Equine Flashcards
equine management, equine preventative med, equine behavior.
What are the 2 overarching categories for WHY people have horses?
- industry (breed, race, train, therapy, work)
- pleasure (show, ride, companionship)
How does the living environment differ from wild horses to domesticated horses and why/how that could affect their health?
in the wild, they have to travel further distances to get their meals, lush grass is sparse. Domesticated horses are put in smaller, cultivated pastures that has lush, calorie-dense grass (travel less, eat more).
In the wild, they travel in herds. Some domesticated horses are in small groups or alone – this can be a big source of behavior and health issues.
In domesticated horses, people utilize them for various activities putting them at greater risk for injury/illness than wild.
T/F: the way horses are kept has a great deal to do with their purpose
true
show – kept in stall, limited turnout
breeding – kept in herds
ppl without property – kept in boarding stable
Name the following bedding type:
Advantages: cheap, warm, provides cushion, +/- cleaner
Disadv: not absorbant, ammonia, dusty, will eat it.
straw
Name the advantages and disadvantages of shavings as bedding
adv: absorbent, provides cushion
disadv: dusty, black walnut laminitis risk
While dirt flooring is absorbent and good cushion for the horses feet, why is it not the best flooring choice?
it is impossible to disinfect
if certain diseases (salmonella) get into the dirt, they will be there forever and this poses health risks.
Concrete flooring is very hard and mats are often required to be added for feet cushioning. What is the greatest benefit to concrete flooring?
easier to clean and less risk of pathogens staying around.
What type of horses would be best turned out into a “dry lot”? (a small area fenced in with no forage)
EMS horses
horses with laminitis
Which fence type is safest for horses?
Which is least safe?
safest = planked wood
least safe = barbed wire
Why is conformation important in horses?
function may be related to form
therefore poor conformation can predispose them to injury
What is the purpose of a “pre-purchase” examination for horses?
to find any and all abnormalities to share with the owner intending the purchase the horse, BEFORE they purchase the horse
This is NOT an opportunity to Pass/Fail a horse and make the decision for the owner, rather to only inform them of medical fact.
Why is it important to know how tack/equipment functions?
it can affect the horses “way of going”
ex. incorrect saddle fit, wrong bit, etc.
This type of riding is described as:
- smaller saddle that allows rider to move up and out and have more contact with the horse
- usually used in sport (jumping, etc.)
english
This type of riding is described as:
- bigger saddle with horn in front to allow for a more secure, deep-seated rider
- usually used in riding and work
western
Thoroughbred racing horses have a plethora of health concerns such as musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiac, infectious diseases, drug administration, and reproduction.
Most of those can be explained by working at maximum intensity as well as being exposed to other horses/traveling.
Why is reproduction on the list as a concern?
these horses require live-cover breedings
What are the 4 big health concerns you’d have for a harness racing horse and why?
- musculoskeletal
- respiratory
- cardiac
- infectious disease
these are all related to working at maximum intensity, traveling to shows, and being exposed to other horses.
Endurance horses (horses that run at maximum intensity in regard to long-distances) are of concern for cardiac, respiratory, and musculoskeletal health issues. They also suffer from 1 additional problem, what is that problem and why?
electrolyte abnormalities
this is because they are exerting themselves for very long distances
Dressage horses are judged based on meeting specific standards. While they are not working at “maximum intensity”, they do need to be able to perform certain motions well.
What are 2 health concerns for this discipline?
musculoskeletal
respiratory (the way their head/neck is positioned)
Why do show-jumping horses have musculoskeletal and respiratory health concerns?
they are running and jumping as fast as they can. jumping definitely puts strain on the musculoskeletal system and increases risk for injury.
“Hunters” are horses that jump over fences similar to show-jumping horses, but instead they do not do it as fast as possible. They are judged on their conformation during the jump and how easy-going their flow is.
That being said, they still have the same concerns as show-jumping horse (musculoskel and respiratory), but also an additional concern. What is it and why?
drug administration
these horses are judged on their “relaxed/easy-going” flow, so they are given certain calming drugs.
Why do eventing horses (horses who do dressage, cross-country course, and show jumping) have musculoskeletal and respiratory health concerns?
they are performing certain motions (dressage), working at maximal intensity (cc course), and putting their musculoskel system at risk (show jumping).
Saddle seat horses have very animated gaits with smooth strides. This raises concern for musculoskeletal and respiratory systems. What other additional concern can you think of for this discipline?
drug administration – helps make these horses “more animated”
Why is drug administration a health concern for the western pleasure discipline?
these quarterhorses are expected to move slow around a ring.
They are given drugs to calm the horses.
What are health concerns for a reining horse?
musculoskeletal
respiratory
Why do rodeo/ranch horses have musculoskeletal and respiratory health concerns?
they are working at maximum intensity.
Use and regulation of drugs during competition is dependent upon what…
the organization governing the competition
(racing vs united states equestrian federation, international federation for equestrian sports)
This horse is an endangered wild species.
Equus ferus przewalskii (Przewalksi’s horse)
What is a male donkey called? Female?
male – jack
female – jinny
T/F: there are many donkey breeds and the biggest difference among them all is the size, except for the Poitou breed that has a dreaded coat and is endangered
true
Donkeys are NOT horses. They have big differences in their behavior, nutrition, anatomy, bloodwork intervals, and pharmacology. Additionally, there are differences in assessment of pain. How do donkeys differ in this aspect?
they are very stoic animals compared to horses, so it is difficult to identify individuals in pain.
How do you create a mule and what is the biggest consideration to this outcome?
cross a horse (female or male) with a donkey (female or male)
They are sterile
if F horse x M donkey = mule
if M horse x F donkey = hinny
What is the “technical differentiation” between ponies and horses?
size
horses = 14.3 hands and above
ponies = 14.2 hands and below
T/F: miniature horses are conformationally similar to ponies
false – they are similar to horses and are NOT ponies.
How are horses, ponies, and mini horses measured?
Be specific
hand-system – from ground to highest point of withers
1 hand = 4 inches
T/F: some breeds require genetic “proof” of being a part of that breed, whereas others just require the animal to meet conformational standards of that breed to be classified within that breed.
true
What are the 4 big breeds of horses?
- coldbloods (clydesdale, belgin, percheron)
- warmbloods (european sporthorse breeds)
- hotbloods (arabian, thoroughbred)
- everything else
Which horse breed is described as:
heavily muscled and compact, calm temperament, used in western disciplines (reigning, cutting, working cows, barrel racing, etc.), and largest breed registry in the world.
american quarter horse
Explain why american quarter horses have 2 major health concerns of their feet and muscle?
feet – they have small feet in comparison to their large, muscled body
muscle – they have several genetic predispositions
This horse breed is described as:
having quarterhorse genetics but with the addition of white.
american paint horse
this horse breed is described as:
having leopard-spots and known for being sturdy, brave, and stubborn. They are conformationally similar to AQH, but smaller.
appaloosa
What 2 conditions fall under ocular and skin health concerns of appaloosa horses?
ocular – equine recurrent uveitis
skin – SCC (bc of the white color)
This horse breed was bred for speed, used mainly for flat racing but excels in other english sports.
thoroughbred
Name the 4 health concerns for the speedy thoroughbred breed
- development orthopedic disease (OCD, because they grow big really fast)
- respiratory disease
- cardiovascular disease
- musculoskeletal disease
(last 3 are due to working at maximum intensity for racing)
What horse breed is used as a harness race horse that is able to race at a trot or pace?
They have the usual health concerns assoc. with racing (resp., cardiovasc., and musculoskel.), as well as equine viral arteritis.
Standardbred
This horse breed was developed in the desert. They have dished faces, small bodies, and high set tails. They are good-natured, quick learners, and willing to please. They are also high-spirited, alert, and sensitive (animated). This breed is very versatile and excels at endurance sports.
arabian
Which breed of horse has multiple hereditary disorders as a primary health concern?
arabian
American saddlebred horses have steady temperaments with animated gaits. They are mostly used for showing in saddle-seat disciplines and driving.
What health concerns do you predict for this horse?
developmental orthopedic disease
This horse breed was bred as a riding horse in the south. They have a smooth, 4-beat running walk and an excellent temperament. They are very tough and stoic animals used for showing, pleasure, and trail riding.
Tennessee walking horse
What health concerns are known for tennessee walking horses?
- inhumane training measures (ppl create sores on the bottom of their feet to encourage a specific animated gait)
- stoicism (can lead to missing illness/disease d/t being hard to detect)
Warmbloods originated in Europe as sporthorses. They are athletic and excel as dressage, hunters, and jumpers. What health concern is present for this breed?
developmental orthopedic disease (bc they grow big fast)
Draft horses were bred to be work horses (plowing, pulling, farm work). They are large and heavy, but have excellent calm temperaments. What health concerns are present for this breed?
- muscle – genetic
- feet – they are large and flat
- laryngeal hemiplegia
T/F: vaccination should be based on: risk of disease in that animal, consequences of contracting the disease, anticipated effectiveness of the product, potential adverse effects, and cost of vxn vs cost of dz.
true
T/F: vaccination without proper management factors will NOT prevent disease, it only minimizes the risk.
true
T/F: although vaccines are not protective immediately, each horse is protected equally for equal duration.
false
vaccines are not protective immediately AND each horse is not protected equally nor for equal duration
these are things you need to inform the client of