Horse Husbandry

Feral vs. Domestic Horses

Differences in living conditions impact behavior and management.

Horse Anatomy and Physiology

Understanding anatomy informs behavior and management.

Management of Domestic Horses

Focus on domestic horses due to relevance.

Artificial Selection

Domestic animals selected for different morphs.
Individual horse needs vary based on discipline.
- Racehorses vs. native ponies vs. polo ponies vs. eventing horses.
Overall biology and behavior should be largely the same.

Perissodactyl Ungulates

Horses are perissodactyl ungulates with an odd number of toes.
Non-ruminant animals, fermenting in the hindgut.
Includes donkeys, zebras, and rhinos.

Diet and Teeth

Survive by digesting structural parts of plants like cellulose and hemicellulose.
Molars adapted for grinding fibrous feed and continuously erupt; worn down by chewing.
Lack of fibrous feed can cause uneven wear.

Saliva

Produce 10-12 liters of saliva daily to aid digestion.
Fiber impacts jaw movements; 1 kg of forage = 3,000 jaw movements.
Concentrates reduce jaw movements.

Chewing Rates

Hay requires ~3,500 chews and 40 minutes to eat.
Oats require fewer chews and less time.
Dental checkups needed due to uneven wear.

Gastrointestinal Tract

Monogastric; food degraded in cecum & colon.
Cardiac sphincter prevents vomiting.
Upper squamous & lower glandular portions in the stomach.
Vulnerable to gastric ulcers due to acidic exposure.

Small Intestine

Enzymes & bile secreted; no gallbladder.
Sugar, fat & protein digestion; most vitamins & minerals absorbed.

Large Intestine

Cecum & colon for hindgut fermentation.
Microbial digestion occurs; pH level of about 6 is optimal.
No enzymes produced; all microbial digestion.

Gut Compartments

Compared to humans/dogs, horses have a smaller stomach (8% of GIT).
Large intestine makes up the biggest percentage.

Gut Microorganisms

Break down fiber & release nutrients.
Volatile fatty acids and vitamins produced.
Consistent environment needed; pH level important.
Changes in pH can result in acidosis, laminitis, and colic.

Food and Digestion

High-fiber foods are essential; smaller, frequent meals.
Hydrolyzable nutrients should be processed pre-cecally.
Fiber maintains gut health; horses evolved to eat this way.
Equine digestion is less efficient than ruminants.

Movement and Locomotion

Movement is also biologically important to horses.
"Catapult mechanism" with elastic tissue in biceps for energy during steps.
Lost extra digits to reduce limb weight.
Higher tidal volume & larger lung volume compared to cows.
Spreading of the hoof when pressing into the ground that compresses spongy tissue that helps to push blood back up the leg and helps with circulation.
Evolved to graze & move frequently.

Behavior

Informed by biology.
Studying wild counterparts helps understand normal behavior.
All feral groups have been managed by humans.
"Normal" behavior may differ due to human management.

Feral Horses and Natural Behaviors

Social herd animals that interact, make friends, impacting social hierarchy.
Latin name for Pravulski's horse: $Equus_Pravulski$
Harems & bachelor herds.

Harem Makeup and Behavior

One or more stallions with groups of unrelated females.
Juveniles from foal to 3 years; kicked out to bachelor bands.
Seasonally polyestrous (April to November, geographically dependent).
Prefer to run before fighting; fights are mostly posturing.
Nomadic with large home ranges.

Social Structures

Stallions are most social, initiating interactions.
Stay in sight, using herd mentality.
Communicate via body language, vocalizations, & touch.
Touch includes mutual grooming.

Pravulski's Horses

Managed in various places but reintroduced to Mongolian Steppe.
Select water sources; move up/down elevation to avoid flies.
Eat in mornings/evenings; seek refuge during hottest times.
Different plant preferences that they eat.
Group size around five or six individuals.

Maintenance Behaviors

60% time spent eating.
31% resting.
Little movement, drinking and other behaviors such as play.

Domesticated Horses

More access to food, typically more nutritious, leading to less variability.
More supplements and less plant varieties.
Level grasslands/woodland, less rocky ground.
Social groupings depend on yard rules, typically single-sex or pairs.
Separated for human-centered activities; riding, competing, travelling.
Housing can include stabling as well as barns.

Bachelor Herds and Stud Yards

Bachelor herds mostly younger ones.
Stud yards can include broodmare herds; juveniles weaned.

Owner Role

Humans become their social group, fulfilling similar roles.
Can groom them or look out for them.
Hard to understand this as they can't speak.
Commonalities in putting horses in single boxes.

Differing Management from Wild

Higher horse density in urban areas; more likely individual boxes.
Bright lights can affect the cycle.
Owners, vets, farriers, dentists, physios, and nutritionists and chiropractors.
Stallions separated to control breeding; gelded if behavior difficult.

Impact on Maintenance Behaviors

Grazing dependent on feeding regime; staggered meals reduce grazing time.
Resting impacted by management; feel safer in groups.
Movement restricted; domestic horses move far smaller distances.
Stabling can cause suppression of oxytocin.

Issues in UK Management

Grazing/Feeding
- Nutritious foods make horses vulnerable to obesity, known as "show condition".
- Show Judges sometimes select for heavy horses.
- Accidental fasting between meals and an empty stomach increases vulnerability to gastrointestinal issues
Resting
- Horse’s rest is directly impacted by management
- Lack of consistent access to others can lead to sleep deprivation with dramatic impacts
Moving
- Outside of Field’s free movement, horse movement is controlled.
- Movement restrictions can cause stress and frustration
Socialization
- Socialization often is lacking
- Requires them to establish their herd, go back out with other horses can cause agonistic interactions
- Lack of mutual grooming can lead to vulnerability parasites

Weight and Associated Diseases

Overweight is encouraged in shows.
Horses evolved to gain weight over summer for winter survival, but human intervention prevents natural weight loss.
Overestimating work underestimates calorie intake.
This storage presents through obvious fat deposits.
Overweight horses more susceptible to: Equine Metabolic Syndrome, Laminitis and other movement issues.

Laminitis

Painful inflammation of the laminae in the hoof linked to Equine Metabolic Syndrome and being overweight.
Related to: Inflammatory events/Carbohydrate overload/Improper insulin regulation/Concussive trauma.

Dietary Fiber

Reduced fiber in the diet can cause: Proliferation of less beneficial microbes/Death of beneficial fiber degrading microbes/Acidic hindgut with a reduction in pH level which then leads to increased production of endotoxins/Gut lining damage/All of these thing can lead to: Loss of appetite/poor performance.
Low fiber diets can cause a build up of poisonous chemicals and can also cause : Laminitis or Colic which often causes death.

Lack of Dietary Fiber Indicators

Cockrophagia is a sign of poor maintenance.
Other indicators: Loss of appetite can occur, or oral conditions, such as wood eating.

Gastric Ulcers

Caused by many risk factors
There’s no longer thought to be a direct link to crib biting
Are more likely to occur if: restricted to a stable or has a distinct lack of contact/a diet highly saturated in starch/Long periods of Fasting/Intense periods of Exercise.
Gastric Ulcers can present in: Poor appetite, grumpy attitude, discomfort after eating.

Equine Rhabdomyolysis

Muscle Damage or “Monday disease”
A disease that causes muscles to break down.
Can be exasperated by: muscle contractions or hormonal imbalances
Two chronic types
- Recurrent Exertional Rhabdomyolysis
- Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy/ Related to high glycogen storage
- This is the one with a direct genetic link.