Morgan, K., Funkquist, P., & Nyman, G. (2002). The effect of coat clipping on thermoregulation during intense exercise in trotters. Equine Veterinary Journal, 34(S34), 564–567.
Abstract: Summary The aim of this study was to study the physiological, especially thermoregulatory, responses during intense exercise in the clipped horse compared to the horse with winter coat. Six Standardbred trotters were studied before and after clipping. They performed an inclined incremental high intensity treadmill exercise test and were monitored during recovery. The clipped horse differed significantly (ANOVA) during exercise as compare to coated: less increase in central venous blood temperature, higher skin surface temperature, greater difference skin to ambient temperature and higher rate of nonevaporative heat loss. The clipped horse had significantly lower total cutaneous evaporative heat loss from walk to end of peak exercise and a shorter time for recovery for the respiratory rate using a paired t test. The clipped horse showed a tendency (P = 0.059) to decreased oxygen uptake during the stepwise increase in workload. We concluded that the clipped horse experienced less strain on the thermoregulatory system due to an enhanced heat loss. Some clipped horses in the study showed a more efficient power output; future studies with emphasis on respiration and oxygen demand are needed to explain this.
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Brinkmann, L., Gerken, M., & Riek, A. (2013). Effect of long-term feed restriction on the health status and welfare of a robust horse breed, the Shetland pony (Equus ferus caballus). Res. Vet. Sci., 94(3), 826–831.
Abstract: Outdoor group housing is increasingly recognized as an appropriate housing system for domesticated horses. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate the effect of potential feed shortage in semi-natural horse keeping systems in winter on animal health and welfare. In 10 female Shetland ponies blood concentrations (NEFA, total protein (TP), total bilirubin (TB), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and thyroxine (T4)), body mass and the body condition score (BCS) were monitored for 7months including a 4months period of feed restriction in five of the 10 ponies. Restrictively fed animals lost 18.4±2.99% of their body mass and the BCS decreased by 2.2±0.8 points (BCS scale: 0=emaciated, 5=obese). Feed restriction led to a continuous increase in TB (P<0.001) and NEFA (P<0.01) concentrations compared to control ponies. The TP and BHB values only differed at the end of the trial with lower concentrations in restricted fed mares (P<0.05). Feed restriction had no effect on thyroxine concentrations. TB concentrations in the feed restricted group were out of the reference range during the entire feeding trial. The increased NEFA concentrations in feed restricted compared to control ponies suggest that fat was mobilized. The BCS, as well as plasma NEFA and TB concentrations were good indicators for a rapid detection of possible health problems caused by undernourishment in horses when kept under semi-natural conditions. In contrast, blood parameters of the control animals were within the reference ranges, suggesting that a year round outdoor housing with additional feed supply is an adequate housing system for a robust horse breed like the Shetland pony.
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Casella, S., Fazio, F., Giannetto, C., Giudice, E., & Piccione, G. (2012). Influence of transportation on serum concentrations of acute phase proteins in horse. Research in Veterinary Science, 93(2), 914–917.
Abstract: The modifications of Haptoglobin (Hp), Serum Amyloid A (SAA), Fibrinogen (Fbg) and White Blood Cells (WBCs) were evaluated in 15 Saddle Italian horses. Ten horses were transported covering a distance of about 320 km within 4 h with an average speed of 80 km/h (experimental group) and five horses were not subject to transportation (control group). Blood was collected via jugular venipuncture before the transportation (T0), immediately after the transportation (T1), 12 (T12), 24 (T24) and 48 (T48) hours after the transportation in experimental group and at the same time point in control group. For each parameter statistical analysis of different groups and sampling time was performed using a two-way analysis of covariance, with the data before the transportation (T0) as the covariate, by the GLM procedure of SAS. For all parameters the interaction (Group × Time) was tested and it was resulted no significant. The application of statistical analysis showed significant differences between the control group and horses subjected to transportation (P < 0.01), and the influence of sampling time (P < 0.05) on Hp, SAA and WBCs. These modifications appeared to be innovative showing that equine Hp, generally considered as moderate acute phase protein, increases more rapidly than the SAA after transportation-induced stress.
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Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan, M. M., Blok, M. B., Begeman, L., Kamphuis, M. C. D., Lameris, M. C., Spierenburg, A. J., et al. (2006). Workload and stress in horses: comparison in horses ridden deep and round ('rollkur') with a draw rein and horses ridden in a natural frame with only light rein contact. Tijdschr Diergeneeskd, 131(5), 152–157.
Abstract: 'Rollkur' or 'overbending' is the low and deep riding of a dressage horse during training or warming up. Lately, this technique has been criticized, and not necessarily objectively, on welfare grounds. To be able to evaluate these criticisms, more needs to be known about the workload and stress of horses being ridden 'rollkur'. The aim of the present study was to compare the workload of eight riding-school horses when being ridden deep and round with a draw rein ('rollkur') and when being ridden in a natural frame with only light rein contact ('free'). Workload (as measured by heart rate and blood lactate concentration) was slightly higher when horses were ridden 'rollkur' than when they were ridden 'free'. There were no differences in packed cell volume, or glucose and cortisol concentrations. No signs of uneasiness or stress could be determined when the horses were ridden 'rollkur'. Subjectively, all horses improved their way of moving during 'rollkur' and were more responsive to their rider.
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Górecka-Bruzda, A., Jastrzebska, E., Sosnowska, Z., Jaworski, Z., Jezierski, T., & Chruszczewski, M. H. (). Reactivity to humans and fearfulness tests: Field validation in Polish Cold Blood Horses. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., In Press, Corrected Proof.
Abstract: The aim of the present paper was to examine in field conditions the feasibility of the experimentally developed behavioural tests for assessment of two temperamental traits of cold blood horses: fearfulness and reactivity to humans. The predictive, convergent and discriminant validity of the tests was evaluated. Fifty-three Polish Cold Blood Horses (CBHs) were tested with the battery of behavioural tests involving passive and active contact with humans, handling, startling, novel object and surface tests. The behaviour of horses in real, on-farm conditions was evaluated with the caretaker's questionnaire (CQ). The tests demonstrated that a non-startling object and unforced human manipulations were willingly accepted by horses. In contrast, the horses were more reluctant to interact spontaneously with humans and showed longer persistence of a withdrawal reaction when presented with a startling stimulus or when restrained. CQ confirmed the common opinion of calmness, patience and good manageability of the CBHs. The results of behavioural tests were correlated with the scores derived from factor analysis of the CQ. Moreover, the majority of tests measures were correlated within reactivity to humans (median rs = 0.56) and fear tests (median rs = 0.41). Thus, predictive and convergent validity of the employed tests has been confirmed. However, reactivity to humans and fear measures were also correlated (median rs = 0.36), therefore discriminant validity of the tests used has been not confirmed. Therefore, we suggest that the parameters of tests designed to measure two separate traits: reactivity to humans and fearfulness, measured in fact avoidance of potential harm and withdrawal behaviour. Although selection for the work-appropriate behaviour is almost nonexistent nowadays, we conclude that Polish Cold Blood Horses are still predisposed for disciplines of equitation and driving, which demand an easy to handle horse. Nonetheless, we recommend behavioural testing of horses when approving for breeding. For this purpose, we can confirm usefulness of the experimentally developed tests in field assessment of general behavioural reactivity of horses.
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