Abstract: The use of molecular techniques has increased our understanding of biological systems; in particular how genes and proteins operate within a cell or organ in response to various stimuli. These techniques can be used to study modes of action or mechanisms in disease states, or in response to applied management or nutritional changes. While applied and basic research are often conducted independent of one another, the real advantages to the equine industry will come from the use of molecular techniques to address applied challenges and/or opportunities within the industry. Therefore, the overall goal of our research has been to use basic and molecular tools to investigate modes of action resulting from changes in nutrition or management. We investigated active nutrient transport capacities of the small and large intestine, the effects of feed withdrawal on intestinal transporter gene expression and function, as well as other measurements pertaining to gut health (gut barrier function and gastrointestinal morphology). This novel and thorough approach to characterize sectional differences (fore- and hind- gut) of nutrient absorption has resulted in quantitative measures of active transport capacity for glucose, phosphorus, glutamine, lysine, and di-peptides in the horse. This research demonstrates that by-products of fermentation in the cecum such as microbial proteins and hydrolyzed phytate phosphorus, can be absorbed in the colon. Previously unidentified in the hindgut of the horse, we reported the expression of the di-and tri-peptide transporter, PepT1, as well as the neutral amino acid transporter, ASCT2, and transport of their substrates. We observed that nutrient transporters for glucose (SGLT1), glutamine (ASCT2) and for di-peptides (PepT1) can be regulated by diet, implying biological relevance to feeding management strategies. Feed withdrawal in horses pre- or post-surgery, prior to or during horse shows, during transport, or for other management reason is common. It is therefore important to understand how the removals of nutrients impacts gut health and/or disease susceptibility. The use of molecular techniques has provided a basis for the roles of certain core nutrients during times of feed withdrawal. For example, nutrients such as glutamine play a major role in proliferation and repair in the gut, serve as a major energy substrate, and may provide a means of assessing nutritional stress in the gut. Recent data concludes that following a feed withdrawal, the need for glutamine increases up to 116% in the proximal jejunum, and the gene expression of its transporter (ASCT2) increases by 78%. Additional studies utilizing molecular techniques to address nutritional challenges in the horse include how hormone loss due to ovariectomization impacts the homeostatic regulation of calcium and phosphorus in the horse. To improve nutrition and feeding management practices in horses, knowledge regarding how and where nutrients are absorbed, utilized and regulated under varying physiologic stressors (disease, exercise, reproductive status, etc.) is needed. The integration of applied and basic research facilitates a better and more complete understanding of mechanisms underlying common health and nutritional challenges facing the equine industry.

Abstract: The University of Applied Science and Technology (UAST) was founded in 1992, with the objective to promote the technical as well as the scientific knowledge of the job holders, mainly those who are working as low-skilled or semi-skilled laborers in different sectors of the economy. With a growing importance of the equestrian sports and horse husbandry, there is an increasing need for well-trained professionals in the equine sector. The need for specific equine university programs has been questioned occasionally; however, neither university programs in the equine veterinary medicine (focusing on diseased horses) nor animal science (focusing on food-producing farm animals) meet the broad requirements of today's equine industry. So far four programs in the equine sector has been approved in the UAST; an associate diploma program in the horse husbandry, an associate diploma program in the equine coaching, a bachelor program (2 + 2 years course) in the horse husbandry and a post graduate program in the horse physiotherapy and massage at master level (Msc. program). The main specifications of the applied science programs are ; the abilities of the applicants and their attainable jobs are pre-planned before starting the program ( each applicant will be aware of what abilities he/she would earn and what jobs he/she would attain after graduating from such scientific and applied programs). The first academic program in the equine science and management in Iran was established in 1998 by the UAST. The 2 year associate diploma program (74 credit points) includes sciences, anatomy, physiology, genetics, nutrition, horse behavior, economics, marketing, management, horse disease and disorders, basics of shoeing and basics of ridding. In 2004 when more than 200 students were graduated in this program a two years course (a 2 + 2 bachelor program) was established. In this program almost all subject taught at the previous program were taught, but at advance level. Courses are provided by the partner higher education centers affiliated to the UAST and approved by the Iranian Equestrian Federation and by the lecturers from practice and ridding clubs. Lectures and seminars are complemented by a scientific thesis and placements in the equine industry. Out of 400-500 applicants each year, 60 students are selected (to study in two higher education centers) on the basis of their previous activities, a written test and interviews. The majority of the students enter the program with previous experience of working with the horses and about 35% of the students enter the program directly after leaving secondary school. More than 50% of the graduates enter into the subsequent BSc. program in horse husbandry. Other 50% graduates (almost those with previous experience) return to the horse husbandry business and works as stud managers or management assistants in ridding clubs. In conclusion, graduates of the University of Applied Science and Technology programs follow a wide-range of professional and academic activities within the equine industry as well as equine medicine (graduates of the UAST's master program in the horse physiotherapy). This spectrum is by far more extensive than the sector covered by merely academic training. With practical experience obtained on the job, adequately qualified graduates will more and more obtain leading positions. KW -

Abstract: For communicating with the environment (other horses, foals, owner, etc.), horses have to use different methods. In contrast with the human, for whom talking is the most important way of communication, the horses can’t talk. In the years 1990s and before, the imagination was such that the infants do not express verbally to the pain either (like horses).
To communicate, horses use their body language. Vocalization (if not the body language), seems to be the most important way of communication in horses, though it seems they use the same tone when exposing to different events.
In this study which was performed in collaboration with the electronic institute of Sharif technical university (the top most technical university of the country), totally 25 horses were used. The horses were exposed to different events (hunger, pain, loneliness, mating, parturition and separation of the 1-2 weeks old foals from their dams). The verbal expressions of the horses were studied using spectrogram.
The results of this study showed that there were significant differences between the spectrograph of the voices of the horses, exposed to hunger, and the separation of the foals from dams. This was the same (no significant differences) when horses were exposed to loneliness, separation and hunger. There were no significant differences between the verbal expressions of the horses while exposed to mating, parturition.
One of the most important reasons why the horses do not have verbal expressions when exposing to the pain, might be the absence of the part of the brain, responsible for the pain interpretation. Morse research has to be performed to prove this.

Abstract: The relationship between facial hair whorl position and reactivity, as assessed by behavioural measures (handling score = HS; startle reaction to a suddenly appearing novel object = SR; latency to touch a novel object = LNO) and heart rate measures (mean HR; increase in heart rate = IHR) were studied using 55 Konik horses reared either under conventional stable conditions or in the forest reserve. Horses were classified into four groups according to the whorl position and/or shape: (1) high, single whorl above the top eye line, n = 9; (2) medium, single whorl between the top and the bottom eye line, n = 30; (3) low, single whorl below the bottom eye line, n = 10; and (4) elongated or double whorl, n = 6. Horses with a high whorl position demonstrated a lesser degree of manageability as expressed by a lower HS compared to individuals with medium (P = 0.002) or low whorl positions (P = 0.016). Horses with different whorl positions did not differ significantly in their startle response to a suddenly appearing novel object (P = 0.685). The horses with an elongated or double whorl, which appeared only in the forest group, took significantly longer to approach the novel object than horses with medium (P = 0.006) or low (P = 0.005) whorl positions. No significant differences in mean HR and IHR between groups (HR: P = 0.629 and IHR: P = 0.214) were found. In conclusion, this study supports the relationship between the position of the hair whorl on the horses' head and their manageability during handling, as well as the latency to approach an unknown object.

Abstract: The ability of ponies to learn to avoid a relatively novel food associated with illness was tested in three situations: when illness occurred immediately after consuming a feed; when illness occurred 30 min after consuming a feed; and when illness was contingent upon eating one of three feeds offered simultaneously. Apomorphine was used to produce illness. The feeds associated with illness were corn, alfalfa pellets, sweet feed and a complete pelleted feed. The ponies learned to avoid all the fees except the complete feed when apomorphine injection immediately followed consumption of the feed. However, the ponies did not learn to avoid a feed if apomorphine was delayed 30 min after feed consumption. They could learn to avoid alfalfa pellets, but not corn, when these feeds were presented with the familiar “safe foods,” oats and soybean meal. Ponies apparently are able to learn a taste aversion, but there were constraints on this learning ability. Under the conditions of this study, they did not learn to avoid a food that made them sick long after consumption of the food, and they had more difficulty learning to avoid highly palatable feeds.