Equine
Does riding in a bitless bridle limit or prevent Dynamic Laryngeal Collapse?
Upper respiratory tract (URT) obstruction is a common cause of poor performance in racehorses and a major cause of lost earnings and wastage from training. Bits have often been incriminated as a cause of upper respira...
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Why ‘baby talk’ might be the best way to speak to your horse
How do you speak to your horse?
Many care givers report speaking to their companion animals using a type of speech commonly referred to as ‘pet-directed speech (PDS)’. PDS is characterized as being exaggerated in to...
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What is Omega-3, and what should you be looking for?
Omega-3 (O3) and Omega-6 (O6) fatty acids are essential polyunsaturated fats, with the term ‘omega’ referring to the chemical structures. O3 fatty acids especially, have been the subject of extensive research, support...
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How does turnout space affect horses’ stress responses and behavioural interactions?
Background
Horses are highly social animals and can benefit substantially from interactions with other horses. However, group turnout can be associated with an increased injury risk from negative behavioural interact...
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Can the type of hay fed influence equine dental health?
Background
Equine dental health is linked with wellbeing. Where diets are high in water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) there is increased risk of peripheral caries in the molar teeth. Because horse teeth continually eru...
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What do horses experience when travelling in a trailer?
Background
Horses are travelled for many reasons. During travelling, horses are exposed to multi-dimensional movements and other stressful stimuli such as noise. Understanding what motion and additional energy demand...
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Does obesity awareness help equine caregivers manage their horses’ weight?
Background
Obesity is a significant welfare issue in the UK leisure horse population. Weight management strategies can be impacted by the understanding and awareness of body condition by equine caregivers. How caregiv...
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What is the awareness of concussion in adult horse riders, and what are typical attitudes and behaviours?
Concussion is classed as a mild form of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and can lead to significant and prolonged symptoms, even after a ‘mild’ injury. Equestrian sports, along with cycling and rugby are associated with ...
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How does being ridden by different people affect horses’ responses to training?
Riders differ in many aspects including skill, experience, gender, weight, height, and riding style. These differences likely impact on horses ridden by different riders and may result in training cues being applied i...
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How do changes to a normal feeding routine affect equine behaviour?
Consistent management regimes are recommended in the care of horses to minimise the incidence of digestive issues and stereotypic behaviours. Predictable feeding times support good welfare and minimise environmental d...
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Does withholding forage feed affect the faecal bacterial microbiota in healthy horses?
Changes in faecal bacteria populations are associated with gastrointestinal disease in a range of species. Horses presenting with colic have been shown to have a decreased diversity and species richness of faecal and ...
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Can a calcium supplement derived from seaweed, affect the pH of gastric juice in horses?
The horse’s stomach consists of an upper non-glandular (squamous) area and a lower glandular area. The glandular area secretes acidic gastric juices, essential to support digestion. The non-glandular area lacks suitab...
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