Knowledge Base
Could National Hunt Racing be made safer by Changing the Colours used to Mark the Fences?
Horseracing over jumps is a significant sport in the UK. But it also carries a high risk of injury. From 2013-2018 the death rate in National Hunt races, where horses jump fences ditches, was 1 in 250 starts! Most inj...
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Safe & Legal Feeding
Many of you reading this will compete in affiliated competitions and will no doubt have an interest in nutrition and what is best to feed and supplement your horses.
With feed & supplements playing a vital role in...
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Is Acute Colic Associated with Changes in the Equine Colonic Microbiome?
The horse’s hindgut (large colon) is populated with billions of micro-organisms that help digest the large quantities of cellulose (a type of complex carbohydrate) consumed in a forage-based diet. Horses cannot digest...
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How likely is your horse to be injured during travelling in the UK and what can you do to reduce the risk?
Thousands of horses are transported by road in the UK every day, most of these according to a 2013 survey in single or double horse trailers (55%) and the remainder in small and large horseboxes (41%) although some ow...
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Oxidative stress is evident in horses with equine gastric ulcer syndrome
Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is common in horses. Studies show that over 90% of horses in strenuous athletic work, such as racing Thoroughbreds and endurance horses have ulcers on gastroscopy (scoping the stom...
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The Importance of Improved Airway Hygiene in Equine Asthma
Even mild equine asthma impairs oxygen uptake in the lungs and decreases athletic performance and in older horses and horses not in work can lead to loss of condition. Horses with asthma are frequently treated with st...
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Do horses benefit from human demonstration on how to open a box to find food?
The behaviour of animals can be altered in various ways. Horses interact on an everyday basis with humans, and some studies suggest that horses can learn new behaviour from observing humans. A group of researchers fro...
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New Research into Transporting Horses
Many horses travel by road on a frequent basis and probably 99% of journeys take place without incident. But when things do go wrong it can be serious. Problems range from injuries due to falling or getting trapped ov...
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Science Supplements Employee has joined the Equine Nutrition Elite
Connie Dale Nutrition Advisor at Science Supplements, has joined the elite and achieved her Registered Associate Nutritionist accreditation (A.Nutr) and been accepted on the Register of Nutritionists.
Connie, original...
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Why do horses "Snort"? An Itchy nose or an indication of stress?
A scientific study just published from a group of researchers at the University of Normandie in France asked the question "Could snorts inform us on how horses perceive riding?”
Many owners are aware of the research i...
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The effect of high-starch diets on hindgut (faecal) bacteria and behaviour in horses
Research into diet and behaviour and the effects on the digestive system has increased significantly in the past decade, with many researchers looking at the effects of different diets on bacteria in faeces. Whilst id...
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Australian Study Looks At How Fast Horses Eat And Finds That Clydesdales Might Be Greedy!
Horses that are quick eaters, especially when eating cereal based feeds, are considered to be at higher risk of behavioural problems and digestive problems, especially choke. Whilst choke by itself is not life-threate...
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