Call for colic research

 Clinicians and scientists are invited to submit abstracts for the upcoming 14th International
Equine Colic Research Symposium, set to be held in Scotland next year.

This event, held every three years, and organized in rotation by the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the British Equine Veterinary Association, will take place in Edinburgh on July 10th to 12th, 2024.

 

The Colic Research Symposium presents a unique opportunity for equine veterinarians to absorb and digest the latest knowledge, clinical practice and scientific advances in the treatment and prevention of colic, from the world’s leading international equine gastroenterology experts.

 

Spanning 2.5 days, the symposium encompasses a wide array of topics delivered through concise 12-minute oral presentations. These presentations will cover diverse subjects such as surgical techniques, treatment methods, parasitology, gastric ulceration, endotoxemia, pharmacology of intestinal motility, colic complications, epidemiology, digestion physiology, the intestinal microbiome, and metabolomics. 

 

Each session will be followed by three minutes for questions and discussion. 

 

Poster sessions will be held during the first two days, providing an opportunity to explore additional research beyond the oral presentations and enabling delegates to review and discuss the work with presenters.

 

Clinicians and scientists have until 1 February 2024 to submit abstracts of recent work that they wish to present at this meeting. See:

https://form.jotform.com/230473925626359

 

For more details of the 14th International Equine Colic Research Symposium, see:

https://www.beva.org.uk/Education/CPD/Event-Details/eventDateId/1740

Risks of colic surgery

 Despite advances in anaesthesia and surgical techniques, there is still a significant risk
associated with equine colic surgery. It is a major surgical procedure that carries inherent risks such as anaesthetic complications, postoperative infections, and failure of the surgical site to heal properly.

In addition, colic surgery is usually performed under emergency conditions, when the horse’s health is already compromised.  

 

Even with successful surgery, horses with colic will likely require intensive care and monitoring in the postoperative period, which can be costly and time-consuming. It is important for horse owners to be aware of the risks associated with colic surgery and to have a frank discussion with their veterinarian about the potential outcomes and prognosis. Early intervention and prompt surgical treatment can improve the chances of a positive outcome, but it is not a guarantee of success.

 

To better assess the risk factors for colic surgery, researchers in Italy reviewed records of horses subjected to colic surgery in three referral centres between 2018 and 2021.

In a study published in the journal Animals, Alessandro Spadari and his colleagues from the Veterinary Teaching Hospitals at the Universities of Bologna, Perugia, and Turin, examined data from 451 horses that underwent colic surgery. The researchers found that the short-term survival rate for all horses who underwent surgery was 68.5%, and for those that recovered from both the surgery and anaesthesia, the survival rate was 80%.

 

The study also identified several potential risk factors that could affect the outcome of the surgery, including age, body condition score (BCS), packed cell volume (PCV), and total plasma protein (TPP) before and after surgery, amount of reflux, type of disease, type of lesion, duration of surgery, surgeon's experience, and the amount of intra- and postoperative fluids administered.

 

Through multivariate analysis, the researchers found that PCV at arrival, TPP after surgery, and BCS had the highest predictive power for short-term survival after colic surgery. 

Horses with a body condition score (BCS) of less than 4 out of 9 were found to have a higher risk of a negative outcome in the study. Additionally, horses that arrived at the referral centre with a packed cell volume (PCV) greater than 50% and total plasma protein (TPP) levels below 5.7 or above 7.4 had a poorer prognosis than horses with other values.

 

The type of lesion also played a significant role in the outcome of the surgery, with horses diagnosed with large colon volvulus, pedunculated lipoma, and small intestinal volvulus having the worst prognosis.

 

The authors of the study suggest that their findings may aid surgeons in making informed decisions and communicating the risks to referring veterinarians and horse owners. They recommend conducting additional prospective studies to validate the impact of the predictive indices examined in this research on short-term survival.

 

 

For more details, see:

 

Short-Term Survival and Postoperative Complications Rates in Horses Undergoing Colic Surgery: A Multicentre Study. 

Spadari, A.; Gialletti, R.; Gandini, M.; Valle, E.; Cerullo, A.; Cavallini, D.; Bertoletti, A.; Rinnovati, R.; Forni, G.; Scilimati, N.; Giusto, G. 

Animals 2023, 13, 1107. 

https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13061107

Is it possible to breed less “spooky” horses?

Identifying genes that influence horses
tendency to react to danger (c) UF/IFAS

Wild horses possess an instinct to stay vigilant, constantly on guard against potential predators. This innate behaviour remains ingrained even in domesticated horses, causing them to be easily frightened and alert to potential dangers. 

 

Horses often struggle to differentiate between genuine threats and harmless objects, such as a plastic bag floating past a riding arena. As a result, some horses may react to these perceived dangers by rearing, bolting, or bucking, creating hazardous situations for both themselves and their riders.

 

University of Florida researchers are working to identify genes that influence horses’ tendency to react to these “spooky” plastic bags. Identifying these genetic traits would be a first step towards one day selecting or breeding horses for the temperament types we prefer. These research results might be a decade away.

 

Samantha Brooks, associate professor of equine genetics at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, along with her team, conducted an experiment on several groups of young horses from the UF/IFAS breeding program to gain insights into startle responses.

 

The horses wore wireless heart-rate monitors and were loose in a round pen. At set intervals, an umbrella was opened quickly within the animals’ line of sight. The team analysed the animals’ behaviour and change in heart rate throughout and after the initial startle reaction.

 

“We can’t read their minds,” said Brooks. “Their heart rate tells us what is going on inside that we cannot see from reading their body language alone. It was interesting to see the stories their heart rates told us.”

 

The team found that two clear groups of horses emerged from the data. The first group was startled by the umbrella opening, had a spike in heart rate, maintained a reactive or hyper-alert state including more time spent looking and moving away from the umbrella. The second group startled much like the first group to the umbrella opening, but with a different outcome. The horses experienced a spike in heart rate but then calmed quickly and carried on with their day. These animals perceived the stimulus and found it startling but did not to go through the behavioural patterns of avoidance and fear like the first group.

 

“Horses have adapted over thousands of years to live with people,” said Brooks. “Some of those changes include a reduction in startle response and are really helpful to better understand the horses we work with today.”

 

Now that two clear groups have emerged, the team will take this information and develop a study to differentiate the genetic components that make up how horses react to fear. Blood and hair samples were taken from each horse in the study for future analysis.

 

They plan to conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in which the genome of the horses is scanned to identify genetic variations that differ between the two groups, By analysing a large number of genetic variants across the genome, they hope to identify regions or specific genetic markers that are associated with behavioural startle reactions.

 

Knowing how genetics influence behaviour can help horses and owners find their right fit.

 

“Understanding each horse’s genetic makeup will help you understand the type of animal you need,” said Brooks. “If we learn early on what this animal’s natural tendencies are most likely to be, we can make educated decisions on training and future careers to give the horse the best shot to grow into their potential, rather than becoming a problem or danger.”

 

Additionally, understanding a horse’s reaction to uncomfortable situations can make a difference in how they are handled for medical procedures, transportation and more.

 

“It’s important to know these traits because it can impact how we care for horses overall,” said Barclay Powell, a Ph.D. student working on the project. “This will be hugely important to the veterinary field as well. It’s not only helpful for the people handling the animals, but also for the horses’ welfare.”

 

“It doesn’t matter if the horse is a racehorse, therapy animal or driving a carriage, an unplanned startle response is generally a problem,” said Brooks. “We are just beginning to scratch the surface of this. It might take us 10 years or more to really have a clear understanding, but it is worth the effort.”

 

Funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, this project was a collaboration between scientists and students studying equine genetics, behaviour and welfare science.

 

For more details, see:

 

Behavioral and Physiological Reactions to a Sudden Novel Object in the Weanling Horse: Quantitative Phenotypes for Future GWAS

Barclay B. Powell, Kelsey C. Horvath, Tyeler L. Gilliam, Kimberly T. Sibille, Andreas Keil, Emily K. Miller-Cushon, Carissa L. Wickens and Samantha A. Brooks

Genes 2023, 14(3), 593;

 https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14030593

Multiple drug resistant bacteria common in horses’ mouths

 

A recent study examined the normal bacterial populations in healthy horses’ mouths and foundsigns of antimicrobial resistance among many of them.

The study linked to the growing interest in an approach that recognises that the health of humans, animals, and the environment are interconnected. “One Health” emphasizes the idea that the health of all living things is intertwined and that addressing the health challenges of one sector can have a positive impact on the others.

 

The study, conducted by Jose Pimenta and colleagues from the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro in Vila Real, Portugal, only included horses that had not received any antimicrobial therapy.

 

The researchers collected samples from the gingival (or gum) margin and cultured them in selective media. The isolated bacteria were then identified and subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing.

 

Out of the samples, the researchers identified fifty-five Gram-negative bacterial isolates, of which 89.5% were zoonotic, meaning they have the potential to spread from animals to humans. Additionally, 62% of the isolates were bacteria commonly found in the environment but can also affect humans.

 

Of the bacteria that were isolated, 48 (96%) demonstrated resistance to at least one agent in three or more antimicrobial categories, indicating multiple drug resistance (MDR). 

 

Resistance was widespread towards macrolides (81.8%), β-lactams (55.4%), and quinolones (50%), while sulfonamides showed relatively lower resistance (27.3%), along with tetracyclines and amphenicols (both at 30.9%). Additionally, a significant proportion of the isolates (51.5%) displayed resistance to carbapenems. (Carbapenems are a class of antibiotics that are restricted for almost exclusive use in human medicine in hospital facilities.) 

 

The presence of multiple drug resistant bacteria in horses' mouths, as revealed by this study, holds significance not only for equine health but also for human health. It highlights the potential transfer of antimicrobial resistance between animals and humans, emphasizing the need for a coordinated and holistic approach to combat MDR.

 

The authors conclude: “This study shows that the equine commensal oral microbiota contains zoonotic and potential pathogenic strains that could be easily widespread through other animals, the environment, and humans, with saliva being a potential vehicle. The overall antimicrobial MDR presented by these bacteria is particularly worrying considering the absent of antimicrobial contact of the horses included, which gives relevance to the transmission of MDR strains and genes between animals.”

For more details, see:

 

 

Pimenta, J.; Pinto, A.R.; Saavedra, M.J.; Cotovio, M. 

Equine Gram-Negative Oral Microbiota: An Antimicrobial Resistances Watcher? 

Antibiotics 2023, 12, 792.

https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12040792

Group-living horses better at following human cues

The horse's owner pointing to the bucket on their left side
Credit: Oceane Leirhmann

 Horses living in large enclosures and kept in groups of three or more are better at following human directional cues compared to those kept in separate paddocks, according to recent research in Finland. The study's findings also suggest that horses' familiarity with the human giving the cues has no significant impact.

“It has been observed in earlier studies that horses with access to a pasture with other horses showed better learning performance and were less aggressive towards humans than horses kept in individual stables. Therefore, we wanted to explore whether horses’ social and physical environment affect their responsiveness to human indications,” says the lead author of the study, Doctoral Researcher Océane Liehrmann from the Department of Biology at the University of Turku.

 

The study involved an international research team comprising members from the University of Turku and the University of Helsinki in Finland, as well as the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE) in France. They observed and analysed how horses responded to human cues based on their living conditions. Additionally, they examined whether horses reacted differently when given cues by their familiar owners versus strangers. 

 

To conduct the tests, the researchers recruited 57 leisure horses that were privately owned and located in the Turku region of Finland.

 

During the study, the human informant, who was either the owner or a researcher, stood between two buckets with a piece of carrot hidden in each. An assistant led the horses to stand in front of the informant, who then moved toward one of the buckets, looked at it, and pointed to indicate that the horse should go to that bucket. The horse was released and had the choice of going to the pointed bucket or the other one. If the horse followed the human's indication and approached the pointed bucket, the informant rewarded it by opening the lid and letting the horse have the carrot. However, if the horse chose the other bucket, the informant caught the horse, and it did not receive a carrot. This process was repeated ten times per horse, and the researchers analysed how often the horses followed the human indication over the ten trials.

 

“Interestingly, horses living in groups of at least three individuals chose the pointed bucket more often than the horses living alone or in dyads. Similarly, horses living in pastures or big fields for at least 8 months per year followed the human indication more often than the horses living in stalls or small paddocks”, Liehrmann describes.

 

During the study, horses living in large pastures also tended to live in bigger groups, while most horses living in small paddocks were either alone or with only one other horse. So, it was hard to tell whether the results were influenced more by social deprivation or by the lack of space and enrichment.

 

“However, domestic horses living in larger groups may benefit from stronger cognitive stimulation. Indeed, having the choice of interacting with various individuals promotes complex social situations from which the horses can learn and improve their socio-cognitive skills.  This may also explain why horses living in groups had better success in the task that involved communication with humans,” Liehrmann notes.

 

In addition, the researchers discovered that the horses' ability to complete the task was not influenced by the familiarity of the person giving the indication. The success rate was comparable regardless of whether the informant was the owner or a stranger. This finding is inconsistent with previous experiments conducted on the same group of horses. In an earlier study, Liehrmann and her research team found that familiarity with the handler could impact a horse's behaviour in novel situations.

 

“Our hypothesis is that the context may play a role when investigating the effect of human familiarity in human-animal interactions.  In a more stressful environment, animals may rely more on a familiar human than on a stranger, while in a positive context, where animals already feel safe and benefit from a food reward, the identity of the interacting human may matter less”, says Liehrmann.

 

She adds: “Overall, our study shows that the living conditions of the horses had an impact on their ability to follow human indications. The living and social environments of horses are a challenge and open to debate in the equestrian world. These results support the idea that offering an appropriate environment to horses by providing access to pasture and the ability to freely interact with their own kind could contribute to the development of their social behaviour and extend to interaction with humans.”

 

For more details, see:

 

What drives horse success at following human-given cues? An investigation of handler familiarity and living conditions

Océane Liehrmann, Camille Cosnard, Veera Riihonen, 

Alisa Viitanen, Emmi Alander, Plotine Jardat, Sonja E. Koski, Virpi Lummaa & Léa Lansade 

Animal Cognition (2023)

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-023-01775-0

 

For a video, see:

 

https://apps.utu.fi/media/tiedotteet/video-pointing.mp4

Equine Herpesvirus research planned

 Equine herpesvirus type-1 (EHV-1) is a global concern with a significant impact on both animal
health and the equine economy. Recent years have witnessed major EHV-1 outbreaks in the USA and Europe, sometimes leading to the neurological form of the disease, Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHM).

EHV-1/EHM outbreaks not only jeopardise equine health, but they also necessitate strict biosecurity and quarantine measures that restrict horse transportation, racing, and competitions. As a result, the equine industry incurs significant economic losses, including costs related to horse ownership, equine businesses, and the industry as a whole. Moreover, the loss of severely affected horses only exacerbates the financial impact.

 

To tackle this issue, the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation has announced funding for two research projects. 

 

Gisela Soboll Hussey of Michigan State University will receive a grant to study the use of nucleic acid vaccines to protect from EHV-1 / EHM.  

 

“This proposal is to develop a novel mRNA-based equine herpesvirus (EHV) vaccine that protects horses from EHV-1 myeloencephalopathy and will also likely cross-protect against other equine herpesviruses” she explains. 

 

She adds:”The goal of this application is to exploit innovations in RNA vaccine technology that have come about during the COVID-19 pandemic and are currently the first line of defense. We propose to refine this mRNA vaccine technology for immunization of horses. Based on our extensive preliminary data, we will test vaccines containing the parts of EHV-1 that are important for inducing protective immunity in horses.”

 

In separate research, Bettina Wagner and Diego Diel at Cornell University aim to develop an effective DNA vaccine for equine herpesvirus to protect horses against infection and disease and to prevent EHV outbreaks. 

“We are combining our expertise in equine immunology and EHV-1 research (Dr. Wagner) and virology and vaccine design (Dr. Diel) to first perform a comprehensive analysis of the best DNA vaccine candidate and then test the optimized vaccine candidate for its protective effects in horses. The DNA vaccine platform that we are testing in this project has already been used successfully for induction of immunity and protection from infectious disease in other species.”

For more details, see:

 

https://www.grayson-jockeyclub.org/default.asp?section=2&area=Research&menu=2

Does equine facilitated therapy help chronic low back pain?

(c) Jordi Mora Igual Dreamstime.com

Equine-facilitated therapy (EFT) could help patients dealing with chronic low back pain, according to a
recent study conducted at the University of Eastern Finland.

 

In Finland, equine-facilitated therapy as a form of medical rehabilitation has been subsidised by the country’s Social Insurance Institution since 2019. In the rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders, however, equine-facilitated therapy is less well established.

 

The research, published recently in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, found that individuals who participated in EFT for 12 weeks experienced a decrease in perceived pain and an improvement in their ability to carry out daily tasks. 

 

The study, which included 22 participants dealing with low back pain, assessed the impact of EFT on physical performance, pain levels, pain acceptance, anxiety, depression, and overall quality of life. Lead researcher was Sanna Mattila-Rautiainen, who has more than 20 years of experience of using EFT in the rehabilitation of patients with back pain, working in close collaboration with regional social welfare and healthcare authorities in the Kainuu region, Finland.

 

The intervention consisted of 12 weekly EFT sessions. The first four sessions lasted 10 minutes each. They increased to 20 minutes for the next four weeks and 30 minutes for the final four weeks.

 

Through the 12-week study, the researchers observed that EFT had the potential to enhance individuals' daily lives. Significant improvements were noted in several activities, including the ability to sleep, reach and bend forward, and stand for extended periods of time. 

They also noted that EFT could help reduce the amount of pain perceived by the patients, increase their participation in social activities, and improve their psychological well-being. 

During a six-month follow-up, only two of the chronic pain patients returned to the clinic due to pain. 

 

In follow-up interviews, patients highlighted physical, psychological and social effects of EFT, showing that the intervention had a comprehensive impact on their rehabilitation.

The researchers also observed significant improvement in mental health. During the intervention, they found that patients’ social functioning improved and their depression decreased – something that was also emphasised in the interviews: “The created group effect was a positive experience.”  

 

Sitting on a horse to 100 walk-like movements per minute was found to be beneficial. Comments from participants included:“The movement felt good - the horse moved me correctly” and “There is no other way to exercise like this.”

 

However, matching the patient to the horse was important: “One horse felt good and other made my pain worse.” 

 

“Chronic back pain is a multidimensional experience involving not only physical pain but also learned thinking patterns and emotional reactions” says Mattila-Rautiainen.

 

  “Traditionally, physical therapy has been recommended for the rehabilitation of patients with chronic pain, as physical exercise has been found to be the most effective way to treat spinal pain.”

 

She points out that Equine-facilitated therapy brought relief to patients with chronic pain who had been incapable for work for several years.

 

Incorrect movement maintains a vicious circle of pain and affects people’s physical, psychological and social well-being. The compatibility of the patient with the horse’s movements, along with a suitable exercise load, played a key role in the intervention. The exercise load was gradually increased, within the limits of pain. Patients’ opinions were also considered regarding the choice of their horse and equipment.

 

“Patients with chronic pain tend to avoid the sensation of pain that comes from moving the affected part of their body. However, when sitting on a moving horse, a person with low back pain will end up moving to the gait of the horse, which encourages the right kind of lumbar movement,” Mattila-Rautiainen says.

 

These findings suggest that EFT could be a valuable therapeutic option for those experiencing difficulties due to chronic low back pain.

 

 

For more details, see:

The impact on physical performance, pain and psychological wellbeing of chronic low back pain patients during 12-weeks of equine-facilitated therapy intervention.

Sanna Mattila-Rautiainen, Mika Venojärvi, Heta Rautiainen and Alice Keski-Valkama

Front. Vet. Sci., (2023) vol 10

 https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1085768

Investigating the impact of drones on horse behaviour

(c) Howell et al   (CC BY 4.0)

Over the past few years, the use of drones, also known as small unmanned aerial vehicles(sUAV), has become increasingly prevalent across various industries, including agriculture. Their use has been advocated as a means of improving efficiency, productivity, and cost-effectiveness. However, the implementation of drones has sparked concerns among horse owners and ranchers who rely on grazing horses.

 

To address this issue, researchers at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, have conducted a study to investigate the impact of drones on grazing horses. The team's findings have been published in the journal Rangelands, with lead author Ryan Howell and his colleagues hoping that their research can be used to inform both private livestock managers and public agencies that manage horse populations about the potential uses of drones.

 

The study involved observing horses owned by private individuals on various properties in Utah, with the horses' responses to drones approaching at different heights above ground level (AGL) being assessed. Some drone flights focused on individual horses, while others involved groups of up to ten horses.

 

Before the drone flight, the research team used binoculars to observe the horses from a distance. Video footage was also available from the on-board camera. The drone was launched well away from the horses, and the researchers classified their behaviour into categories such as walking, trotting, grazing, laying down, standing, and vigilance.

 

The researchers monitored the horses' behaviour before the drone was launched, and then at 5-second intervals as the drone approached at three different heights above ground level: 3m, 15m, and 33m. The recording continued while the drone hovered over the horses before departing.

 

The study found that prior to the drone's launch, grazing was the most common "at ease" behaviour exhibited by the horses. However, once the drone approached, grazing decreased significantly and was replaced primarily by vigilance, followed by walking.

 

“No animals were observed grazing after 50 seconds and did not return to grazing throughout the duration of the observation period.”

 

They observed “a downward trend in grazing and subsequent increased tendencies toward evasive movement and vigilance demonstrated by our study horses.” 

 

They add: “This may suggest that horse foraging can be impaired with drone activity, and overall heath, stress, and diet could be compromised by fear induced from drone activities and their flight patterns.”

 

For more details, see:

 

Ryan G. Howell, Kaylee Draughon, Haley Johnston, Melissa Myrick, Val J. Anderson, Dennis L. Eggett, Steven L. Petersen,

Evaluating changes in horse behavior as a response to small unmanned aerial vehicles,

Rangelands (2022) Vol 44, (2), pp 121-128.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2021.12.004

Risk factors for heat stress in UK racehorses

(c) Viacheslav Nemyrivskyi Dreamstime.com

 New research suggests that a Thoroughbred racehorse's likelihood of experiencing exertional heat illness (EHI) can be influenced by hotter, more humid weather conditions and a history of overheating. The findings, based on data from British racecourses, have implications for mitigating the risk of EHI in racehorses, particularly considering the warming climate and increasing frequency of hot race days.

During racing, Thoroughbred racehorses are at risk of overheating due to the exertion required, which can result in exhaustion and even death in extreme cases. Racing authorities in countries such as Japan and Australia, where temperatures are often high, have explored various factors that contribute to EHI, but no conclusive evidence has been found to predict which horses are at greatest risk.

 

Dr. Leah Trigg from the Bristol Veterinary School, Professor Siobhan Mullan, of the University College Dublin School of Veterinary Medicine and colleagues at the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), examined data on 704,434 runners at British racecourses recorded in the BHA database between July 2010 and April 2018. 

 

The research is published in Scientific Reports.

 

There were 702 EHI incidents (defined in the database as either heat stress or heat exhaustion), accounting for 0.1% of runners. 

 

The authors modelled the probability that a racehorse would present with EHI based on factors including age, whether the horse had had a previous EHI incident, race distance, race start time, ground conditions (going), average temperature in the five days prior to a race, and a measure of weather conditions (based on temperature, humidity, windspeed, and solar radiation) called wet bulb globe temperature index (WBGT).

 

Overall, the model correctly predicted 83.5% of EHI events, although the authors cautioned it produced a high number of false positives. Longer race distances increased the probability of EHI – the odds of a horse developing EHI in a two-mile race was 5.66 times higher than in a one-mile race. WBGT was also a predictive factor, with a horse running when it was 30 degrees Celsius 10.14 times more likely to develop EHI than a horse running at 20 degrees.

 

However, higher temperatures during the five days preceding a race were associated with reduced risk of EHI – the odds of EHI were 0.33 times lower when the preceding temperature averaged 25 degrees compared to 15 degrees. This suggests that horses may acclimatise to ongoing warmer temperatures and lose heat more effectively when they come to race.

 

Horses that had experienced previous EHI incidents were 18.59 times more likely to present with EHI, compared to horses who had not experienced EHI previously. Running on soft or heavy ground or in races before 5pm also increased the risk of EHI. 

 

The research findings highlight the significance of ensuring that adequate cooling facilities are available, as well as identifying horses with a history of EHI to allow for early intervention if required. The authors of the study emphasize that these results are particularly relevant given the evolving climate, which is characterized by more frequent and intense periods of hot weather, and the need for the sport to address this challenge.

 

Dr Trigg, Honorary Research Fellow at the Bristol Veterinary School, said: "Racecourse officials should monitor WBGT at race meetings to help decide whether racing should go ahead, or if it does go ahead whether additional resources such as extra cool down areas should be provided. This data should be used to develop evidence-based policy to protect the welfare of racehorses in current and future climates."

 

For more details, see:

 

Risk factors for, and prediction of, exertional heat illness in Thoroughbred racehorses at British racecourses

Leah E Trigg, Sally Lyons & Siobhan Mullan 

Scientific Reports (2023) vol 13, Article number: 3063 

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-27892-x

Foundation for the Horse research grants

(c) Livingsee Dreamstime.com

Funding proposals are currently being accepted by The Foundation for the Horse until May 31st for its two equine research grant programs. 

 

One program aims to support emerging researchers, while the other is intended for established investigators. Both programs strive to drive medical advancements in equine health. 

 

Although proposals on any subject will be considered, the Foundation has a particular interest in musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, respiratory, and endocrine diseases, as well as laminitis, and methods to enhance racing safety. 

 

Young Investigators Research Grants worth up to $20,000 are available to

graduate students, fellows and residents. Pilot studies or preliminary studies that are part of a major study or which will lead to a major project are of particular interest; small standalone projects will also be considered.  

 

Innovation and Discovery Research Grants are available to individuals with a background in equine research and a previous record of research publication. A minimum of two projects will each receive up to $50,000 in funding in 2023.

 

For more details, see:

Young Investigators Research Grants

https://www.foundationforthehorse.org/young-investigators/

 

Innovation and Discovery Research Grants

https://www.foundationforthehorse.org/innovation-discovery-research-grants/ 

Investigating umbilical cord torsion as a cause of abortion

Approximately 1 in 25 Thoroughbred pregnancies in the UK result in pregnancy loss during mid to late gestation, a statistic that has not shown any significant improvement in the past three decades. 

In the UK, umbilical cord torsion (UCT) is recognised as the primary cause of this phenomenon, accounting for almost half of the cases that are sent for laboratory analysis. 

 

UCT occurs when there is excessive twisting of the umbilical cord, which restricts the blood supply to the foetus and eventually causes its death.

 

Interestingly, in all other countries (except Australia), the proportion of pregnancy loss attributed to UCT is much lower. In North America, the occurrence of UCT is one tenth of that in the UK. The rate of abortion attributed to umbilical torsion varies from 2.4% to 6.0% in studies conducted in the United States, while it reaches 35.7% in the United Kingdom. 

 

Umbilical cords from torsion cases tend to be longer than 85 cm on average. The reasons why certain pregnancies are more prone to develop long or excessively twisted umbilical cords, as well as the dramatic geographic variation in occurrence, are not well understood. 

 

Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) are leading a collaboration with colleagues at Cornell University, Rossdales Laboratories and Hagyard Equine Medical Institute to explore the reason why the umbilical cord twists excessively mid-pregnancy. The research, funded by the Alborada Trust, continues the first ever comprehensive study of UCT in the world. Together, the research team hope to establish new ways of detecting the twisting prior to the pregnancy being aborted.

 

They will also characterise subcomponents and key proteins of the umbilical cord in both normal and diseased cords to identify any potential regions of the cord that could be monitored clinically. These areas will then be examined using ultrasonography in mid-gestation to assess the diagnostic potential for mares that are at risk of UCT abortion.

The researchers hope to develop novel diagnostic tools that will enable veterinarians to predict mares at risk of suffering a UCT pregnancy loss and monitor the efficacy of novel treatments for the condition. Ultimately, the findings from this project will push forward the understanding of this cause of equine pregnancy loss, and abortion more widely.    

 

Jessica Roach, Research Fellow at the RVC, said: “The generous funding from The Alborada Trust will allow us to build on our understanding of umbilical cord torsion, which is such a frustrating cause of abortion to breeders and veterinarians alike. This project brings together researchers who are leading their field and I hope that this will allow us to forward our understanding of this condition. Our aim is to develop novel diagnostic tools to identify pregnancies with a torsed umbilical cord, and ultimately prevent or decrease the risk of pregnancy loss.”

 

For more information on the study, see : https://www.rvc.ac.uk/research/projects/investigation-of-clinical-predictors-of-equine-umbilical-cord-torsion-and-abortion

Could high intensity laser help in the treatment of bone spavin?

(c) Silviu-florin Salomia Dreamstime.com

 High intensity laser therapy (HILT) uses high-powered (Class IV) lasers that emit light in the
infrared range, to deliver light energy to the affected area, The goal is to reduce inflammation and pain, and promote healing. 

Some studies have suggested that HILT may be effective in treating bone spavin, a condition characterized by degeneration and inflammation of the hock joint in horses.

 

To investigate this possibility, researchers in Poland, used HILT in clinical cases of bone spavin referred to the Department of Surgery in Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences.

 

Paulina Zielińska, Karolina Śniegucka, Zdzisław Kiełbowicz describe their findings in a report published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science.

 

For the study, horses were required to exhibit hindlimb lameness that was aggravated by flexion of the limb but improved with anaesthesia of the tarsometatarsal joint. They also needed to show radiographic evidence of hock changes consistent with bone spavin. None of the horses had received any treatment for spavin in the previous six months. Eleven horses met the criteria for inclusion.

 

A course of treatment consisted of 10 HILT sessions over a two-week period.

 

Using the American Association of Equine Practitioners 5-point lameness scale, the researchers evaluated the severity of lameness before and after treatment. They found that four horses (36%) improved by 2 lameness grades, four (36%) improved by 1 lameness grade, and three horses (28%) showed no improvement.  Of the horses that did improve after HILT, three were reported to be sound at the post-treatment examination. 

 

In terms of the limb flexion (spavin) test, 5 horses (45%) showed improvement after treatment, while 6 horses (55%) maintained the same spavin test grade as before treatment. However, all horses still exhibited lameness following the limb flexion (spavin) test.

 

The researchers' findings suggest that HILT can be safely used for horses with bone spavin, as it helps to decrease joint pain and lameness. However, it appears to have limited effectiveness in reducing the response to a flexion test in the short term.

 

Although it's still too early to definitively determine whether HILT is a viable alternative for managing joint pain in horses with bone spavin, the researchers note that the initial results are promising enough to warrant further investigation.

 

For more details, see:

 

Paulina Zielińska, Karolina Śniegucka, Zdzisław Kiełbowicz,

A Case Series of 11 Horses Diagnosed with Bone Spavin Treated with High Intensity Laser Therapy (HILT),

Journal of Equine Veterinary Science,

Volume 120,

2023,

104188,

ISSN 0737-0806,

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2022.104188

 

Investigating injuries in British horse riders on public roads

(c) Sitikka Dreamstime.com

Female equestrians and younger riders are more likely to be injured in incidents involving horses on
public roads in Great Britain according to recent research.

 Horses and road vehicles are not ideal partners and can be a dangerous combination. In any confrontation between a horse and a vehicle, the horse and rider are at a significant disadvantage, and usually come off worst.

 

In England and Wales, (but not Scotland) equestrians are only permitted to use public off-road routes that have been specifically designated for horse use. This means that only a limited number of public off-road routes are available for horse riders to use. Consequently, they often find themselves riding on public roads.

 

A study, led by Danica Pollard for the British Horse Society, looked at the human injuries resulting from interactions between ridden horses and other road users on public roads in Great Britain. The work is published in the Journal of Safety Research.

 

The researchers extracted data from the Department for Transport (DfT) database on road incidents involving ridden horses, recorded by the police between 2010 and 2019. The records were analysed (using multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression modelling) to identify factors that were associated with severe or fatal injuries.

 

The data included 1,031 injury incidents involving ridden horses, involving 2,243 road users. 

 

Analysis showed that 81% of casualties were female, 84% were horse riders and 25% were 20 years old or younger. Horse riders accounted for 238/267 serious injuries and 17/18 fatalities. 

 

Vehicles most often involved in serious or fatal injuries were cars (53.4%) and vans (9.8%).

 

Other points to emerge were that the risk of severe or fatal injury increased with increasing road user age, and on roads with higher speed limits.

 

The researchers also found that the risk of severe or fatal injury was higher among older road users and on roads with higher speed limits.

 

They conclude: “Improved equestrian road safety will largely impact females and young people as well as reducing risk of severe/fatal injuries in older road users and those using modes of transport such as pedal-cycles and motorcycles. 

 

“Our findings support existing evidence that reductions in speed limits on rural roads would help reduce the risk of serious/fatal injuries.” 

 

 

For more details, see: 

 

Cars dent, horse riders break: Analysis of police-recorded injury incidents involving ridden horses on public roads in Great Britain.

Danica Pollard, John Duncan Grewar.

Journal of Safety Research (2023), Vol 84, pp 86-98

 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2022.10.010

The world’s first horse riders

Excavations in Malomirova, Bulgaria (c) Michal Podsiadlo

New evidence suggests that people were riding horses as much as 5000 years ago.

The origins of horseback riding are still unknown. Research suggests that horses were domesticated for their milk around 3500 to 3000 BCE. However, this does not conclusively demonstrate that they were being ridden at that time.

Now, researchers have unearthed evidence of horse riding by analysing the remains of human skeletons discovered in ancient burial mounds dating back 4500-5000 years.

 

The earthen burial mounds, or “kurgans”, were associated with the Yamnaya culture. The Yamnaya people were nomadic herders who primarily raised cattle and sheep, and they migrated to present-day Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Serbia from the Pontic-Caspian steppes. This region is a vast area of grasslands and semi-arid plains situated in Eastern Europe and Western Asia, spanning from the Danube River in the west to the Ural Mountains in the east, and from the Black Sea in the south to the Volga River in the north. The area encompasses parts of modern-day Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Romania, Moldova, and Georgia.

 

According to a study published in Science Advances, researchers have identified five Yamnaya individuals, dated from 3021 to 2501 BCE, from burial mounds located in Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary. These individuals displayed changes in bone structure and distinct pathologies that are typically associated with horseback riding. The study authors note that these individuals are the oldest known humans to be identified as riders to date.

 

“Horseback-riding seems to have evolved not long after the presumed domestication of horses in the western Eurasian steppes during the fourth millennium BCE. It was already rather common in members of the Yamnaya culture between 3000 and 2500 BCE”, says Volker Heyd, Professor of Archaeology at the University of Helsinki and a member of the international team, which made the discovery.

 

“We studied over 217 skeletons from 39 sites of which about 150 found in the burial mounds belong to the Yamnayans” explains Martin Trautmann, Bioanthropologist in Helsinki and the lead author of the study. 

 

Deducing activity patterns from human skeletons can be a complex process. According to Trautmann, there are no specific physical traits that can definitively indicate a particular occupation or behaviour. “Only in their combination, as a syndrome, symptoms provide reliable insights to understand habitual activities of the past,” he says.

 

The research team used a set of six diagnostic criteria as indicators of riding activity (the so-called “horsemanship syndrome”):

1. Muscle attachment sites on pelvis and thigh bone (femur);

2. Changes in the normally round shape of the hip sockets;

3. Imprint marks caused by pressure of the acetabular rim on the neck of the femur;

4. The diameter and form of the femur shaft;

5. Vertebral degeneration caused by repeated vertical impact;

6. Damage that typically can be caused by falls, kicks or bites from horses.

 

Altogether, out of the 156 adult individuals of the total sample at least 24 (15.4%) can be classified as 'possible riders', while five Yamnaya and two later as well as two possibly earlier individuals qualify as 'highly probable riders'. 

 

Overall, after analysing the skeletal remains of 156 adult individuals in the sample, the researchers were able to classify at least 24 (15.4%) as "possible riders". In addition, they identified five Yamnaya individuals, two later individuals, and two possibly earlier individuals as "highly probable riders".

 

“The rather high prevalence of these traits in the skeleton record, especially with respect to the overall limited completeness, show that these people were horse riding regularly”, Trautmann states.

 

“We have one intriguing burial in the series” remarks David Anthony, emeritus Professor of Hartwick College USA and also senior co-author in the study.

 

“A grave dated about 4300 BCE at Csongrad-Kettöshalom in Hungary, long suspected from its pose and artifacts to have been an immigrant from the steppes, surprisingly showed four of the six riding pathologies, possibly indicating riding a millennium earlier than Yamnaya. An isolated case cannot support a firm conclusion, but in Neolithic cemeteries of this era in the steppes, horse remains were occasionally placed in human graves with those of cattle and sheep, and stone maces were carved into the shape of horse heads. Clearly, we need to apply this method to even older collections.”

 

The researchers recommend conducting additional research to ascertain the main purpose of horseback riding among the Yamnaya people. It is unclear whether riding was primarily used for convenience in a mobile pastoral lifestyle to enable more efficient cattle herding, as a means of swift and far-ranging raids, or simply as a symbol of social status. Further investigation could shed more light on the role of horseback riding in Yamnaya culture and its impact on their way of life.

 

For more details, see:

 

First bioanthropological evidence for Yamnaya horsemanship

Martin Trautmann, Alin Frînculeasa, Bianca Preda-Bălănică, Marta Petruneac, Marin Focşǎneanu,  Stefan Alexandrov, Nadezhda Atanassova, Piotr Włodarczak, Michał Podsiadło, János Dani, Zsolt Bereczki, Tamás Hajdu, Radu Băjenaru, Adrian Ioniță, Andrei Măgureanu, Despina Măgureanu, Anca-Diana Popescu, Dorin Sârbu, Gabriel Vasile, David Anthony, Volker Heyd.

SCIENCE ADVANCES (2023) Vol 9, Issue 9

https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.ade2451