Like horses, human ears really can be pricked, scientists find
Research has shown for the first time that humans make minute, unconscious movements of their ears that are directed towards the sound they want to focus attention on.
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Research
Researchers explore genetic architecture underlying horse performance
Initial review by Brazilian researchers identified 669 genes potentially underpinning equine athleticism. Then they went further.
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Therapy horses show more sensitivity toward fearful participants in study
Results in the Canadian study indicate that the therapy horses were sensitive to behavioural or emotional differences in their riders.
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Can some animals sense upcoming earthquakes? The answer appears to be yes
“The closer the animals were to the epicentre of the impending shock, the earlier they changed their behaviour.”
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No luck so far in the search for a low-allergen horse
Tests of 10 breeds showed all of them produced a common horse allergen.
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Bitless bridle’s ability to prevent dynamic laryngeal collapse in prone horses put to the test
Head and neck angles induced by rein tension seemed to be the key event in provoking the problem in susceptible horses, the researchers reported.
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Trailblazing research helps predict rotational falls in eventing
Researcher says that reducing risk to competitors is a multi-faceted process with numerous fronts for possible improvement.
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Algorithms show worth in analysis of a horse’s stride
“These algorithms seem promising for gait classification,” they concluded, “although a more extensive validation process should be performed.”
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Benefits of horses grazing heathlands revealed in study
“Horse grazing increased species richness and diversity, as well as numbers of rare species in heathlands.”
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Fracking believed to be behind water contamination that harmed foals
The milk aspiration issue, known as dysphagia, was eliminated on the farm once water filtration equipment was installed.
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What gives the mighty mule its endurance? Researchers investigate
Genetic testing of samples from crosses between donkeys and horses mapped a total of 68 genes in the “muscle contraction” pathway, eight of which were found to be significantly enriched in mules.
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Helmets are essential, but they’re no panacea when it comes to concussion
“There is no way to keep the brain from moving inside the skull following an accident.”
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Treadmill training should factor in temperament of each horse – study
“We conclude that the habituation process should be adapted to the horse’s temperament and emotionality.”
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Radiologist creates brain atlases for horses, dogs and cats
“I wanted to start applying the most advanced forms of neuroimaging currently being done in human clinical research in the veterinary world.”
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Concussive tests on helmets don’t represent real-world horse accidents – study
“It is apparent that current certification standards for equestrian helmets represent different loading conditions than those associated with real-world concussion.”
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Three-antigen cocktail behind blood test for small strongyles
Until now it has not been possible to test for encysted small strongyles as faecal egg counts detect the presence of only egg-laying adult worms.
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Why are horses resistant to brain-wasting prion diseases? Researchers investigate
Most people had never heard of prions until the rise of so-called mad cow disease in Britain in the late 1980s.
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A good exit strategy may explain why biting flies prefer some horses over others
Biting tabanid flies prefer horses with a higher surface temperature. Why?
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Horses readily recognise photos of their caregivers in French study
Horses showed ability to identify photographs of caregivers they had not seen for up to six months.
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Ponies at higher risk from a starchy diet could be “Streptococcus responders”
“The ability to identify those ‘high risk’ animals who may display an elevated Streptococcus response prior to the introduction of dietary starch would be advantageous.”
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