Equine Management

When were horses domesticated?

5000-6000 years ago

Which races of wild horse are definitely represented in modern horse breeds?

Przewalski horse & Tarpan

Where did the Przewalski horse originate from?

Mongolia today

Where did the Tarpan originate from?

Southern Russia (Ukraine)

Why were horses domesticated?

Transportation and food

Where could some wild horses in America be from?

Those that crossed Siberian Ice Bridge into America; horses could have already been in America before European/Asian explorers got there

When was the first bit used?

4000 BC

When was the first saddle with stirrups used?

3000 BC

When were horses first used in the military?

1000 AD

Horses are believed to be the ______ use of AI in domesticated animals

oldest; Arabic texts describing semen collection date back to 1322

The horse is the animal most responsible for…

man’s ability to “populate” the world

Top 6 states for equine production

Texas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, California, Ohio, Florida (NC is 25th)

Top 6 NC counties for equine production

Guilford, Union, Mecklenberg, Wake, Rockingham, Forsyth

How many horses do NC farms most commonly have?

1-2 horses

Most popular horse in NC?

Quarter Horse (and TWH, Thoroughbred, Arabian, Appaloosa)

What auditions do horses make?

Neigh, nicker, snort/squeal/roar

What types of vision do horses have?

Expressions & Postures

Neigh

Greeting/separation call that is important in maintaining herd cohesion; used by horses to call to their owners when separated or as a greeting; response expected

Nicker

Soft nicker is a care-giving or care-soliciting call; horses may nicker to the person feeding them; response expected

Squeal

defensive greeting or in response to pain; response not expected

Snort

sharp, short one; alarm call repeated; frustration; response not expected

Roar

stallion directed towards mare, probably a “dominance” call; response not expected

Ear position is the best indicator of…

a horse’s mental state

Ears pointed forward

Interested and attentive

Ears pinned against head

Sign of aggression in horses

Ears rolled outward

Sign of submission in horses

How do younger, submissive horses approach dominant horses?

With lips retracted and teeth exposed (sometimes click teeth)

Olfaction (smell)

Used for social and reproductive behaviors (pheromones)

Flehman response

Behavior in which horses curl their upper lip and inhale to direct scents into the vomeronasal organ (VNO); done when a horse wants to identify an odor more closely

The age at puberty for horses is…

a function of breed (genetics) and season

When do light breeds reach puberty?

12-24 months (15 months average)

When do draft breeds reach puberty?

18-24 months (20 months average)

When is breeding season for horses?

April to December in most US locations

Horses are ___ and ___ breeders

Seasonal, long day

Breeding in horses is influenced by…

Geographic location

What stimulates ovarian activity in horses?

Periods of long daylight exposure (15-16 hours CONTINUOUS light)

What inhibits ovarian activity in horses?

Periods of short daylight (<10 hours)

What processes changes in daylight in horses?

Pineal gland

What happens to seratonin when it is dark?

Converted to melatonin

When do horses begin to cycle?

When seratonin/melatonin is high

How long is the estrous cycle in mares?

21 days

How long is estrus in mares?

5-7 days

When do mares ovulate?

1-2 days before the end of estrus

How often are mares bred during estrus?

Every other day

Teasing

Practice of exposing mares to stallions to determine estrus

If a real-time ultrasonography is used, mares aren’t bred unless there is…

a 12-15mm follicle present on the ovary

When do mature mares exhibit estrus after foaling?

5-12 days

Foal heat

When mature mares exhibit estrus 5-12 days after foaling

Foal heat can be a fertile estrus if…

the uterus has healed sufficiently from recent birth process

Winking

Contractions that result in vulva opening and closing in a rhythmic pattern

Breaking

Assumption of a characteristic breeding posture/stance

What do mares exhibit when in estrus?

Winking and breaking

Anestrus

Occurs if a mare is not bred during the breeding season

When does anestrus usually occur?

Between November/December until April

What transition period occurs twice during the year?

Breeding-to-anestrus and anestrus-to-breeding

What is a transition period characterized by?

Unpredictable reproductive and social behaviors

How is reproductive activity suppressed?

With implants or by feeding regumate (synthetic progesterone)

How is reproductive activity suppressed with implants and/or synthetic progesterone?

Surge in progesterone causes decrease in LH and FSH, leading the mare to think that the is pregnant, stopping reproductive activity

How long is gestation in mares?

330-340 days

How many eggs do mares usually ovulate?

Ovulate two and begin pregnancy with twins, but one embryo usually dies

What happens to the mare’s remaining embryo prior to implantation?

Undergoes period of migration within the uterus

What happens if uterine migration does not occur in mares?

Pregnancy will not occur

Progesterone levels in mares need to be at certain level during the first 60 days so that…

the pregnancy will have a high probability of going to term

When is it common to monitor progesterone/provide supplemental sources to the mare?

First third of gestation due to lack of progesterone created

Mares can ____ during lactation

Rebreed

What is the range for weaning age of a foal?

4-12 months

What is the schedule at the NCSU Equine Educational Unit?

Mares foal: February-May

Mares rebred: March-June

Foals weaned: August-October

What do mares have to do while lactating?

Return to estrus, rebreed, and start their next pregnancy

Luteal insufficiency

When the mare’s corpus luteum does not produce enough progesterone due to it not having enough luteal cells

When does the placenta in mares start to produce progesterone?

Around day 100

What is waxing in mares?

Waxy discharge from nipples; can occur as early as 4 days prior to foaling

What happens in the final few days before foaling?

Sacriosciatic ligaments relax; significant elasticity 1-3 hours prior to foaling; little vaginal mucus

How is elasticity observed in mares?

Sunken area on either side of the tail

What happens during stage 1 of foaling?

Relaxation of cervix and myometrial contractions; no visible signs of straining are present; some mares show mild signs of colic

What happens during stage 2 of foaling?

Begins with rupture of placental membranes; powerful contractions followed by periods of rest occur

Expulsion of foal is a ____ process

rapid

How long can mares remain lying down for after foaling?

Up to 40 minutes

What happens to the umbilical cord after foaling?

The umbilical normally remains intact which results in blood being transferred to the foal (considerable debate over whether this is good or bad)

What happens during stage 3 of foaling?

Expulsion of fetal membranes; retained placental membranes are a “BIG” problem in horses

After care of foal and mare

1. Dip umbilical cord in iodine after it breaks (or is cut and tied off)

2. Colostrum intake

3. Examine placenta after expulsion to determine if any portion is remaining in mare

4. If placenta appears to be abnormal or has pathological appearance, then, as a precaution, mare and foal are usually started on antibiotics