Horses In Training Research Articles

Equine Personality: Association With Breed, Use, and Husbandry Factors

Temperament can be defined as innate properties of the nervous system, whereas personality includes the complex behavioral traits acquired through life. Association between personality and behavior is important for breeding, selection, and training of horses. For the first time, we evaluated if equine personality components previously identified in Japan and Europe were consistent when applied to American horses. We examined the association of personality with breed, age, sex, management, training, stereotypies, and misbehaviors. The owner directed personality survey consisted of 25 questions. An online version of the survey was created. The principal component analysis method was used to associate behavioral traits with personality components. Factor analysis with orthogonal transformation was performed on scores for personality-related questions. A total of 847 survey responses were used. Quarter Horses, “other” breed, and Thoroughbred were the most common breeds. Three principal personality components were extracted as each behavioral trait belonged to one of these three components. Arabians, Thoroughbreds, Saddlebreds, and Walking horses were the most nervous and Quarter Horses, and Paints, Appaloosas, and Drafts were the least nervous. No trained discipline was significantly associated with any personality component. There were no significant associations between stereotypies and misbehaviors and nervous or curious personality. For the first time in predominantly American horses, we have evaluated personality components and their association with breed, age, sex, training discipline, and stereotypies. We refute links between personality and trained discipline and confirm the lack of association between nervous personality and stereotypies and misbehaviors.

Reliability of a descriptive reference ethogram for equitation science

Abstract An ethogram and its components, correctly defined behavior units, are the fundamental measuring tools for (applied) ethology and, therefore, also for equitation science, the nascent discipline that gathers evidence based on horse training, handling, and riding. However, there is currently no consensus on names and definitions of equine behaviors, and no purely descriptive ethogram for horses is available. As structural descriptions of behavioral units are a starting point for experimental enquiries into their function, cause, or ontogeny, this project sets out to draft and test the reliability of a descriptive reference ethogram for domestic horses (Equus caballus). Classification, names, and definitions of behaviors were descriptive and assigned to categories according to structural similarities. An international panel of participants (n = 23) was established to represent both researchers in equitation science and practitioners, including trainers, riders, coaches, and veterinarians. A part of the ethogram was tested by asking the panel to score 30 short video clips for 20 different behaviors and requesting feedback on the ethogram. Statistical analyses with logistic mixed models showed that variability between observers (

Changes in Blood Parameters in Healthy Horses and Horses With Upper and Lower Respiratory Tract Diseases Undergoing Treadmill Exercise Tests

Exercise tests are useful tools to evaluate the fitness level of horses in training or with a history of poor performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in blood parameters in three groups of horses undergoing treadmill exercise tests, either to detect the cause of exercise intolerance or to evaluate the level of fitness before a competition. Blood samples were taken from 30 horses before, at the end of, and two hours after a standardized treadmill exercise test, to detect differences in hematological parameters between healthy horses (10, group N), horses with upper (10, group U), and lower airway diseases (10, group L). Packed cell volume, erythrocyte number, hemoglobin, glucose, and total and unconjugated bilirubin concentration were statistically different between the groups, because of increased oxygen demands in respiratory diseases and intravascular hemolysis. This could occur during exercise and is worsened by the increased breakdown of erythrocytes secondary to exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, diagnosed in horses in group L.

Physical fitness habits and perceptions of equestrian riders

Recent research in equestrian sport has shifted focus to consider the rider themselves as more of an athlete and the physiological demands of the sport on the rider have thus been quantified. This study aimed to identify the fitness habits and perceptions of equestrian riders competing across the three Olympic disciplines of dressage, show jumping and eventing. A 15 question online questionnaire was distributed to gain quantitative data and yielded 299 useable responses. Overall 98.3% of those surveyed agreed that rider fitness had an impact on performance, however only 56.9% considered themselves to be athletically fit and only 63.88% took part in any form of cross training. Affiliated competitors rode for a greater number of hours per week and considered themselves to be more athletically fit than their unaffiliated counterparts, despite not taking part in any more off horse (cross) training. Previous studies have indicated that ridden only exercise programmes are ineffective in increasing aerobic fitness in equestrian athletes and have highlighted the benefits of cross training. These findings demonstrate that these messages have not been accepted by the general population within the sport and further work is needed to communicate the importance of cross training to riders.

Behavioral, demographic, and management influences on equine responses to negative reinforcement

Abstract Understanding the factors that influence horse learning is critical to ensure horse welfare and rider safety. In this study, data were obtained from horses (n = 96) training to step backward through a corridor in response to bit pressure. After training, learning ability was determined by the latency to step backward through the corridor when handled on the left and right reins. In addition, horse owners were questioned about each horse's management, training, behavior, and signalment (such as horse breed, age, and sex). Factors from these 4 broad domains were examined using a multiple logistic regression (MLR) model, following an information theoretic approach, for associations between horses' behavioral attributes and their ability to learn the task. The MLR also included estimates of the rider's ability and experience as well as owner's perceptions of their horse's trainability and temperament. Results revealed several variables including explanatory variables that correlated significantly with rate of learning. Horses were faster at backing, a behavioral trait, when handled on the right side ( t = 3.65; degrees of freedom = 94; P 1,48 = 4.5; P = 0.04] and right side (LM, F 1,45 = 6.0; P = 0.02). Those in regular work, a training factor, did not learn faster than their unworked counterparts on the right rein but completed the task faster on the left rein (F 1,44 = 5.47; P = 0.02). This may reflect differences in laterality and habituation effects. In contrast, more anxious horses were faster at completing the test when handled from the right rein (Spearman r = −0.22; P = 0.04). It is possible that these horses have an increased arousal level when interacting with handlers, resulting in more engagement with the lesson, accounting for the improved performance results. The findings of this study will help clarify how horse behavior, training, and management may influence learning and how their application may optimize learning outcomes. Future equine behavior assessment and research questionnaires should include items that assess these qualities.

Effects of Different Heart Dimensions on Race Performance in Thorougbred Race Horses

Background: Athletic superiority could be present in horses with a specific cardiac phenotype that differs between race types. Measurement of chamber dimensions is considered one of the most important tools for assessing heart disease severity and prognosis as well as for evaluating cardiac responses to training and detraining. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes of cardiac dimensions and pathological finding in intensive exercise of Thoroughbred horses on their race performance by using the 2-D Doppler and M-Mode echocardiography according to their age, body weight and sex.Materials, Methods & Results: Thoroughbred horses (40 females and 40 males) in the facilities, Ankara and Istanbul of Racetract, of Jockey Club of Turkey were included in the study. Horses were assigned as 4 study groups according to their ages and body weight separately. Group IV and I non-race horses were >7 year-old and >490 kg, >1 to ≤2 and ≤ 390 kg, Group II and III race horses were >2 to ≤3 and >390 kg to ≤ 440 kg, >3 to ≤6 year-old and >440 kg to ≤490 kg, respectively. Intensive exercise was applied to horses except group IV. The relationships between selected echocardiographic variables according to horse age, body weight and sex were analysed. Specifically left ventricle (LV) assessment by diameter in systole and diastole (LVDd and LVDs) and posterior wall thickness (LVWs and LVWd), interventricular septal thickness (IVSd and IVSs), ejection fraction (EF), fractional shortening (FS), Stroke Volume (SV), cardiac output (CO) and left ventricle mass (LVM) were determined. Descriptive statistical analyses, including mean and standard deviation were used to summarise the data. Significant differences of LVDd (P < 0.001), LVDs (P < 0.001) and SV (P < 0.001) were only determined in group I compared to group IV non-race horses. Significant differences in values of CO (P < 0.001) was determined in group III compared to group II race horses, which shows the eccentric left ventricle hypertrophy developed in Thoroughbred horses during years of racing, especially more than 4 years old of intensive exercise. Present study indicated that linear relationships between echocardiographic variables and age (P < 0.001) and body weight (P < 0.001) were found, with the linear relationships between echocardiographic variables and age being stronger than those with body weight.Discussion: Relationships between echocardiographic measurements and body weight (BW) seem to be stronger than those with age. In horses, the effects of training and growth on echocardiographic measurements have been documented, and the influence of breed has been suggested by several authors. Also, it has been demonstrated that an eccentric cardiac hypertrophy occurs in response to race training attributable to an increased diastolic stress and thus, higher heart chambers are expected in the trained Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds horses. The lack of significant differences between age groups in several LV performance indices, such as FS% and EF% might indicate that the values reported here can be extrapolated to Thorougbred horses of different ages and BW. The homogeneity of racehorse management and their closed breeding population should allow unique insights into the subtle differences in cardiac adaptations that might be associated with small differences in training horses for different race disciplines.

Effect of different head and neck positions on kinematics of elite dressage horses ridden at walk on treadmill

The debate on proper head and neck positions (HNP) in horse training is lively, but little is known about the biomechanical effects of various HNPs in horses ridden at walk. The aim was to quantify the influence of different HNPs on the kinematics of horses ridden at walk. The standard competition position (HNP2) was compared to a free, unrestrained position (HNP1), more flexed positions (HNP3, HNP4), a raised extended position (HNP5) and a forward-downward extended position (HNP6). An experimental study in seven high-level dressage horses ridden at walk on a treadmill was designed. Kinetic and kinematic measurements were obtained with different HNPs. HNP2 was used as a speed-matched reference. Kinematics were measured from skin-fixed markers recorded by high-speed video cameras. The kinetics of the limbs were measured by the force-measuring instrumentation of the treadmill. In HNP1, compared to HNP2, the lumbar back and the pelvis were more horizontally positioned (more extended), and fore- and hindlimb pro- and retraction increased, with increased caudal rotation of the femur during the second half of hindlimb stance. HNP6 induced similar changes as HNP1, but caused larger increases in forelimb pro- and retraction. In HNP3, HNP4 and HNP5 the pelvis was more angled (less extended) compared to HNP2 at hindlimb midstance, and in HNP3 and HNP4 also in early hindlimb stance. All three HNPs caused increased maximum flexion of the tarsus, stifle and metatarsophalangeal joint during the swing phase. HNP3 and HNP5, but not HNP4, had a decreasing influence on fore- and hindlimb pro- and retraction, and decreased caudal rotation of the femur during the second half of hindlimb stance.The main limitation was that horses were not ridden overground and the number of horses was small. Our conclusion was that changes in head and neck position can markedly affect the horse’s movement pattern at walk.

Effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on markers of inflammation in young horses in training

ABSTRACT To determine the effects of n-3 PUFA supplementation on markers of inflammation in young horses in training, 16 Quarter Horses (2 to 4 yr) were used in a randomized complete block design for a 140-d trial. Treatments consisted of a control diet (n = 8) fed at 1% BW or a treatment diet (n = 8) of concentrate fed at 0.75% BW and 700 g of a marine n-3 supplement formulated to provide 15 g of eicosapentaenoic acid and 20 g of docosahexaenoic acid. Exercise protocol was divided into 2 phases: phase 1 (d 0 to 110) consisted of early training and phase 2 (d 111 to 140) consisted of advance maneuvers. Synovial fluid was obtained from the carpal joint every 28 d and analyzed for white blood cell count, total protein, and specific gravity. Blood samples were also collected at 28-d intervals for fatty acid analysis by gas chromatography, and concentrations of carboxypeptide type II collagen (CPII) and chondroitin sulfate-846 (CS-846) were determined by ELISA. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Plasma eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid increased (P ≤ 0.01) in response to supplementation. However, diet did not affect serum CPII or CS-846 nor synovial white blood cell count, total protein, and specific gravity. Levels of CS-846 tended to increase over time (P = 0.09) and CPII concentration increased (P

Cutting to the chase: How round-pen, lunging, and high-speed liberty work may compromise horse welfare

Abstract Round-pen, lunging, and liberty training has grown in popularity in recent years in a number of equestrian contexts, due in part to the popularity of contemporary training methods and colt-starting competitions. When well applied, the round-pen can become a classroom, but when poorly applied and without an understanding of learning theory, training in the round-pen or on a lunge-line can pose significant risks to both horse welfare and handler safety. The most serious problems arise when exceeding optimal and safe thresholds of arousal in the horse, which can be detrimental to both human safety and horse welfare in at least 2 ways. First, through the appearance of conflict (e.g., behaviors indicating that the horse is not managing stress-inducing circumstances well) and defensive behaviors that are often associated with a flight response. Second, there is a risk of increased resistance to extinction of flight behavior and the subsequent spontaneous recovery of high levels of arousal and dangerous behaviors. Thus, if the arousal levels are very high, learning and performance are repressed. When arousal levels are insufficient to engage the horse (i.e., acquire and maintain its attention), learning and performance may also be inhibited. Thus, there is an optimal threshold level of arousal where learning can be optimized, and such thresholds are likely unique for individual horses. The precise range of these arousal thresholds is yet to be identified. It therefore follows that in the absence of this information, trainers should adopt a precautionary conservative principle and avoid high arousal levels. Doing so, coupled with optimal application of knowledge of learning theory, can make the round-pen or lunge-line as a safe and useful addition to the horse's training. To minimize the risks associated with training in the round-pen and working horses on a lunge-line, training goals, lesson plans, and training methodologies must apply scientific knowledge on equine ethology, cognition, and learning. Given recent increases in scientific interest in round-pen training, now is an appropriate time to discuss good practice in the context of lunging, round-pens, and other training techniques that may involve the chasing of horses. This review examines current usage, potential risks to horse welfare, and how to ensure training using these methods fosters positive learning outcome and promotes horse welfare.

Prophylactic therapy with omeprazole for prevention of equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) in horses in active training: A meta-analysis.

Guidelines regarding the impact and value of prophylaxis or maintenance therapy in equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) are not well-established or defined. The merits and the magnitude of effects of prophylaxis for spontaneous or recurrent squamous gastric ulceration in horses in training are uncertain. To pool data from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to eliminate reporting bias and evaluate the efficacy of prophylactic omeprazole in the prevention of EGUS in training horses, and secondarily to compare prophylactic dosages of omeprazole. Meta-analysis. This meta-analysis was conducted according to the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A systematic literature search identified RCTs comparing omeprazole prophylaxis with sham in prevention of EGUS. Data were analysed using the Mantel-Haenszel test method to calculate risk ratio (RR) or mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Primary outcome was efficacy of prophylaxis. Secondary outcome was endoscopic severity of ulceration. The influence of study characteristics on the outcomes was examined by subgroup analyses. In preventing gastric ulcer occurrence, omeprazole prophylaxis was superior to sham in training horses (7 trials, 566 horses, RR 0.28, 95% CI 0.18-0.43; 23.4% in omeprazole prophylaxis vs. 77.2% in sham; high quality evidence). Prevalence of ulceration was 75.3 and 87.2% in the sham arms of the 1 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg omeprazole groups, respectively. Severity scores were significantly lower for omeprazole vs. sham (mean difference [MD] -1.05; 95% CI -1.35 to -0.69). Subgroup analyses comparing prophylactic omeprazole dosages resulted in a mean difference of -0.94 and -1.60 for the 1 and 2 mg/kg groups, respectively. Studies showed heterogeneity with regard to prophylactic dose. Omeprazole prophylaxis in active training horses significantly reduces gastric ulceration compared with no prophylaxis (sham) with the absolute effect of 566 fewer ulcers per 1000 horses treated.

Subchondral bone microdamage accumulation in distal metacarpus of Thoroughbred racehorses

Microdamage accumulation leads to subchondral bone injury and/or fracture in racehorses. An understanding of this process is essential for developing strategies for injury prevention. To quantify subchondral bone microdamage in the third metacarpal bone of Thoroughbred racehorses at different stages of the training cycle. Cross-sectional. Bone blocks from the palmar aspect of the medial condyles of third metacarpal bones from 46 racing Thoroughbred horses undergoing post-mortem were examined with micro computed tomography (microCT) to detect calcified microcracks, and light microscopy to quantify bulk stained microcracks. Racing and training histories were obtained for comparison with microdamage data using regression modelling. Subchondral bone microcracks were observed in all bones with at least one method. Microdamage grade was greater in older horses, levelling-off for horses 5 years and older (quadratic term P = 0.01), and with lower bone material density in the parasagittal groove (P = 0.02). Microcrack density was higher in older horses (P = 0.004), and with higher bone volume fraction (BV/TV) in the parasagittal groove in horses in training (interaction effect, P = 0.01) and lower in horses resting from training (P = 0.02). Cross-sectional data only. Incomplete detection of microdamage due to the limits of resolution of microCT and lack of three-dimensional imaging with microscopy. Multicollinearity between variables that indicated career progression (e.g. age, number of career starts, duration of training period) was detected. Fatigue damage in the distal metacarpal subchondral bone is common in Thoroughbred racehorses undergoing post-mortem and appears to accumulate throughout a racing career. Reduced intensity or duration of training and racing and/or increased duration of rest periods may limit microdamage accumulation. Focal subchondral bone sclerosis indicates the presence of microdamage.

Taming the Wild Horse: An Annotated Translation and Study of the Daoist Horse Training Pictures by Louis Komjathy

Reviewed by: Taming the Wild Horse: An Annotated Translation and Study of the Daoist Horse Training Pictures by Louis Komjathy Jennifer Bussio Louis Komjathy, Taming the Wild Horse: An Annotated Translation and Study of the Daoist Horse Training Pictures. New York: Columbia University Press, 2017. xxii, 242 pp. US$65 (HB). ISBN 978-0-231-18126-6 Louis Komjathy’s latest book, Taming the Wild Horse: An Annotated Translation and Study of the Daoist Horse Training Pictures, focuses on a set of illustrated poems from the Three Essentials for Cultivating Perfection According to the Highest Vehicle (Shangsheng xiuzhen sanyao 上乘修真三要, DZ 267), a canonical text from the thirteenth century. Komjathy argues the value of the Daoist Horse Training Pictures is that they form a “map of contemplative practice and contemplative experience” still relevant today (p. ix) and that to study them should itself be taken as a form of contemplative practice (p. x). These two points are critical for understanding how Komjathy views the subject material, as both a guide to mastering a specific style of Daoist meditation and as an act of meditation itself. This emphasis on praxis also identifies who is the book’s primary audience, namely, fellow practitioners and those interested in contemporary Daoist contemplative practices. Taming the Wild Horse is divided into three sections: introduction, translation of the poems with primary commentary, and Komjathy’s own exegesis. The introduction provides historical and religious context for the Daoist Horse Training Pictures. [End Page 82] The attributed author of the illustrated poems and commentary is a Yuanming laoren 圓明老人, whom Komjathy convincingly identifies as Gao Daokuan (高道 寬, 1195–1277), an early Quanzhen 全眞 monastic. The first chapter also briefly covers Quanzhen monastic teachings, the pictures’ connection to the famous ox-herding pictures of Chan Buddhism, and an overview of Daoist meditative practices. Undoubtedly because the background provided in the book is so limited, Komjathy frequently must enjoin the reader to see other works, usually his own, for further information. The second chapter connects wildness and domestication with the Daoist ideal of self-cultivation, considers “the question of the animal itself” (discriminating between “the animal as other-construct, symbolic animals, and actual animals” in the process), studies horses as a symbol in both Chinese tradition and Daoism, and offers “an examination of actual horses in the sociohistorical context of Daokuan’s life” (p. 29). This overly broad collection of topics is likely the result of Komjathy attempting to cover four interpretive approaches to the Daoist Horse Training Pictures in a single chapter. Splitting this chapter into two so that historical and cultural studies approaches were one chapter and animal and contemplative studies approaches were another would have greatly benefited the book. As it is, Komjathy raises some important points, particularly in connecting wildness and domestication of animals with self-cultivation and a return to the Dao, but they are just starting to be developed when the reader is rushed off to the next topic. The question of the animal is a fascinating discussion, but the space devoted to animal and contemplative studies approaches means that the historical and cultural contexts are barely developed. For example, I was left wishing the influence of the reigning dynasties from the steppe on Daokuan’s choice of subject had been more thoroughly addressed, given that Daokuan was active in North China during the Jin-Yuan period. The true value of Taming the Wild Horse lies in its second and third sections. Komjathy’s translation of the text and its commentary is both elegant and readable. He has wisely placed each of the Daoist Horse Training pictures on a full page with its accompanying poem on the opposite, allowing the reader to contemplate the image and words together. The original Chinese is helpfully included as well, so that the reader can consult it, if desired. The one problem, which mars the otherwise excellent translation, is Komjathy’s curious insistence on translating mutong (牧童) as “shepherd.” Mutong is the term used in the poems to describe the individual who tames the horse and is used generally for a person who herds large livestock. As such, it is extremely discordant to see this person called a shepherd. It should...

Probiotic supplementation in trained trotter horses: effect on blood clinical pathology data and urine metabolomic assessed in field.

The attention of sports community toward probiotic supplementation as a way to promote exercise and training performance, together with good health, has increased in recent years. This has applied also to horses, with promising results. Here, for the first time, we tested a probiotic mix of several strains of live bacteria typically employed for humans to improve the training performance of Standardbred horses in athletic activity. To evaluate its effects on the horse performance, we measured lactate concentration in blood, a translational outcome largely employed for the purpose, combined with the study of hematological and biochemical parameters, together with urine from a metabolomics perspective. The results showed that the probiotic supplementation significantly reduced postexercise blood lactate concentration. The hematological and biochemical parameters, together with urine molecular profile, suggested that a likely mechanism underlying this positive effect was connected to a switch of energy source in muscle from carbohydrates to short-chain fatty acids. Three sulfur-containing molecules differently concentrated in urines in connection to probiotics administration suggested that such switch was linked to sulfur metabolism.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Probiotic supplementation could reduce postexercise blood lactate concentration in Standardbred horses in athletic activity. Blood parameters, together with urine molecular profile, suggest the mechanism underlying this positive effect is connected to a switch of energy source in muscle from carbohydrates to short-chain fatty acids. Sulfur-containing molecules found in urines in connection to probiotics administration suggested that such switch was linked to sulfur metabolism.

Local Back Pressure Caused by a Training Roller During Lunging With and Without a Pessoa Training Aid

Ground schooling (especially lunging) is routinely performed in the rehabilitation and training of horses. Training rollers are commonly used to provide attachment for training aids. The objective of the study was to objectively measure pressures beneath a training roller during lunging exercise with and without a Pessoa training aid. To measure pressures underneath the roller; 10 nonlame horses (mean ± standard deviation [SD] age 12 ± 8.77 years, mean ± SD height 1.65 ± 0.94 m) were lunged on a 16-m circle wearing a training roller on top of a high withered dressage square and wool pad. A Pliance (Novel) pressure mat was positioned transversely over the spinous processes covering thoracic vertebrae 10 to 15. Data were collected in both trot and canter on the left and right reins, with and without a Pessoa training aid. For pelvic range of motion (ROM), horses were instrumented with five inertial measuring unit sensors (IMU). A paired t-test was used to determine differences in pressure and pelvic ROM with/without Pessoa training aid (P ≤ .05). In trot and canter, consistent high pressures on the spinous processes beneath the roller were greater than those thought to cause back discomfort. These pressures were consistent between horses. No significant differences were found in any IMU outcome parameters. An awareness of the increased local spinal pressure a training roller exerts on the back, especially in horses undergoing rehabilitation of back problems is needed.

The use of a rein tension device to compare different training methods for neck flexion in base-level trained Warmblood horses at the walk.

SummaryBackgroundDebate surrounds the use of high rein tension for obtaining different head and neck positions in the training of sport horses on account of possible welfare issues.ObjectivesTo compare auxiliary rein tension in two methods (Draw Reins and Concord Leader) for obtaining a standardised head and neck position on a hard and a soft surface.Study designIntervention study.MethodsLeft and right rein tensions were measured in 11 base‐level trained client‐owned sport horses (mean age ± s.d.; 10 ± 3.2 years) exercised in‐hand with, in a random order, conventional draw reins or the newly developed Concord Leader in a standardised head and neck position. Rein tension was measured using a calibrated device operating at 10 Hz during six runs of 15 s in a straight line for each training method on both a hard and a soft surface. A linear mixed model and grouped logistic regression analysis were applied to compare the two methods (P<0.05).ResultsThe odds of a tension of 0 N were lower with draw reins than with the Concord Leader. The rein tension (mean sum of the force applied, in N) of the draw reins was 13.8 times higher than that of the Concord Leader.Main limitationsThis study was performed on horses exercised in‐hand; however, these auxiliary aids are normally used when lungeing. Possible redirection of rein tension towards the poll was not measured.ConclusionsWe showed that when using the Concord Leader a similar head and neck position is achieved with a much lower rein tension than with the draw reins and, more importantly, with a much greater likelihood of 0 N. It is unnecessary to use high auxiliary rein tension to obtain a standard, flexed head and neck position.

Assessment of Heart Rate and Behavioral Response for the Prediction of Effectiveness of Desensitization Training in Horses

Assessment of Heart Rate and Behavioral Response for the Prediction of Effectiveness of Desensitization Training in Horses

Repeatability of gait analysis measurements in Thoroughbreds in training.

With the view of implementing gait symmetry measurements in Thoroughbreds in training for early detection of injuries, repeatability of inertial measurement unit (IMU) gait parameters needs to be established. To assess the variation of head and pelvis movement symmetry in Thoroughbreds in training. Repeated observations in horses in race training. Daily and weekly repeat gait assessments were conducted in 14 Thoroughbreds equipped with IMUs on poll, sacrum and right (RTC) and left (LTC) tuber coxae. Gait was assessed in trot, in-hand, on a level concrete surface. Difference between vertical displacement minima and maxima and range of motion (ROM) were obtained. Ranges containing 50% (median), 75, 90 and 95% of absolute daily and weekly differences were calculated and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) calculated for daily and weekly repeats. Median absolute daily differences ranged from 4 to 7 mm and median weekly differences from 4 to 8 mm. 90% of daily differences were between 9 and 16 mm and 90% of weekly differences between 11 and 19 mm. ICC values were found on average across sensors and gait parameters as 0.73 (ranging from 0.40 to 0.92 across parameters) for daily repeats and as 0.65 (0.27 to 0.91) for weekly repeats. Horses were of varying training and movement asymmetry levels, and no veterinary lameness examination was conducted. Daily and weekly repeat gait assessments in this group of Thoroughbreds in training show lower ICC values than previously reported from within-day repeats in horses during lameness examinations. We recommend conducting repeatability studies for specific groups of horses when planning long-term studies aiming at identifying horses at risk of injury.

Taming the Wild Horse: An Annotated Translation and Study of the Daoist Horse Training Pictures

Louis Komjathy’s latest book, Taming the Wild Horse: An Annotated Translation and Study of the Daoist Horse Training Pictures, focuses on a set of illustrated poems from the Three Essentials for Cu...

Ranking of endurance horses in training based on some selected biochemical and physical parameters

Objective: This study aims to appraise the ranking of endurance horses in training based on some selected biochemical and physical parameters. The increase in skill and gusto in equine endurance sport demands an upsurge in standardized exercise tests and competition to be enforced on endurance sport horses. Materials and methods: Nine seemingly fit Arabians endurance horses between the ages of 5 and 17 years and with a body weight of 350 and 450 kg were included in the research in Malaysia. We designed a point scale in training based on biochemical and physical parameters of endurance horses for lactate, plasma protein, creatine kinase, heart rate, and rectal temperature. Results: The results indicated an accumulated lower point of 1 for the biochemical and physical parameters for an individual horse to have an excellent ranking in training and placing in endurance race contrasted with horses that had higher points of 4 to 6. The lower the points, the lower will be the values of the parameters and the higher the points the higher will be the values of the parameters. It is observed that placing in race tally with the ranking in training. Conclusion: In conclusion, it is observed that placing in race tally with the ranking in training. Therefore, it is suggested that the current ranking system in training could be valid to be used to predict endurance horses’ performance in an actual race. http://doi.org/10.5455/javar.2018.e280

Show jumping horses' adaption to the training over the racing season

Equestrian sports are in connection, firstly with the physical stress that can induce mental horse's stress. Horse training is not easy to define. It is achieving concentration and fitness for a certain type of equestrian sport where a preservation of health, psychological condition, physical condition and longevity is a necessity. In equestrian sport, the better result is needed over the long period of time. Many authors describe the lactate concentrations as a parameter of fitness of the horse, which means, in equestrian sports, a result. A horse with a lower lactate level is fitter, which means that the muscle tissue produces less lactic acid which is converted in blood into the lactate ion. Researches have been made on Holstein studs and a Croatian sports horse breeding type that have been trained and bred in the same conditions. There were two groups of jumping horses in training. Younger horses gain uniformity throughout the competition season and come closer to the older group of horses in results. Younger horses gain experience through training and physical work understand as a routine; their body gains better fitness demanded by show jumping sports.