Arabian Horses Research Articles

Metabogenomics reveals four candidate regions involved in the pathophysiology of Equine Metabolic Syndrome

An analogous condition to human metabolic syndrome, Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is defined by several clinical signs including obesity, hyperinsulinemia, and peripheral insulin dysregulation (ID). Affected horses may also exhibit hypertension, hyperlipemia and systemic inflammation. Measures of ID typically comprise the gold-standard for diagnosis in veterinary care. Yet, the dynamic nature of insulin homeostasis and complex procedures of typical assays make accurate quantification of ID and EMS challenging. This work aimed to investigate new strategies for identification of biochemical markers and correlated genes in EMS. To quantify EMS risk within this population, we utilized a composite score derived from nine common diagnostic variables. We applied a global liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy approach (HPLC/MS) to whole plasma collected from 49 Arabian horses, resulting in 3392 high-confidence features and identification of putative metabolites in public databases. We performed a genome wide association analysis with genotypes from the 670k Affymetrix Equine SNP array utilizing EMS-correlated metabolites as phenotypes. We discovered four metabolite features significantly correlated with EMS score (P < 1.474 × 10−5). GWAs for these features results (P = 6.787 × 10−7, Bonferroni) identified four unique candidate regions (r2 > 0.4) containing 63 genes. Significant genomic markers capture 43.52% of the variation in the original EMS score phenotype. The identified genomic loci provide insight into the pathways controlling variation in EMS and the origin of genetic predisposition to the condition. Rapid, feasible and accurate diagnostic tools derived from metabogenomics can be translated into measurable benefits in the timeline and quality of preventative management practices to preserve health in horses.

Appropriating and Re-Appropriating the Arabian Horse for Equestrian Sport: The Complexities of Cultural Transfer

ABSTRACT For the past few decades a concern with heritage in the countries of the Arab Gulf has led to the reclamation of the purebred Arabian horse as one of the iconic animals of the Bedouin identity and to developing a thriving horse breeding industry in the region. While stud farms and equestrian sport events are intended to reinforce the Arabian identity of the breed, a closer look at its history demonstrate in fact the complexity of its identity. The complexity of cultural transfers with respect to horse breeding between the East and the West from the Early Modern period on, highlights the connected history of both the Arabian horses and the Thoroughbreds, and the ongoing cultural re-appropriation of both breeds as ‘native’ to the Arabian Peninsula.

Effects of endurance racing on horse plasma extracellular particle miRNA.

Physical exercise is an essential factor in preventing and treating metabolic diseases by promoting systemic benefits throughout the body. The molecular factors involved in this process are poorly understood. Micro RNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that inhibit mRNA transcription. MiRNAs, which can participate in the benefits of exercise to health, circulate in plasma in extracellular particles (EP). Horses that undergo endurance racing are an excellent model to study the impact of long-duration/low intensity exercise in plasma EP miRNAs. To evaluate the effects of 160km endurance racing on horse plasma extracellular particles and their miRNA population. Cohort study. We collected plasma from five Arabian horses during five time-points of an endurance ride. Extracellular particles were purified from plasma and characterised by electron microscopy, resistive pulse sensing (qNano) and western blotting. Small RNAs were purified from horse plasma EP, and sequencing was performed. Endurance racing increased EP concentration and average diameter compared to before the race. Western blotting showed a high concentration of extracellular vesicles proteins 2hours after the race, which returned to baseline 15hours after the race. MicroRNA differential expression analysis revealed increasing levels of eca-miR-486-5p during and after the race, and decreasing levels of eca-miR-9083 after the end. This study adds new data about the variation in plasma EP concentrations after long-distance exercise and brings new insights about the roles of exercise-derived EP miRNAs during low-intensity endurance exercise.

Equine hindlimb hoof biomechanics: an evaluation of the effect of routine hoof trimming on force and pressure distribution at midstance

Proper hoof function is vital for equine health and performance. Many musculoskeletal injuries in horses originate from the foot. Most studies performed to date have focused on the forehoof while the hindhoof (HH) has received less attention. Our goal was to examine the influence of routine hoof trimming on HH medio-lateral hoof balance. The objective of this study was to examine force (F), contact pressure (CP), and contact area (CA) at the medial and lateral aspects of the HH to evaluate the impact of routine hoof trimming on HH biomechanics. Clinically sound Arabian horses (n=9) were walked across a calibrated pressure plate before and after routine hoof trimming and the F, CP, and CA at the medial and lateral aspects of the HH were recorded at midstance pre- and post-trimming. The differences between these regions were investigated using a paired T-test. P-values &lt;0.05 were considered significant. Among measured variables, force increased by 25% (P=0.007) and contact pressure increased by 13% (P=0.032) at the medial aspect of the HH after routine hoof trimming. Analysing data from hindlimb hoof-surface interaction in sound horses will allow for a better understanding of imbalances that may lead to pathologies and hindlimb lameness in horses.

Combining Threshold, Thurstonian and Classical Linear Models in Horse Genetic Evaluations for Endurance Competitions.

Simple SummaryEndurance competitions are carried out across the countryside worldwide, where the adapted physical and metabolic conditions of the horses are essential to satisfactorily end the competition. Horse breeding programs usually use the rank and time to improve the performance of horses in competitions. It is also relevant to analyse the placing trait i.e., whether or not a horse finishes the race. The discontinuous nature of rank and placing traits require special methodologies to deal with them. Here we have used 6135 endurance records from 1419 horses, with a pedigree containing 10,868 animals, to develop a multitrait model with a new free software tool (GIBBSTHUR). The obtained results suggest that it is possible to ignore the race time and use rank and placing to perform the genetic evaluation in endurance horse populations.The racing time and rank at finish traits are commonly used for endurance horse breeding programs as a measure of their performance. Even so, given the nature of endurance competitions, many horses do not finish the race. However, the exclusion of non placed horses from the dataset could have an influence on the prediction of individual breeding values. The objective of the present paper was to develop a multitrait model including race time (T), rank (R) and placing (P), with different methodologies, to improve the genetic evaluation in endurance competitions in Spain. The database contained 6135 records from 1419 horses, with 35% of the records not placed. Horse pedigree included 10868 animals, with 52% Arab Horses. All models included gender, age and race effect as systematic effects and combined different random effects beside the animal and residual effects: rider, permanent environmental effect, and interaction horse-rider. The kilometers per race was included as a covariate for T. Heritabilities were estimated as moderately low, ranging from 0.06 to 0.14 for T, 0.09 to 0.15 for P, and 0.07 to 0.17 for R, depending on the model. T and R appeared mostly as inverse measures of the same trait due to their high genetic correlation, suggesting that T can be ignored in future genetic evaluations. P was the most independent trait from the genetic correlations. The possibility of simultaneously processing the threshold, Thurstonian and continuous traits has opened new opportunities for genetic evaluation in horse populations, and much more practical genetic evaluations can be done to help a proper genetic selection.

Genome Diversity and the Origin of the Arabian Horse

The Arabian horse, one of the world’s oldest breeds of any domesticated animal, is characterized by natural beauty, graceful movement, athletic endurance, and, as a result of its development in the arid Middle East, the ability to thrive in a hot, dry environment. Here we studied 378 Arabian horses from 12 countries using equine single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays and whole-genome re-sequencing to examine hypotheses about genomic diversity, population structure, and the relationship of the Arabian to other horse breeds. We identified a high degree of genetic variation and complex ancestry in Arabian horses from the Middle East region. Also, contrary to popular belief, we could detect no significant genomic contribution of the Arabian breed to the Thoroughbred racehorse, including Y chromosome ancestry. However, we found strong evidence for recent interbreeding of Thoroughbreds with Arabians used for flat-racing competitions. Genetic signatures suggestive of selective sweeps across the Arabian breed contain candidate genes for combating oxidative damage during exercise, and within the “Straight Egyptian” subgroup, for facial morphology. Overall, our data support an origin of the Arabian horse in the Middle East, no evidence for reduced global genetic diversity across the breed, and unique genetic adaptations for both physiology and conformation.

Investigation of the SCID mutant allele in Turkish Arabian horses reared in some private farms of the Eskişehir region in Turkey

There are several known hereditary diseases in Arabian horses. Many studies have been conducted on molecular diagnostic methods of the mutations that cause these hereditary defects in horses. A five-base deletion in the short arm ECA9p12 of the equine chromosome 9, starting with codon 9480, which occurs in the catalytic subunit gene of the DNA-dependent protein kinase DNAPKcs results in severe combined immunodeficiency SCID hereditary disorder. SCID is an autosomal recessive disorder wherein the immune system of the affected foal is very weak. Purebred Turkish Arabian horses reared in the Eskisehir region have contributed greatly to Turkish Arabian horse breeding and racing. The aim of this study was to detect the SCID mutant allele by using DNA sequencing analysis in Turkish Arabian horses, raised in nine different private farms in Eskisehir. It was determined that none of the horses evaluated in this study carried the SCID mutant allele.

COUNTRY CLUB HORSE RIDING

In this work, the development of Country Club Horse Riding facility in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia is presented. Three case studies related to equestrian facilities have been examined. Based on the analysed case studies, for the proposed horse riding facility, the total estimated gross floor area is 25000 m2. Furthermore, the horse riding facility is comprised of several important zones, which area sport zone, service zone, health zone, outdoor zone stables zone and education zone. In addition, the proposed development site for the horse riding facility is located at Thuwal, at the north of Jeddah on the coast of the Red Sea, with a site area of 25000 m2. The architectural of this facility was designed based on the basic shape of the Arabian horse. In addition, health and safety conditions for stable training and recreation were applied to the facility. The development of this horse riding facility is expected to enhance the involvement in equestrian sport among the community of Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, the facility is expected to produce professional athletes that can compete at international level and contribute fame to the nation of Saudi Arabia.

Linkage disequilibrium, haplotype blocks and historical effective population size in Arabian horses and selected Polish native horse breeds

This study was conducted to investigate linkage disequilibrium (LD), historical effective population size (Ne) and haplotype block structures in genomes of highly selected Polish Arabian (AR; n=124) horses and conserved horse breeds derived from Polish native breeds, in particular, Malopolski (MLP; n=56), Sokolski (SOK; n=107), Sztumski (SZTUM; n=69), Hucul (HC; n=116) and Polish Konik (KN; n=99) horses, based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the Neogen Equine Community BeadChip assay (Illumina, San Diego, CA). LD analysis was performed based on the pairwise r2 statistic of SNPs at a distance up to 5Mb. At a short distance, up to 100kb, the lower average r2 was observed in SOK (0.09) and SZTUM (0.10) breeds, representing draft horse type, and the highest average r2 was observed in AR (0.19) and MLP (0.17) breeds, representing light horse type. At a distance of 4-5Mb, the average values of r2 were 0.03 for HC and KN, 0.02 for AR and MLP and 0.01 for SOK and SZTUM. About 100 generations ago, effective population size (Ne) ranged from 518 (SOK) to 310 (AR) and five generations ago from 85 (SOK) to 40 (HC). A total of 6,162 (AR), 5,792 (MLP), 5,744 (HC), 5,429 (KN), 5,542 (SOK) and 4,848 (SZTUM) haplotype block structures, spanning 656.2Mb (AR), 439.4Mb (MLP), 381.2Mb (HC), 344.3 (KN), 206.7 (SOK) and 171.0Mb (SZTUM) of the genome were detected. Mean block lengths were estimated as 106.5±138kb, 75.9±120kb, 66.4±109kb, 63.4±109kb, 37.3±80kb and 35.3±81kb for AR, MLP, HC, KN, SOK and SZTUM, respectively. A visible similarity in the decay of LD across the genome, as well as in trends of historical Ne, were found for breeds representing the same horse type. Differences in the span of haplotype block structures were found between AR and Polish native horse breeds, which may reflect different demographic population histories and differences in intensity of selection.

Assessment of the FAM174A 11G allele as a risk allele for equine metabolic syndrome.

An 11G nucleotide repeat in the 3' UTR of FAM174A was recently postulated as a risk allele with a dominant mode of inheritance for equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and laminitis status in Arabian horses. The objective of this project was to evaluate this hypothesis in a large and diverse across-breed population. A total of 301 ponies, 292 Morgans, 64 Arabians, 49 Tennessee Walking Horses and 59 Quarter Horses were genotyped for six observed G repeat alleles in the FAM174A 3' UTR. Phenotype data included laminitis status, baseline insulin, glucose, non-esterified fatty acids, triglycerides, adiponectin, leptin, ACTH, insulin and glucose post oral sugar test, and two proxies for insulin resistance. The 11G allele frequencies were 18.8, 6.9, 1.8, 0.2 and 0.0% in the Arabians, Tennessee Walkers, ponies, Morgans and Quarter Horses respectively. Association analyses between FAM174A genotype and EMS phenotypes, and between allele count and EMS phenotypes, identified no statistically significant associations. When a dominant effect for the 11G allele was evaluated, a statistically significant association with adiponectin levels was identified in the ponies, and pairwise comparisons revealed that the estimated marginal means were higher in ponies with the 11G allele vs. alternative alleles (i.e. the allele had a protective effect). In conclusion, our data do not support the FAM174A 11G allele as a risk allele for EMS in our studied breeds.

Novel Streptococcus equi strains causing strangles outbreaks in Arabian horses in Egypt.

Strangles displays a major challenge to veterinary medicine worldwide. However, no data on Streptococcus equi subsp. equi (S. equi) M protein alleles have been reported so far from Arabian horses. We report here for the first time the S. equi SeM alleles causing strangles in Arabian horses, and the associated risk factors for the disease. Duplicate samples from one hundred Arabian horses with acute strangles in confirmed outbreaks and sporadic cases were analysed by phenotypic methods and multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting streptokinase precursor, seeI and sodA genes. PCR and sequencing of S. equi SeM gene were employed for strains typing, and the four superantigens were determined among the allelic variants. Direct-sample PCR confirmed and highly positively correlated (r=.85) with the phenotypic results, and detected S. equi in five samples more than the conventional culture. A combination of multiplex PCR from samples and culture could successfully identify S. equi (92%), S. zooepidemicus (5%) and S. equisimilis (3%). SeM typing demonstrated five SeM alleles, including four previously unidentified alleles that were deposited in the PubMLST-SeM database. SeM-139 and SeM-141 are related to some strains that were recently recovered from donkeys in China. SeM-140 and SeM-199 are related to a group of alleles from horses in Europe. Variation in the presence of seeM, seeH and seeL superantigens was found across the four novel alleles without interference with the severity of strangles and clinical presentation seen in different outbreaks. Horse age was the most important factor in developing strangles, followed by seasonality and the diagnosis of strangles in the previous year. These new findings comprise a significant contribution to the horse industry through the identification of novel S. equi SeM types that may bolster measures for strangles control as the identified SeM alleles will certainly help in the development of SeM-containing vaccine.

Thoracic Synostosis Associated with Secondary Scoliosis in Arabian Horse Foal

Thoracic Synostosis Associated with Secondary Scoliosis in Arabian Horse Foal

Whole genome detection of sequence and structural polymorphism in six diverse horses.

The domesticated horse has played a unique role in human history, serving not just as a source of animal protein, but also as a catalyst for long-distance migration and military conquest. As a result, the horse developed unique physiological adaptations to meet the demands of both their climatic environment and their relationship with man. Completed in 2009, the first domesticated horse reference genome assembly (EquCab 2.0) produced most of the publicly available genetic variations annotations in this species. Yet, there are around 400 geographically and physiologically diverse breeds of horse. To enrich the current collection of genetic variants in the horse, we sequenced whole genomes from six horses of six different breeds: an American Miniature, a Percheron, an Arabian, a Mangalarga Marchador, a Native Mongolian Chakouyi, and a Tennessee Walking Horse, and mapped them to EquCab3.0 genome. Aside from extreme contrasts in body size, these breeds originate from diverse global locations and each possess unique adaptive physiology. A total of 1.3 billion reads were generated for the six horses with coverage between 15x to 24x per horse. After applying rigorous filtration, we identified and functionally annotated 17,514,723 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), and 1,923,693 Insertions/Deletions (INDELs), as well as an average of 1,540 Copy Number Variations (CNVs) and 3,321 Structural Variations (SVs) per horse. Our results revealed putative functional variants including genes associated with size variation like LCORL gene (found in all horses), ZFAT in the Arabian, American Miniature and Percheron horses and ANKRD1 in the Native Mongolian Chakouyi horse. We detected a copy number variation in the Latherin gene that may be the result of evolutionary selection impacting thermoregulation by sweating, an important component of athleticism and heat tolerance. The newly discovered variants were formatted into user-friendly browser tracks and will provide a foundational database for future studies of the genetic underpinnings of diverse phenotypes within the horse.

Plasma disposition of gabapentin after the intragastric administration of escalating doses to adult horses.

BackgroundIn humans, gabapentin an analgesic, undergoes non‐proportional pharmacokinetics which can alter efficacy. No information exists on the pharmacokinetics of dosages >20 mg/kg, escalating dosages or dose proportionality of gabapentin in horses.Hypothesis and ObjectivesGabapentin exposure in plasma would not increase proportionally relative to the dose in horses receiving dosages ≥20 mg/kg. To assess the plasma pharmacokinetics of gabapentin after nasogastric administration of gabapentin at dosages of 10 to 160 mg/kg in adult horses.AnimalsNine clinically healthy adult Arabian and Quarter Horses.MethodsIn a randomized blinded trial, gabapentin was administered by nasogastric intubation to horses at 10, 20 mg/kg (n = 3) and 60, 80, 120, 160 mg/kg (n = 6). Plasma was collected before and at regular times over 64 hours after administration of gabapentin. Gabapentin was quantified using a validated chromatographic method. Dose proportionality was estimated using a power model. Pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated using compartmental pharmacokinetic analysis.ResultsPlasma pharmacokinetics parameters of gabapentin were estimated after nasogastric administration at dosages of 10 to 160 mg/kg. Gabapentin plasma concentration increased with dose increments. However, the area under the concentration curve from zero to infinity and maximal plasma concentration did not increase proportionally relative to the dose in horses.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceGabapentin exposure in plasma is not proportional relative to the dose in horses receiving nasogastric dosages of 10 to 160 mg/kg.

Preliminary analysis of the FAM174A gene suggests it lacks a strong association with equine metabolic syndrome in ponies

Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) describes a group of risk factors, including obesity and insulin dysregulation (hyperinsulinemia and/or insulin resistance), that can lead to the development of the debilitating hoof disease laminitis. Although the underlying mechanisms of EMS are not fully understood, a genetic component has been reported, and an 11 guanine polymorphism located at the FAM174A gene has been identified as a risk locus for the syndrome in Arabian horses. To examine associations between the FAM174A risk allele and the clinical signs of EMS, the allele was examined in an Australian cohort of ponies (n = 20) with known metabolic status. The 11 guanine polymorphism was identified in only 3 of 13 ponies with EMS, and no significant association could be made between the risk loci and morphometric measurements associated with obesity (BCS [P = 0.21], cresty neck score [P = 0.58], basal triglyceride concentration [P = 0.85], and adiponectin concentration [P = 0.48]), or insulin dysregulation (insulin dysregulation status [P = 0.35] and serum insulin concentration during an oral glucose test [P = 0.44]). These results suggest that the FAM174A 11 guanine homopolymer allele is unlikely to be a singular key gene polymorphism associated with EMS in ponies. However, due to the small number of ponies identified with the polymorphism, further study of the FAM174A risk allele in a larger cohort of horses and ponies of uniform breed would be useful.

Evaluation of two models of saddles on the back of Arabian horses through thermography

Dorsopathies are common causes of decreased performance in athletic horses of various modalities, and inadequate or poorly adjusted saddles can lead to the onset of injuries and low back pain. The present study, searching to find the most appropriate saddle, evaluated the pressure determined from the panels of two saddle models most commonly used in endurance Arab horse on the thoracolumbar region. For the study, six Arabian geldings were used, weighing 390 ± 4.2 and 2.1 ± age 8 years, conditioned to endurance races, and two saddle models, English and Western. The horses were submitted to the work riding on a sandy lane by the same experienced rider who weighed 76 kg. Thermography was performed before and after each exercise session. The obtained data were analyzed through Student’s paired t-test at 5% of significance. After exercise, there was a mean temperature difference between the contact areas of the right and left of the sweepers of two saddles compared, with the English saddle showing higher temperatures. Therefore, the Western saddle model, which has wider panels, despite not being a preferred model of endure riders, has proved to be more suitable for Arabian horse work.

A tough decision for equestrian business: the case of mandara equestrian club

Learning outcomes This case study focuses on basic business approaches in the decision-making by considering owners and stakeholders’ perspective in highlighting the related issues in customer service, marketing (marketing mix and product mix), strategy, business management and operational management of the sport business in the private sector of Abu Dhabi. At the end of this exercise, students should have a clear consideration of the following: understanding of the equestrian business products and services elements, description of the marketing mix the equestrian business products and services elements, definition of the product mix approach of the marketing mix in equestrian business management, distinguishing needs of product mix alternative decisions approach in equestrian business management in the private sector and labeling of two main customer services based issues and propose a solution using product mix alternatives approaches (expand/eliminate). Case overview/synopsis Mandara Equestrian Club (MEC) was the culmination of a dream for Faysal Urfali, a Lebanese entrepreneur, and his wife, who lived in (and loved) United Arab Emirates (UAE) for more than 20 years ago. The dream started in 2012, when the Urfali family was vacationing in Spain. They fell in love with the Arabian breed of horses, famous for their wide, flat forehead, soulful eyes, broad muzzle, erect ears, slender neck and flowing, shining mane. Arabian horses are also renowned for their beauty, loyalty, strength and intelligence. Arabian horses are an intrinsic part of Arabian tradition and heritage, always described in Arabic literature as a sign of pride, courage and dignity, in recitation legends of wars. The Urafalis did not have experience with horses during that period, but that did not stop them from starting an equine business in the UAE, specifically in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Urfali started MEC in Al Rahba City, a small town in the north site of Abu Dhabi, the Capital of UAE. At its inception in 2013, MEC was open only for private use. In 2014, Urfali decided to open the club to the public due to high demand from visitors and horses’ lovers who were visiting the place to see the horses and request horse rides. MEC carries forward Urfali’s passion for Arabian horses, as it specializes in the care and training of show horses. MEC also offers other equine activities and services for both horse owners and horseback riders. In early 2019, Urfali conducted a meeting to assess MEC’s financial statements and discuss daily business operations. The meeting determined that the club was facing several business challenges to address which, it needs some substantial changes in order to maintain its smooth-functioning. Challenges the club faced involved customer relationship management, customer attraction and skill shortages in the industry. Urfali understood that focusing on MEC as a business operation means raising the marker of success to more than just the fulfillment of a dream. Will MEC be able to keep its focus with such changes? Complexity academic level Undergraduate students majoring in Business Management, Marketing and Strategic Management. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 11: Strategy

Ultrasonographic evaluation of the effects of the administration of neostigmine and metoclopramide on duodenal, cecal, and colonic contractility in Arabian horses: A comparative study.

Background and Aim:As means for enhancing gastrointestinal (GI) motility, prokinetics have previously been evaluated in different breeds of horses with varying success. No previous studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of prokinetics on the intestinal tract of Arabian horses breed. Using B-mode ultrasound in the quantification of intestinal contractility, this study aimed to compare the impact of neostigmine and metoclopramide on the intestinal motility of healthy Arabian horses.Materials and Methods:Twenty-one clinically healthy Arabian horses were equally distributed into three groups. The control group was administered with 5 mL normal saline intramuscularly (IM). The second group was administered with neostigmine (0.044 mg/kg body weight [BW], IM), and the third group was administered with metoclopramide (0.25 mg/kg BW, IM). Duodenal, cecal, and colonic contractions were counted through ultrasonography for 3 min (pre-administration and 15, 30, 60, 120, and 180 min post-administration).Results:In the neostigmine group, a significant (p<0.05) increase in duodenal, cecal, and colonic contractions was observed 15 min post-administration compared with that in the control group (15±1.0, 11.33±1.53, and 12.33±2.31 vs. 11.0±2.0, 6.33±0.58, and 5.33±0.58 contractions per 3 min, respectively), continuing to 60 min post-administration for the duodenum and cecum and 120 min for colon and then returning to the normal; however, the metoclopramide group showed a significant (p<0.05) increase only in cecal and colonic contractions 60 min post-administration compared with the control group (11.0±1.0 and 12.33±0.58 vs. 6±1.0 and 5.67±0.58 contractions per 3 min, respectively), continuing until the end of the experiment. Excessive sweating, excitation, and straining were recorded following the administration of neostigmine, whereas no side effects were observed in the metoclopramide group.Conclusion:Neostigmine improves duodenal, cecal, and colonic contractions in healthy adult Arabian horses, whereas metoclopramide only improves cecal and colonic contractions. Metoclopramide appears to be safer and longer acting than neostigmine in the Arabian horse breed. Ultrasonography is a valuable noninvasive tool for the quantification of intestinal contractility. Future studies should consider the use of various dosages of metoclopramide and administration routes and investigate its impact on horses with GI transit disorders and inclusion in colic post-operative care.

Arabian horse identification based on whale optimised multi-class support vector machine

In this study, a biometric identification approach for Arabian horse identification is proposed based on the optimised Multi-Class Support Vector Machine (MCSVM). The identification approach is performed in three phases: feature extraction, classification, and optimisation. The feature extraction phase uses Histogram of Oriented Gradient (HOG) to extract features vectors from muzzle print images of the Arabian horses and then stored in the database with its labels. The second phase is the classification phase which uses MCSVM for training and testing classification. Finally in the optimised MCSVM phase, three different swarms, Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO), Grey Wolf Algorithm (GWA) and Whale Optimisation (WO), are used to optimise MCSVM parameters to enhance the identification accuracy of the Arabian horse. The results obtained show that the MCSVM achieves accuracy of 93.2% and increases to 97.4% with WO algorithm which achieves the best accuracy compared to PSO and GWA.

Injury of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle in a 11-month-old Arabian horse: a case report

Injury of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle in a 11-month-old Arabian horse: a case report