Tong’s study indicates that horses don’t have the “padding” from pain that is assumed with other large animals; in fact, the study indicates that a horse’s skin may feel even more sensation that human skin. Is horse skin similar to human skin? Our research, published in the journal Animals, shows Read more…
Each cycle of limb movement comprises a stance phase, when the hoof is in contact with the ground, alternating with a swing phase. The stance phase is subdivided at the mid-stance position into an initial decelerative phase followed by a propulsive phase. What does stance phase mean? The stance phase Read more…
When a horse moves its head around, their brain and inner ear control eye movement. This is known as normal or physiologic nystagmus. When this system is damaged, inappropriate or jerking movements of the eye are known as pathologic nystagmus. These abnormal movements can be seen when the horse’s head Read more…
Equines rely on many microbes in the cecum, as discussed above, to aid in digestion and to make nutrients available that would otherwise be unavailable through enzymatic digestion alone. Are horses cecal or colonic fermenters? The horse is a hindgut fermenter, meaning that the large intestine is the site of Read more…
Ileum and its blood supply The ileum is the last segment of the small intestine (continuing from the jejunum) and is the shortest in length at approximately 0.7 m (27.6 in.) in adult horses. What is the length of the ileum? around 3 metersThe ileum is the final portion of Read more…
right. The cecum is a large fermentation vat that is positioned primarily on the right side of the horse’s abdomen (FIGURE 4). In the average adult horse, the cecum is about 1 m long, is shaped somewhat like a comma, and can hold up to 68 L of ingesta. Where Read more…
When a registered Quarter Horse is crossed with a registered Thoroughbred horse, the resulting foal is considered an Appendix Quarter Horse. This is because the foal receives “Appendix” registration. What kind of horse is an Appendix? The American Appendix Horse is a cross between an American Quarter Horse and a Read more…
“As a rule of thumb, it takes 24 hours for food to pass completely through the horse’s digestive system. How long does food stay in horse stomach? The stomach is actually quite small (only about 10% of the horses digestive tract), and food remains there for 30-45 minutes on average. Read more…
Coxitis is inflammation of the hip and may lead to osteoarthritis of the hip joint. Most cases are caused by trauma, such as following a fall or after a cast has been applied while the horse is lying down. Hip bone (pelvic) fractures and infections, particularly septicemia in young animals, Read more…
The flank strap enhances the bucking action and helps the animal kick outwards and upwards but it doesn’t force the animal to buck if it doesn’t feel like it. What makes the horses buck? The flank, or “bucking,” strap or rope is tightly cinched around the animals’ abdomens, which causes Read more…