Demographic characteristics of horses donated to the North Carolina State University Equine Health Center, 1996-2008.

The research article focuses on understanding the demographic characteristics of horses donated to the North Carolina State University Equine Health Center over a period between 1996 and 2008.

Research Methodology

The researchers employed a retrospective cohort study approach, focusing on:

• 122 horses that were donated to the Equine Health Center (EHC) from January 1996 to December 2008
• 246 horses that were offered for donation to the EHC from January 2007 and December 2008

They collected data from telephone and medical records under five main categories – age, sex, breed, reason for donation, and use prior to donation.

Research Findings

The study yielded the following results:

• From 1996 to 2008, a total of 122 horses were donated to the EHC.
• In 2007 and 2008, 131 and 115 horses were offered for donation respectively, out of which 38 and 23 were accepted.
• The average age of horses offered for donation during 2007 and 2008 was 12.7 years, with 30.5% of the horses between 6 and 10 years old.
• The most commonly listed reason for donation was musculoskeletal disease, accounting for nearly 47.9% of cases.

Conclusion

The results suggested that horses donated to the EHC from 1996 to 2008 varied greatly in terms of age, breed, and also included both males and females. The majority of these unwanted horses were offered for donation due to musculoskeletal disease, with the most common conditions being degenerative joint disease, lameness of undetermined cause, laminitis, and navicular disease.