We should not necessarily judge what ‘clothing’ our horses’ need based on how we feel for two very good reasons. The first is, of course, that the horse has a fur coat. The second is that due to its size, the horse does not lose heat as rapidly as we do. This means that at…
Weaning, where a foal is removed from his dam, can be heartwrenching for both the humans and the animals involved. During traditional weaning, foals are forcibly separated from their dams at six months of age. However, left to their own devices, a foal will eventually separate from his mother on his own accord; this is…
A recent study tested a Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram, made up of a list of 24 behaviours linked in previous studies to musculoskeletal pain. The majority of the behaviours have been shown in previous research to be at least 10 times more likely to be seen in a lame horse compared with a non‐lame horse.
Dr. Amy Burk shows how to identify an overweight horse and helps us understand the implications of obesity for the horse. She also describes a wide range of different strategies for controlling a horse’s body weight.
Learn how to manage minor leg wounds in this step-by-step visual guide.
When Norman Johnson graduates from the University of Central Lancashire he will join just three other PhD qualified experts in farriery – equine hoof care. Norman, who has worked with horses since the age of 26, got the idea for doing the PhD while he was studying for a DipHE and BSc (Hons) degree in…
A study in France tested horses’ abilities to recognize photos of their keepers. The horses were presented with two screens with photos of two humans. Initially the screens showed random humans, but over time one side began to feature photos of their current or former handlers. Here’s what they found . . .
An algorithm [a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations] could prove useful in pinpointing longer break-over phases, which can indicate musculoskeletal problems. The break-over phase starts after the loading phase when the horse lifts its heel, causing a rotational movement around the toe, and ends with hoof…
The microorganisms that populate a horse’s gut are crucial to their health, and essential for the digestion of their fiber-rich diet. Little is known about how differences in this extremely diverse range of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract, which scientists call the microbiome, affects the ability of horses to put on and hold weight. For…
Originally from the Netherlands, Sandra Hurley previously worked in primary schools as a trained artist. She then decided to follow her passion for science and horses at the University of Limerick, where she received her BSc in equine science as a mature student in 2017. Hurley is now a PhD student at UL doing research…