group and one PW group. In all foals, weaning was followed by increased vocalizati...
Lebelt D, Zanella AJ, Unshelm J.The aim of the present study was to obtain information on the possible mechanisms underlying cribbing behaviour in horses. To investigate the horse's responsiveness to an external stimulus, a device for telemetric measurement of thermal threshold, using the forelimb withdrawal reflex, was developed and validated. Measurements of thermal threshold took place in cribbing horses (n = 11) before and during cribbing periods. Heart rate was monitored continuously in the same horses. Blood samples were collected before and during cribbing periods as well and in age- and sex-matched control horses (n ...
Ohmura H, Hiraga A, Aida H, Kuwahara M, Tsubone H, Jones JH.To determine whether evaluation of heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) during prolonged road transportation in horses provides a sensitive index of autonomic stimulation. Methods: Five 2-year-old Thoroughbreds. Methods: ECGs were recorded as horses were transported for 21 hours in a 9-horse van. Heart rate, high-frequency (HF) power, low-frequency (LF) power, and LF-to-HF ratio from Fourier spectral analyses of ECGs were calculated and compared with values recorded during a 24-hour period of stall rest preceding transportation. Results: HR, HF power, and LF power had diurnal rhythms durin...
Vardy MD, Gardner TR, Cosman F, Scotti RJ, Mikhail MS, Preiss-Bloom AO, Williams JK, Cline JM, Lindsay R.The purpose of this study was to determine effects of ovariectomy (OVX) and conjugated equine estrogens plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (CEE/MPA), or ethinyl estradiol plus norethindrone acetate (EE/NA) on biomechanics of uterosacral (USL) and round (RL) ligaments in postmenopausal (PMP) monkeys. Methods: This was a randomized, triple blind, placebo-controlled study. OVX monkeys received 12 months no treatment (Pbo) (n = 19), CEE/MPA (n = 19), or EE/NA (n = 21). USL and RL step strains and stress-relaxation data were curve-fitted, giving strain-dependent tensile modulus (TM) from 0% to 30%. R...
Ziebell KL, Steinmann H, Kretzdorn D, Schlapp T, Failing K, Schmeer N.The efficacy of an immunomodulator, Baypamun N, was tested in 4-10-month-old horses which were exposed to stress by weaning, transport and commingling with yearlings from different breeders (crowding). Verum (n = 26) and placebo animals (n = 27) received three intramuscular injections of the investigational preparations (days 0, 2, 9) starting at the day of commingling in one stable. The incidence of acute respiratory disease was high during the first 4 weeks after commingling. Approximately 50% of all horses showed seroconversion due to field infection by EHV1 and EHV4 during the observation ...
Mach N, Lansade L, Bars-Cortina D, Dhorne-Pollet S, Foury A, Moisan MP, Ruet A.Elite horse athletes that live in individual boxes and train and compete for hours experience long-term physical and mental stress that compromises animal welfare and alters the gut microbiota. We therefore assessed if a temporary period out to pasture with conspecifics could improve animal welfare and in turn, favorably affect intestinal microbiota composition. A total of 27 athletes were monitored before and after a period of 1.5Â months out to pasture, and their fecal microbiota and behavior profiles were compared to those of 18 horses kept in individual boxes. The overall diversity and mic...
Oldenhof H, Gojowsky M, Wang S, Henke S, Yu C, Rohn K, Wolkers WF, Sieme H.The aim of this study was to determine how different membrane-permeable and -impermeable cryoprotective agents modulate tolerance of stallion sperm to osmotic stress and stabilize membranes during cryopreservation. Special emphasis was on hydroxyl ethylene starch (HES), which exposes cells to minimal osmotic stress due to its large molecular weight. Percentages of motile sperm post-thaw were found to be similar when glycerol, sucrose, and HES were used at their optimal concentrations. Percentages of plasma membrane intact sperm after return to isotonic medium were highest for HES. Fourier tran...
Fazio E, Medica P, Cravana C, Ferlazzo AA.The changes of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis response to a long distance transportation results in increase of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol levels. The purpose of the study was to quantify the level of short-term road transport stress on circulating ACTH and cortisol concentrations, related to the effect of previous handling and transport experience of horses. Methods: The study was performed on 56 healthy horses after short-term road transport of 30 km. The horses were divided into four groups, Groups A, B, C, and D, with respect to the handling quality: Goo...
Furr MO, Murray MJ, Ferguson DC.Sixteen neonatal foals stressed by disease underwent endoscopic examination of their stomachs and blood was assayed for triiodothyronine (T3), reverse T3 (rT3), thyroxine (T4) and cortisol, to determine the effects of severe physiological stress and the occurrence of gastric ulcers. compared with eight age-matched controls, six foals had abnormal cortisol, seven had abnormal T3 and 12 had abnormal T4. Eleven of 13 foals had rT3 outside the 95 per cent confidence interval for clinically normal foals of comparable ages. Gastric lesions were seen more frequently in stressed foals, and gastric gla...
McGreevy P, Nicol C.Crib-biting in the horse is frequently prevented in the short-term by horse-owners using physical means. Because it has been proposed that crib-biting may function to reduce stress, the effect of prevention of crib-biting and/or eating on the behaviour, heart rate, and plasma cortisol and beta-endorphin concentrations was measured in six crib-biting and six normal horses. When crib-biters were unable to crib-bite, they showed an increase in ingestive behaviour. When crib-biters were prevented from crib-biting and eating, a relative stasis in the motility of the foregut occurred, suggesting tha...
Ralston SL.Abnormally high or low blood glucose and insulin concentrations after standardized glucose tolerance tests can reflect disorders such as pituitary dysfunction, polysaccharide storage myopathies, and other clinical disorders. Glucose and insulin responses, however, are modified by the diet to which the animal has adapted, time since it was last fed, and what it was fed. Body fat (obesity), fitness level, physiologic status, and stress also alter glucose and insulin metabolism. Therefore, it is important to consider these factors when evaluating glucose and insulin tests, especially if only one ...
Stover SM, Johnson BJ, Daft BM, Read DH, Anderson M, Barr BC, Kinde H, Moore J, Stoltz J, Ardans AA.Twenty-one horses had a complete unilateral humeral fracture during race training or racing at a California racetrack during the period 24 February 1990 to 10 July 1991. Fractures occurred approximately equally in left and right limbs, and in males and females. Most fractures occurred during training, and in 2- and 3-year-old horses. Only 5 of 16 Thoroughbred horses with known racing records had previously raced more than once, and their mean time between races was less than the time between their last race and fracture (P = 0.07). Ten of 13 humeri studied further had gross evidence of periost...
Oikawa M, Hobo S, Oyamada T, Yoshikawa H.The effects of various factors on the inflammatory and stress response in horses during transportation were examined in Experiments 1 and 2, carried out in April and August, respectively. In Experiment 1, three groups (G1-G3) of four Thoroughbreds were used, and in Experiment 2, two groups (G4, G5). G1 animals were loaded into lorries with their heads facing forwards (FF) and given periods of short rest (SR) (30 min for every 4 h driven). G2 horses were loaded facing rearwards (FR) and given SR. G3 horses were FF and given periods of long rest (LR) (2 h rest for every 4 h driven). G4 horses we...
Guerriero V, Raynes DA.Cultured bovine, equine, ovine and chicken lymphocytes responded to heat stress by the increased synthesis of a specific set of proteins known as heat stress proteins (HSP). Proteins with molecular weights of 70 and 90 kDa were synthesized in all species. Additional proteins were found in bovine, ovine and chicken lymphocytes. A time course of induction showed an increased synthesis of some of these proteins with only 30 min of heat stress and of several proteins with 60 min of heat stress. A specific monoclonal antibody was used to identify HSP70 as one of the stress proteins in bovine lympho...
Kinney AR, Eakman AM, Lassell R, Wood W.Evidence-based treatments for service-related health conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) are not effective for all veterans. Equine-assisted interventions are emerging as an additional treatment modality, but little is known regarding the safe and effective delivery of these interventions. This study aimed to describe the following features of the body of literature concerning equine-assisted interventions among veterans: 1) veterans who have participated in equine-assisted interventions; 2) specific characteristics of equine-as...
Müller TM, Hopster K, Bienert-Zeit A, Rohn K, Kästner SBR.Standing surgery, especially dental procedures, are commonly performed in horses. This leads to an increasing demand for reliable sedation protocols. Therefore, it was the purpose of this study to investigate the influence of butorphanol, midazolam or ketamine on romifidine based sedation in horses during cheek tooth removal. Methods: Forty horses presented for tooth extraction were divided in four groups using matched pair randomization. Group R was sedated with romifidine (bolus 0.03 mg/kg, followed by a constant rate infusion (CRI) 0.05 mg/kg/h) and group RB with romifidine (same dose) an...
Houpt KA, Eggleston A, Kunkle K, Houpt TR.Six pregnant mares were used to determine what level of water restriction causes physiological and/or behavioural changes indicative of stress. Nonlegume hay was fed ad libitum. During the first week of restriction, 5 l water/100 kg bwt was available, during the second week 4 l/100 kg bwt and, during the third week, 3 l/100 kg bwt. Ad libitum water intake was 6.9 l/100 kg bwt; at 3 l/100 kg bwt water intake was 42% of this. Daily hay intake fell significantly with increasing water restriction from 12.9 +/- 0.75 kg to 8.3 +/- 0.54 kg; bodyweight fell significantly for a total loss of 48.5 +/- 8...
Hoffman RM, Kronfeld DS, Holland JL, Greiwe-Crandell KM.The stress response of foals during weaning was examined in terms of a behavioral protocol and the responses of plasma ascorbate, serum cortisol, and the serum cortisol response to an ACTH challenge. The experimental plan was a 2 x 2 factorial of two preweaning diets and two stall weaning methods. Dietary groups included foals raised on pasture supplemented with hay and a pelleted concentrate (PHC) and foals raised on pasture supplemented with hay only (PH). Stall weaning methods included foals placed in stalls singly or in pairs. Sex influences were also examined. The foals exhibited characte...
Wessely-Szponder J, Bełkot Z, Bobowiec R, Kosior-Korzecka U, Wójcik M.Deleterious response to road transport is an important problem in equine practice. It determines different physiological, immunological and metabolic changes which lead to increased susceptibility to several disorders such as pneumonia, diarrhea, colics, laminitis, injuries and rhabdomyolisis. The aim of our study was to look for possible relationships between transportation of female young and older horses over a long and short distance and an inflammatory state reflected by an increase of acute phase protein concentration, oxidative stress and muscle injury. The study was conducted on 24 col...
Mori R, Kodaka T, Sano T, Yamagishi N, Asari M, Naito Y.Laminar bone or primary plexiform tissue, not Haversian bone, shows an alternative concentric pattern of laminar-bone units or plates around the bone marrow periphery of long bones, although the laminar bone is gradually replaced by osteons during the growth period. One laminar-bone unit is constructed with a hypercalcified line in the center, woven bone on both sides of the line, and lamellar bone with laminated appositional lines. Such a laminar bone showing a homogeneous calcification has been reported in young calves and some young large animals, but it has not been reported in foals altho...
Taylor PM.Information on equine stress responses to anaesthesia and surgery is sparse. Six ponies were anaesthetized for 2 h with halothane and no surgery was performed. Plasma concentrations of glucose, lactate, non-esterified fatty acids, cortisol, insulin, catecholamines and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were measured. The results were compared with those obtained in the same group of ponies over the same time period on a different day with the animals conscious. Anaesthesia induced an increase in plasma concentrations of glucose, lactate, cortisol and ACTH and a decrease in plasma concentration...
Janczarek I, Stachurska A, Kędzierski W, Wiśniewska A, Ryżak M, Kozioł A.Predatory attacks on horses can become a problem in some parts of the world, particularly when considering the recovering gray wolf populations. The issue studied was whether horses transformed by humans and placed in stable-pasture environments had retained their natural abilities to respond to predation risk. The objective of the study was to determine the changes in cardiac activity, cortisol concentrations, and behavior of horses in response to the vocalizations of two predators: the gray wolf (Canis lupus), which the horses of the breed studied had coevolved with but not been exposed to r...
Birks EK, Mathieu-Costello O, Fu Z, Tyler WS, West JB.Thoroughbred horses develop extremely high pulmonary vascular pressures during galloping, all horses in training develop exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, and we have shown that this is caused by stress failure of pulmonary capillaries. It is known that the capillary transmural pressure (Ptm) necessary for stress failure is higher in dogs than in rabbits. The present study was designed to determine this value in horses. The lungs from 15 Thoroughbred horses were perfused with autologous blood at Ptm values (midlung) of 25, 50, 75, 100 and 150 mmHg, and then perfusion fixed, and samples (d...
Cappelli K, Verini-Supplizi A, Capomaccio S, Silvestrelli M.The knowledge of molecular mechanisms of stress response in athlete horses can allow us to plan an appropriate and high-grade training to obtain better performance and to preserve horse welfare. It is well known that excessive muscular exercise can lead to a number of responses which may be associated with modification of the mRNA levels for a number of metabolic genes such as those involved in the immune response. In the present study cDNA-AFLP technique was applied to Arab endurance horses under stressing conditions to visualise variations of transcriptional profiles; 49 transcript derived f...
