Does hand walking promote gut motility?

(c) Abby Khoriaty Dreamstime.com

 Hand walking in horses is a widely practiced exercise often used during recovery after surgery, and in rehabilitation. Its potential effect on gut motility may have benefits for horses prone to colic or recovering from gastrointestinal issues.

Amelia S. Munsterman and colleagues from the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine in East Lansing, MI, conducted a study to evaluate the effects of hand-walking exercise on the myoelectrical activity in the cecum and left ventral colon (LVC) of healthy, fasted horses confined to stable rest. The research is published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

 

The researchers assessed gut activity using electrointestinography (EIG), a method that measures the electrical activity of the gastrointestinal tract. They also used ultrasonography and auscultation to monitor caecal and LVC contractions.

 

The study involved eight clinically healthy horses. To qualify for inclusion, the horses underwent a thorough physical examination and abdominal ultrasonography to rule out any gastrointestinal abnormalities or previous abdominal surgery.

 

The horses, which had previously lived out on pasture, were housed in 3m X 3m box stalls for the study, and fasted for 12 hours, with free access to water.

 

After a 30-minute baseline electrointestinography (EIG), horses were either stall rested or hand walked for 15 minutes. The research team repeated the EIG immediately afterwards and again after two hours. They also monitored caecal and LVC activity using ultrasonography and auscultation.

 

Their findings revealed no difference in gut motility between the box rested or hand-walked groups

 

The researchers conclude: “Brief hand walking as a single strategy to increase gastrointestinal motility did not affect contractility or EIG in normal horses.”

 

They suggest that further research is needed in clinical cases to confirm any benefits of hand walking.

 

 

For more details, see:

 

Munsterman, A. S., Rogers-Tirado, J. M., & Kottwitz, J. (2024). Electrointestinography, ultrasonographic contractility, and borborygmi of the cecum and colon are not altered by a single episode of hand walking exercise in healthy horses. 

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (2024). 

https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.24.07.0486