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Waran, N. K., Robertson, V., Cuddeford, D., Kokoszko, A., & Marlin, D. J. (1996). Effects of transporting horses facing either forwards or backwards on their behaviour and heart rate. Vet. Rec., 139(1), 7–11.
Abstract: The effects of transporting horses facing either forwards or backwards were compared by transporting six thoroughbred horses in pairs in a lorry on one journey facing in the direction of travel, and on another journey facing away from the direction of travel, over a standard one-hour route. Heart rate monitors were used to record their heart rate before, during and after the journey and the horses' behaviour was recorded by scan sampling each horse every other minute. The average heart rate was significantly lower (P < 0.05) when the horses were transported facing backwards, and they also tended to rest on their rumps more (P = 0.059). In the forward-facing position, the horses moved more frequently (P < 0.05) and tended to hold their necks in a higher than normal position and to vocalise more frequently (P = 0.059). During loading the average peak heart rate was 38 bpm lower (P < 0.05) when the horses were backed into the horse box for rear-facing transport than when they were loaded facing forwards. However, there was no difference between transport facing forwards or backwards in terms of the peak unloading heart rate, or the average heart rate during loading or unloading. The horses seemed to find being transported less physically stressful when they were facing backwards than when they were facing forwards.
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Pinchbeck, G. L., Clegg, P. D., Proudman, C. J., Morgan, K. L., & French, N. P. (2004). Case-control investigation of the factors affecting the risk of horses falling during steeplechase racing in the UK. Vet. Rec., 155(1), 11–15.
Abstract: A concurrent case-control study of 12 UK racecourses was made between March 1, 2000, and August 31, 2001, to identify and quantify the factors associated with the risk of horses falling in steeplechase races. Cases were defined as a jumping effort at a steeplechase fence that resulted in a fall and controls were defined as a successful jumping effort over any steeplechase fence at any of the 12 racecourses within 14 days before or after the case fall. Information on the horse, the jockey and the race were collected and all the fences on all the courses were surveyed. Conditional logistic regression was used to examine the relationships between the predictor variables and the risk of falling. There was one fall per 254 jumping efforts. The risk of a horse falling decreased the more times it had raced on a particular racecourse. The number of fences, the distance from the previous fence and the nature of the previous fence also affected the risk of falling. If the previous fence was a water jump the risk of falling increased; fences that were sited on flat or slight uphill gradients (up to approximately 1 in 25) were associated with a lower risk of horses falling than downhill fences, and higher takeoff boards were associated with a higher risk of falling.
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Herholz, C., Straub, R., Braendlin, C., Imhof, A., Luthi, S., & Busato, A. (2003). Measurement of tidal breathing flow-volume loop indices in horses used for different sporting purposes with and without recurrent airway obstruction. Vet. Rec., 152(10), 288–292.
Abstract: Tidal breathing flow-volume loop (TBFVL) indices in healthy horses and in horses suffering from mild and moderate to severe recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) were measured. In addition, the ability of these indices to differentiate healthy controls from horses with mild RAO by separating the horses according to their usage was investigated. The horses were assigned to three sporting categories: 1 Leisure horses; 2 Horses competing at events with a duration of more than five minutes (eventing, coaching and endurance); and 3 Horses competing at events with a duration of less than five minutes (dressage and show jumping). Flow-volume curves were recorded with an ultrasonic spirometer and TBFVL indices were calculated with specially dedicated software. The sporting usage of the horses had a significant effect on the differentiating ability of TBFVL indices in diagnosing different degrees of RAO. The index TIF50 differentiated control horses from horses with minor RAO in all sporting categories.
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Kirkwood, J. K. (2000). Animal minds and animal welfare. Vet. Rec., 146(11), 327.
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Alexander, F. (1982). Effect of phenylbutazone on electrolyte metabolism in ponies. Vet. Rec., 110(12), 271–272.
Abstract: Phenylbutazone administered in therapeutic doses to ponies decreased urinary sodium and chloride excretion. The volume and osmolality of the urine was unaffected as was potassium excretion. Faecal excretion of chloride decreased and that of potassium increased, while faecal sodium excretion was unaffected. Plasma pH, bicarbonate and total carbon dioxide decreased after phenylbutazone administration. Packed cell volume, plasma sodium, potassium, carbon dioxide tension and chloride were unchanged.
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Minero, M., Canali, E., Ferrante, V., Verga, M., & Odberg, F. O. (1999). Heart rate and behavioural responses of crib-biting horses to two acute stressors. Vet. Rec., 145(15), 430–433.
Abstract: The heart rate and behaviour of 14 adult saddle horses, eight crib-biters and six normal controls, were investigated. Initially, the relationship between crib-biting and heart rate was investigated while the horses were undisturbed. The horses were tested when restrained with a lip twitch, and assessed when they were exposed suddenly to the rapid inflation of a balloon. The heart rate of the crib-biters during crib-biting was lower than during other behaviours. The crib-biters had a higher overall mean heart rate (P<0.05) suggesting that they may have had a higher basal sympathetic activity. After the application of the twitch, all the horses had a transient increase in heart rate which returned to basal values more rapidly in the crib-biters. The crib-biters were less reactive to the lip twitch, five of the six investigated remaining calm, and after the release of the twitch, they spent more time nibbling (P<0.05) than the control horses. The crib-biters reacted more strongly to the inflation of the balloon (three of the six reacted), and after it had been inflated they spent more time walking in the box.
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Wilkins, L. J., Brown, S. N., Zimmerman, P. H., Leeb, C., & Nicol, C. J. (2004). Investigation of palpation as a method for determining the prevalence of keel and furculum damage in laying hens. Vet. Rec., 155(18), 547–549.
Abstract: Old breaks of the keel and furculum were identified by palpation in 500 end-of-lay hens from 10 flocks housed in free-range and barn systems, and the results were compared with the results obtained by a full dissection and inspection. The method was considered to be sufficiently precise to be used as a diagnostic tool although people using it would need to be trained. The results obtained by dissection indicated that 50 to 78 per cent of the birds in the flocks had breaks of the furculum and keel, but no other breaks of bones were detected.
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McGreevy, P. D., Webster, A. J., & Nicol, C. J. (2001). Study of the behaviour, digestive efficiency and gut transit times of crib-biting horses. Vet. Rec., 148(19), 592–596.
Abstract: The spontaneous behaviour and the apparent digestibility of dry matter and fibre and transit times of digesta were compared in four normal horses and four crib-biters. A technique was developed for measuring total gut transit times (TGTT) by using single-stool analysis of the passage of radio-opaque polyethylene markers. Longer TGTT were recorded in the crib-biters than in the normal horses but the orocaecal transit times did not differ. The crib-biters rested less than the normal horses.
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Pinchbeck, G. L., Clegg, P. D., Proudman, C. J., Morgan, K. L., & French, N. P. (2003). Case-control study to investigate risk factors for horse falls in hurdle racing in England and Wales. Vet. Rec., 152(19), 583–587.
Abstract: Between March 1, 2000 and August 31, 2001, a case-control study was conducted on 12 racecourses in England and Wales to identify and quantify the risk factors associated with horse falls in hurdle races. The cases and controls were defined so that variables relating to the horse, the jockey, the race and racecourse, and the jump could be considered. The cases were defined as a jumping effort at a hurdle flight that resulted in a fall, and the controls were defined as a successful jump over a hurdle at any of the 12 racecourses within 14 days before or after the case fall. Conditional logistic regression was used to examine the univariable and multivariable relationships between the predictor variables and the risk of falling. The risk of falling was significantly associated with the position of the jump in the race, and with the distance and speed of the race. A horse's previous racing experience and history were also significantly associated with the risk of falling and horses participating in their first hurdle race were at almost five times greater risk of falling than horses that had hurdled before.
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McGreevy, P. D., French, N. P., & Nicol, C. J. (1995). The prevalence of abnormal behaviours in dressage, eventing and endurance horses in relation to stabling. Vet. Rec., 137(2), 36–37.
Abstract: The behaviour of horses competing in different disciplines was studied and the relationship between the time they spent out of the stable and the prevalence of abnormal behaviour was examined. The owners of dressage, eventing and endurance horses were sent a questionnaire and a total of 1101 responses were received, giving data on 1750 horses. The behaviours studied were wood-chewing, weaving, crib-biting/wind-sucking and box-walking. The reported percentage prevalences of abnormal behaviour for the dressage, eventing and endurance horses were 32.5, 30.8 and 19.5, respectively. The relationship between the time spent in the stable and the prevalence of abnormal behaviour was examined by chi 2 tests which showed that there were significant linear trends for the eventing group (P < 0.001) and the dressage group (P < 0.05). It is concluded that the time a horse spends out of the stable is related to the discipline for which it is being trained and in dressage and eventing horses the time spent in a stable is correlated with an increased risk of abnormal behaviour.
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