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Lindsay, F. E., & Burton, F. L. (1983). Observational study of “urine testing” in the horse and donkey stallion. Equine Vet J, 15(4), 330–336.
Abstract: Although “urine testing” is said to enable the male equid to assess the sexual status of the mare, there are no reports in the literature of any detailed study of this behavioural response of the stallion. Behavioural response to conspecific urine was studied in two horse stallions and one donkey stallion. The relevant nasopalatine anatomy is described. Events observed during urine testing included head, neck, lip, jaw, tongue movements, penile changes and nasal secretion. Nasal endoscopy indicated that the source of part of the nasal secretion was the secretory glands of the vomeronasal organ complex. The significance and probable function of these events in urine testing is discussed.
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Henneke, D. R., Potter, G. D., Kreider, J. L., & Yeates, B. F. (1983). Relationship between condition score, physical measurements and body fat percentage in mares. Equine Vet J, 15(4), 371–372.
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Crowell-Davis, S. L., & Houpt, K. A. (1985). Coprophagy by foals: effect of age and possible functions. Equine Vet J, 17(1), 17–19.
Abstract: In colts and fillies observed from birth to 24 weeks old, coprophagy occurred from Weeks 1 to 19. Its frequency was greatest during the first two months. Coprophagy was rarely observed in mares and stallions. Foals usually ate the faeces of their mother but were observed to eat their own and those of a stallion and another unrelated mare. Urination by the foal occurred before, during or after 26 per cent of the coprophagy incidents. It is hypothesised that foals may consume faeces in response to a maternal pheromone which signals the presence of deoxycholic acid or other acids which the foal may be deficient in and which it may require for gut immuno-competence myelination of the nervous system. Such a pheromone may also serve to accelerate growth and sexual maturation. Coprophagy may also provide nutrients and introduce normal bacterial flora to the gut.
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Sufit, E., Houpt, K. A., & Sweeting, M. (1985). Physiological stimuli of thirst and drinking patterns in ponies. Equine Vet J, 17(1), 12–16.
Abstract: The stimuli that elicit thirst were studied in four ponies. Nineteen hours of water deprivation produced an increase in plasma protein from 67 +/- 0.1 g/litre to 72 +/- 2 g/litre, a mean (+/- se) increase in plasma sodium from 139 +/- 3 to 145 +/- 2 mmol/litre and an increase in plasma osmolality from 297 +/- 1 to 306 +/- 2 mosmol/litre. Undeprived ponies drank 1.5 +/- 0.9 kg/30 mins; 19 h deprived ponies drank 10.2 +/- 2.5 kg/30 mins and corrected the deficits in plasma protein, plasma sodium and plasma osmolality as well as compensating for the water they would have drunk during the deprivation period. In order to determine if an increase in plasma osmolality would stimulate thirst, 250 ml of 15 per cent sodium chloride was infused intravenously. The ponies drank when osmolality increased 3 per cent and when plasma sodium rose from 136 +/- 3 mmol/litre to 143 +/- 3 mmol/litre. Ponies infused with 15 per cent sodium chloride drank 2.9 +/- 0.7 kg; those infused with 0.9 per cent sodium chloride drank 0.7 +/- 0.5 kg. In order to determine if a decrease in plasma volume would stimulate thirst, ponies were injected with 1 or 2 mg/kg bodyweight (bwt) frusemide. Plasma protein rose from 68 +/- 2 g/litre pre-injection to 75 +/- 2 g/litre 1 h after 1 mg/kg bwt frusemide and to 81 +/- 1 g/litre 1 h after 2 mg/kg bwt frusemide.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Hawkes, J., Hedges, M., Daniluk, P., Hintz, H. F., & Schryver, H. F. (1985). Feed preferences of ponies. Equine Vet J, 17(1), 20–22.
Abstract: Preference trials were conducted with mature ponies. In Trial 1, oats were compared with oats plus sucrose. Four of six pony geldings selected oats plus sucrose, but one pony demonstrated a dislike for sucrose and one selected from the bucket on the right side regardless of content. Oats, maize, barley, rye and wheat were compared in Trial 2 using six mature pony mares. Oats were the preferred grain, with maize and barley ranking second and third respectively. Wheat and rye were the least preferred. Even though the ponies demonstrated preference, the total intake at a given meal was not greatly depressed when only the less palatable grains were fed. In Trial 3, pony mares selected a diet containing 20 per cent dried distillers' grain and 80 per cent of a basal mixed diet of maize, oats, wheat bran, soybean meal, limestone and molasses over 100 per cent basal mixed diet, but selected the basal diet over diets containing 20 per cent blood meal, beet pulp or meat and bone meal and 80 per cent basal diet. They did not differentiate against diets containing 20 per cent alfalfa meal or 10 or 5 per cent meat and bone meal when the diets were compared to the basal mixed diet.
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Lane, J. G., & Mair, T. S. (1987). Observations on headshaking in the horse. Equine Vet J, 19(4), 331–336.
Abstract: The clinical records of 100 cases of headshaking in horses were reviewed. Possible causes of the abnormal behaviour were identified in 11 animals; these included ear mite infestation, otitis interna, cranial nerve dysfunction, cervical injury, ocular disease, guttural pouch mycosis, dental periapical osteitis and suspected vasomotor rhinitis. However, in only two of these could it be shown that correction of the abnormality led to elimination of the headshaking. The additional clinical signs exhibited by the other idiopathic cases of headshaking included evidence of nasal irritation, sneezing and snorting, nasal discharge, coughing and excessive lacrimation. Many of these horses also showed a marked seasonal pattern with respect to the onset of the disease and the recurrence of signs in subsequent years. The clinical presentation of idiopathic headshakers and the seasonal incidence of the signs closely resemble allergic rhinitis in man.
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Shaw, E. B., Houpt, K. A., & Holmes, D. F. (1988). Body temperature and behaviour of mares during the last two weeks of pregnancy. Equine Vet J, 20(3), 199–202.
Abstract: Average daily core body temperature and behavioural patterns of pregnant mares were studied, in search of definitive signs of parturition within 24 h of the event. Nineteen pony mares were sampled twice daily for core body temperature. A significant temperature drop, averaging 0.1 degrees C (0.2 degrees F) was observed during the day prior to parturition. Between 18.00 h and 06.00 h, during the two weeks before parturition, Thoroughbred and Standardbred mares (n = 52) spent an average 66.8 per cent of their time standing, 27.0 per cent eating, 4.9 per cent lying in sternal recumbency, 1.0 per cent lying in lateral recumbency, and 0.3 per cent walking. On the night before parturition, mares spent significantly less time lying in sternal recumbency than on previous nights and on the night of parturition all behaviour patterns except eating were significantly different from the nights of the two weeks before parturition. There was an increase in walking (5.3 per cent), lying in sternal recumbency (8 per cent) and lying in lateral recumbency (5.3 per cent) whereas standing (53.3 per cent) was decreased. In 58 observed pregnancies, 54 mares (97 per cent) foaled in a recumbent position and 50 mares (86 per cent) foaled between 18.00 h and 06.00 h.
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Carroll, C. L., & Huntington, P. J. (1988). Body condition scoring and weight estimation of horses. Equine Vet J, 20(1), 41–45.
Abstract: Three hundred and seventy two horses of varying breeds, height and fatness were weighed and measured for height at the withers. They were assessed for condition score by adaptation of a previously published method. The heart girth and length of 281 of the horses were also measured. Weight of horses was highly correlated (P less than 0.001) with height (r2 = 0.62), condition score (r2 = 0.22) and girth2 x length (r2 = 0.90). Nomograms were constructed to predict weight from height and condition score, and girth and length measurements. Weight can also be accurately estimated from the formula: (formula, see text) The average value of 'Y' in this experiment was 11900 and this estimated weight with more accuracy than some previously published values of 'Y'. Racing Thoroughbred horses were found to be significantly lighter than non-racing Thoroughbreds of the same height and condition score. The method of assessment of condition score was shown to be repeatable between different operators with varying degrees of experience.
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Trim, C. M., Moore, J. N., & Clark, E. S. (1989). Renal effects of dopamine infusion in conscious horses. Equine Vet J Suppl, (7), 124–128.
Abstract: An ultrasonic flow probe was implanted around a branch of the left renal artery in five horses. The effects of dopamine were studied in the unsedated horses 10 days after surgery. Three experiments, separated by at least two days, were performed in random order on each horse. In two experiments, dopamine was infused intravenously for 60 mins at either 2.5 and 5.0 micrograms/kg bodyweight (bwt)/min. Saline was infused for 60 mins before and after each infusion, and for 180 mins in the third experiment as a control. Renal blood flow increased during administration of dopamine at both dose rates (P = 0.0001). Urine volume increased (P = 0.055), and osmolality decreased (P < 0.05), with infusion of dopamine at 5.0 micrograms/kg bwt/min. Arterial blood pressure and heart rate were not significantly affected. Fractional excretions of sodium and potassium were not significantly changed with dopamine infusion. The higher dopamine dose rate was accompanied by dysrhythmias in some horses.
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Holmstrom, M., Magnusson, L. E., & Philipsson, J. (1990). Variation in conformation of Swedish warmblood horses and conformational characteristics of elite sport horses. Equine Vet J, 22(3), 186–193.
Abstract: The variation in conformation of 356 Swedish Warmblood horses is described, using a quantitative method of measuring horses. Thirty-three of the horses were elite dressage horses, 28 were elite showjumpers, 100 were riding school horses and 195 were unselected four-year-olds. Most horses had a long body form. The average height at the withers was 163.4 cm. Sixty per cent of the horses had a bench knee conformation, 50 per cent had a toe-in conformation of the forelimbs and 80 per cent had outwardly rotated hind limbs. The majority of these deviations were mild or moderate. Conformation was influenced by sex and age. Mares were smaller and had longer bodies and shorter limbs. The elite dressage horses and showjumpers had larger hock angles and more sloping scapulas than other horses. The showjumpers also had smaller fetlock angles in the front limbs. It is suggested that the larger hock angles among the elite horses may be because hocks with small angles are more prone to injury, and because small hock angles may negatively influence the ability to attain the degree of collection necessary for good performance in advanced classes.
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