Stable microclimates and autonomic modulation in horses housed in different stable architectures during monsoon in a tropical environment.

Background: The impact of climate conditions and stable design on horses housed in individual stalls plays a significant role in their well-being, especially in tropical climates. Limited information exists regarding their conditions during the monsoon season.

Objective: This study focused on the stable microclimate and autonomic regulation of horses kept in different stable architectures during the monsoon in a tropical setting.

Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability Are Affected by Age and Activity Level in Athletic Horses.

The physiological capabilities of horses begin to decline after they reach 15 years of age. However, some exceptionally talented horses can continue their sports careers beyond this age, raising concerns about their welfare. This study investigated animal welfare by observing resting heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) metrics in geriatric horses participating in similar training or physical activities compared to younger adult horses over 30 min periods.

Stress responses of horses transported long-distance by road to and from a jumping competition in a tropical climate.

Long-distance road transport is known to be stressful for horses, with most research conducted in temperate climates. This study investigated horses' stress responses during long-distance transport before and after a jumping competition in a tropical environment. Ten healthy horses (aged 7.

Dynamic Adaptation of Heart Rate and Autonomic Regulation During Training and Recovery Periods in Response to a 12-Week Structured Exercise Programme in Untrained Adult and Geriatric Horses.

Changes in resting heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) are utilised to assess training effects in horses. However, limited research has examined how these variables reflect training effects during exercise sessions and recovery periods, particularly in horses of different ages. This study investigated how HR and HRV changed during exercise sessions and recovery periods in untrained adult horses (UAHs; = 9) and geriatric horses (UGHs; = 9).

A structured exercise regimen enhances autonomic function compared to unstructured physical activities in geriatric horses.

Older horses often show reduced autonomic responses, affecting their well-being. While regular exercise can help maintain autonomic function, the impact of structured exercise on geriatric horses is not well understood. A study involving 27 geriatric horses examined their autonomic modulation over 12 weeks under different activity levels.

Autonomic regulation in athletic horses repetitively participating in two novice jumping classes on consecutive days.

Introduction: Animal welfare is of great concern in equestrian sports and has been evaluated in athletic horses competing at different levels. However, the impact of consecutive days of jumping competition and the extent of resultant stress responses remains unclear. To address this point, the present study compared the changes in stress response via heart rate variability (HRV) in horses participating in two national jumping events on consecutive days.

Physiological responses and agreement between two traditional lunging protocols for physical fitness training in untrained ponies.

Lunging is a training technique commonly performed in a round pen or on a lunge line. This study investigated the effort intensity, autonomic responses, and method agreement in applying different lunging protocols to untrained ponies. Sixteen untrained ponies (aged 13.

Cortisol levels, heart rate, and autonomic responses in horses during repeated road transport with differently conditioned trucks in a tropical environment.

Horse's stress responses have been reported during road transport in temperate but not tropical environments. Therefore, this study measured cortisol levels, heart rate (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV) in horses during medium-distance road transport with different truck conditions in a tropical environment. Six horses were repeatedly transported in either air-conditioned trucks with full (ATF) or space (ATS) loads or non-air-conditioned trucks with full (N-ATF) and space (N-ATS) loads.

Stress Responses in Horses Housed in Different Stable Designs during Summer in a Tropical Savanna Climate.

Single-confinement housing can pose welfare risks to domestic horses. This study investigated horses' stress responses when confined to single stalls in different stable designs in a tropical savanna region to address a gap in the literature. In total, 23 horses were assigned to a stable with a central corridor and solid external walls (A) (N = 8), a stable with one side corridor and solid external walls (B) (N = 6), or a stable with a central corridor and no solid external walls (C) (N = 9).

Strategic palmar trimming before conventional shoeing shows potential for managing underrun heels in horses.

Background: Underrun heels are among the most hoof imbalances, causing poor performance in hoses. Several corrective shoeing protocols have been performed, but the outcomes have yet to be consistent. In this study, we proposed an alternative trimming protocol for managing underrun heels: strategic palmar trimming before conventional shoeing.

Physiological stress responses in horses participating in novice endurance rides.

Horses participating in endurance events encounter enormous physical challenges. Heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) have been reported before and after endurance rides, but these have not been determined during the rides. Moreover, the modulation in HRV and haematology in horses with different ride results (completed a course or disqualified due to irregular gait) have not been elucidated.

Heart rate and heart rate variability in horses undergoing hot and cold shoeing.

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a frequently used indicator of autonomic responses to various stimuli in horses. This study aimed to investigate HRV variables in horses undergoing cold (n = 25) or hot (n = 26) shoeing. Multiple HRV variables were measured and compared between horses undergoing cold and hot shoeing, including the time domain, frequency domain, and nonlinear variables pre-shoeing, during shoeing, and at 30-minute intervals for 120 minutes post-shoeing.

Hematological and physiological responses in polo ponies with different field-play positions during low-goal polo matches.

Strenuous exercise in traditional polo matches creates enormous stress on horses. Hematological and physiological measures may vary across different field-play positions. This study aimed to investigate the effort intensity and the impact of exertion on hematology and heart rate variability (HRV) in polo ponies with different positions.

Comparison of daily heart rate and heart rate variability in trained and sedentary aged horses.

Athletic horses are usually retired from equestrian competition at an advanced age. Aged horses may then continue to have regular exercise or are sedentary. The comparison of autonomic regulation between sedentary aged horses (SAH) and trained aged horses (TAH) after retirement remains unpublished.

The impact of strategic ventilation adjustments on stress responses in horses housed full-time in a vector-protected barn during the African horse sickness outbreak in Thailand.

The severe outbreak of African horse sickness (AHS) in Thailand has forced horses to reside full-time inside barns that are covered by a small mesh net to prevent minuscule AHS insect vectors from gaining access. However, housing in the net-covered barn induces stress in horses, which compromises their welfare. Implementing strategic airflow adjustment while retaining the vector-protection characteristics has been proposed to help alleviate this problem.

Effect of Exercise in a Vector-Protected Arena for Preventing African Horse Sickness Transmission on Physiological, Biochemical, and Behavioral Variables of Horses.

During an African horse sickness (AHS) outbreak, horses were able to exercise daily in a net-covered arena, yet the physiological responses to exercise in a netted arena was unknown. In a cross-over study design, eight horses performed a 39-minute aerobic exercise in conventional (CA) and vector-protected arenas (VPA). Horses were slower in some gaits and covered less distance in the VPA arena (P < .

Z-Bar Shoeing Demonstrates Potential for Long-Term Foot Pain Management during an Exercise Training Regimen in a Show Jumping Pony with Uniaxial Palmar Pain.

Z-bar shoeing has been implemented to relieve uniaxial palmar pain arising from the structures in the affected region. However, there have been no reports on the long-term application of the z-bar shoe during exercise training regimens. A 10-year-old mixed-breed show jumping pony presented with an occasional short stride and abnormal rhythm while turning during routine exercise for three months.

Influence of full-time housing in vector-protected facilities on equine cortisol levels, heart rate, and behavior during the African horse sickness outbreak in Thailand.

Horses were provided full-time housing in unfamiliar vector-protected facilities during the African horse sickness (AHS) outbreak in Thailand. This study aimed to investigate the impact of this housing arrangement on the equine stress response. Nine healthy horses were housed in both a traditional barn and a vector-protected barn.