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Werhahn, H., Hessel, E. F., & Van den Weghe, H. F. A. (2012). Competition Horses Housed in Single Stalls (II): Effects of Free Exercise on the Behavior in the Stable, the Behavior during Training, and the Degree of Stress. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 32(1), 22–31.
Abstract: Although housing horses in single stalls limits their natural behavior to a great extent, this housing system is widespread in Germany, especially for competition horses. To improve the welfare of this system, free exercise on pastures or paddocks is deemed suitable, but it is also feared because of injuries and decreased willingness or motivation to perform. In the present study, three treatments were investigated with regard to their effect on the behavior of six competition horses in the stable, behavior during training, and on their degree of stress: daily training without free exercise (no turnout [NT]), solitary turnout for 2 hours after training, and 2-hour turnout in groups of two after training (group turnout). The horses' behavior in the stable was continuously analyzed through video recordings (2 pm to 6 am) on 3 days at the end of each treatment. The degree of stress was evaluated daily by heart rate variability at rest. The behavior during training was evaluated by a questionnaire answered by the riders, and the distance covered during training was measured by global positioning system. When NT was allowed, the horses showed less lying in the stable compared with the treatments with turnout. Heart rate variability measurements resulted in great individual differences, but generally, there was a higher degree of stress shown with the treatment NT according to the following parameters: standard deviation of inter-beat-intervals (SDNN), square root of the mean of the sum of the squares of differences between successive inter-beat-intervals (RMSSD), and ratio between low frequency and high frequency (LF/HF). The willingness to perform was evaluated as being slightly better in the treatments with turnout than in the treatment without turnout.
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Wall, D. L., Topliff, D. R., Freeman, D. W., Wagner, D. G., Breazile, J. W., & Stutz, W. A. (1992). Effect of dietary cation-anion balance on urinary mineral excretion in exercised horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 12(3), 168–171.
Abstract: Summary Four mares and four geldings of Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred breeding were used in two simultaneous 4x4 Latin square experiments to study the effects of dietary cation-anion balance (DCAB), defined as meq ((Na+K)-C1)/kg dry matter, on urinary pH and mineral excretion in exercised horses. Diets consisted of a pelleted concentrate of corn, soybean meal and cottonseed hulls fed with bermudagrass hay. Treatments with DCAB of +5 (Low, L), +107 (Medium Low, ML), +201 (Medium High, MH) and +327 (High, H), meq ((Na+K)-Cl)/kg dry matter were formed by supplementing diet L with calcium chloride and ammonium chloride, diet ML with calcium chloride and diet H with sodium bicarbonate and potassium citrate (Table 1). Diet MH was not supplemented and served as the control treatment. Horses were conditioned aerobically for 6 weeks using long, slow, distance (LSD) workouts. During the experimental periods, horses were subjected to a combined exercise regimen alternating LSD with an interval-training protocol 6 days/week. There was a significant (P<.01) treatment effect on urine pH; least squares means for L, ML, MH and H were 6.73, 7.17, 7.38, and 7.92. Horses consuming diet L excreted more calcium in the urine (P<.05) than those consuming MH or H. Least squares means for daily urine calcium excretion tended to be linear across treatments and ranged from 19.66 g/day for diet L to 9.12 g/day for diet H. Urinary chloride excretion was higher (P<.05) for L than for MH or H. Horses fed diet H excreted more sodium (P<.05) in urine than horses fed the other diets. Lowering DCAB, increases urinary calcium loss; depending on the level of calcium intake, this could lead to negative calcium balance in exercising horses.
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Verrill, S., & McDonnell, S. (2008). Equal Outcomes with and without Human-to-Horse Eye Contact When Catching Horses and Ponies in an Open Pasture. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 28(5), 309–312.
Abstract: Each of 104 horses and ponies was approached for catching at pasture by the same human handler in a standard manner, either maintaining human-to-animal eye contact (EC+; n = 51) or avoiding eye contact (EC-; n = 53). A subset of 74 of these subjects were reevaluated 3 weeks later under similar standard conditions except with the eye contact condition opposite to that used in the first round. Nonparametric statistical methods were used to evaluate between subjects (round 1, n = 104) and within subjects (rounds 1 and 2, n = 74) comparisons of successful or unsuccessful catching outcome with EC+ and EC-. Catching outcomes were similar with eye contact condition. Although this study represents a single handler at one study site, results suggest that human-to-horse eye contact may not be an important influence on catching pastured horses. Certainly, further work is needed to better understand the role of eye contact in horse handling.
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Suagee-Bedore, J. K., Linden, D. R., & Bennett-Wimbush, K. (2021). Effect of Pen Size on Stress Responses of Stall-Housed Horses Receiving One Hour of Daily Turnout. J. Equine Vet. Sci., 98, 103366.
Abstract: 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 m2 per horse. Groups rotated through pens across 3 days, receiving one treatment per day. Blood was sampled for cortisol concentrations at 08:00 hours each morning, and then at 15 and 60 minutes into the turn out sessions, and 60 minutes after return to individual stalls. Groups rotated through three turnout times: 09:00, 12:00, 14:00 hours. Counts of agonistic behaviors (chasing, contact biting, and kicking) and low-level threats (pinned ears, tail swishing, bite and kick threats) were recorded. When turned out in pens that provided 342 m2 per horse, horses exhibited reduced plasma cortisol concentrations by 15 minutes after turnout and at 1 hour after return to their stalls (P < .05). Horses in pens providing 184 m2 per horse exhibited greater agonistic (P < .001) and low-level threat (P < .01) behaviors than horses in larger pens. These data provide insight into appropriate pen sizes for horses from established herds. Providing at least 342 m2 per horse may reduce the chance of injury in horses accustomed to group turnout.
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Stutz, W. A., Topliff, D. R., Freeman, D. W., Tucker, W. B., Breazile, J. W., & Wall, D. L. (1992). Effects of dietary cation-anion balance on blood parameters in exercising horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 12(3), 164–167.
Abstract: Summary Four geldings and four mares of primarily Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse breeding were used in simultaneous 4x4 Latin square experiments to test the effects of dietary cation-anion balance (DCAB), defined as meq ((Na+K)-C1)/kg diet dry matter, on blood pH, blood gases, acid-base status and plasma glucose in horses at rest and following anaerobic exercise. Four diets, consisting of a base concentrate of corn, soybean meal and cottonseed hulls fed in a 60:40 ratio with Bermudagrass hay, were formulated to provide a DCAB of 5 (L=Low), 107 (ML=Medium Low), 201 (MH=Medium High) and 327 (H=High) meq ((Na+K)-C1)/kg diet dry matter. Calcium chloride and ammonium chloride were added to treatment L and ML and sodium bicarbonate and potassium citrate were added to treatment H to achieve the desired cation-anion balance. Treatment MH was not supplemented and served as the control treatment. Prior to the experiment, horses performed six weeks of long, slow, distance (LSD) work. During the experimental periods, horses were subjected to an exercise regimen alternating LSD with an interval training protocol 6 days/week. Venous blood pH, pCO2 and bicarbonate levels were significantly lower in horses at rest consuming diet L versus diets MH and H. Blood pH and acid-base parameters decreased with decreasing DCAB. There were no significant differences in blood pH or acid-base parameters between treatments, after anaerobic exercise. Plasma glucose concentrations for treatment L were significantly lower than treatment H at 10, 20, and 30 minutes post-exercise. These data suggest that DCAB has significant effect on acid-base status and indicate that horses consuming diets with low DCAB may experience a metabolic acidosis.
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Stachurska, A., Janczarek, I., Wilk, I., & Kedzierski, W. (2015). Does Music Influence Emotional State in Race Horses? Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 35(8), 650–656.
Abstract: The aim of the study was to determine the effect of music featured in the barn, on the emotional state of race horses. Seventy 3-year-old Purebred Arabian horses in their first race season were divided into experimental group (EXP) of 40 horses and control group (CNT) of 30 horses and placed in separate barns. The EXP was subject to specifically composed music featured in the barn for 5 hours in the afternoon during the whole study. The emotional state in the horses was assessed at rest, saddling, and warm-up walk under rider. Measurements were taken six times, every 30 to 35 days, starting from the beginning of featuring the music. The horse's emotional state was assessed by cardiac activity variables. The music effect on the emotional state was also considered with regard to the horse's performance estimated by race records. The cardiac activity variables were compared with repeated measures design, whereas race records were analyzed with analysis of variance generalized linear model. The music positively affected the emotional state in race horses. The influence was noticeable already after the first month of featuring the music and increased in the second and third months. Despite the fact that later the variables began to return to initial levels, a positive effect of the music on prizes won by the horses in the EXP compared to the CNT was found (P < .05). The results suggest that the music may be featured in the barn, preferably for 2 to 3 months as a means of improving the welfare of race horses.
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Sackman, J. E., & Houpt, K. A. (2018). Equine Personality: Association with Breed, Use and Husbandry Factors. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, .
Abstract: Abstract
Temperament can be defined as innate properties of the nervous system whereas personality includes the complex behavioral traits acquired through life. Association between personality and behavior is important for breeding, selection, and training of horses. For the first time, we evaluated if equine personality components previously identified in Japan and Europe were consistent when applied to American horses. We examined the association of personality with breed, age, sex, management, training, stereotypies and misbehaviors.
Materials and Methods
The owner directed personality survey consisted of 25 questions. An online version of the survey was created. The principal component analysis (PCA) method was used to associate behavioral traits with personality components. Factor analysis with orthogonal transformation was performed on scores for personality related questions.
Results
847 survey responses were used. Quarter horses, “other” breed and Thoroughbred were the most common breeds. Three principal personality components were extracted as each behavioral trait belonged to one of these three components. Arabians, Thoroughbreds, Saddlebreds and Walking horses were the most nervous and Quarter horses, Paints, Appaloosas and Drafts were the least nervous. No trained discipline was significantly associated with any personality component. There were no significant associations between stereotypies and misbehaviors and nervous or curious personality.
Conclusions
For the first time in predominantly American horses, we have evaluated personality components and their association with breed, age, sex, training discipline and stereotypies. We refute links between personality and trained discipline and confirm the lack of association between nervous personality and stereotypies and misbehaviors.
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Piro, M., Benjouad, A., Karom, A., Nabich, A., Benbihi, N., El Allali, K., et al. (2011). Genetic Structure of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Carrier Horses in Morocco Inferred by Microsatellite Data. J. Equine Vet. Sci., 31(11), 618–624.
Abstract: A total of 17 microsatellite deoxyribonucleic acid loci used routinely for horse parentage control were used to evaluate genetic diversity among normal Arabian horses and severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) carrier Arabian horses (ArS) and normal Arab-Barb horses and SCID carrier Arab-Barb horses (ArbeS). On the basis of the genotype of 186 horses, mean allelic diversity was estimated as 6.82, 5.53, and 6.7059 in normal Arabian horses, ArS, and for both groups of Arab-Barb horses, respectively. Five specific alleles were observed in ArS and ArbeS, with one common with ArS at HMS6, whereas five alleles common between ArS and ArbeS had a high frequency. Expected and observed heterozygosity showed great heterogeneity in the population studied and were similar or higher when compared with other studies on Arabian horses. Coefficient of gene differentiation Gst of Nei associated with Nei's genetic distance and multivariate correspondence analysis indicated a possible differentiation between the studied populations when analyzed separately according to breed. Probability of assignment of a horse to a specific group was assessed using a full and partial Bayesian approach. In all, 80.6% of Arab horses and 78.2% of Arab-Barb horses were assigned properly with a partial Bayesian test, which provided better results than the full one. These findings will be useful for identification of SCID carrier horses by using the microsatellite deoxyribonucleic acid loci used routinely for horse parentage control in our laboratory.
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Pirasteh, A. (2002). Dr. Strasser's methods not to just save money. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 22(3), 102–103.
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Moeller, B. A., McCall, C. A., Silverman, S. J., & McElhenney, W. H. (). Estimation of Saliva Production in Crib-Biting and Normal Horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 28(2), 85–90.
Abstract: Increasing saliva flow to buffer the stomach has been hypothesized as a basis for crib-biting in horses. Saliva amounts in seven cribbing and seven noncribbing (control) horses were compared either pre- and post-cribbing or at pre- and post-5-minute intervals for controls. A pre-weighed cellulose sponge was used to collect saliva at the exit of the submandibular gland for 30 seconds, then reweighed. Data were analyzed as repeated measures. Mean saliva weight overall was similar between cribbing and control horses (1.2 and 1.5 g, respectively, SE = 0.2). However, mean saliva weight for pre- and post-samples (1.5 and 1.2 g, respectively, SE = 0.06) for all horses was significantly lower (P < .05) in the post-sample, indicating a drying effect of the sponge. Because of a strong tendency (P < .06) for a treatment-by-sampling time interaction, data were analyzed by sampling time and cribbing status. Mean saliva weights in the pre-sample were 0.43 g higher (P < .03) in control than cribbing horses. Control horses showed a 0.38 g decrease (P < .01) in saliva weight between pre- and post-samples, which was not evident in cribbing horses. To determine whether cribbing offset the saliva decrease seen in control horses, nine cribbing horses were sampled as before but prevented from cribbing between samples. A similar reduction (0.39 g, P < .01) in saliva weights between samples with cribbing allowed versus cribbing prevented was seen in these horses as was seen in control horses in the initial study. Because cribbing does produce saliva, gastrointestinal irritation could be a motivating cause for cribbing.
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