Search

Simple Summary: Horse management aims to keep horses healthy and ensure good performance and animal welfare. Many horses are currently kept in individual box stalls indoors, a housing system that limits free movement, exploration, and social interaction, and may also subject horses to lower air quality. The alternative is a free-range housing system where horses are kept in groups outdoors. Anecdotal information indicates concerns among sports horse trainers that lack of rest in such systems delays recovery and impairs performance. This study examined whether recovery after competition-like exercise in Standardbred trotters was affected by housing system. The results showed that a free-range housing system did not delay recovery in Standardbred trotters, and in fact had positive effects on appetite and recovery of energy balance. This study examined the effects of two housing systems (free-range and box stalls) on recovery of energy balance after competition-like exercise in Standardbred horses. Eight adult geldings (mean age 11 years) were used. The study had a change-over design, with the box stall (BOX) and free-range group housing (FreeR) treatments each run for 21 days. The horses were fed forage ad libitum and performed two similar race-like exercise tests (ET), on day 7 and day 14 in each treatment. Forage intake was recorded during the last 6–7 days in each period. Blood samples were collected before, during, and until 44 h after ET. Voluntary forage intake (measured in groups with four horses in each group) was higher in FreeR horses than BOX horses (FreeR: 48, BOX: 39, standard error of the mean (SEM) 1.7 kg (p = 0.003)). Plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) was lower at 20–44 h of recovery than before in FreeR horses (p = 0.022), but not in BOX horses. Housing did not affect exercise heart rate, plasma lactate, plasma urea, or total plasma protein concentration. Thus the free-range housing system hastened recovery in Standardbred trotters, contradicting anecdotal claims that it delays recovery. The free-range housing also had positive effects on appetite and recovery of energy balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differences in peak vertical ground reaction forces (d Fz peak ) between contralateral forelimbs and hindlimbs are considered the gold standard for quantifying weight-bearing lameness. However, measuring kinematics for the same purpose is more common and practical. Vertical movement asymmetries (VMA) of the horse's upper body have previously been correlated to fore- and hindlimb lameness. But the combined response of head, withers and pelvis VMA to fore- and hindlimb d Fz peak has not yet been thoroughly investigated. Deriving the kinetic responses from kinematics would help the interpretation and understanding of quantified weight-bearing lameness. In this retrospective study, 103 horses with a wide range of fore- and hindlimb d Fz peak had been trotted on a force-measuring treadmill synchronized with an optical motion capture system. VMA of the head, withers and pelvis as well as d Fz peak were extracted. Multiple linear mixed models and linear regressions of kinematic variables were used to model the d Fz peak . It was hypothesised that all included VMA would have a significant influence on the d Fz peak outcome variables. The results showed a complex relationship between VMA and d Fz peak where both amplitude and timing of the VMA were of importance. On average, the contribution percentage of VMA to fore/hind d Fz peak were 66/34% for head, 76/24% for withers and 33/67% for pelvis. The linear regressions for the fore/hindlimb models achieved mean measurement root mean squared errors of 0.83%/0.82% d Fz peak . These results might help determine the clinical relevance of upper body VMA and distinguish between primary fore, hind, ipsilateral and diagonal weight-bearing lameness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orthopedic disease, presenting as lameness, is a common cause of pain in dairy cattle, often implying a prolonged course of disease, with significant economic losses and impaired animal welfare. To mitigate these negative effects, early identification of lameness and monitoring of pain levels during recovery are crucial. This study aimed to evaluate whether the Cow Pain Scale (CPS) can be used to detect pain behaviors in stationary dairy cows with mild to moderate lameness or not, and to investigate the association between certain CPS items and orthopedic disease. Data were collected on a research dairy farm with a loose-housing system and included 36 clinical lameness cases from 34 individual cows. Each lameness case consisted of 2 trials: when the cow was found to be lame (initial trial), and after treatment and improvement (follow-up trial). Each trial included an on-site pain assessment with the CPS with simultaneous video recording, followed by Sprecher lameness scoring and clinical examination. Blinded pain assessments using the CPS were performed from the video recordings by 3 trained observers at 2 different occasions, 3 wk apart. Using linear mixed models, a significant positive correlation between CPS total scores and Sprecher lameness scores was identified for both video and on-site pain assessments. Predicted CPS total scores increased with increasing lameness scores; however, there was a large overlap in CI, indicating a complex relationship between pain score and pain intensity. Multiple correspondence analysis identified different CPS item combinations, including facial expressions, which were associated with orthopedic pain. Video scoring showed moderate inter- and good intrarater agreement in CPS total scores, but there was considerable variation in inter- and intrarater agreement for different scale items. The scale items "head position" and "back position" showed an overall strong agreement and "attention toward the surroundings" a moderate agreement. In contrast, intrarater agreement for the items "facial expression" and "ear position" was generally weak, which may indicate that these items are harder to assess. The CPS proved to be a reliable tool for video pain assessment in dairy cows with orthopedic pain. Furthermore, we showed that behavioral patterns varied among lame cows, which is why single items within the CPS should be interpreted with caution., (© 2025, The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Prior to international competitions, dressage horses are evaluated for fitness to compete while trotting in hand on a firm surface. This study compares the kinematics of experienced dressage horses trotting under fitness-to-compete conditions vs. performing collected and extended trot when ridden on a sand-fiber arena surface. The hypotheses are that the vertical range of motion (ROM) and left-right asymmetries in minimal and maximal heights of axial body segments at ridden trot exceed those when trotting in hand. Inertial measurement units (IMUs) attached mid-dorsally to the head, withers, and pelvis of 19 actively competing dressage horses measured the vertical ROM and left-right asymmetries in minimal (MinDiff) and maximal (MaxDiff) heights of the midline sensors. The vertical ROM was greater for both types of ridden trot, reflecting greater impulsion in response to the riders' aids. Head MinDiff/MaxDiff and withers MaxDiff were significantly higher under both ridden conditions. Pelvis MinDiff was significantly the largest for collected trot. Compared with trot in hand, left-right differences in limb protraction were larger for extended and collected trot in the forelimbs but only for extended trot in the hind limbs. The rider's influence increases the horse's impulsion and vertical ROM, which may exacerbate inherent asymmetries in muscular strength when lowering the haunches and elevating the withers.

Patellar ligament (PL) injuries are increasingly being reported in horses, but few studies have described the normal PL ultrasonographic appearance in horses. The aims of this prospective observational study were to describe the ultrasonographic appearance of the PLs and infrapatellar fat pad in a population of horses in training and to relate the ultrasonographic findings to objectively measured movement asymmetry. B-mode and color Doppler ultrasonographic examination of the PLs and infrapatellar fat pad in both hind limbs and objective gait analyses were performed on the 116 riding and trotting horses included in the study. The association between ultrasonographic findings, horse age, and movement asymmetry during the trot was then investigated. Distinct or diffuse hypoechoic regions were commonly found in the intermediate PL (24/116; 20.7%), especially in the caudal aspect of the mid-third of the ligament. The infrapatellar fat pad had a hypoechoic striated appearance in all horses except one, in which it was hyperechoic. No association was found between ultrasonographic findings in the PLs and infrapatellar fat pad and lameness. It is important to recognize that there is biological variation in PL appearance, which may or may not be associated with pain in this area, therefore emphasizing the use of local analgesia to determine the location of the lameness., (© 2024 The Author(s). Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Radiology.)

Osteoarthritis is a common degenerative disease in dogs, often manifested as pain, joint swelling, and lameness. Despite the lack of scientific evidence for its treatment efficacy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is used in dogs as a pain-relieving treatment. This randomised single-blinded cross-over study investigated the effect of TENS on gait parameters in fifteen dogs with osteoarthritis. Stance time, swing time, stride time, stride length, peak vertical force (%BW), vertical impulse (%BW*sec), and symmetry indices were obtained using a pressure-sensitive mat. TENS treatment of 80 Hz and 100 µs with an individually selected amplitude was conducted for 45 min once daily for a treatment period of seven or ten days. No significant differences were seen between TENS and placebo for any of the gait parameters. Hence, in this study, TENS did not affect gait parameters, compared to placebo. Further studies are needed to confirm the observations.

A number of facial expressions are associated with pain in horses, however, the entire display of facial activities during orthopedic pain have yet to be described. The aim of the present study was to exhaustively map changes in facial activities in eight resting horses during a progression from sound to mild and moderate degree of orthopedic pain, induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) administered in the tarsocrural joint. Lameness progression and regression was measured by objective gait analysis during movement, and facial activities were described by EquiFACS in video sequences (n = 348, total length 892.5 min) of the horses obtained when resting in their box stalls. Predictive modeling identified 16 action units and action descriptors, related to ears, eyes, and lower face. Lower lip depressor (AU16), lips part (AU25), half blink (AU47), single ear forward (SEAD101) and single ear rotator (SEAD104) were selected as co-occurring significantly more in horses with pain than in horses without pain. The major change in co-occurring facial activities occurred in the transition from no pain to mild pain. In conclusion, resting horses with induced orthopedic pain showed a dynamic upper and lower facial repertoire and the relationship between level of pain intensity and facial activity appears complex., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: In domesticated animals, many important traits are complex and regulated by a large number of genes, genetic interactions, and environmental influences. The ability of Icelandic horses to perform the gait 'pace' is largely influenced by a single mutation in the DMRT3 gene, but genetic modifiers likely exist. The aim of this study was to identify novel genetic factors that influence pacing ability and quality of the gait through a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and correlate new findings to previously identified quantitative trait loci (QTL) and mutations., Results: Three hundred and seventy-two Icelandic horses were genotyped with the 670 K+ Axiom Equine Genotyping Array, of which 362 had gait scores from breeding field tests. A GWAS revealed several SNPs on Equus caballus chromosomes (ECA) 4, 9, and 20 that were associated (p < 1.0 × 10 -5 ) with the breeding field test score for pace. The two novel QTL on ECA4 and 9 were located within the RELN and STAU2 genes, respectively, which have previously been associated with locomotor behavior in mice. Haplotypes were identified and the most frequent one for each of these two QTL had a large favorable effect on pace score. The second most frequent haplotype for the RELN gene was positively correlated with scores for tölt, trot, gallop, and canter. Similarly, the second most frequent haplotype for the STAU2 gene had favorable effects on scores for trot and gallop. Different genotype ratios of the haplotypes in the RELN and STAU2 genes were also observed in groups of horses with different levels of pacing ability. Furthermore, interactions (p < 0.05) were detected for the QTL in the RELN and STAU2 genes with the DMRT3 gene. The novel QTL on ECA4, 9, and 20, along with the effects of the DMRT3 variant, were estimated to account jointly for 27.4% of the phenotypic variance of the gait pace., Conclusions: Our findings provide valuable information about the genetic architecture of pace beyond the contribution of the DMRT3 gene and indicate genetic interactions that contribute to the complexity of this trait. Further investigation is needed to fully understand the underlying genetic factors and interactions., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: There is a paucity of research describing the gait pattern of lame horses at the walk., Objectives: To describe the changes in motion pattern and vertical ground reaction forces (GRFz) in horses with induced forelimb lameness at the walk and compare those changes with the changes observed at the trot., Study Design: Experimental study., Methods: In 10 clinically sound Warmblood horses, moderate forelimb lameness was induced using a sole pressure model followed by trot and walk on a treadmill. Kinematic data were collected using 3D optical motion capture (OMC), and GRFz by an instrumented treadmill. Mixed models were used to compare sound baseline versus forelimb lameness (significance was set at P < .05)., Results: Lameness induction significantly reduced peak GRFz on the second force peak, and vertical impulse in the lame limb. Stride and stance duration in all limbs were reduced. Lameness significantly affected the vertical movement symmetry of the head and withers. Maximum limb retraction angle, fetlock extension and protraction speed were reduced in the lame limb. Body centre of mass (COM) translation was reduced in the side-to-side direction and increased in the vertical and fore-aft directions. Several compensatory kinetic and kinematic changes were observed in the nonlame limbs. The observed changes in both kinetics and kinematics were generally smaller at walk with fewer variables being affected, compared to the trot., Main Limitations: Only one degree and type of orthopaedic pain (sole pressure) was studied., Conclusions: Compensatory strategies of forelimb lameness at the walk include alteration of several kinetic and kinematic parameters and have some specific patterns and inter-individual differences that are not seen at the trot. However, much like at the trot, head movement and forelimb vertical force symmetry seem to be the most useful parameters to detect forelimb lameness at walk., (© 2020 The Authors. Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.)

Background: Left-right movement symmetry is a highly desirable characteristic in sport horses., Objectives: This study compared movement symmetry in well-trained dressage horses in unridden and unrestrained position and ridden in a dressage frame, and investigated possible associations between gaits., Study Design: Experimental study., Methods: Seven sound, high-level dressage horses were measured at walk and sitting trot on a treadmill at several speeds under two conditions: with and without rider. Left-right differences in stance duration, stance protraction and retraction based on longitudinal hoof positions, ipsilateral limb tracking, minimum and maximum vertical positions of the dorsal spinous processes of the sixth thoracic (T6), third sacral vertebrae (S3) and wing of atlas, and vertical ground reaction forces were calculated and analysed in mixed models., Results: At walk, five body variables indicated increased asymmetry in the ridden condition compared with unridden condition: forelimb stance duration (unridden/ridden left-right differences 9 vs 13 ms; P = .008), forelimb stance protraction (P = .004), stance retraction (P = .001) and first force peak (P = .003), and hindlimb stance retraction (P = .01). At trot, six body variables were more asymmetrical in the ridden condition: forelimb stance duration (2.5 vs 3.8 ms, P = .004); hindlimb stance protraction (P < .0001) and retraction (P = .01), T6 minimum (4 vs 6 mm, P = .001), T6 maximum (9 vs 11 mm, P = .01) and S3 maximum (6 vs 12 mm, P < .001). Five variables had significant associations between asymmetries at walk and trot, but only three demonstrated a positive slope., Main Limitations: A limited number of horses and riders were studied. Measurements were performed on a treadmill., Conclusions: High-level horses moved slightly more asymmetrically when ridden in a dressage frame than in the unridden condition., (© 2020 The Authors. Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.)